Unlikely Heroes IC

[Red_Jenny]

Parkside, Freedom City
2:00 PM, April 7, 2015

http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah212/redjenny1/0499e057-fb16-43c5-89fd-1b3a96206c94_zpsqjl6ljjm.jpg

Everything's calm, for once. Well, perhaps calm is the wrong word. Things haven't been calm for weeks. Sirens are wailing in the distance, as they have been night and day, and something is burning quite impressively just over the horizon to the north, out in the Wharton State Forest, a smoke column rising high into the sky. Let us instead say that nothing is actively exploding around you.

Freedom City's normally bustling streets are reduced to a trickle of traffic following detour signs around craters, barricades, and fallen bridges. Without the great city-spirit Dr. Metropolis around to clean up the mess after superpowered battles, the city not only feels like a warzone, it's starting to look like one too. The cubicle zombies are trudging back from lunch, some of the street vendors have ventured out to populate the empty sidewalks, and a few parkgoers are daring to enjoy the spring sun. Liberty Park has weathered the storm better than most parts of town - there's less to rob or point death rays at.

Parkside is the edge of the neon-and-skyscraper filled grid of streets that out-of-towners think of when someone says "Freedom City". Stuck between the winding old colonial streets of Lantern Hill, home of Freedom City University and the famed Claremont Academy, the towering spires of the Business District, and the rolling greenery of the park itself, Parkside is a prime target for the horde of supervillains now terrorizing the city, one that's escaped so far through sheer luck.

But for now, though? Everything's calm. Honest.

And here's our first IC post. A rare quiet moment to let you get your feet under you. Don't worry, it won't last. :smalltongue:

[Nintendogeek01]

"Mmmmm... bored bored bored bored... boredboredboredbored..." Suki was lounging on the couch in her small apartment, tapping the nearby table over and over again with her finger, her speech and finger tapping quickly picking up speed until her words and her finger would've been nearly imperceptible to any observers. The young Asian woman was waiting for her phone to ring as she was technically on "business hours."

BRRRRING...!

Quick as a flash Suki zipped from the couch to kitchenette counter she had left her phone on and promptly answered the phone. "Nariko Odd Jobs! When normal jobs aren't fast enough! This is Suki!" the young woman said almost too fast to be understood.

"Uh... this isn't Toby's Pizza?"

"...ungh..." Nariko groaned in frustration, "No, their number has a six, not a five," she sighed. And right on cue, the other line had hung up. "Chikushō!" she cursed before throwing herself back on her couch in a blink. It'd been like this since yesterday. At first the League's disappearance led to a rash of jobs that people wanted done fast, but now the jobs people want require professional skills Suki simply didn't have, faster than a normal human or not. If yesterday was any indication, she'll have one or two jobs, but then lay down bored in her apartment. Rent won't be a problem for a while thanks to the job rush a while ago, but she wants more money, games she hasn't already played, movies she hasn't already watched, something cute to wear... maybe getting something cute to wear is in order, something on the racks no one will notice, maybe see if she can't get a few looks from a curious girl.

Suki rolled back over onto her back and stared at the ceiling and sighed; was the League really gone? I mean... Johnny Rocket's fast, faster than she is even now; nothing could've happened to him right? Not to the good man who could've sent her to a real prison the last time he caught her, but instead gave her a second chance. Nah... they'll be back, and until then no stealing Suki! She slapped both of her cheeks rapidly as she shot to a sitting upright position. Maybe there's something cute at the mall... no no! The charity store is affordable!

"That's it! To the charity store!" Suki soon vanished from the couch followed by rapid breezes whipping around the apartment as a blur went in and out of the three rooms in that apartment. Soon Suki was in street clothes, hair tied in a neat bun, goggles over her face, work costume in her backpack, phone and wallet in her pocket. "Freedom City! Here comes Suki...!" Suki shouted before she exited through the door.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie was On Patrol!

Okay, so she wasn't actually in costume, because going around alone in costume was a really good way to get attacked these days and Katie didn't actually want to get attacked without any backup present. Which also explained why she was, you know, walking instead of riding a magical flying hand around. And, I mean, granted, it was in the part of town that had pretty much been the least hit by the recent rash of attacks. But no one could prove which of those things was the cause of the other! It was certainly almost equally likely that the relative safety of the area was because she was patrolling it as the other way! And if, you know, her patrol happened to take her by the supermarket to pick up some stuff for dinner, hey, bonus.

Oh yeah, Katie was really starting to feel like a Superhero. When the Freedom League got back (of course they'd get back, don't be silly) they'd find their city in tip-top condition, yes-siree-bob! With Helping Hand on the case, Freedom City was as good as- *sniff*

*sniff sniff*

"Is that smoke?"

*Peers off into the distance.*

...

"Aww-ww..."

It...that...that was okay. Just...a little more work to do, was all. Probably some of those sirens in the distance are firefighters. Stick to the plan, definitely. These streets ain't gonna patrol themselves, after all! Also it was only three more blocks to the supermarket...

[Tar Palantir]

Lily was not on patrol.

That was a statement that could not be truthfully made very often over the past few weeks. With the Freedom League gone, the city was in dire need of superhuman assistance, and with Cog gone Lily was especially motivated to provide it. Had he not gone with the League, he would have been right there beside her (at least, some of the time; patrolling straight through the night was a luxury only the young and the synthetic could afford). In his absence, it was up to her.

As important as her duties were, however, Lily was quite wary of the possibility of obsession degrading her performance and introducing errors into her subroutines. As such, she devoted two hours each day to recreational activities, be it spending time with friends, reading a few (dozen) novels, or, like today, playing music in the park.

"This was a triumph," she sang, as she played along on the battered old acoustic guitar she had found at a local thrift store. "I'm making a note here, huge success." She smiled as she sang, laughing inside at her little joke. As important as secrecy was, she couldn't help herself; she'd just finished "All Along the Watchtower" before this one. "It's hard to overstate my satisfaction."

She enjoyed making music. Admittedly, her guitar work was still quite amateurish, but she was an amateur after all, and her singing voice was quite good. She didn't have to be good to brighten someone's day; she saw a few people smile as they passed her by, and that was more than reward enough for her.

[Lost Demiurge]

"Calibrate ze sprockets!"

"Yes, yes, I'll carrot bait them in a second."

"Nein! CALIBRATE!"

"Oh. I did wonder why you wanted the traps baited with carrots. Cheese would work better."

"Ve haff traps?"

"Well yes, ever since you've been down here working the last few weeks, the mice have been getting in something fierce. It's that Greek deli next door, they keep getting drawn by the smells, poor things."

"Mice? Ze mice are back! Ha, I shall... I shall... Nein. Nein, ze city, it calls to me. It shcreams in pain. I must... Act!"

"That's nice Herr Fluffi."

"Do not mock me, voman! I remember vhen you were in ze diapers. Und didn't know how to properly shcratch a belly. Number sixteen had zose scars until ze day he passed, thanks to your tragic veedvhacker accident."

"Oh, are you still sore about that? Come now, I thought we'd worked through it."

"Ja, ja... I vill forgiff you. Again. Vunce you CALIBRATE ZE SPROCKETS!"

"Fine, fine..."

Click... WHIRRRRR... VRRRRRROOOOOOOMMMMMMMM

"AHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAA!!!!"

"You know that sounds weird, that booming laugh coming out of your little collar voicebox? Doesn't it hurt your ears?"

"Earplugs."

"Oh, that's clever. Maybe you won't go deaf so quickly this time. So you're happy with that... Thing?"

"Ja. Ze MAUSER ist operational! At last, mein mighty body is ready for ze street test!"

"Then why are you walking upstairs?"

"It's feeding time, voman. Did you forget already? Besides, I've been vorking hard all hour. Time for a nap. Food first, though!"

"You're two hours early."

"Ja, but I'll be out on patrol. Early food time? Mitt belly shcratches?"

"I do spoil you. All right, great-grandfather, but only because you're going out heroing today."

"Vhell, somevone's got to. If Piledriver comes near zis block, it'll up our insurance premiums something fierze."

"So your battle cry's going to be for truth, justice, belly scritches, and low premiums?"

"....."

"Oh, and now you're ignoring me. Tsk, I guess you don't want food after all. Ah, there's the purr I know! And look at those little eyes!"

"Oh chust giff me my damn food already..."

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe sipped at her juicebox. It was pretty okay; a bit bitter, but the hell had she expected from apple juice that came in a tiny box with a sippy straw? There was only so much good to be had in the world, after all, and having good juice and the tiny box with the sippy straw would have been entirely too much. She grabbed another pair of painkillers from the bowl beside the couch and knocked them back with a swig of juice. Her everything hurt. Sometimes it seemed like it never stopped, these days. She turned her attention back to the TV. She was watching old The Last Airbender episodes. She must have seen the whole series half a dozen times now; unsurprising, considering the amount of time she had to spend resting. She’d just gotten to the end of the ninth episode of season two again. “You’ve always thrown everything you could at me!” shouted Zuko onscreen. “Well, I can take it, and now I can give it back!” Phoebe sipped at her juicebox.

The episode ended. She stood up, somewhat unsteadily. It was time to go out. Maybe a shower first, though. With one hand resting on the railing, she made her way upstairs to the bathroom. The lock clicked shut behind her, and she shucked the tee and sweats she’d been wearing before she turned on the water, as hot as it would go, and stepped in. Steam rose from her skin where the water touched it, and she sighed in momentary contentment. She sudsed up her hair with shampoo—it claimed to be pomegranate-scented, though she’d never actually smelled a pomegranate before buying the stuff—and rinsed it before applying conditioner. Her hair was pretty dry by nature, so she left that in and swaddled her damp hair, along with the rest of her, in towels. She didn’t bother with makeup; wearing that all over your face and going out to fight crime was just asking for a nasty chemical reaction. Her business in the bathroom concluded, she made her way to her room to get dressed for work.

The red, black, and gold spandex was a pain to get into and out of. The small zipper on the side was at an awkward angle to the legs, and it was a wonder her arms and head fit in at all, but it was better than the possibility of getting unzipped during a fight; that would just be embarrassing, not to mention potentially lethal. Once she’d wrangled her suit on, Phoebe slipped into her boots and gloves with considerably less effort before attaching the armor at the shoulders and clipping on the belt. The gun that now hung from it hadn’t been part of the original costume, of course; it would have spoiled the image. Of course, so would being dead, so she carried the gun. No sense in inviting the inevitable. It would come in its own good time. Until then, Phoebe had a job to do. The shower had been good for her. She felt more solid now, better. The apple juice had helped too. And the cartoons. And the painkillers. God, what a life.

In less than ten minutes, she was on her bike, racing through the streets of Freedom City, looking for trouble.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

1:45 PM inside the Men’s Room of Sunny’s Parkside Diner, a man in his mid-twenties came flowing out of a mirror, appearing one second before the door to a bathroom stall opened and a middle-aged transit worker stepped out to wash his hands. The young man was dressed in a pair of comfortably fitted jeans and a plain black t-shirt. He wore a pair of strange, archaic mirror shades over his eyes.

The shades appear like this (though the character doesn’t) - http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/manjipedia/images/f/fa/Giichi1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110606094222

He has short, but wild black hair and a plainly athletic body. Across his back was a duffle-bag, the strap worn across his chest like a backpack or messenger bag. He stepped out through the door, made his way through the diner to the sidewalk outside. Just as he was exiting, his cell phone started vibrating. Fred picked it up right as his eyes fell upon the fires in the distance and the other signs of abject chaos.

“Well… hasn’t this all gone to sh**,” the words came quietly from his throat in a deep, cool baritone.

In Japanese, the deep, rumbling voice of an older man came through, <”What did you say?”>

<”Nothing. Hey, sensei.”> He said with a small smile as he spoke to the other man, the old wereshark Seijuro. <”I just got back into my hometown. Things look… not so great.”>

“So ka,” the older man responded. <”The Freedom League’s absence is being felt, is it not?”>

From behind those mirror shades, Fred rolled his eyes, <”Pretty bad when a city can’t hold itself together without capes.”>

<”Then someone should fill that void,”> Seijuro said, his wisdom shining through, even if Fred didn’t want to hear it.

<”Not my thing, sensei. I don’t get involved with capes and things like that. Demons, sure. Monsters, I’ll kill them. Bank Robbers and Doctor Dastardlies? No. Too much attention.”>

The old man didn’t press the issue. <”What will you do at home? Will you be seeing that girl again?”> There was a meddling tone in the old man’s voice. The two were clearly familial, akin to father and son. <”You should date more. You aren’t getting younger.”>

“You’re like my grandmother,” Fred said in English.

<”What was that?”>

<”Nothing. Hey, I’ll come visit sometime soon.”>

<”Or I can visit you.”>

Fred chuckled as if that wouldn’t happen. He couldn’t see the old man leaving his cherry blossom grove. He was wrong, but that’s an event for a future date. <”I’ll keep the sake hot for you.”>

A chuckle came from the old man. <”I’ll let you go. Don’t wait so long without calling me next time.”>

“I swear you’re my grandmother.”

Seijuro ignored it that time. “Furederiku,” he began, <”I trained you so that you could face monsters. Humans can be monsters, too. You said the ‘capes’ can deal with it. Well… what happens when the ‘capes’ are no more?”>

<”You’ll do what is right. I trust you to.”>

Fred looked at his phone for a moment as the call ended, a contemplative look upon his face. He glanced at the craters in the streets, saw how the typical cubical wage-slave walked by him. There was fear in their eyes, tension in their gait. The fae portion of himself could feel the oppressive atmosphere of this city. Something had gone terribly wrong in the absence of the Freedom League. Fred sighed and he continued onwards, heading towards Aunt Judith’s house.

[Phobia]

David Grant was dressed in a nicely tailored suit enjoying a day of solitude at the park. The day to day rigors of running a multi-billion dollar company would be stressful even on a young man. He'd considered retiring at his advanced age, of course, but before he'd been bought out the Wild Coyote did a little investigating and found out just what sort of man he was selling out to. Needless to say, it was hard to retire and leave your family's company behind to just anyone.

But today he wasn't going to worry about that. Today he was here to feed the birds. The elderly gentleman spread some pieces of bread on the ground and watched the birds peck at it. It was hard to believe that the city had gotten so bad lately here in the sun at the park. Weeks had passed since the Freedom League had disappeared, likely killed in the line of duty. David had no delusions about them still being alive because if they were then they'd be here defending the city. They were good guys. But even heroes weren't immortal. The older man rubbed his wrinkled hand wistfully. "I can attest to that." David muttered to himself, his much weaker body all the evidence he needed. There was just one problem his investigative mind couldn't wrap around: if someone had taken out the Freedom League, why hadn't they made their move?

But he couldn't think about that. He was here to feed the birds. The older man spread out some more breadcrumbs and smiled at the sight of the birds. "Eat up little friends. I have plenty to spare." And what else was he gonna do, honestly? It was stupid to even consider putting the costume on again. An old man just couldn't solve things in a young man's world. He'd quit for a reason after all. With a heavy exhale he scooted forward and leaned on his cane simply watching the birds in the park and trying to destress.

[Lost Demiurge]

The gyros are good. He thinks, bounding along the rooftops. The engines are running within their proper cycles, the joints have the flexibility they were designed with, and the armored shell isn't AS noisy as he'd feared. Thick rubber pads on the "paws" are doing their job. The sensory modes are good... At least as far as he can tell in direct sunlight and the few patches of shadow he can use.

So far everything's greenlighted... Except for the weapons systems. Those taunt him, the row of toggles just below his harness. Big red candy-like toggles.

"I had to go und design every veapon to be loud, didn't I?" He muses to himself. "Meh. Zis is not der suit for schneaking. It is der suit for schtomping. Chust have to wait for it..."

He finds a good rooftop perch a couple of hundred feet away from the park, one with a nice vantage point. And then he perches above it all, and waits...

[Red_Jenny]

Perhaps because the laws of probability and nature bend before the will of cats just as everything else does, Herr Fluffi isn't left waiting long. The warm blue skies above Parkside rapidly begin to darken, coal-grey clouds roiling up seemingly out of nowhere, spinning like the eye of a hurricane as a chill wind begins to howl and torrential rain starts falling, sending the parkgoers scattering for cover. Lightning crackles across the sky.

What makes this spring storm all the stranger is that the rest of town seems just as fine and sunny as it was a few moments ago. This cloudburst is a local concern, centered right over Parkside, and more than that, over one building in particular.

First National Savings and Loan is a bulky, neoclassical lump of a building stuck in the middle of blocks of sleeker, newer skyscrapers. Despite numerous redesigns, it remains a lump, but a famous lump. This was the site of Centurion's first appearance, foiling a robbery back in 1939 to usher in the era of the superhuman. It's become something of a supervillain rite of passage to try and make a run on the bank.

http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah212/redjenny1/1Commonwealth_Bank_Sydney-1_zps0atta6k1.jpg

Ignore the lettering, we got a big tax break to film part of this season in Australia.

The culprit behind the unseasonable weather shows herself soon enough. A young silver-haired woman in silver-and-purple spandex with a long, fluttering black cape and a pointed domino mask bursts through the cloud cover, alighting on the bank roof to a dramatic peal of thunder. "All yours, Johnny! Bring 'em in!" She shouts into a commlink, surveying the chaotic climate with more than a hint of pride.

The scene goes from ominous to strange in a hurry. It's Katie who spots him first, the tip of a billowing smoke trail bounding through the city streets. "Johnny" is a handsome, almost suave man who looks to be in his early 40's. His prematurely white hair is immaculately styled, and he sports a perfectly waxed handlebar mustache and goatee. He has on an impeccably tailored seersucker suit, royal purple with a pink bowtie, and is somehow pulling it off.

He's also riding what appears to be, of all things, a rocket-powered pogo stick, a burst of flame launching him hundreds of feet into the air with each jump.

He alights in front of the bank and hands the contraption to a young boy who seems too confused to be frightened. "Here you are, son! The Johnny Spaceman Model C! The finest personal conveyance ever designed by man! For ages eight and up, and powered by real rockets, just like NASA uses!" The white-haired man leans in and whispers conspiratorially "You, know, the government won't let me make anymore of those, my boy. That there's a gen-u-ine collector's item! Now you run along and have some fun, sonny Jim. It's not safe to be out in this rain, you'll catch your death of cold, as my dear ol' mother used to say!"

Johnny wastes no time clambering up on top the nearest car and calling out to the few nearby pedestrians. "Ladies and gentlemen! Gather 'round! A magnificent spectacle awaits! Cutting-edge technology, miracles of science, masters of the mystic arts, death-defying feats of skill! Come, come, see for yourselves! Witness the greatest act of larceny our fair city has seen in many a year! I'm Johnny Geoff, but I don't need to tell you folks that, do I? You look like a clever crowd, and no mistake. Come see what this 'ol Huckster and his marvelous companions have to offer!"

"You've already met the lovely lady of the elements, the incomparable Weather Mistress!"

"That's it, Johnny? One sentence? Don't wear yourself out." The weather-controller's snark is audible at ground level.

"From the Great White North, a proud patriot comes! Some call him crazy, but really folks, isn't that what they say about all great men? The Mad Maple!"

The wet ground near the bank freezes solid as another miscreant speeds into view, a strongly built man in what one might call the "classic" supersuit, a formfitting number with boots, gloves, and a cape, all red and white, gliding along a path of ice faster than any car. He's wielding a golden metal pole with a ball at the tip, almost like a flagpole without a flag, and he looks positively furious.

"You know I hate that name, Huckster! Don't press your luck! This isn't one of your filthy American get-rich-quick schemes! This is a matter of Canadian pride! We are here to redress the economic crimes of the so-called red, white and blue!"

The Huckster waves off his angry compatriot. "And here I thought they were all supposed to be polite." He stage-whispers to the crowd. "Our tour of the continent continues with a dear friend of mine. You connoisseurs of crime out there know him well, I'm sure. Hailing from all the way down in Argentina, breaker of hearts and breaker of laws, The Bola!"

Yet another villain rides into view right on cue. Clad all in black, standing confidently atop a motorcycle like a stunt rider. The bike fishtails as it hits the ice, but the man leaps off with a flip and a flourish. He looks almost exactly like Zorro, right down to the mask and hat. The only thing missing is the sword. True to his name, the man carries a set of bolos instead, and has already begun doing tricks with them to impress a pair of women in the crowd. "Are you lovely ladies doing anything tonight? We shall be celebrating our heist, and Las Boleadoras, he is always looking for... companionship."

The Huckster is now thoroughly warmed up, pacing back and forth atop his makeshift stage "Even a group as bright as this sometimes needs a spark, I know just the man, and ladies and gentlemen, here he comes now! The Firebug!"

A man rockets across the park, leaving a pair of burning trails in his wake, and joins the growing throng near the bank. Unlike his companions, he's picked function over form, wearing a flash goggles and a heavy flameproof suit, even if it is bright fire-engine red. A pair of wrist-mounted blowtorches sizzle in the downpour. He looks up at the Weather Mistress and asks in a quiet voice that's not all there "Would you turn off the rain? I want to watch the flames..." Everyone, including the other villains, shift away slightly.

"Well... Hm. Last, but most assuredly not least, a woman of surpassing beauty and exceptional brilliance, a scientist who can stun with a smile, the Mistress of Mirrors, Looking Glass!"

A woman in a black catsuit follows Firebug's path in, lower and slower, letting herself be seen, close enough for the old man feeding the birds to get a good look. Her rocket harness is far sleeker than Firebug's frankly unsafe contraption, which is still belching smoke. In a pair of shoulder holsters she carries, well, one might call them pistols, but they don't look quite like any gun David Grant's ever seen. She is indeed beautiful, and given her expression looking over the crowd, is the sort of person who needs to hear others say it at least five times a minute. "Hmph. Johnny, dear, we should get a move on. Time's wasting."

"And time is money! Quite right! Do join us if you've a mind, my fine folks. What's a show without an audience, after all!" With that, the motley crew steps inside to the frantic ringing of alarms.

What do you do?

What do you do, indeed. :smallwink: Combat will start next turn, but roll init with your reactions, if you would? It'll make my life just a little easier.

No rolls necessary for our speedster, you know who these clowns are. The Thieves Guild, Johnny Rocket's archenemies. A... colorful band of gadgeteers and minor mystics, they could probably all be millionares if they used their powers like Suki did, but they're all far too greedy, stupid or crazy for that. Normally it takes an act of god to get them to work as one team, but with Johnny gone, they must believe nobody can stop them.

(Details about them can be gleaned with actual rolls, but given her background I figured this much was a freebie.)

[Nintendogeek01]

Suki was impulsive, not stupid... or so she'd like to say, but what she was about to do was either the bravest or stupidest thing she'd ever do. When Johnny Geoff had finished introducing that ragtag bunch of stupid... crazy people that call themselves a guild Suki had darted into a nearby alleyway and within the space of little more than a second had changed into her costume, a costume Johnny Rocket had given to her out of the kindness of his heart because, to quote him "You'll want something you won't wear down on your next job kid."

"Baka, baka, baka, baka... think that just because Johnny's out they can do what they want... bakas..." Suki fastened her goggles and made sure her shoes were on properly. She held her gloved hand out in front of her, the same gloves that kept her from accidentally shocking people with a touch, but if she really tried... yes... the arcs of electricity traveling between the space of her fingers confirmed she could still do this trick.

She wasn't going to let them take advantage of the first man she'd known to show her an act of kindness.

ZOOM

Whether I'm allowed to make the below rolls, whether they succeed, or whether they don't will not change what happens in the next IC paragraph.
Initiative roll to get it out of the way: [roll0]

Move Action: Move at half-total movement to use stealth (movement reduced to 60 miles). [roll1]

Standard Action: Attack Weather Mistress with Taser Touches. If stealth succeeded, then she is vulnerable. [roll2].

Result on successful hit: DC14 fortitude save; daze, stun, incapacitated (cumulative). +2 to DC if attack check succeeds by two degrees, +5 to DC if attack check succeeds by three degrees.

Move-by Action: Run out to place herself between the bank entrance and the crooks, whatever the midway point is.

"Nariko," the child of thunder, launched her ambush and dashed by the gathering of villains, whipping up a noticeable gust of wind, stopped halfway between the bank entrance and the villains, back turned to the Guild. "Nononononononono... no no NO!" Nariko whipped around to face the Thieve's Guild on the strike of the last no. "You think you crazy bakas can do what you want just because Johnny's been out of town for a little while!? Well no! Not while Nariko's here! You'll answer to me first!" Nariko thrust her pointer finger at the villains, willingly giving off an electric glow for a moment; maybe the brief flash of lightning would intimidate them, maybe it wouldn't, either way...

Nariko meant business!

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

He was still pondering the conversation he’d had with Seijuro. He sees the old man’s point, but taking on the role of a cape was ridiculous. It’s so flashy, so public. The last time someone had witnessed Fred in a full-on battle was when he’d killed two vampires in an alley behind a nightclub. And guess what? The police were called and probably would have shot him. No. What capes do is pageantry. Colorful costumes, silly nicknames. And little wonder why their villains reappear again and again. It was a world Frederick wanted nothing to do with.

And it was a world that he would be completely unable to avoid.

The sky darkened. It literally darkened. Rain fell, soaking Fred’s clothes, causing his hair to fall in his face. The weather was unnatural, it didn’t take him long to surmise that. And then, three blocks down, the biggest pack of Halloween-Costumed idiots materialized near the old bank. Even from where he was, he could hear the speeches. The stupid speeches. The awful names. He could feel disgust as if it were sandpaper against his stomach.

Not getting involved, was his first thought. That was, until he sensed the reaction of those around him. Real fear. Real despair. All from these ridiculous costumed villains.

<”You’ll do the right thing. I trust you to.”>

Fred exhaled a sigh and shook his head. He was surrounded by onlookers. There was no graceful way to do any of this. He just hoped that no one had a camera running. Fred reached into his duffle bag and produced a sheathed Japanese katana. The sheath was lacquered with a dark purple, the guard simple and round and the grip wrapped in dark fabric. He tucked it into his belt, then began to move. Right at the same moment that Nariko delivered her electric punch, Fred Broll turned and walked into the storefront window to his left, disappearing into a ripple. Those who noticed let out gasps and exclamations of shock.

Inside the bank entrance, stepping out from the polished glass of the doors, Fred appeared to stand just a few feet away from where Nariko was making her stand. Through his mirror shades he glanced sideways at her. A cape. Lovely. Well, you work with what you’ve got. He stepped closer to the villains and assumed a stance, his left foot ahead of his body, profile turned to them. He was a left-handed swordsman, after-all.

His brow lowered as his eyes narrowed underneath the shades. “You should listen to her,” his baritone voice said calmly, “Unless you want a trip to the ICU. Doesn’t matter to me either way.” Though his voice was calm, it radiated a quiet fury. His right hand gripped the uppermost portion of his sheath, and his thumb loosened the hilt, unsheathing but one inch of the blade. He meant business.

"Ooooo," a disembodied voice sounded out, "looks like we're going to slice up Barnum and Bailey. We've even got some Canadian Bacon."

Fred smirked. Even he couldn't deny he liked that last one.

Initiative: [roll0]

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie looked around in surprise and confusion as the storm suddenly picked up, but her questions were answered as Johnny came bouncing in. Okay, she could admit it, the rocket-powered pogo stick was awesome and she wanted Kyle to make her one. Respect should be given where due. Even to supervillains.

On that subject...that was a lot of supervillains. Yeah. Katie was about two seconds away from walking quietly in the opposite direction because wow that was a lot of supervillains. But then two others stepped forth to confront them, and Katie's gaping mouth slipped into a slender grin.

There was no way she could fight a force like that. But she could definitely help!

She drew her wand and with a wave and a word a shining silver hand lifted her from the ground, flying her over to hover above and behind the other two who had stepped forward. "Bad news, bad guys!" she called out in an enthusiastic and somewhat over-dramatic tone of voice honestly not all that dissimilar from the one Johnny had adopted for his speech, clearly under the impression that she was being, just, super-cool. "The Heroes are here!" She brandished her wand in a manner that was less "menacingly aiming a lethal weapon" and more "striking a pose", but the silver light that crackled around its tip nonetheless lent a measure of weight to the gesture.

Initiative: [roll0].

[Phobia]

"Hmph. Unseasonable weather for a sudden storm? Must be the work of super-villainy afoot!" The old man exclaimed a little louder then he might have intended. He was growing deaf, give the old guy a break. But when the wheels starting turning in his mind he got a little bit of that old vigor back. As he struggled to stand to his feet the gentleman noticed the growing spectacle and narrowed his eyes as the villain handed over a dangerous device to a child.

"I don't have the time for these games." He said, his voice deepening, as he leaned forward on his cane and waved away his bird friends lest they be harmed. He let his eyes linger on the Mistress of Mirrors for perhaps a second too long but a hero couldn't let himself be distracted for long.

But was he really a hero anymore? This city needed someone but did the Wild Coyote still have the old howl in him? Flipping up a panel on his cane he pressed a button. The Coyotemobile would be here soon with a spare costume inside. It'd been many years since he'd taken on that many super-humans at once but if he didn't..

"Great Scott!" David exclaimed as a random off-the-cuff super stood before the super-villains to stop them. That was just a kid, he knew the type, a random meta-human who thinks they belong in the big leagues. No way she had the experience to take all of them. Still, it showed a lot of heart to stand up to a force that large as an individual. David Grant smiled and nodded at Suk, just an old man among the bystanders.

Ah, his car was here.

"This is not a toy." He growled before snatching the rocket-powered pogo stick from the boy. "No matter what that maniac tells you." He warned before rushing over to his ride parked in the alley. The same alley Suki may have used moments before. With a sigh he tossed the pojo stick inside and climbed in to change.

The suit seemed snugger than usual.. But it still fit. David Grant went into the car but the Wild Coyote came out. His gut was a little paunchier but it was same old brown spandex suit with extreme padding and two cute little cat ears over the mask that only covered the top-half of his face, no cape, but a giant claw symbol was emblazoned on the front. Wild Coyote II had put a tail on his version of the costume. Wild Coyote I thought that was kinda silly, god rest him.

By the time Wild Coyote got back out there two more outstanding civilians had put on a uniform and joined the fight. Or at least the stand-off. They looked quite capable, if a little cliche, especially the witch hat but at least their heart was in the right place. Besides, this old goat can't say much wearing spandex with this much of a gut.

Wild Coyote threw down a smoke pellet and jumped threw the ensuing smog to join the others landing semi-gracefully. Keep it together, David. He still held his cane but he didn't want to be seen using it in costume as long as he could stand it. "This ends now! These shenanigans are over. On your stomachs, arms spread!" The Wild Coyote said with a deep snarl as he pointed warningly. He may not cut an imposing figure, and sure, Wild Coyote was no Centurion, but it was still the classic heroes first appearance in many years since he was apparently murdered.

Initiative: [roll0]

[Lost Demiurge]

Vell! Thinks Dr. Gearschifdt. I knew Freedom City vould not disappoint!

With a twitch, he's leaping, the metal muscles of MAUSER synchronizing with his own, superior feline form! A long bound, a soar through the air, then WHUMP!

He lands, taking out a mailbox, and letters billow up around him. Gah! Didn't see zat. Er, I'll chust ignore it, und hopefully no vone vill call me on it.

So instead of trying to collect the private mail before it can go in all directions, he clicks on the armor's voice synthesizer.

"Criminals!" He roars. "You dare to make an illegal vithdrawal from ze bank? I, MAUSER, schall..." Hells, this snappy banter is harder than you would think. Ah, just go with something simple.

"I, MAUSER, schall knock you all down!"

Then he glances around and notices oh, hey, there's other heroes here. That's... Unexpected. Looks like I vasn't ze only vun who felt ze need...

INITIATIVE

[roll0]

[Tar Palantir]

Initiative, and some knowledge checks:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]


As the rain began to pick up, Lily packed away her guitar and began eyeing the sky warily. Weather channel says this storm wasn't here thirty seconds ago, and I'm inclined to agree.Turning her attention to street level, it didn't take long for her to lay eyes on the likely culprits. She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.It's times like this I can almost understand not wanting to be a hero. I didn't even get to the second verse.

This Huckster seemed content to grandstand, so Lily took advantage of the opportunity to duck into a nearby alleyway, drop off her guitar, and shift into her costumed appearance. As he named his companions, Sparrow started running their names through some quick searches on Google and the publicly available cape sites, skimming for useful information. There had to be something useful out there, even just basic powersets to go with names.

Setting that process loose and leaving it to run, Sparrow stepped out of the alleyway, only to find that some opposition had already appeared for the would-be bank robbers. Do these guys have a mass text alert system or what? She added the 'heroes' to her background check as they appeared, racking her own database as well for anything useful.

Letting that run, she moved forward herself, walking slowly but with purpose. Even if all of the 'good guys' were on the level, she couldn't just leave things up to them. Oh no, she had to get involved personally. She could practically hear Cog's half-teasing, half-concerned lecture. Well Cog's not here, so someone has to get in over their head for him.

"I think my colleagues have covered the 'surrender or we'll make you' quite well, so let me just add that I doubt the League will look kindly on anyone who takes their absence as an excuse to forget themselves. I know Daedalus isn't going to be happy, let alone Doc Metropolis. Maybe it's best for you to get back under cover before they return and clean house."

Sparrow used her little speech as an opportunity to position herself at the front of the group, ready for trouble. She didn't expect much to come of their surrender offers; villains so rarely obliged on that front. Still, you offered, on general principle if nothing else. Plus, it meant you didn't have to feel as guilty about the ensuing beatdown.

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe would be the first to admit—okay, maybe her parents would be first, but she’d be a close second—that she hadn’t been particularly focused on her schoolwork in the last few months, even before the Freedom League vanished and she dropped out, and that science had never been a particularly strong area for her, but even so, she was pretty sure that clouds didn’t normally behave like that, and they especially didn’t behave like that directly over banks, at least as far as she had anything to say about it. Phoebe revved her bike’s engine and set a course for First National.

Phoebe cursed as she arrived on the scene. Six of them. Dammit. She could take one, maybe two if she was really, really lucky, but more than that and she’d probably run out of power before she could even touch the others, who would then proceed to beat the stuffing out of her. Still, maybe if she was able to take a couple of them before they could get to her… There was a chance. An idiot’s chance, to be sure, but she had to try; she could already feel her heart pounding with exhilaration and fear. Besides, if worst came to worst, they didn’t exactly look like the killing type.

Phoebe turned her bike around, stopping a few blocks from the bank, and jogged back on foot, though she slowed to a walk when she got close. A few other supers had arrived, swinging the odds in the heroes favor, and if they looked a little mismatched and bedraggled, well, who was she to throw stones? The unexpected backup was no reason to throw away her advantage, however. Phoebe stopped about a hundred feet back from the bank. She was in costume, but the appearance of the other capes ought to distract them, especially with her still outside and so far away. The placement of the windows was a bit awkward , but they were big, and through them she could see the confrontation unfolding inside. Phoebe drew her gun and checked the ammo. The rubber-coated bullets should be able to go through glass without much trouble, but they wouldn’t do the same to a person. Perfect. The one in the suit had seemed like he might be the ringleader, so he’d be first. Raising the gun, Phoebe sighted quickly, then took the shot.

Stealth, if needed: Taking 10 for a result of... 10.
Shooting the Huckster (-2 for partial concealment): [roll0] (Damage DC 19, hopefully he's vulnerable.)
Initiative: [roll1]

Going to do some knowledge rolls, too. Doubt it's appropriate for the others, but Wild Coyote probably used to be a big enough name that it works to use Pop Culture. Might as well try the villains while I'm at it:
Wild Coyote: [roll2]
"Super" Villains: [roll3]

[Red_Jenny]

As the motley band of villains make their way up the steps, Suki zips past, catching the Weather Mistress with a shocking blow. Unfortunately for the speedster, the weather witch simply shrugs and smiles. "Terrible luck, hon. I eat that stuff up for breakfast. Shoulda aimed for Captain Canuck. He hates getting shocked." The Mad Maple snorts incredulously, though you can't tell if it's because she called him Captain Canuck or because she just told half a dozen superheroes a presumed weakness.

The Huckster laughs jovially and spreads his arms wide. "Well, well, well, what have we here? Quite the welcoming committee, I must say!" He quickly singles out Noriko with a knowing wink. "You're Johnny's little guilty secret, aren't you m'dear? That one he let go? I knew there was something to that 'speedster fight' story! Oh, don't give me that look. We know Johnny Rocket better than anyone. Good man, hope he gets back all right. Helped save the world, you know. I like the world! It's where I keep my stuff! We're not taking advantage, no no. Johnny's off doing his job, we're just doing ours. You know, little girl, you'd be quite good at it! You already are, if rumors are true. Now, I wouldn't wish to take advantage of a fellow member of the craft, so we'll- Aaaggh!"
Phoebe's shot catches the fast-talker right in the ribs, and he finally shuts up, face going grey as he drops to one knee. "Ugh.. so much for being polite. Friends, why don't we teach these folks a lesson?"

Looking Glass completely ignores the rest of heroes and her erstwhile teammates, even when Huckster gets shot. She's staring intently at Fred with an expression that's a disconcerting mix of predatory, lustful, greedy and crazier than a ****house rat."Oh, he's mine. How? How? How? To move through them like that, it's beautiful. Science? No no, I would have found it... Magic! It must be, yes... tell me how, show me!"

From the doorway, our heroes (and miscreants) get a good look inside. The interior of the bank is far better preserved than the exterior, with the original stone walls and marble floor and black metal fixtures. It's only the computers and ads that show this place is a modern business and not a museum. Customers and tellers alike scramble for cover from what's coming.

http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah212/redjenny1/CSBinterior_8_13_zps3yk7dtjk.jpg
So, full init order is:

Suki: 27
Fred: 25
Firebug: 22
Katie: 19
Burnout: 16
Wild Coyote: 14
Bola: 13
MAUSER: 12
Looking Glass: 9
Huckster: 9
Weather Mistress: 6
Mad Maple: 6
Sparrow: 4

Huckster barely beats Burnout's stealth roll, but the attack still hits and he rolls terribly, and is bruised (-1 toughness) and Dazed.

Suki's attack hits, but Weather Mistress is, alas, immune to Electric attacks. :smallfrown: Nariko gets a HP for the setback, and 'cause "Haha, nope" is a terrible way to start your first superfight. :smallredface:

Bola: Defenses are lower than Fred's, Attack is higher
Firebug: Defense: Equal, Attack: Lower
Huckster: Defense: Higher, Attack: Equal
Looking Glass: Defense: Higher, Attack: Lower
Mad Maple: You've got nothing. This guy may be the goofiest of them all, but he moves like someone who can actually handle himself.
Weather Mistress: Both Lower. Best attack is ranged, at +8.

Suki and Ronin, you're up!

[Nintendogeek01]

Nariko "Suki" Tsukino
Status: Normal
Hero Points: 1

Nariko smiled as these other costumed guys showed up, she honestly wasn't sure if she could do this by herself. Her lips pursed back to her "serious face," when the Huckster brought up what he knew about her, kinda creepy he cared that much... but her lips broke into a full grin when a surprise shot caused the Huckster to hit his knee."I already have a job tough guy, but for right now..." Nariko did a few jogging steps in place before crouching low to the ground like a track-runner ready for a race, "Let's Dance...!"

Move Action: Approach Huckster's melee range.

Standard Action: Flurry: Multi-attack damage 4 on Huckster. To-hit roll vs. Parry: [roll0]
UPDATE: The hero-point reroll resulted in a total of 30 on the attack check back in the OOC.

Result if Successful: Toughness roll against DC19. +2 to DC if attack check succeeds by two degrees, +5 to DC if attack check succeeds by three degrees.

Move-by Action: hide outside the bank building proper (beside or behind it somewhere, guess it depends on whether the roll is good or not). Stealth roll: [roll1]
Nariko zipped in and out of the group of villains, taking a quick dash back to the collected heroes, "ThanksforthebackupbythewayIcouldreallyuseitIthinkw eshouldtalklaterafterthis!" came her rapidly blurted appreciation before she zipped out through the door and around the building in an attempt to lose sight of the villains. If there's one thing pick-pocketing taught her, even if your mark knows you're there, if they don't know where you're coming from that's all the advantage you need.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

These costumed morons were still not taking things seriously, even when a bunch of costumed—ugh heroes came rushing in as well. This entire event was so… so dumb. Fred peered out at the Huckster and his cronies from behind implacable shades. While they talked, and they talked at length, Fred watched them. The way they held themselves, the subtleties of their builds, the way they glanced and the fighting intent they gave off. He felt like he’d pegged most of them, devising his own tactics for how to attack them. As for the Huckster expounding upon electric-girl’s supposedly sordid past, he didn’t seem to care.

He was pleasantly, pleasantly surprised when one of the capes actually shot the Huckster in the back. Fred’s lips broadened into a full grin complete with some laughter.

“Yeah, it’s about time you stopped talking.”

He was going to attack the person in front of him, work his way down the list… until the beauty queen had the notion to challenge him outright. Fred jumped up into the air, but instead of landing on terra firma, his feet touched down upon a soft, white ethereal glow. It looked like he was standing in mid-air. He jumped again until he was on even “footing” with Looking Glass.

“I don’t teach my magic to bank robbers in bondage gear. And even if I did, you just don’t have what it takes.”

“You got served.”

There was a beat of silence, a building of tension… then he sprang out towards her. His feet carried him along the aether faster than a mortal man could run on solid ground, and as he reached her, he drew his blade and slashed all at once in a blindingly fast iaijutsu attack. As the blade, Starsoul, was unsheathed, its metal appeared to be so bright that it was nearly white. And where the light touched its starmetal, a multitude of colors radiated from it.

All Out Attack for 2. +12 total.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4812176/

Rolled a 29. Critical hit. DC 26 + the effects of multi-attack, possibly 28/31.

[Lost Demiurge]

He blinked. Some of the heroes had gone and interrupted a MONOLOGUE? Tch. No accounting for taste. The villains gave you all the juicy info when they monologued, and you let them finish! Those were the unwritten rules!

He looked again at the sorry collection of villains. Then again, ve probably know all ve need to about zis lot.

Ah well.

"Very vell then! Face ze power of der raw fury of der Cherman Language!"

He hopped to get the best angle... Looking Glass lady gave him an idea. What did mirrors hate, again?

Inside the suit, Herr Fluffi's paw shifted to the loudspeaker. Some went to ten, it was true. His went to elf!!!*

"Raus hier ! Jetzt Schon!"

*
Elf is actually the word for eleven in German. Not the little woodlands frolickers. Those are another word that I don't know right now.


Actions...

Hop to where I can catch Looking Glass, and maybe one other villain, and hit them with my sonic cone attack. Can't remember if the roll matters for area attacks, but here we go!
[roll0]

[Red_Jenny]

Suki batters the Huckster to his knees, but the villain fends off more of the assault than she thought he would, given that he appears to be a middle-aged gadget salesman. His cries of pain shift to a chuckled warning as Nariko breaks off her attack, dashing into the alley behind the bank almost before anyone even registers she's gone. "Ahhh! Ah, ah, ah! Thought you had me? No no, I know more about fighting speedsters than you ever could! Yep, lookie there, now you'll run off, thinkin' we won't see you coming."

"I wasn't really asking, you're going to sho- GAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Looking Glass is far less fortunate and far less clever-tongued. She screams as she takes a blow from the literal shining sword, dropping to the ground, babbling in incoherent pain. She manages to roll away from MAUSER's impromptu German lesson, but the tumble down the stairs hardly does her any good. She lays at the bottom, groaning for the moment.

Firebug proves far more resilient, shaking off the sonic assault with no harm done. "It's pretty in here... so many places for the fire to play..." He rockets through the archway above the heroes and hovers high inside, near the vaulted ceiling of the bank, leaving twin trails of flame in his wake - with Sparrow and Herr Fluffi right in their path.

Huckster takes a bruise (-1 toughness) from Suki.

Looking Glass takes a hit and is Dazed and Staggered by Ronin, but she makes the Dodge save and so only takes a bruise from MAUSER.

Firebug makes both saves, takes no damage.

Sparrow and MAUSER, DC 25 Toughness saves, if you please. DC 20 Dodge checks to halve the effect.

Helping Hand, Wild Coyote, Burnout, you're up!

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie looked around with an ever-widening grin on her face as more heroes came out of the woodwork. WOO-HOO! This'll show those villains that even without the League, Freedom City isn't defenseless!

"Oh man!" she enthused. "Is that...are you really the Wild Coyote! No way! It- I just want to say, it's such an honor, Sir!" she said, even going so far as to reach out to shake his hand (or just set a hand on his arm, if his hands were otherwise occupied). Admittedly, it wasn't really much in the way of a contribution to the fight, but you know, seeing the shining adoration in the young wanna-be-heroine's eyes, it could take some of the weight of years and cares off the shoulders of even the most grizzled veteran.

(Or it might be a Haste enchantment. ONE of those two for sure!)

Move Action: Get adjacent to Wild Coyote if not already.

Free Action: Change arrays to Floating Hand and Augment Attack.

Standard Action: Ready an action. When Wild Coyote attacks, he's affected by an Alteration. His Coyote Chakram gains Linked Snare 6, as he becomes fast enough to hurl both a chakram and a bolas in succession. The increase in speed also improves his Dodge by 2. The power's Subtle and Insidious Extras applies here; the fact that Katie's magically augmenting him is only noticeable to magic detection or similar super-senses.

Reaction: Upon augmenting Wild Coyote during his attack, her Augment Attack triggers as a Team Attack at [roll0] (after +5 for Teamwork). Due to Floating Hand, her reach for this Team Attack is 900'. If that hits his target's Parry, Wild Coyote gets +2 Damage. If it beats the target's Parry by ten or more, the bonus improves to +5. This only applies to Toughness-resisted Damage, so if WC attacks with something else, no bonus is gained. Likewise, if he chooses to use the Chakram-Linked-Bolas, the bonus would only apply to the Damage, not to the Snare. Since Augment Attack is Limited, it will cause no damage itself if WC's attack misses or is of an inapplicable type.

Current Status: Normal.

Active Augments
Wild Coyote: Coyote Chakram gains Linked Snare 6. +2 Dodge. Duration: 5 rounds*.

*Even though he's currently the only augmented ally, a duration applies because it's raining, which degrades Katie's magic more rapidly. This is also why the duration is at five rounds rather than the default ten.

General OOC Note: A natural issue with how Katie works is I kinda have to guess what the other PCs might do and what buffs will be immediately useful. I will occasionally guess wrong. Naturally, a big stack of bonuses is definitely incentivizing, but I don't want to be dictating actions. If there's something else you want to do with your turn, please please do it. I'm sure as the game progresses she'll get better at recognizing the team's tactics and coordinating her augments, but until then, choosing the wrong buff is like missing an attack roll; not a big deal (and the augments have a duration anyway, so even if they don't help right then they still might later). Just want to be clear on this now.

Of course, if the person I'm planning to augment is in the chat that'll mitigate the issue, but barring that, yeah.

[Lost Demiurge]

Hmf, need to work on aiming while shouting, Mauser realizes. Still, that weapon works fine- Gah!

Fire!

He tries to roll out of the way with catlike grace...

Roll, roll Herr Fluffi!

Dodge attempt... [roll0]
Toughness save... [roll1]

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe started jogging towards the bank. She'd still want to keep her distance, at least while she was unenhanced, but she might as well close in a little now that she'd been spotted anyway. The Huckster was still up, though seemingly not by much, and he was talking again. Phoebe actually felt somewhat impressed by that; whatever else he was, the old man certainly had gumption. She might've even liked him, if he wasn't a supervillain, which wasn't to say she wasn't grateful she was too far away to hear anything he was saying, or that she wouldn't have shot him again, if he hadn't been kneeling too low to see though the windows. Instead, Phoebe targeted Looking Glass, lying in a heap at the foot of the bak steps, barely breaking stride as she raised, sighted, and fired. The act gave her a warm glow of satisfaction. During the months after her beatdown by Orion, she'd had lots of idle time, and she'd needed some exercise to rehabilitate to rehabilitate her hands. Combined with the desire to never be quite that helpless again, the result had been to make Phoebe into a crack shot.

Move Action: Phoebe is now about 70 feet from the bank.
Shooting Looking Glass: [roll0] (DC 19 Toughness)
Current Status: Normal

[Phobia]

Now this one he liked.

"Thanks, kid. It's good to know that even after all these years I'm still an inspiration to someone." Wild Coyote smiled, the exposed bottom half of his face a wide grin. He felt better somehow, like all he'd needed was a boost of confidence. "I really appreciate it. Autographs after we're finished here my new young friend." He said in a warm tone while taking the offered hand. Sure she hadn't asked for an autograph- yet, but it was only a matter of time!

"Stop right there, criminal scum!" Wild Coyote shouts, yanking his hand back to grab one of his trusty circular chakrams from his utility belt while dashing after Firebug. Pausing for a moment he takes a second chakram from his belt that's attached to the first by a line and starts to swing them around in a circular motion before throwing the line. It cut through the air while spinning to hopefully strike and restrain that firebug.

Moving to attack Firebug.

Ranged Attack Roll: [roll0]

[Red_Jenny]

More concerned with showing off and watching the pretty flames than defending himself, Firebug is caught completely off-guard by the wily veteran hero. The Coyote Chakrams wrap him up tightly and knock him backwards, causing the pyromaniac to crash painfully into the stone ceiling. As he flails about trying to untangle himself, the Firebug woozily tries to retaliate. He ends up facing entirely in the wrong direction, but a blast of fire is a blast of fire, and several desks go up like kindling, trapping some of the bank employees behind a rapidly growing - and advancing - wall of flame!

"My my, talk about a blast from the past! The Wild Coyote!" The Huckster hops up and launches right into another spiel. The man sure did love the sound of his own voice. "See the ol' supersuit's getting a little... tight here and there. Happens to the best of us as we get on in years. Just so happens I've got the perfect solution. This solution!" He pulls a bottle from his coat pocket, filled with an evil-looking green liquid. "Johnny Geoff's patented Supermodel weight loss tonic! Finest on the market, or it was, till someone told those busybodies at the FDA. Watch those pounds just melt away! You don't even have to drink it, just a little touch to the skin! Here, free sample!" He pops the cork and hurls the bottle at Wild Coyote!

"Bah, waste of time, Huckster! He's just a wretched old dupe of the American Government! Nothing but a figurehead, just like the rest of them, dressed up and sent out to make the sheep feel safe! You, girl!" The Mad Maple points a threatening finger at Helping Hand. "I'll show you how great your hero is! A meter away, but he'll never save you!" He waves his staff, and a monstrous dome of thick ice drops from the sky towards Katie! "Like a cockroach under a glass! Ha ha!"

Looking Glass yelps as Phoebe's bullet hits home, making a noise like someone kicked a cat. After several pained breaths, she manages to get to her feet, an accomplishment in itself given how battered and bloody she looks. "No no no, not leaving until I get my secret. Show me how to mirror-walk, and I'll leave. No more bank job, no more trouble." She pulls one of her odd-looking rayguns and waves it menacingly around, but does nothing more (or perhaps can't).

"Ah, mi belleza, allow me." The Bola steps forward as gallantly as possible, a gesture which makes Looking Glass sigh in exasperation. "If you wish this man to be your prize, The Bola, he will oblige." With speed and accuracy that make it clear there's deadly skill behind all the showmanship, The Bola launches a pair of his namesake weapons at Fred, trying to tangle the swordsman in their steel coils.

"Enough, you clowns. We're here for money, not a fight! Leave 'em be." Weather Mistress claps her hands and unleashes a deafening and blinding thunderclap to cover her as she dives through a window into the bank. "All right! Vault open, now, or things start getting ugly! Chop chop, bank boy!"

Looking Glass takes yet another bruise (-1 Toughness).

Firebug is Staggered, bruised (-1 Toughness), Hindered and Vulnerable.

Wild Coyote gets a HP for the "Congrats, you set the bank on fire" Complication. He also needs to make a DC 21 Toughness save and a DC 16 Fort save. This is a Weaken (toughness) attack, so failure on the Fort save causes you to lose toughness ranks equal to the level of failure (up to 6, at least). If you want, the Coyote Suit can take the hit for you. You wouldn't have to make the saves, but the suit, being inanimate and a lower rank than the effect, would be destroyed. Choose wisely. :smallsmile:

Katie needs to make a DC 20 Dodge check. If she fails, Helping Hand is trapped in an ice prison! The ice is Toughness 10 for attempts to break out (or in).

Ronin needs to make a DC 20 Dodge check vs Bola's bolas. It's a Snare, so Hindered+Vulnerable for one degree of failure, Defenseless and Immobile for two.

Sparrow and Burnout both need to make DC 15 Dodge saves vs Weather Mistress's Dazzle. Visual + Auditory senses, one degree is impaired, two is disabled, three is unaware.

Looking Glass is holding her action, MAUSER's already gone, so Sparrow is up... twice! And so is everyone else, just normally. We're shifting to block actions. Since you guys were mostly faster than the villains, you go first. Sparrow gets to finish the first round and be part of hero block for the second. Once everyone's gone, I'll do the villains, and so forth until combat ends.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Ack!" Katie cried out as the ice dome fell over her. With her Helping Hand not carrying her, there was no way she could move fast enough to get out of the area in time. Little creep!

"Oh yeah!?" she shouted back determinedly, even though she wasn't 100% sure the guy could actually hear her. "Well...well...joke's on you! Because, like, he's still on your side of the ice! So he can still, you know, hit you! And stuff! Creep..."

But Katie wasn't going to give up that easily! A snappy comeback was the least of Maple's concerns! She held out her left hand, the side the absorbed energy, and drew her Helping Hand to overlay it, seeking the feel of magical energies on the wall.

Whether or not she detected magic, though, with her other hand, she'd gather as much energy as she could around her wand, until a crackling ball of silver power blazed at its tip, and then slam it into the barrier with all the will she could muster. The only question was whether the energy she gathered was a precisely-formed abjuration designed to counteract the magic, or a raw flood of evocation meant to blast the wall apart!

Free Action: Changing Helping Hand array to Feeling Hand and using the Magical Awareness to detect if the ice wall is magic.

Standard Action: Attack the wall, Power Attacking for 5, at [roll0]. Since this is a rolled attack against an inanimate object, a hit against DC 10 should auto-crit.

If the wall is magic, the attack will be made using Counterspell. On a hit, the wall makes a power rank check (and I believe the caster can substitute Will) vs. an opposed check of (after Power Attack and Crit) [roll1]. If it fails to beat the opposed check, the wall is dispelled. If the attempt misses or the wall beats the opposed check, Katie has to make a Will save at [roll2] against the Side Effect. Normally since this is Broad, Simultaneous, and Sustained it would also wipe out all other magic powers the caster possesses, but I think that only applies if I target the actual caster, not just the effect of one of its powers.

If the wall is not magic, the attack will instead use Power Clash. In this case, on a hit, the wall gets a Toughness save (DC 29 after PA and Crit) vs. Damage Object (1 degree bruised, 2 degrees breached, 3 degrees destroyed). There's also a Will-resisted Impaired/Disabled/Transformed to Powerless Affliction Linked, although I imagine the wall's immune, not having powers of its own, although maybe not since it is a power in itself (it's not a mental effect, in any case).

Current Status: Trapped (Toughness 10) (Pending).

Active Augments
Wild Coyote: Coyote Chakram gains Linked Snare 6. +2 Dodge. Duration: 4 rounds.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

The Bola, His name isn’t even clever, completely telegraphed his move by trying to show off for Looking Glass. Fred’s eyes are on him the entire time, waiting for the throw. It comes quickly. For all his buffoonery, the Bola was extremely skilled with his chosen weapon. Quickly thinking, Fred started to run forward on the aether towards the incoming snare. As they neared, he dove over them, laying his body flat for a moment before he tucked and rolled, an ethereal glow catching him. He came up on one knee, his visage fixed on Bola.

His expression was utterly dangerous, as were the crimson stains on his blade. But then, strangely enough, he simply grinned, his teeth exposed. The street samurai then faded from view. All that was left was the outline of his grin until that too faded.

Switching to Cheshire Grin as a free action.

Bola was left to wonder where his assailant might be coming from. He could not hear nor see the warrior anywhere. That is, until Fred appeared directly in front of Bola mid-swing of his sword, a high slash aimed at the villain’s upper chest and shoulder to prevent him from throwing anymore projectiles.

“SURPRISE!”

Attacking breaks Fred’s concealment. But Bola was probable vulnerable against the attack.

I rolled on invisible castle, but did the number wrong. Result is 28, not 30.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4814724/
All-Out Attack 5, Power Attack for 2. DC 25+Multi-Attack damage.

If Bola is still up, Fred will use extra effort to SURGE and attack him again. (If Bola dropped on the first attack, he won’t).

25 to hit on that attack
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4814729/
DC 25+Multi-Attack damage

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow lurched back slightly from Firebug's attack. Mild damage only, but she remained concerned, seeing as fire was one of the few common ways to put her down for good. Whatever happened to bank robbers with good old-fashioned guns?

She shook of the disorientation of the flames just in time to catch the second shot fired at the villains, and backtrack it to the source. Burnout? Didn't think she was still in the game. Then again, I didn't think Wild Coyote was either, so....

That thought synced up perfectly with Coyote's counterattack. Old man's still got it. The fire was...concerning, but not something she was well-equipped to deal with herself. Weather Mistress's actions further cemented the need for a response.

She shouted, "Mauser, go after her, stop the fire if you can! Anyone who can break free to contain or evacuate, please do so." With that, she rocketed towards Firebug, smashing into him with a metal-rending punch. "I'll handle Glow Bug."

Seeing him take one hit without going down, Sparrow follows up swiftly and brutally. She grabs him by the shoulders to square herself up before slamming her knee into his gut. Super-suit or no, a hit like that had to hurt. "Keep taking this kind of pounding, and your fuel tanks'll go up like a Roman candle. I bet you know better than anyone why you shouldn't hold onto the fireworks for too long. Surrender, before you get to see your pyromania from the other side of the lighter."

With Firebug dispatched, Sparrow follows her own advice, diving through the broken window and making a beeline for Weather Mistress. "I doubt you'll come quietly, but the offer is on the table. In the meantime, allow me to make my case." She flips over mid-flight, sending a solid kick into the side of Weather Mistress's knee.

[Nintendogeek01]

Nariko "Suki" Tsukino
Condition: Normal
Hero Points: 1

Nariko finished her lap around the bank and was coming back around to knock-out that chatty stalker with one more solid blow, get him to shut up about Johnny Rocket and his "experience fighting speedsters."

"Experience this ol-SHIMATTA!" Seeing the blazing desks surprised the young woman and cut her off; she skid to a halt close to Huckster, looked back and forth between him and Firebug, whom she assumed started the fire, then blew a raspberry at both of them before zipping into the bank proper.

Nariko zoomed to the closest fire extinguisher, grabbed it from its case, zipped close to the blaze and the civilians, and let 'er rip! "Gogogogogogo!" Nariko shouted nervously at the trapped bankers. She looked back in the direction of the other heroes, looks like they've got things going okay over there, once these people are out of danger it'll be time to jump back into the fray!

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser twists his segmented neck to look at the strange woman. Then he glances to Noriko, who's putting out the fire. Well, she's got that, so I'm free to go after the weather witch.
"A sound plan! Ja, on it!"

With a mighty leap, he straight-up pounces toward Weather Mistress. Going to have to keep the pneumatic pilebunkers withdrawn, for this. Don't want to kill her, just knock her out.

"You! Schtop threatening der tellers, you haff bigger problems right naow..."

POUNCE!

[roll0]

[OrganicEvil]

Uncovering her eyes and ears, Phoebe frowned at the woman she'd just shot. Was she serious? Probably not. Still, if she shot her again now, she'd probably be taking a laser to the face in seconds, and going into burn this early in the fight was a dicey prospect at best. Time to explore alternative angles...

"Tell you what," Phoebe said, "I'm not going to rule out the possibility that we might be able to teach you something, but this is obviously a bad time, what with your buddies tearing up the bank and all. Maybe if you helped us with them, we could talk. Mad Maple, for example. Dude's a gigantic tool. If I were you, I'd have wanted to shoot him for years. What do you say? Whatever else, it's obviously better than me shooting you again."

Deception, possibly at +2 depending on Looking Glass's sexual orientation: [roll0]

[Red_Jenny]

"Ooh, the 'switch sides and fight for good' speech! I've heard better. As for Maple? Yeah, he is, and I have. It was as satisfying as you think." Looking Glass is singularly unimpressed by Burnout's attempt at diplomacy.

"You shot me in the ass and sold us all out! You're only here because Bola 'vouched' for you, and he only did that because he thinks his... charm is irresistible."

"Also entirely true."

"We've all sold each other out, Burnout m'dear. More times than you can count! I think Weather Mistress is actually overdue..."

"I'll do it if you don't get in here and help me!"

Inside the ice dome, Katie's efforts find no traces of magic in her prison. It's simply ice, and very tough stuff to boot. There are a few minor cracks and chips from the flood of magical energy, but the Mad Maple's trap remains stubbornly intact.

The Bola laughs as Fred fades from view. "Ha! Frightened away! You see, nothi- AUGH!" Fred's "surprise" is right on target, but instead of finding flesh, Starsoul rings harmlessly against an energy barrier that appears from nowhere and shatters like, well, a mirror. Ronin is not one to be thwarted so easily, and his second strike catches the Bola across the shoulder, cutting deep and staining the sidewalk red. The villain gasps in shock, clutching at his wound with one hand as he stumbles backwards.

"Useless. I give you a trump card and you still take a hit like you're made of glass." Looking Glass seems utterly disenchanted with her "champion." "Fine, I'll do this myself!" A shimmering beam lances from her raygun towards Fred.

"Ah, but this fight is not over, my lady. I shall triumph yet!" Perhaps not liking his odds in a straight fight with the swordsman, the Bola pulls another pair of his namesakes and hurls them towards Fred, but they never reach their target, exploding in blinding light in midair instead!

"Pay 'em no mind. That you're willing to talk shows me you're smarter than your companions." The Huckster turns to Phoebe like the dozen squabbling supers aren't even there, his smile broad and genuine (if not actually trustworthy). "So, a deal? I do love me a deal, and I think we can help each other out. I have many products available, some are more specialized than others. That's where you come in. That name they've saddled you with, Burnout? What if it were not an insult, but a description! The mistress of flame, protecting her city, once again the darling of the headlines!" The Huckster pulls a rumpled orange-red costume from his coat and tosses it to Phoebe. "Johnny Geoff's Human Torch chemical super-power system! Patent Pending!" The moment the suit is exposed to the rain falling from the sky, it begins to spark and sputter, then explodes!

"Well, there is that."

Sparrow's punch hits home and then some, extinguishing the Firebug. The pyromaniac crashes to the ground like a ton of bricks. The villain's rocketpack clanks and rattles as he slides across the floor, and begins hissing ominously.

The Weather Mistress turns out to be made of sterner (or at least luckier) stuff, avoiding the pouncing MAUSER by a hairsbreadth and rolling easily away from Sparrow's kick. "Maple, the others are useless. Get in here and deal with our little firefighter." She turns her attention back to MAUSER with a sour grin.

"So, you're my bigger problem, eh? Nice armor. Though about something like that for myself once. Thing about electronics, though..." *Krakathoom* The weather witch snaps her fingers with malice, and a lightning bolt hurtles towards Herr Fluffi. "They're so easy to short out."

The Canadian madman skates through the door on cue, eyes fixed on Suki. "Putting out the fire instead of fighting, hmm? Figures. You Americans are always more interested in saving your precious money than justice!" says the man robbing a bank without a hint of irony. "Well, let me help douse those flames!" He waves his staff, and aims a massive blast of frigid cold and a rain of ice shards at the speedster.

The ice dome is bruised but remains intact.

Firebug is staggered again, and is out. He is, however, now basically strapped to a bomb, which will go off with considerable force inside the bank in two rounds, unless someone does something.

Looking Glass's held action triggers, she Deflects the first attack meant for the Bola. The second still staggers and bruises him.

WM narrowly avoids MAUSER's attack. Sparrow's hits, but the made the save and takes no damage.

The bad guys rolled really, really well, like, the hell is up with the dice roller well. This is going to be interesting. :smalleek:

Huckster hits. Burnout needs to make a DC 22 toughness save.
Weather Mistress hits. MAUSER needs to make a DC 25 toughness save.
Bola crits, Ronin needs to make a DC 23 reflex save vs a Visual Dazzle (one degree is impaired, two is disabled, three is unaware.)
Looking Glass hits, so Fred needs to make a DC 23 toughness save as well.
Mad Maple also crits, Suki needs to make a DC 29 toughness save.

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe's gun was flung from her hands as the blast knocked her to the ground. For a moment she simply lay there, stunned. That... Ow. Something smelled singed; it was probably her. She climbed back to her feet with a grimace. There was nothing for it, now. She'd have to burn, now.

Phoebe still wasn't sure how she turned the power on. First it was a shift and then it was a twist, maybe in her head, maybe in all of her. The world went red; from the outside, she knew, she was glowing, but she herself could only see a haze. Time stretched, and the bare seconds for which she would hold the power yawned into hours before her. Physically, she didn't feel strong enough to juggle airplanes one-handed, or fast enough to give the sound barrier a cheerful wave as she zipped on past, only mildly, itchingly discomforted, as though she had thin, tiny needles stuck into her every pore. She could no longer feel the rain. Or rather, she felt it at a distance, as though she had two skins, only one of them truly her own. The other skin, the glow, that felt the rain, but it was not her. She was aware of it, no more.

Phoebe took a minute--it lasted maybe a third of a second to others--to reorient herself. What to do first? Finishing off Huckster seemed like a good start. She might have done it already, if it weren't for getting delayed with Looking Glass. That had been an amateur mistake, impractical. She couldn't afford to make mistakes, not tangling with supers. Other supers, she supposed, technically, though she wasn't really one most of the time. But then, now wasn't most of the time. Now was when she lived for.

Something inside the bank caught her eye. Firebug slid across the floor with glacial slowness, his rocket pack humming alarmingly. "Dammit," Phoebe muttered to herself. At her current speed, it was unlikely anybody else was able to hear. "Time to save the day again, I suppose." She started towards the bank at a quick walk, not quite a jog or a run; she was still feeling the effects of the blast, and taking it a bit slower seemed best. There was a momentary roar, and then all was silent as she broke Mach 1. She opened the bank door slowly, careful not to tear it from its hinges or shatter it with speed, and made her way across the floor to where Firebug lay. Bending to reach, she removed the rocket pack and held it up to examine.

Assuming it would ordinarily take less than 15 minutes to remove the rocket pack, Phoebe should be able to do it as a free action unencumbered by the Dazed condition. If she can't just remove the thing, I can make a strength roll to tear it off if need be.

[Tar Palantir]

Still flush from her success bringing down Firebug, Sparrow flips backwards through the air away from Weather Mistress. "Mauser, finish taking out the trash. I have a thug in need of an education." She turns towards Maple Leaf, spinning towards him like a corkscrew, feet-first. "Maple Leaf, you've made so many mistakes here. One, you're accusing others of materialism while you rob a bank. Hypocrite, much?" She plants her feet on his chest, not so much a kick as bracing against the crazed supervillain. "Two, you neglect the fact that rescuing civilians is kind of a big deal, implying that you think mere money is worth more than human lives." She wrapped her hands around the middle of his staff. "And three, you saw me coming for you and you didn't run." She kicks off from his chest, pulling with all her strength on the source of the insane Canadian's powers.

Move action to approach Maple Leaf, standard to disarm, using All-Out Attack for 2. He rolls his Strength, opposed by my Damage (on a tie, higher bonus wins)

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Lost Demiurge]

"Ah, vell, thanks for ze-"

KRAKATHOOM

When the flash of lightning clears, Mauser's armor is still standing. Unaware that the noise deafened hearing for a bit, he's still talking without being aware of the interruption.

"-So nein, for someone vith your powers, I do not think heavy armor is ze route you vish to take. Zey interfere vith elemental effects chenerated by your natural abilities. Hm?" The cat's head cranes, to look at the scorched floor around him. "Case in point."

[Nintendogeek01]

Nariko "Suki" Tsukino
Condition: Bruised (-1), Dazed (Temporary)
Hero Points: 0

"Savingourmoney!? Nariko rapidly shouted angrily, even while her back was turned to the Mad Maple making sure enough of the fire was out to save the citizens. The Canadian psycho may not have been able to coherently pick up on her sentence but Nariko was too indignant to care.

"ImightlikeafewextradollarsinmypocketbutI'dneverhur tsomeonelikeyoucrazybakasorleavesomeonetogethur-GUH!" Nariko's rapid fire retort was cut short when she whipped around too upset and distracted to react to the icicles and blast of cold; the latter of which painfully spread over her torso, forcing her to rotate and shift her body in place to avoid the worst of the ice shards to little avail. It could have been much worse, but a few shards stuck Nariko and made it rather painful to move.


Still flush from her success bringing down Firebug, Sparrow flips backwards through the air away from Weather Mistress. "Mauser, finish taking out the trash. I have a thug in need of an education." She turns towards Maple Leaf, spinning towards him like a corkscrew, feet-first. "Maple Leaf, you've made so many mistakes here. One, you're accusing others of materialism while you rob a bank. Hypocrite, much?" She plants her feet on his chest, not so much a kick as bracing against the crazed supervillain. "Two, you neglect the fact that rescuing civilians is kind of a big deal, implying that you think mere money is worth more than human lives." She wrapped her hands around the middle of his staff. "And three, you saw me coming for you and you didn't run." She kicks off from his chest, pulling with all her strength on the source of the insane Canadian's powers.

Move action to approach Maple Leaf, standard to disarm, using All-Out Attack for 2. He rolls his Strength, opposed by my Damage (on a tie, higher bonus wins)

[roll0]
[roll1]

Nariko's senses were momentarily hazy due to the pain from the ice shards, but what she could make out was this nice-looking young woman giving the Mad Maple a solid dressing down while moving to wrest his staff from him... like a talkative Joan of Arc in shining armor... hot...

Focus Suki! Nariko came back to her senses as her fellow heroine was placing her foot up to the Mad Maple's chest. Nariko's hands became alight with electrical arcs, she shaped the fingers in her hand to resemble a gun and... "PEWPEWPEWPEW...!" Nariko shouted with a grin while blue streaks of electrical energy shot from the tips of her fingers in a flurry that could put automatic weapons to shame.

Free Action: Fast Fighting array shifted to "Pew Pew."

Move Action: N/A

Standard Action: Attack Mad Maple with "Pew Pew." Attack roll: Hero-point reroll result of 25

Result if Successful: Mad Maple must make a DC19 Toughness save. +2 to DC if attack check succeeds by two degrees. +5 to DC if attack check succeeds by three degrees.

NOTES: Dazed ends at conclusion of turn, Fire extinguisher has one use remaining and is sitting next to Nariko.
Having fired her fondly nicknamed attack, the heat of the electricity incidentally taking care of the clinging bits of frost (though not the pain from that attack... ow...), Nariko's head whipped in the direction of her timely rescuer. "Thanks for the save! So...I'm Nariko, or Suki, what's your name?" she made damn sure to ask that at normal talking speed.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Darn it!" Katie whispered sharply as the wall remained standing. Flame-blast but she sucked at evocation.

Outside, the Heroes were fighting for their lives and the lives of everyone in the bank, and Katie couldn't do so much as encourage them. The feeling of helplessness, and uselessness, weighed down on her. She hated that feeling, knowing that there was something she could be doing and not doing it. It infuriated her.

She took that fury, poured it into her magic, and let fly once again at the wall, an outpouring of raw, unfocused magical energy, so crude an evocation that a professional battle-wizard would have grimaced in disgust. But potent enough for all that.

If she could at least breach the wall, she'd send her Helping Hand flying out into the fray. This time, there wouldn't be any playfully hiding her powers behind a show of encouragement. She was a somewhat-trained and mostly-skilled hasn't-quite-earned-the-capital-W-yet wizard, after all! And these villains had to learn that you do not meddle in the affairs of wizards! For they can snap their fingers and make crazy stuff happen! (Katie was neither particularly subtle nor especially quick to anger).

It was some pretty high-intensity casting, but if she could gather together the energy, she'd then direct her Helping Hand to briefly touch Suki, giving a slender grin and saying to herself, "I wonder what happens when you cast Haste on a Speedster...?"

Standard Action: Another Power Attacking Power Clash on the wall, this time also with All Out Attack for 2, at [roll0]. Toughness DC 29 vs. Damage Object if it hits Defense 10.

Extra Effort - Additional Standard Action: If the wall isn't at least breached* the first attack, try again at [roll1]. (EDIT: Should have been 2 higher from All Out Attack, not that it matters.) Otherwise, swap to Flying Hand and Arcane Blessing and use the extra standard action to use Alteration on Suki. Increase the rank of Takedown by 4 and add one additional application of the Area Extra.

Reaction: If the wall is at least breached*, position the hand so as many PCs as possible are within 60' and use the Luck Control ability of Arcane Blessing. Katie loses one Hero Point, and all PCs within 60' of the hand gain one Hero Point. If the wall isn't breached, ignore this.

(Apologies for doing conditional augments guys, but if I can get a hole in this wall I want to make sure to get them out in case Maple seals her in again on his next turn).

*I assume a Breach should allow Katie to send her Floating Hand through. However, if GM rules otherwise, change anything conditional on a breach to conditional on the wall being destroyed. I also realize I was stupid and didn't add Acute to Katie's Floating Hand sense, so if a breach doesn't offer a sufficient view of things to be able to properly target with the hand, likewise change things to conditional on the wall going down. But at least now I know what to do with the first PP we get :smallamused:.

Current Status: Trapped (Toughness 9), Fatigued, -2 Defense this turn.

Active Augments
Wild Coyote: Coyote Chakram gains Linked Snare 6. +2 Dodge. Duration: 3 rounds.

MAYBE Suki: Takedown gets +4 ranks, +1 application of Area. Duration: 5 rounds.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll
Even as the villains bickered with one another, Fred showed no signs of stopping. As Bola stumbled away, the swordsman rushed forward to close the distance and continued the assault. The sword and swordsman were one, a sharp wind that swept across the battlefield. As he charged Bola for the final blow, he was stalled by a blast from the ray gun. The beam struck his shoulder like a stream of high-powered water, halting Fred’s aggressive advance. The gun seared off a large portion of cloth covering his collar and shoulder, but otherwise left minor injuries.

Fred didn’t have enough time to recover before the bola exploded in front of his face. Mirror-shades or not, his eyes were wide open and took the brunt of that flash. Searing pain wracked him for a moment and he let out a short “AH” of surprise and hurt. He couldn’t see anything but white for a moment. Vision was slowly returning, but it wasn’t good. He could make out shapes, but little else. Certainly the enemies had picked up on it, and the vultures would begin to circle.

Flashback

Out amongst the cherry blossoms, a large Japanese man who looks to be in his early sixties, with short gray hair and a powerful build, stands before a young Caucasian man, not even out of his teens. The young man is a bit skinny for his height. He has black hair. They both wear very old-school Japanese clothing, like something out of another era altogether. Gray is the color they share. The young man is carrying a well-forged katana within his hand. A mundane weapon.

The older man raises a thick strip of cloth up. He moves behind the boy and ties it around his head, a blindfold.

<”Sensei,”> the young man speaks, <”I don’t get it. How am I supposed to do this? I can barely do this in broad daylight.”>

The older man tightens the knot, <”Do you think your enemies will fight you in broad daylight?”>

<”No, but I’ll at least see them,”> the young man responds.

<”But sometimes you will not. Now, cut a falling petal from the air.”>

The boy takes a series of swings. He misses, sometimes swinging at nothing. <”Use your senses. Let go of your mind.”>

Over the next month, hours of training per day are spent on this one purpose. The singular goal of cutting a petal without seeing it. And on the last day of the season, when the final blossoms are falling, we return to them.

The boy seems calmer, now. The blindfold is tied. A cool wind blows through the grove. Blossoms fall, fewer than they had earlier in the year. The old man sits nearby, drinking his tea. There’s nothing but silence from the young man. And then it comes. He steps forward and slashes once… and one petal falls to the ground as two pieces.

Now

Underneath the mirror shades, Fred stopped trying to see. He closed his eyes. His expression grew calm and he assumed his stance once more. “That’s not going to save you.” He waited for the first noise that Bola made, then he launched out towards him, slashing multiple times. After his barrage of attacks, Fred opened his eyes enough to see the shapes, and he continued to rush past Bola. Fred dove over the hood of a nearby car, using it as cover from the repeated ranged attacks. His enemies were too injures to reposition, so he’d use his mobility to his advantage.

Making an attack roll. Plain, nothing added. Precise Attack (cover and concealment)
[roll0] DC 21 + Multi-Attack

Free action to activate "See What Once Was" and gain the perception bonus.
Move-by action to keep moving and take cover.

[Red_Jenny]

Katie's redoubled efforts turn the cracks into a sizable hole in the ice dome. It's enough to allow the almost-Wizard's Helping Hand out into the open once more. Her view of the battlefield is soon obscured by a loud purple suit and an unwelcome guest. "Ah, our little chick breaks her shell! Don't mind me, I mean no malice. I've been meaning to compliment that wonderful outfit of yours. Certainly makes a statement! Nice to see a young super with proper style. You really are a tiny little thing, though, aren't you? Skin and bones! Here, something to eat, compliments of the chef. Johnny Jalapeno's Pepper Pies!" The Huckster somehow pulls a pristine pie from his coat, beaming with pride. He promptly slips on the ice and nails Katie dead in the face. "Oh dear, that's the habanero one, I think. That may sting."

"You cannot hide from Las Boleadoras!" Boasts the man who almost got his head taken off when Fred hid from him. Still, there is actually something to back up his words this time. A pair of bolas sail over the car Fred took cover behind, exploding with deadly force!

Inside the bank, Sparrow and the Mad Maple wrestle for control of the crazed Canadian's staff. The weapon erupts as each gets the upper hand, spraying the bank with ice and blowing a huge hole in the bank wall, sending rubble crashing to the ground and trapping several customers who had taken cover from the battle under a table. Sparrow wrests the staff away, leaving the madman grabbing uselessly at her and raging like a toddler. "NO NO NO! Give it back! That is a weapon of vengeance, of justice! You have no right! How dare Aaaggahnnhh..." The Mad Maple twitches like something inside him broke as Suki's fingerguns find their mark.

The Weather Mistress sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose. "Dr. Stratos offered you a sidekick spot, and you turned it down. You could be working with the Crime League right now, Courtney..."

"Fine, you want ice? I can do ice too!" The villain snaps out of her mini-crisis with a wave of her hands, attempting to freeze Sparrow to the wall with wailing winds and searing cold!

All of this (except for Suki) happens in extreme slow motion for Burnout, who tears off Firebug's timebomb of a jetpack as if the harness were tissue paper. The hissing grows louder, pressure in the malfunctioning gadget increasing to alarming and lethal levels!

Firebug's jetpack is a standard removable device, no strength check necessary.

The Ice Dome fails by two degrees against the first attack, and is intact but Breached, so Suki gets her boost and everyone gets a spare HP from the Helping Hand (this is a pretty close-quarters fight)

Katie needs to make a DC 16 Fort save vs visual Affliction: Impaired, Disabled, Unaware.

Bola is bruised and dazed, but stays upright. Fred needs to make a DC 23 toughness check. Area effect, so a Dodge check can halve it as usual. DC 18 for that.

Mad Maple is successfully disarmed. He also takes a bruise from Suki. He attempts to disarm Sparrow in turn, but the attack misses.

Weather Mistress, on the other hand, hits. Sparrow needs to make a DC 21 Dodge check (Hindered+Vulnerable for one degree of failure, Defenseless and Immobile for two.), but she does get a HP for the "Congrats, you blew a hole in the wall" complication.

Looking Glass holds her action, so you heroes are up, and tomorrow I'll get you some new allies to replace our MIA players. :smallsmile:

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Hah! Take that, Ice Wall! Just because I can't throw fire doesn't mean I OW OW OW BURNS BURNS BURNS!" Katie yelped as she desperately scraped the stinging pie from her eyes. She got it off easy enough, but her eyes were watering like she had just spent two hours slicing onions.

Well, Katie was no stranger to the kitchen, and it would take more than that to stop her! "Really dude? Pie in the face? Not cool, man!"

Her Helping Hand, fortunately, remained sensitive enough to navigate just fine. She directed it towards the swordsman, calling out as she did. "Hey, your sword's awesome! It's magic right? That's why it can talk?" The Helping Hand ran a finger briefly along the length of the blade, a few sparkles of light trailing from the finger like drops of blood. "Yikes!" Katie shook her hand as if her own finger had been cut. "Only thing keener than this weapon's blade is its wit. Sword like that should be able to slice through these guys no problem!"

Move Action: Still in a box!

Free Action: Swapping Support Caster to Augment Attack.

Standard Action: Readying an action to use Alteration when Ronin attacks. No Blade Is Stronger gains Linked Affliction 5 (Fortitude; Impaired/Disabled/Incapacitated; Multiattack, Cumulative, Affects Insubstantial 2, Split, Precise, Incurable).

Reaction: Augment Attack against the target of Ronin's attack, at [roll0] (counting Team Attack, not counting Impaired since Helping Hand's sense is Accurate, but reduce by 2 if it applies). On a hit, Ronin gets +2 on the Damage of his attack. On a hit by three degrees, it's +5 instead. This only applies to the Damage, not to the new Affliction.

Fortitude to remove Affliction: [roll1].

Current Status: Trapped (Toughness 8, Breached), Fatigued, Visually Impaired (Fortitude DC 16 Negates).

Active Augments
Wild Coyote: Coyote Chakram gains Linked Snare 6. +2 Dodge. Duration: 2 rounds.

Suki: Takedown gains +4 ranks, +1 application of Area. Duration: 4 rounds.

Ronin: No Blade Is Stronger gains Linked Affliction 5 (Fortitude; Impaired/Disabled/Incapacitated; Multiattack, Cumulative, Affects Insubstantial 2, Split, Precise, Incurable). Duration: 5 rounds.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

“Boss! Are you okay?”

“Can’t see. Going to need you to help me out, here.”

“I’m always helping you out, boss. Gimme some credit.”

Fred was listening carefully, he could hear the swing of the bolas as the masked robber prepared for his attack. There was a change in the pitch as he threw. Fred could hear the weapon whirling through the air. It was going to miss him, he could tell that much. Luckily for him, he felt the shift in air pressure that accompanied the beginning of the explosion. Fred dove to the side, moving out of cover in the process. He avoided the brunt of the blast, but a sliver of shrapnel came firing out towards him, streaking by his face and leaving a cut in his left cheek.

As he took a moment to collect his bearings, Katie’s Helping Hand floated over to Starsoul and cut itself upon the blood-stained blade. Fred himself couldn’t see the thing, but he could hear Katie talking. He was mum on the issue. She had the gist of it, though he didn’t see the point of a pep-talk mid-fight.

“Lady’s got a good eye, boss.” If a sword had a head, Starsoul’s would be huge right now.

"Focus. Which direction?"

“Three o’clock!”

Fred turned in that direction, listening. He could hear the banter, the scuff of shoes on the ground. Fred sucked his breath in through his nose, then let out a sharp kiai shout as he sped directly at Bola, his blade held low and to Fred’s right, his left arm crossing over his body. As he passed Bola he delivered a powerful slash, cutting diagonally up through the villain. It was so quick and powerful that it was merely a flash of white. The cut on his cheek was steadily bleeding, a delicate red line having now rolled down his cheek and jaw, painting the skin of his neck.

Fred came to a stop just behind the villain. Both stood there for a moment. It looked as if there was no cut at all. The swordsman spoke one word. “Fall.”

Suddenly, a grievous wound made itself known, spraying crimson out into the air and upon the ground. One might think that Bola was dead, but he wasn’t. He needed serious medical attention, but he was alive. Had the warrior wished otherwise, it would have been so.

29 to hit. Critical hit. DC 26+Multi-Attack damage. As well as Katie's added affliction: DC 20+Multi-Attack Fort save.

And then Katie's teamwork damage is added to the intial attack.

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow lets a satisfied smirk grace her lips as she wrests the crazed Canadian weapon from his grasp. She abhorred violence philosophically, but she was made for war, and the satisfaction she felt when she defeated her enemies was so intrinsic as to be instinctual. She allows herself a fraction of a second to bask in her triumph, then half-turns her head to Suki. "Your reputation precedes you, Miss Tsukino, though I didn't think you usually went in for this kind of thing. I'm pleasantly surprised. On the clock, you can call me Sparrow. Further introductions will have to wait for a more...private venue." God, I hope that wasn't too forward of me, it just sort of slipped out. I mean, she doesn't even know me, and I know her whole life story, makes me look like a stalker, or a cape-chaser, and wasn't I doing something?

She gets a swift reminder in the form of a blast of winter from Weather Mistress. She whirls about, crossing her arms in front of her to ward off the brunt of the cold. Right, combat. She slashes her arms forward, shrugging off the brunt of the assault, though an unpleasant layer of rime had formed across her upper body. "Please, I've gone skinny-dipping in weather colder than this!" she taunts, groaning at herself inside. Could've been anyone I wanted, but I decided to model my consciousness on a hormonal teenager. Great job, me.

She tosses the staff to Suki, saying, "Here, you're better at keep-away than me. Make sure Maple Leaf doesn't get this back." Turning back to Weather Mistress, she speeds toward her like a guided missile, aiming a sucker punch straight at her gut. "If you do fisticuffs as well as you do ice, I feel sorry for the prison doctor that gets saddled with giving you the Humpty Dumpty treatment." She twists into the punch as much as possible, doing her best to dislodge any residual ice with the motion.

Gonna fly over to WM and punch her face off. All-Out Attack for 2, Power Attack for 2, so DC 24 Toughness if it hits. [roll0]

And Damage check to break free of the ice at the end of the round: [roll1]

[OrganicEvil]

The prickling in Phoebe's skin intensified as she floated gently towards the window at speeds usually reserved for military aircraft. It felt more like ant bites than fire, now. In a few seconds--about an hour, from her point of view--it would be much worse, like she was burning alive. After that, she wouldn't feel it at all. She crashed through the window in a shower of glass she didn't feel, which never touched her and never seemed to fall. Lifting her eyes, she began her lazy supersonic ascent and dove into Weather Mistress's low-hanging clouds. She looked like a brilliant ruby, falling upwards into a roiling, stormy sea. Phoebe closed her eyes with a sigh. she could not feel the cold, of course, but she felt its image, and it soothed her; her skin felt like fire. Breaking through the cloud cover, Phoebe surveyed the city around her as she drifted higher. There was a news helicopter circling the block, trying to get a shot through the storm; she took care to avoid that, and stopped about a mile above the Earth. Her climb, from start to finish, had taken three seconds. Clutching the jetpack to her chest--the less chance the debris had to spread, the better--Phoebe waited for the inevitable, bathed in the light of the sun.

EDIT: Almost forgot to mention, I'm using my shiny new Hero Point to buy off the cost of extra effort for the round, delaying the burnout clock by one.

[Nintendogeek01]

Nariko "Suki" Tsukino
Condition: Bruised (-1)
Hero Points: 1

Her reputation preceded her? By how much? Suki was groaning on the inside, yeah she wouldn't have denied her criminal record if asked but here this chick, Sparrow (which is a pretty name), apparently knows already... that's a terrible first impression... wait did she say more private venue?

"Ohthatsoundsgreat! I'dloveto-" Nariko's excited blabber was interrupted by what felt like the biggest sugar rush ever, of all time! Nanitekotoda! ThisisamazingIdon'tthinkI'vefeltthisawesomeinsolon gthatIcouldrun10, no100, no1,000,000marathonsallatonceanddoitsupersuper..." if Nariko was hard to understand before she was incomprehensible now; and if you could hear it beneath her absurdly fast excitement an electrical hum of that electrical energy that seems to power her speed could be heard. Hastened as she was she was too distracted by the buzz to do anything other than gasp when Sparrow got struck by the Weather Mistress.

"Ohnoyoudon'tyoutenkimeinu!" still completely incomprehensible to the normal processing of senses, Nariko shouted her angry Japanese insult, and rocketed around the bank interior for a bit before zipping through all the Thieves' Guild members she could reach, making damn sure Weather Mistress was among them.
Free Action: Fast Fighting array shifted to "Takedown"

Move Action: Move to what would be the rough center point of a 60 cubic ft. volume to catch as many of the conscious Thieves' Guild members as possible. Weather Mistress is the only target that Suki feels "must" be targeted, as many of the others as possible though.

Standard Action: Use "Takedown," Selectively targeting only as many the conscious members of the Thieves' Guild as within a shapeable 60 cubic ft. volume (due to buff). Due to buff, The toughness DC is 23, DC can be reduced to DC19 if affected targets succeed a DC18 dodge check.

Move-by Action: Run to the top of a nearby building, thank you wall-crawling.
Man this felt great! Nariko could just feel the extra "oomph" in her blows thanks to the added speed; that creepy stalker in the purple suit, that weather witch, the whole lot of them were gonna be sorry for robbing this bank now! "HeySparrowdidyouseethatareyouokay!? Hmwaitwhat? Oh!" by the time Nariko had gotten back to her starting point the sound of Sparrow's instructions for the Canadian jerk's staff reached her ears and the staff was, from her perspective, floating through the air.

"HellyeahIcanplaykeepawaylet'sseehowwellyouplayyouC anadianJerk! Pbbbbbpth!" she replied as she snatched the staff out of midair. While it wasn't likely that ANYONE understood a word Nariko said, they sure saw her blow a raspberry at the Mad Maple before she zipped off, ran straight up the edge of a roof, and then ran a few laps around its perimeter before stopping to give a victorious pose.

"Woohoo! Nailedit!!!"

[Lost Demiurge]

After a second spent fascinated by an errant shiny thing, Mauser finally springs back into action. Trying another pounce at Weather Mistress.

Simple swipe

[roll0]

[Red_Jenny]

Bathed in the sun, Phoebe barely feels it as a valve bursts inside the jetpack and the whole thing explodes with deafening force. The bits rain down through the cloud cover, most bouncing harmlessly off rooftops. Nobody is hurt.

Back on the ground, Fred came to a stop just behind the villain. Both stood there for a moment. It looked as if there was no cut at all. The swordsman spoke one word. “Fall.”

Suddenly, a grievous wound made itself known, spraying crimson out into the air and upon the ground. One might think that Bola was dead, but he wasn’t. He needed serious medical attention, but he was alive. Had the warrior wished otherwise, it would have been so.

Looking Glass sighs with all the emotion of someone who'd passed a TV and noticed a football team she likes losing. "Dammit."

"Oh dear!" Huckster seems more amused than alarmed that his compatriot is bleeding out. "That was quite a blow, my boy! To be fair, your competition did leave someth-, Ah, one moment." With reflexes that can only come from someone who's done this exact thing before, the Huckster expertly bobs and weaves his way around Suki's lightning fast assault on the entire Thieves Guild. "Told you, dear! Speedsters are old hat to us!" Weather Mistress is likewise canny enough to get out of the way, but the others aren't as fortunate, cries of pain still lingering in the air by the time Suki reaches the roof with Mad Maple's staff in hand.

"As I was saying, Bola was, well, always a bit more flash than substance." He taps his gaudy gold-handled cane on the ground and pulls a glittering blade from inside. "This here is Johnny Geoff's... well, actually, this is just a sword. You stab people with it!" He does just that, launching toward Fred with a flurry of blows.

Looking Glass, meanwhile, turns her attention momentarily away from Fred to the blur who just left her covered in angry welts. She presses a button on her belt and folds her arms in cruel satisfaction. "You're gonna pay, you little brat, and you're gonna do it by fighting for me!" Suki's world goes weird. Everything begins to stretch and warp, constantly forming and reforming, people, buildings, the sky itself flowing like she was looking at a funhouse mirror on LSD. Telling up from down is hard enough, let alone friend from foe.

Inside, the battle rages. Weather Mistress is knocked around like a pinball as Sparrow and MAUSER serve up slices of whoop-ass in turn, but the weather witch somehow stays upright. "God damn it all! All right, you wanna dance? Here's your partner!" Papers go swirling across the bank floor as she summons up a tornado and sends it howling towards Herr Fluffi! The nimble cat is able to dodge aside, though the twister remains and begins spinning back across the bank.

Heedless of the changes in weather, the Mad Maple continues to go after Sparrow with single-minded rage. It's unclear if he's even registered she doesn't have his staff anymore. "Give it back! It's a national symbol!" His wild punch goes well wide.

Bola fails against Ronin by 14, is staggered again, and is out.

Weather Mistress is dazed and bruised twice by Sparrow and MAUSER. Dazed doesn't stack, unfortunately.

Phoebe is of course, unharmed by the jetpack explosion.

Huckster and Weather Mistress make both their toughness and Dodge saves vs Suki. Everyone else fails the Dodge. Looking Glass's held action triggers. Suki hits her anyway. Maple and Looking Glass each take a bruise.

Fred needs to make a DC 22 toughness save. You can perceive Huckster because he's still not shutting up. :smalltongue:
Suki needs to make a DC 23 Fort save vs Dazed/Compelled/Controlled. If you fail by two of more degrees, please roll on the following table to collect your prize!


1-2: Attack user of Confuse power (Looking Glass)
3-5: Act normally
6-10: Do nothing but babble incoherently
11-14: Flee at top possible speed
15-20: Attack nearest creature (As the crow flies, the current nearest creature is... Sparrow :smallamused:)

Maple attacks Sparrow, but misses.
Weather Mistress attacks MAUSER, but misses.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

"Incoming, boss!"

"Yeah, I know," Fred could hear him. The Huckster was incapable of shutting up. Frederick could hear the blade being unsheathed before the villain said exactly what it was. He began to parry rapidly, advancing and retreating as necessary. Each movement was an exercise in economy of motion, but the Huckster was more skilled than he appeared, striking through Fred's guard but only managing to land the most cosmetic of blows.

In response, Fred advanced forward and slashed downwards at the Huckster, a mighty slash that made a great sound as it struck through the air. Unfortunately, the air was all that it hit. Fred pivoted and slashed again, this time a more horizontal attack, yet the Hucker deftly blocked the strike.

Fred was breathing a little heavily after the exchange, clearly having come up short in this bout.

[Nintendogeek01]

Nariko "Suki" Tsukino
Condition: Bruised (-1), Fatigued at end of turn (-1 movement rank)
Hero Points: 0

"Okaysohowdoesthiswo... whoa..." Nariko began to ponder over the pilfered golden staff of the Irate International when the blurriness truly washed over her, throwing off her sense of balance and making her drop the staff; she fortunately managed to shake off whatever was affecting her vision and regain her coordination... but what happened? Who did that?

Okay think Suki... couldn't be Crazy Canadian the staff was the source of his powers, couldn't be the pyromaniac, that hot girl called Sparrow, who is tangling with the Weather Witch, knocked him out cold, and speaking of the Weather Witch it probably isn't her since she had only just fired that icy blast at Sparrow when Suki lashed out. Hmmm... the Mirror Lady and Huckster the Stalker said something just before she ran off, but she wasn't exactly paying attention to them when they were talking this time around. Her adrenaline rushed fast thinking was going at max pace when a bright flash of an explosion surrounding a ruby light went off above her, hitting her with inspiration in that moment!

The solution...

... Screw it! Just sock 'em all!

Leaving the staff where she dropped it Nariko hopped over the ledge of the roof, started running her legs along the surface of it, and soon gravity aided her in building momentum to rocket right back into the bank! ""WOOOOOHOOOOO...!"
Free Action: Dropping the Mad Maple's staff on the rooftop.

Move Action: Once again finding a rough center point where a 60 cubic ft. volume could catch as many of the Thieves' Guild remaining members as possible.

Standard Action: "Takedown" (which I think is still buffed but if not moving to mainly aim for Huckster and Looking Glass) selectively targeting as many conscious Thieves' Guild members as possible. DC23 Toughness save, can be reduced to DC19 if targets succeed a DC18 dodge save. If unbuffed then base toughness DC is 19, and can be reduced to DC17 if targets succeed a DC14 dodge save.

Move-by Action: Go to rubble civilians were trapped under last round.

Extra Effort Standard Action: Going to start tossing rubble to give civvies room to run. [roll0]
"Ichi!" Nariko shouted as she swung at her first target, "Ni!" she shouted at her second target, "San!" to her third, "Yon!" Nariko was feeling pretty good, still riding this inexplicable rush when she came to a screeching halt in front of the rubble that was created when Sparrow and Mad Maple were fighting over the staff. "Āgarakuta! Wasureteta!" In her excitement from the "sugar rush," Nariko forgot about the people in the rubble and hastily began working to try and clear the way for them, quickly burning through the new-found energy as she did so, "HoldonI'llgetyououtofthere!" she shouted to the people she attempted to dig out.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie gasped and covered her mouth as Bola went down. Okay, wow, that was...that was more gruesome than she had expected, even kinda blurred from her still-stinging, watery eyes. For some reason "Slice through these guys no problem" hadn't quite translated to "Blood everywhere oh God I think he might be dead" in her imagination.

"H-hey! Let me out of here! I can heal him!" she yelled at Maple, her voice a little frantic. Sure, healing the bad guy should probably have been about the last thing on her mind. God knew the villains had already put far more lives at risk. For her concern to go to him was simply a logical flaw. A part of her even knew that. It was just...there was so much blood...

'Course, given how the villains were reacting, she couldn't say she really expected him to heed her words. Which meant the best option was to bring them down quickly and hope the wall went with them.

Or, you know, help the others do so. Whatever.

She eyed one of the people she hadn't augmented yet. She had basically just been hitting folks; Katie didn't know what her actual powers were. Still, she had been hitting folks very effectively, and that was what Katie was looking for right now. No cheery encouragement, no fancy spells, just a straight, all-business combat augmentation intended to neutralize an opponent as efficiently and rapidly as possible. Next time Sparrow went to hit someone, Katie would send her Helping Hand flying in opposite her, to distract her opponent and augment her blow with a pulse of her own magic.

Move: No sir.

Standard: Ready an action. When Sparrow next attacks, Aid her attack at [roll0] after Teamwork. On a 10+, Sparrow gets +2 to her attack roll. On a 20+, this becomes +5.

Reaction: Augment Attack to support Sparrow's attack with a Team Attack at [roll1] after Teamwork. On a hit, Sparrow gets +2 to Damage. On a hit by three degrees, this becomes +5.

Fortitude to remove Affliction: [roll2].

Current Status: Trapped (Toughness 8, Breached), Fatigued, Visually Impaired (Fortitude DC 16 Negates).

Active Augments
Wild Coyote: Coyote Chakram gains Linked Snare 6. +2 Dodge. Duration: 1 round.

Suki: Takedown gains +4 ranks, +1 application of Area. Duration: 3 rounds.

Ronin: No Blade Is Stronger gains Linked Affliction 5 (Fortitude; Impaired/Disabled/Incapacitated; Multiattack, Cumulative, Affects Insubstantial 2, Split, Precise, Incurable). Duration: 4 rounds.

[The_Snark]

As if in response to Katie's cry for help - which would later prove to be exactly what happened - a ray of scintillating scarlet energy descends from above:

BZZZZEEEOOOOOWWWWWWWWT!

The dome entrapping the would-be healer flashes bright red, mist boiling away as large portions of the ice sublime. Above the street hovers a woman in a jetpack, wielding a bizarre pistol-sized weapon. While the loadout is superficially similar to Looking Glass, the two could never be mistaken for one another: where the villainess is sleek and stunning, the very image of alluring self-absorption, the newcomer shows visible signs of age. She might have looked similar once, but the adjective that springs to mind now is motherly, with a round face, wilting figure and gray streaks in her hair.

And then there's the difference in fashion sense. The newcomer's weapon looks like the offspring of a raygun off a 1950s pulp magazine cover and a cheap water pistol from Wal-Mart. Her jetpack seems to have been cobbled together from car parts and other junk, with a slapdash paint job and shiny stickers tossed on in an attempt to make it look properly science fictional. And her costume is more akin to a lazy college student's Halloween costume - thrown together the day before by browsing thrift stores - than a real superhero outfit: an oversized white lab coat worn over a nice blouse and worn-out jeans, with a pair of cheap lab goggled over her eyes.

"Be at ease, citizens of the year 2015! I am here to help!" She descends until she's just a few feet above Katie, moving her raygun to cover the other individuals brawling on the street. Trapped girl who wants to heal people: good guy! Fellow with bloody sword: possible bad buy? Fellow with purple suit and non-bloody sword: good fashion sense, suspicious moustache, who knows?? Superfast girl: can't understand a word she's saying! The other jetpack woman: Definitely a bad guy! You can tell by the ranting. Dr. Cutler points her raygun at her.

"Stand down, madam, or I'll be forced to irradiate you!"

Standard action: use Disintegration Ray to shoot the ice dome holding Katie prisoner.

Attack: [roll0]

Since this is an inanimate object, a hit should be an automatic crit. Weaken Toughness 8, failed automatically because objects don't have Fort saves, followed by Damage 8.

Free action: assess situation, bluster!

[Lost Demiurge]

"Ah, a fellow inventor!" Mauser sounds pleased, as he dances around the tornado that was sent his way. "Goot, goot. Vhe shall haff to talk schop at some point. Vonce zese villains are foiled, I mean."

While he's talking he's reviewing his options for Weather Mistress. She seems to be more dodgy than fighty, and she's nimble enough to dodge the shout, too... not that he'd use it in this crowded an environment. Too much property to risk.

So he settles for pouncing her again.

ACTIONS

The lot of a battlesuit is to keep smacking until they fall down! So that's what I'm doing on Weather Mistress.

[roll0]

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow smirks derisively at the miniature cyclone. "I'd make a joke about you being full of hot air, but it's kind of obvious, and you aren't worth the effort it'd take to make it original." She evades Maple Leaf's attacks without so much as glancing back at him. Her voice level, with just the barest touch of exasperation, she says, "Chill out, Maple, or I'll tell Suki to go chuck it in a volcano. How's that for a national symbol?"

Usually the confidence implied by her banter was largely feigned, a ruse to throw her enemies off and gain the advantage. Here, though, Sparrow had barreled right past putting on a brave face to grandstanding. Her original components were designed to view combat success as a fulfillment of their function, and the processes which translated her networked consciousness into a more human form turned that sensation into quite the rush. Focus, Sparrow, she thought, trying to bring herself back under control. Disabling threats first, showing off second. Besides, Suki isn't even in here anymore. Wait, gah, I don't even have hormones!

She glimpsed a flash of silver moving through the air, and refocused with a smile. You set them up, Miss Alden, and I'll knock them down. She lunged forward into action, trusting Katie's spell to catch Weather Mistress off guard at the critical moment. Sparrow grabs her foe's left wrist with her right hand, pulling her arm straight. Then with her left hand, she delivers a sharp jab to the villain's elbow, followed by a heavy elbow strike to her exposed kidney. "Stay down, or we'll find out what your really full of, experimentally."

Punching Weather Mistress, Power Attacking for 5. It's a DC 27 Toughness save, plus whatever Katie's Augment Attack adds (I'm pretty sure it hit the +2). [roll0]

And Damage check to break free of that ice: [roll1]

[OrganicEvil]

As she descended through the clouds, Phoebe floated on a sea of pain. It wasn't from the explosion, of course; the only thing that could hurt her right now was herself. And she did; surrounded by that angry red glow, she felt like she'd been stuffed into an oven, like her unblemished skin should be crisping and flaking away as her blood boiled and her guts roasted. The doctors had told her it was a warning mechanism, her body's attempt to tell her what she was doing to it, to dissuade her from doing it again. Her stupid body, of course, didn't seem to realize that they were still several hundred feet up and that it'd have a whole lot more to worry about than power strain if she stopped now. Still, she'd have to stop soon; normally, she'd have already been at her limit, but she could feel a bit more give left. She could go a few more seconds, another hour or so. How long had it been since she'd started burning? It felt like she could have watched a movie in the amount of time it had taken her to deal with the jetpack. That's, what, five episodes of ATLA? she wondered hazily as the roof of the bank came into view below her. She should go home; once she stopped burning, she'd be all but useless in a fight, especially without her gun, which she'd have to remember to come back for later.

Light glinted off of something on the roof. Is that...? Yes, it is. Phoebe grinned. Maybe she wasn't out of this fight yet. She was pretty sure the Mad Maple's staff was a device of some kind; with that, maybe she could still be of some use here. Scooping the staff up with one hand, Phoebe drifted back into the bank through the window she had broken earlier. The Bola was down, and some crazy woman with a raygun seemed to be threatening Looking Glass, but other than that all was about as it had been when she left. The Huckster was busy crossing blades with that guy in the sunglasses. Phoebe looked down at the staff. She wasn't really sure how it worked, and she didn't particularly know how to use it. It'd come in handy later, but the moment she was strong enough to play one-handed catch with African bull elephants for balls entirely on her own. Better to just stick with her fists for now.

In the time it took to cross the floor of the bank to land behind the Huckster, he hardly seemed to have moved at all. She reigned herself in carefully as she swung a punch at the man's exposed back; she didn't want to break his spine, after all.

Depending on how absorbed he was in fighting Ronin, Huckster may be surprised and Vulnerable.

Attack (Toughness DC 23): [roll0]

[Red_Jenny]

"Ole!" Huckster laughs as he spins away from Suki's assault. Looking Glass likewise gets out of harm's way, more from luck than skill, as she takes to the air before the speedster can land more than a couple glancing blows. Those inside aren't as light on their feet, and are far less fortunate. Weather Mistress is backed into a corner and pummeled black and blue, while the Mad Maple takes a kick to the gut that doubles him over, groaning something about Americans not fighting fair.

Turning to the buried civilians, Suki's rapid reflexes let her clear away all but the biggest pieces of rubble in the blink of an eye, opening up a passage to let the trapped workers out before they can be crushed.

Weather Mistress barely has time to wince after Nariko is done with her when Sparrow grabs her arm and delivers a pair of painful blows. The weather witch yelps, but manages to spin free, clutching her elbow. "I think you're the one who needs to stay down, and I'll make sure of it!"

The tornado reverses course, bearing down on Herr Fluffi. It's certainly not as powerful as the real thing, but Weather Mistress has gathered up enough bulky office equipment to make sure it's gonna sting.

The air around Sparrow becomes a thick miasma, a soupy mess, stiflingly hot and overwhelmingly humid, sweltering, mirage-inducing, exhausting to even try to breathe.

It would probably be devastating, if Sparrow had lungs.

Outside, Looking Glass laughs at the new arrival, a humorless, condescending noise. "This is a joke, right? I don't know if I should deal with you or just wait and let that junk you're carrying fall apart on its own." She fires her blaster almost dismissively, but the crackling lightray is right on target, speeding towards Octavia!

Focused on not losing a limb to Fred, the Huckster is caught unaware by Phoebe's sudden return. The blow to the back sends him sprawling, but the irrepressible leader of the Thieves Guild soon jumps back to his feet. "Ah, now there's the Beacon of old! A foe deserving of respect! I would not be so foolish as to fight you, my dear. Unfortunately, your weakness is well known, and I'm a patient man. Time for a smoke break! Either of you smoke? Don't start, it's an awful habit. Unhealthy, dirty, smelly." He shudders exaggeratedly and pulls an unassuming little black cylinder from his pocket, like a hollowed-out hockey puck. "It's why I made this little marvel! Johnny Geoff's Spotless Smoker! The world's only ashless ashtray! Sucks up smoke and smell like nothing, and cleanup's a snap! Just watch!" He drops the gadget, which immediately starts billowing putrid black smoke, the smell enough to give a pack-a-day smoker the dry heaves. The Huckster vanishes into the smokescreen with a coughing chuckle.

At that moment, something smashes into Burnout with a grunt of surprise and pain. "Give me that! I don't know how you got it but that staff is MINE!" The frenzied Mad Maple swings at Phoebe in a seething rage, his blows having all the effect of bugs hitting a windshield.

Dr. Cutler destroys the ice dome. Helping Hand is now officially free. Sparrow frees herself from the ice bonds, and is no longer Hindered+Vulnerable.

Huckster and Looking Glass make Dodge and Toughness saves vs Suki. WM and MM fail the dodge and are both staggered and bruised. Weather Mistress takes a further bruise from Sparrow.

Huckster is dazed and bruised by Burnout.

Looking Glass goes after the newcomer and hits. Dr. Cutler needs to make a DC 23 toughness save.

Weather Mistress hits Sparrow, but the attack has no effect. Her tornado (which has homing) hits MAUSER, who needs to make a DC 20 toughness save.

Mad Maple connects (and crits) this time. Unfortunately for him, it's against Burnout, who takes no damage.

Huckster has full visual and olfactory Concealment. Those without another accurate sense (or an area attack) are unable to attack him.

[Lost Demiurge]

MAUSER

With a sound of hail falling on a tin roof, the tornado full of junk batters MAUSER, flinging him around and battering him off the walls. Inside the suit, the cat glares as readouts register damage to the shell... Nothing he can't repair, but it's still going to mean some serious quality time with an anglegrinder. Those always hurt his ears something fierce.

When it passes, he shakes his head.

She's dodgy enough on the ground, but I wonder...

"Come nau, veather mistress! It is time ve ended zis dance!"

And he leaps, but not at her. At the chandelier above her. Grabbing on with his claws, he uses his weight to bring it crashing down toward her...

Actions

Leaping up to the chandelier, and pulling it down onto her, with my strength behind it.
[roll0]

[Nintendogeek01]

Nariko "Suki" Tsukino
Condition: Bruised (-1), Fatigued (-1 movement rank)
Hero Points: 0

"Whew..." Nariko took a deep breath; moving some heavy rubble after plowing through half the remaining Thieves' Guildies was pretty tiring. That being said...

BZZZZZT

An bluish glow surrounded Nariko as an electrical hum began to buzz, almost like something was getting ready to launch, "Stillgotsomeextrajuice," she said quickly, but anyone who was paying attention could have actually understood it for the first time in the last few exchanges; time to see if she couldn't wipe that smirk off of Huckster/Stalker's face.
Move Action: Once again finding a rough center point where a 60 cubic ft. volume could catch as many of the Thieves' Guild remaining members as possible. Priority targets are Weather Mistress and Mad Maple.

Standard Action: "Takedown" selectively targeting as many conscious Thieves' Guild members as possible. DC23 Toughness save, can be reduced to DC19 if targets succeed a DC18 dodge save.

Move-by Action: Run to the roof that Suki had previously left Mad Maple's staff on.
"You'vealreadyloststalker!" Nariko shouted at the Huckster as she whipped throughout the cloud, stopping for a second to cough at that foul-smelling smog. She then bolted up the side of the bank and made an effort to hit Looking Glass, "Tag!" she shouted before she landed, zipped into the bank and took a swing at the Mad Maple, "Don'tlethimgetthatstaff! Whydoyouhaveitinthefirstplace!?" she shouted to Burnout, running towards Weather Mistress and Sparrow without even waiting for a reply.

Nariko made a pass at the Weather Mistress before stopping some distance from Sparrow, who seemed to be doing alright, Wetotallygotthis! Shimata!" Nariko shouted her words of encouragement but then panicked when she saw the chandelier flying at the Weather Mistress, with Suki standing just on the other side, luckily she could easily outrun it and was soon outside the building and back on top of the roof where she left the Contrary Canadian's staff.

"..." she looked at the spot she dropped it, accidentally at the time but it worked out until... "... I lost at keepaway..." Nariko pouted as she crouched and huddled, poking the spot on the roof where the staff was previously resting over and over.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Ooh hey freedom! WOO-HOO!" Katie cheered with a bright grin as the ice dome disintegrated around her, giving the arriving hero a wave of both thanks and welcome. By all rights, an assist like that should have earned a buff!

Problem was, it was still raining, and although Katie didn't let it show on her face, maintaining her augmentations under the constant degradation of the water was a non-trivial strain. Alterations were her favorite sort of spell, but also one of her strongest; she just didn't have the energy left to place another. Not in this storm.

So instead she moved forward, her steps somewhat halting under the weight of her fatigue, moving to stand over the fallen body of Bola. She called her Helping Hand back to her, in preparation for her healing, but there was one more spell she had to cast first. Her heart was screaming at her to cure the bleeding man's injury, that there wasn't time to waste, but the safety of civilians had to come first.

So she narrowed her eyes with intent focus, gathered blazing silvery energy into her wand as she whipped in through a complex series of protective gestures. An aura of power began to glow around her, defying the enemy forces and the continuing downpour of rain. A feeling of safety and comfort would emanate from the young woman as she called forth the power of a potent abjuration, building with every gesture of her wand. And at the last, she raised that mystical device high into the air and intoned the ancient and hallowed magic word-

"CHEESE!"

There was a flash as bright as a camera, and bright yellow glowing smiley faces about three feet in diameter appeared hovering in front of every hero and noncombatant within the area.

(They would move autonomously to block attacks. That...that may not have been clear at first glance, but they definitely would do that.)

Move: Move adjacent to Bola's fallen body.

Standard: Cast Barrier. All allies and noncombatants within 30' of Katie receive a Defend action; when hit by an attack, the barrier will oppose the attack roll at 1d10+20 (counting Improved Defense). For each point the target's Toughness exceeds 8, the barrier's roll is reduced by 1. Katie receives -4 Toughness while this spell is active.

Free: Swap Helping Hand Array to Healing Hand.

Current Status: Fatigued.

Active Augments
Suki: Takedown gains +4 ranks, +1 application of Area. Duration: 2 rounds.

Ronin: No Blade Is Stronger gains Linked Affliction 5 (Fortitude; Impaired/Disabled/Incapacitated; Multiattack, Cumulative, Affects Insubstantial 2, Split, Precise, Incurable). Duration: 3 rounds.

First augment has expired; Katie cannot use Alteration again for the next fifteen minutes.

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow barely gave Weather Mistress's miasmatic heatwave a second thought. She leans slightly away from the tornado as it blows past her, before drifting lazily forward. "You poor dumb fool. You just don't get it, do you? You've been hitting me with everything you've got, while I made no real effort to defend myself, and I'm not even decently winded. You, on the other hand, have at least one cracked rib from our speedster's latest volley, and likely some internal bleeding as well. Face it, you're out of your league. You can't do a damn thing to me, and all I need to do to finish you is..." Her sentence is interrupted by the crash of glass and twisting metal as Mauser brings the chandelier down upon the meteorological villainess. "Keep you distracted."

She turns to see Maple Leaf run out of the bank in a blind rage, and catches a glimpse of the battle raging outside. She calls back, "Mauser? Make sure she stays down. Our allies need some assistance outside." Without waiting for a response, she flies out of the gaping hole in the bank wall (they have insurance for that, right?), then assesses the situation. Bolas is down, Maple is disarmed though looking to change that, Huckster is reminding me I need to upgrade my sensor suite, so that leaves....

She approaches Looking Glass in a sharp arc, cutting across her field of view before positioning herself on the opposite side of the other combatants. "I'm offering you the chance to surrender. You're going to accept; the only question is how many unbroken bones you'll have left by the time you do." She then fakes a quick jab at Looking Glass's face, before bringing her leg across in a slashing kick aimed at her midsection.

Attacking Looking Glass, All-Out Attack for 2, Power Attack for 3, DC 25 Toughness if it hits: [roll0]
Also, since we have a new player, let's put that Eidetic Memory to work with an expertise check on Dr. Octavia: [roll1]

[OrganicEvil]

Spots danced before Phoebe's eyes, and her world was swallowed up in angry red. She thought someone was hitting her, but she didn't really feel it; Phoebe felt only the burning. It was as though she stood in the heart of the sun, being vaporized, turned to dust in a neverending instant. She couldn't take it anymore. However bad the burning was, though, the stopping was far worse. It was Russian roulette; one day, she'd stop too late, or push too hard, or her body would just give up, but she'd be safe from that, invincible, until she left the burn. Afterwards... Any burn could be the one that finally killed her. It could be this one. Russian roulette. She pulled the trigger.

Weariness hit her like a punch in the guts, as though she'd just run ten marathons on an empty stomach, and she sagged against the staff. Everything felt cold as ice on her skin, so blessedly cold. A few tears leaked from her eyes, not enough to really be called crying, but still there. The would jumped to light speed, and for a moment she goggled in confusion. The gun clicked on the empty chamber. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to vomit. She wanted to lie right down and go to sleep. Phoebe shook her head. Not yet. There was still work to do.

Phoebe blinked fuzziness from her eyes as she aimed the staff vaguely at the Mad Maple. She had no idea how the thing worked, but she might as well try. At least she had the thing pointed the right way. She hoped. Concentrate! Now, this would be the part where she was supposed to say something clever, a dazzling, heroic one-liner to put the villain in his place before she kicked his ass all over the floor. Her head, however, felt like it'd been stuffed with goose feathers after doing twenty vodka shots, and she just really wasn't in a one-liner place at the moment. "Oh, **** off," Phoebe said, pressing a button at random.

Hitting the Maple with Hypothermia, DC 17 fortitude save against the illusion. If there's no default result of the illusion, it'll probably be what Phoebe was feeling at the start of this post.

Phoebe is now Exhausted.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

The smoke cloud came up and Fred choked on a cough for a moment before holding his breath. Apparently the cloud wasn't poisonous. How thick it was he couldn't quite tell - he was already thoroughly blinded... which meant that this didn't change his game plan at all. He could hear the other combatants around him, yelling and cursing and fighting. To be honest, the battle made Fred feel alive. And then he heard the laughing... and the coughing. Fred grinned widely and stepped in that direction, taking another slash at the mad inventor.

As tricky as the Huckster might be, he wasn't safe.

As soon as Fred attacked, he grinned his Cheshire Grin and vanished. More important than the invisibility, though... was that he couldn't be heard, either.

Probably miss him on a 17, buut... free action to change to Cheshire Grin and gain concealment from visual and auditory senses.

[The_Snark]

Looking Glass's blast flies unerringly towards Dr. Cutler, but - mere inches from her sternum! - splashes across an unseen force field. Octavia grits her teeth as the diffuse heat reaches her, but is mostly untouched.

"It'll take more than that to get rid of me, villainous vaudevillian!" she retorts. "Your primitive 21st century materials may leave much to be desired, but the science behind my so-called 'junk' is sound! Behold the empirical evidence!" She returns fire, this beam a bright orange.

Conditions: bruised (-1)

Attacking Looking Glass with Zap Ray, using All-out Attack for +2 attack/-2 defense.

[roll0]
On a hit, DC 23 Toughness and DC 23 Fort versus impaired/disabled.

[Red_Jenny]

The Guild's experience battling Johnny Rocket shines through, as all of them duck away or roll with Suki's furious assault, save for Looking Glass, who assumes her position in midair will keep her safe and earns a black eye for her trouble. "How dare you touch me, you little ****!"

Weather Mistress brushes Sparrow's threat aside, sparing a contemptuous glance at MAUSER as she takes his pounce for an off-target attack. "What are you babbling ab-"

*KLANG*

The weather witch's eyes go wide as she looks up, realizing the truth far too late to react. She is flattened by falling chandelier and falling power-armored cat, knocked out swiftly and brutally as she hits the floor like a ton of bricks.

Fuming and distracted by Dr. Cutler and Suki, Looking Glass has no attention left for the other useless "heroes". It makes her easy pickings, and she pays for her hubris as Sparrow's kick smashes her out of the air and sends her clattering across the pavement. She lies still, a few half-conscious mumbles about revenge the best retort the villain can manage.

For someone so reliant on the ice staff, the Mad Maple proves unable to resist when it's actually turned against him, the searing cold warping his perception and giving him a glimpse, ironically enough, of Phoebe's burning mind. He handles it poorly, slumping to his knees and waving helplessly at the phantasms, which doesn't do anything to stop the sensation.

With a good-natured sigh, Huckster deftly ducks under Fred's swinging blade and hops free of his smokescreen, giving an exaggerated bow to all present. "I know a losing proposition when I see one, and I'm afraid I'm seeing one right now. I must be going! Do take care of my companions, and don't be too hard on them. This venture was my idea, it wouldn't do for them to take all the blame!"

He pulls a collapsible version of his rocket-pogo-stick from his coat and can't resist a final pitch as he bounds away. "The Johnny Spaceman Model E! All the style, half the size! Get yours today!"

Weather Mistress and Huckster make their Dodge saves vs Suki. They all make their toughness saves, except for Looking Glass, who takes a bruise.

Weather Mistress rolls a nat 1 against MAUSER and is KO'd outright.

Looking Glass fails by three degrees against Sparrow, staggering her again. That makes two, so she's out as well.

Mad Maple fails his Fort check and his illusion resist check against Phoebe. He takes no action this turn while dealing with the cold-induced crazies.

Fred's attack gets through the Concealment, but misses the "normal" way.

Huckster attempts to flee. He can cover 1000 feet moving all-out per turn, and moves at 120 mph. Anyone who can beat that or circumvent it by teleporting is welcome to take a shot at him.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie gave a bright smile as the heroes upped and trounced the better part of the remaining villains. "Yeah! You better run!" she called after the Huckster, before switching her wand to her left hand and bending down to lay her right on Bola, her Helping Hand coming to overlay it. She released just a little bit of magic, not enough to fully heal or revitalize him, but enough to stop the bleeding and ensure he survived the injury.

Deeming the battle over, Katie cheered, "You guys were awesome! Wow! They were all, 'Mwahaha! We are going to rob the bank and break things and talk too much!' and you guys are like 'No.' And then he kept talking too much and it was just, 'No.'"

Move: Use Stabilize function of Healing Hand on Bola.

Standard: Do nothing useful because Katie has all the killer instinct of a moist towelette.

Current Status: Fatigued.

Active Augments
Suki: Takedown gains +4 ranks, +1 application of Area. Duration: 1 round.

Ronin: No Blade Is Stronger gains Linked Affliction 5 (Fortitude; Impaired/Disabled/Incapacitated; Multiattack, Cumulative, Affects Insubstantial 2, Split, Precise, Incurable). Duration: 2 rounds.

First augment has expired; Katie cannot use Alteration again for the next fifteen minutes.

[Nintendogeek01]

Nariko "Suki" Tsukino
Condition: Bruised (-1), Fatigued (-1 movement rank)
Hero Points: 0

Ah well Suki, no time to pout about failing at Keep-away! Not when there are a bunch of jerks who... wait what? Nariko's though process is interrupted as that unmistakable purple suit goes flying through the air on another of the pogo-sticks (where the hell is he keeping THAT in his suit?). Oh... no way she's just gonna let him get away! That stalker needs at least ONE solid blow to his ego! Nariko once again used gravity to start a run down the wall, dash through the bank shouting "I'vegotthatjerk!" before taking off after the smug salesman. The moment the Huckster's leaping path drew close to a surface she could run along she booked it and threw a multitude of fists his way.
Free Action: Changing Fast fighting array to "Flurry."

Move Action: Get within unarmed combat range of Huckster

Standard Action: Use "Flurry" with a 2 for 2 all-out attack (-2 to active defenses, +2 to accuracy). [roll0]

If Successful: Huckster must make a DC19 toughness save. +2 to toughness DC if attack check succeeds by two degrees. +5 to toughness save if attack check succeeds by three degrees.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

Suki wasn't the only one who wanted a piece of the Huckster. The shrouded samurai could hear that chuckle-head spouting off from that stupid rocket pogo stick he was using. This kind of behavior would not go unavenged. The changeling warrior booked it towards the direction of the sounds, quick steps upon the aether as he ascended up towards the sound of the rocket. His path, coincidentally, took him on a slight intersect with Suki's path, and as he reappeared mid-attack, slashing his sword at the stylish villain, the two heroes crossed each other in an X formation in their first (if utterly accidental) team-up attack.

He followed through on his own momentum, running several feet more before nearly slamming his feet into the lip of a rooftop. Frederick fell and rolled, colliding uncomfortably with a rooftop air conditioning unit.

Being blind's not too much fun.

Move action to move. Standard action to charge.

21 attack vs. vulnerable Huckster.
DC 21 + multi-attack (if any) toughness, DC 20 + multi-attack (if any) affliction.

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe glanced down at the writhing Canadian and allowed herself a little grin. That'd worked even better than she thought. Still, she knew it wouldn't last, and once the Maple managed to get on his feet again, the fact was that she was an extremely tired eighteen year-old girl facing a full-grown man. The other supers in the room could probably deal with him easily, now that he was alone, but not before he took the staff from her, and in her current condition, there was no way she could outrun him. She looked down at the staff with a frown; it'd see her clear so far, after all, and maybe it had the answer she needed.

The actual mechanism of the thing was quite simple, even for Phoebe's burn addled mind. In fact, she had to wonder if her exhaustion didn't make understanding easier somehow; maybe the Maple thought like this all the time. It'd explain a lot. She giggled. God, she felt like crap. Tired crap, that wanted to go back to its crap-house and curl up under the crap-covers for some nice crap-sleep. So, that button makes him go all 'Arrrgh,' and that one must make the ice... She nodded. It was pretty obvious, actually. She pressed a button so as she turned a dial thus...

"Saruman," she quoted, speech slurred as she lifted the rod aloft, "your staff is broken!" The air chilled, the metal of the staff rimed with ice, and then she brought it crashing down.

Hooray for Dynamic Alternate Effects! Taking 14 of the 20 points from the staff's base Ice Blast, 9 are assigned to Subzero for a Weaken Toughness 9 effect, and the other five go to Big Metal Pole at full strength. Adding in Phoebe's strength for BMP, the end result is Weaken Toughness 9 (which, by my calculations, puts the staff's Toughness at -4) coupled with Damage 8, all made as a routine check because object, for an attack result of 10--Phoebe's at a penalty due to Exhaustion, but BMP is Accurate, so that cancels--which should hit, because, you know, she's holding the damn thing. The end result: the staff makes a DC 23 Toughness save, with a modifier of -4. Pretty sure it's about to break.

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow follows Looking Glass's flight path, confirming that she is both incapacitated and in no immediate danger, before, lowering herself to the ground. A quick glance around the battlefield reveals no remaining threats (at least none she can engage; it would be up to Suki and the changeling to apprehend Huckster). She closes her eyes, taking a few slow, deep breathes, focusing on coming down from the rush of battle and repairing what minor damage she took in the fight.

Satisfied that everything was in the green, she walked over to where the young sorceress attended to Bolas. "That praise should include a little less 'you' and a little more 'we'. Don't think your contributions went unnoticed, Helping Hand. I've heard a lot about you, and I don't need mystical senses to know you helped things along. But where are my manners? Sparrow, at your service." She inclines her head and extends her hands outward, palms up, in something between a nod, a bow, and a curtsy.

Standard to use my healing power, roll in the OoC thread. Repaired my one bruise and then some :smallcool:

[Lost Demiurge]

MAUSER watches Huckster go with a critical eye... He readies to chase, then gives it up when he sees two other heroes go after him. Meh, not worth the effort. Finding a patch of sun in the remnants of the bank, he flops down in it.

While he thinks about it, he uses his infravision to look for heat signatures, and make sure that everyone is present and accounted for and no one remains trapped below the rubble, or bleeding out unnoticed.

"Ah. Vell..." He listens to Helping Hand gush and feels his fur fluff within the suit. "It vas nothing, really. But thank you for der compliment, fraulein."

Then Sparrow heads back to talk with the young lady, and he can't help but watch as she knits together before his eyes. Regeneration? Unsure. He didn't have much time for observation...

But it seems now, introductions are in order. He pads over, and sits down next to them, looking away slightly to make sure that they know he isn't paying THAT much attention to them. Wouldn't do to have them getting attitudes, after all. He considers putting his back to them and commencing the G.R.O.O.M.I.N.G subroutines, but eh... That might be overdoing it.

"Zo you are Sparrow und Helping Hand? Ah, goot. Your vork here vas shpectacular. I much appreciate der assist. You may call me MAUSER. Mobile Azzault Unit for Schtopping Evil Rampaches."

His tail twitches, and he stares at it. Got to watch the damned thing. Got to- No. No, control yourself. Not in front of the heroes. The other heroes.

Huh, now isn't that a thought? He's one too, now.

He glances around.

All it took was one half-destroyed bank.

[The_Snark]

Part of Octavia is piqued as another crime-fighter cuts into her aerial duel with the Other Jetpack Woman, sending her flying just as she's about to land a hit. But the better part of her considers it only sensible. Crime doesn't fight fair, after all!

She revolves in midair, surveying the street and remains of the bank. Feline automaton coming out of the bank, nobody else is alarmed so presumably that's all right... The man in the suit is fleeing, others are already in pursuit and she can probably locate him if he escapes... Ah. The fellow in red and white isn't quite down and out yet, and the girl facing him looks about ready to fall over. Dr. Cutler jets over, landing beside the burnt-out heroine and aiming her ray gun squarely at the Mad Maple. "Freeze, partisan national!"

Readying an action to hit the Maple with Freeze Ray if he does anything hostile.

[Lost Demiurge]

MAUSER tilts his head, while he waits for the others to respond. Surveying the fallen villains, he can't help but wonder... Now what happens? Should we call someone to take them away? Well I've got a radio in here, now don't I?

He tunes into the police bands. "Hallo? Hallo? Guten tag. Zis is Mauser, a..." Well, he's in it now. Not the intro he'd planned, but it's the intro he got. "...Hero of Freedom City. I und several others haff apprehended de villains attempting to rob der bank at-" he throws in the address. "Please inform der appropriate authorities to come pick up der villains."

[Red_Jenny]

There's a pregnant pause on the police band. MAUSER can practically hear the "who?" hanging in the air after he announces himself. After a few moments, a dispatcher's voice crackles through. "Understood. Units are en-route and should arrive momentarily. Your help is appreciated."

"Haha! Have to do better than that!" Huckster bounds away from Suki and Fred with only a few bruises and a couple of minor cuts. "Better luuuck nnexft tiii- Whooboy... dowwn we go... goord jub." It's not blades or blows that finally take him down, but a little bit of helpful magic, as the spell Katie cast on Starsoul hits him all at once, knocking out the con-man in midair. He goes skidding across the rooftop, coming to a stop some distance from the heroes.

Mad Maple's staff is sturdy, but not enough to stand up to its own power. It cracks a little as Brunout brings it down, then shears apart completely as the brittle metal crumbles.

The breaking of the staff seems to snap the crazed Canadian out of his hypothermia-induced headtrip. He snarls and begins to rise to his feet before noticing the remains of his weapon.

He looks up at Phoebe, sorrow, rage and despair mixing on his face like she'd drowned a sack of kittens right in front of him. "Why!? It wasn't mine, I found it. It was Dr. Zero's. He-he was a hero. A national symbol..." The Mad Maple offers no further resistance, and seems to have gone a little catatonic.

There's an uncertain moment of peace and quiet, an almost eerie thing in a city as busy as Freedom.

It doesn't last.

Sirens wail as MAUSER's promised backup arrives, the cops swiftly cordoning off the battered bank and EMTs rushing in to assist the unfortunate customers and workers. Few are seriously hurt, thanks mostly to the efforts of our heroes.

Said heroes are swiftly becoming the center of attention. The press arrives hot on the heels of the police, including a couple of TV helicopters hovering overhead, to say nothing of bystanders. SUPERFIGHT IN FC!!!! is already up online, a shaky phone-vid taken from across the street. Questions are being shouted and a throng is beginning to press on the police line.

A blue blur zips down the road and momentarily parts the crowd, coming to a stop near Helping Hand and Dr. Cutler, revealing itself to be a rather disgruntled woman in a modified motorcycle cop's outfit. "All right, back the hell up and let the paramedics do their jobs, you damn jackals." The growing herd sullenly shuffle back. She swiftly turns her attention to the remains of the Thieves Guild and the heroes, something distantly related to a smile crossing her lips. "Well, ain't that some ****. You guys are a sight for sore eyes, thought we'd have to deal with these clowns ourselves."

"I'm Lt. Siskin. Officially, I'm FCPD liaison to 'the superpowered community,' on account of I can run real quick. Fat lot of good it does, I only recognize one of you and that's from TV. Not stupid enough to turn down help, though. You did good, the ****ing Guild's way more dangerous than they look. You guys a new team or something?"

The liaison spins on her heel, looking annoyed that the crowd hadn't dispersed. "Hey, so this is the first straight-up 'good news' we've had in a while. The cameras smell blood, and they're not gonna leave without some soundbites from our big damn heroes. Anybody wants to go take that bullet, I'll love ya forever."

Huckster makes both toughness saves, only to completely tank his Fort check against No Sword is Stronger and get incapacitated in one roll.

Maple's staff rolls well, but not well enough, and is broken.

Combat is officially over! Everyone gets a cookie. (And Power Points, when the issue ends, which isn't quite yet.)

Those who want to make up and answer some questions from the press for their heroes will get extra cookies (I know!). I'm lacking inspiration tonight. :smalltongue:

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Oh, um, thanks! I mean, glad I could help!" Katie replied to Sparrow with a grin. "But, um, how do you know my-" she began to ask before she looked to Mauser as he spoke, and both the question and any appreciation she was intending to offer for his compliment were lost under a far more important realization. "You're a giant robo-kitty!" she said with a delighted laugh, pointing helpfully.

When Lt. Siskin asked if they were a new super-team, Katie got a huge smile on her face, excitement beaming in her eyes. "We should totally do that! That would be so cool!" she said enthusiastically, head bobbing up and down, looking between Sparrow and Mauser to see what they thought of the idea.

The idea of talking to the press prompted a bit of a deer-in-headlights look, but she quickly seized an excuse to avoid it. "Um, actually, I should-" she said haltingly, looking to the civilians leaving the bank, before heading towards the crowd, her right hand glowing with the silvery power of her Helping Hand. "Is anyone hurt?" she called as she headed into the crowd, going about tending any wounds with her healing magic, reassuring people that the danger was passed, assisting anyone looking for family they may have been separated from, directing them towards police officers who could take their statements, and otherwise just basically doing what she could to make sure everybody was okay and keep the aftermath organized and moving efficiently.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

“Hey! Hey Huckster! I got a product for ya. One 8 Ounce Can of Whip Ass, now caffeine free!”

“I’d high five you if you had hands.”

“Always gotta point out my handicaps. Hehe… get it?”

Fred totally no-sold the pun. He brought his right hand up to his face, removing his mirror shades and stuffing them in his pocket. He rubbed his eyes for a moment. They were still hurting, badly. Huckster was down, and it seemed like the other thugs had been taken care of. Fred was currently unaware of anything happening down below, but he could hear the news choppers, and that was absolutely not good.

“Where are the cameras?”

“Right above us, boss.”

“Sh**.”

Without waiting to speak to the other ‘heroes’, and with the hopes that he might get out of here before his face was broadcast on regional and/or national television, Fred quickly gave a Cheshire Grin and vanished off the face of the earth. Under the comfort of the illusion, he stood and took out a cloth, wiping his blade down before sheathing it. He didn’t move for a few long moments, until his eyesight started coming back. It was blurry at first, but good enough. Fred slipped his shades back on, then ran towards the edge of the rooftop.

He jumped off, somersaulting and landing on the aether, sliding on a downward path across the street to another rooftop, and from there proceeding away. Away away away. This was exactly why he didn’t want to do this to begin with. Public. Press. People assuming he’s a cape. Assault with a deadly weapon charges. Aunt Judith freaking the f*** out. Claire freaking the f*** out. Oh no, no no no.

He didn’t stop until he was blocks away from the bank, looking for an appropriately reflective surface to teleport through. He realized, at this moment, that he should have worn a damned mask.

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow is more than a little impressed by the media response time. That video is just this side of viral already, and the villains haven't even made it into the squad cars. This kind of publicity...it could go a lot of different ways. Much like this impromptu alliance, in fact. There is definitely the potential for something there. It just needs the right push.

Sparrow continues to hash out her plan as she addresses the lieutenant. "My name is Sparrow. I'm fairly new on the scene, but you may be familiar with my father and mentor, Cog. He's not the sort to grab the spotlight, but he's assisted the League in a number of crises." Her voice catches, her matter-of-fact tone slipping just slightly. "He...is with the League at the moment. Until they return, someone must take up their responsibilities." She glances at the throng of reporters massed around the scene of the fight. "I suppose at the moment that means whetting the media's appetite long enough for us to come up with proper answers to the questions they'll soon be asking." Taking a deep breath, she moves to stand before the crowd.

She waits just a moment, long enough to be sure that all eyes are on her, before raising one hand for silence. "Thank you for your patience. I am afraid I will make further demands on that patience by asking you to please hold your questions. I will do my best to give you what answers I can, but much remains to be sorted out, and thus some of your questions will have to wait for a formal statement to be released later today."

"My name is Sparrow. I and a number of other civic-minded individuals subdued and apprehended the Thieve's Guild as they attempted to rob First national Savings and Loan. As of this time, there appear to be no significant injuries, a fact for which we may all be grateful. The Thieve's Guild sought to take advantage of the absence of our solemn protectors, the Freedom League, to further their own selfish desires. They believed that, with the League gone, no one would stop them."

"They were wrong."

"The League will return. They have seen us through many dark days and never broken faith with us. Whatever trial they now face, whatever scheme they must now unravel, have no doubt, in the end they will find their way home. Until they do, however, the stewardship of this city they have pledged to protect falls to us. Whether we do so as individuals, as we have in the past, or whether we come together for this purpose, is a question that remains unanswered. What I can say unequivocally is that Freedom City will be protected. Further information will be provided later today. Thank you."

With that, she avoids the outbursts of unrestrained inquiry by taking to the air, flying up and over a nearby rooftop and ducking through a few alleys before satisfied that she was unobserved. Shifting back into her civilian guise, she pulls Suki's contact information from her Yellow Pages ad and sends her a quick text. <This is Sparrow. Flag down the others, we need to talk. Meet up somewhere private, maybe your place? You don't have a secret identity, makes it convenient. Text back when you've made arrangements.> Setting up super team and giving her my number, all in one fell swoop. Truly I am a devious mastermind. She rolls her eyes at herself before doubling back around to collect her guitar while she awaits Suki's reply.

[Nintendogeek01]

Nariko manages to make it to the rooftop that the Huckster skid to a stop on, she stood over his unconscious form and... "Pbbbbpth...!" After blowing her very satisfying raspberry she picked up the Huckster, ran to the alley she left her backpack in to retrieve it, and then zipped back out to see the rest of the heroes who stepped in to help assembled above the unconscious Thieves' Guild members, well all save for the Contrary Canadian but he doesn't seem in any more position to do anything than his partners in crime.

"Hey! I got him! And that Samurai guy helped a lot too! And man... that was something else right? Like totally awesome!" Suki was still talking a bit fast, but the fatigue from her now faded rush and how much she exerted herself are showing now as her speech still would be completely audible. After pausing for a few breaths she pulled her goggles up off of her eyes and let them rest on her forehead under her purple-dyed bangs. "So who are all you guys anyways? 'Cause you're all pretty awesome!"

She zipped in front of the robo-kitty "Oh! A robo-kitty!" she said excitedly as she rubbed its head as though petting it.

She zipped to in front of the magic girl and path both of her shoulders "That was you who gave me the sugar rush right? We should do that again!" Suki looked like a kid in a candy store at the thought.

She zipped in front of the newly arrived lady with the assembled tech gear, "Thanks for jumping in like that. That bitch was annoying..." Suki sighed as though she were an exasperated teenager.

She zipped to the side of Sparrow "Thanks for the help you were pretty awesome in there and yeah I'd like to talk later," Suki said, giving the woman a few pats on the back while giving her a beaming smile.

She zipped in front of the really exhausted looking woman who was glowing red earlier, "Hey you don't look so good do you need...?" her question is cut off by the arrival of the press, taking the speedster aback a bit, but she managed to recollect her nerve when the newly arrived speedy woman who introduced herself as Lt. Siskin appeared and cowed the herd.

When Siskin suggested appeasing the press, Suki impulsively leaped at the opportunity to take on questions. "Hi hi! I can take some questions!"

"Who are you people?"
"Nariko or Suki!" she answered while giving a victory hand sign, quickly I might add "I am owner and only operator of Nariko Odd Jobs! When normal jobs aren't fast enough!" but before she can advertise further...

"Are you a superhero?"
"I don't know about that but I couldn't just let these jerks dowhattheywantwhenJohnny... Suki was rapidly picking up speed as she answered this question, "...wasn'theretostopthemandthatstalkertotallyneeded togetthatsmirkwipedoffhisface!"

"Is hair color part of your superpowers?"
"Whywouldelectricityandsuperspeedmakemyhairpurple!?" she calmed down after answering that and more slowly answered with, "No I dye my hair myself, I just run fast and shock things!"

"Are you a team now?"
"Uh guys...?" she turned and found the others talking and/or answering press questions at their leisure when Helping Hand suggested actually forming a team. Remember that Sparrow wanted to talk anyways, Suki's face lit up like she got a great idea. "Sorry guys! No more questions! We can talk later!" she waved to the press before zipping to-and-fro between the assembled heroes, save for Sparrow who already took off out of sight after that inspirational speech (she really is like a super powered Joan of Arc in shining armor... hot).

She handed each of them a business card from her backpack with Suki's name, business name, and phone number written on it, "I can find a place to talk real fast!" she told them excitedly; just before she was about to hand a card to Burnout she paused and noticed how faint the girl was. "Mmmmm... maybe it's better if you come with me," not even waiting for a response she hoisted the woman over her shoulder and zoomed off.

Remembering the Samurai guy who helped her out she first ran straight up the building to the roof she saw him crash land on only to find it empty. "Hey! Where'd he go? Hey help me look for him," she said to her unwilling passenger and then took off at max speed between each alleyway, street, and sidestreet to look for the samurai guy, finally finding him approaching a window, "Oh there you are!" she quickly stopped him and handed him a business card. "The others kinda want to talk about what happend with the bank so call me and we can meet up!" she said before zipping off, again without waiting for a response.

So she finally zooms all the way back to her apartment, gets in the door and finally sets down Burnout. "We're here! Well for now anyways, figured you ought to rest up before we decide where to meet every-" she's cut off by the sound of her phone receiving a text. Oh hey! Sparrow somehow already got her number! Kinda creepy... but now she had Sparrow's number!

She quickly texted back that yeah meeting at her place was cool while also giving directions to the exact apartment. The text was sent, and now all that was left was to wait for the others to contact her, and she'd give them the same reply if they did.

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe blinked groggily down at the Maple. He was whining about something, sounded upset. Like it wasn't his own stupid fault for trying to rob a damn bank! With ponderous slowness, her arm rose, her middle finger extended, and she flipped the Contrary Canadian the bird. "Jackass," she muttered. And then the press was upon her.

"Ms. Murdoch!" one reporter called. "Are you, in fact, returning to fighting supervillains? Have you found some way to prevent what happened last time?"

"Umm..." Phoebe mumbled. "Yeah. Shoot them first."

"Ms. Murdoch!" shouted another. "Do you at all worry that your weakness might make you a liability to your new team?"

Phoebe frowned. "We're not a team yet. I think. Are we?" She was honestly too tired to be sure.

"Ms. Murdoch!" another cried. "Is it true that you and Weston Cage are dating?"

Phoebe blinked. "I'm dating Weston Cage?" she asked, puzzled. "Like, who the **** even is that?"

"Ms. Murdoch!" interrupted a fourth. "Will you sign this? It's for my little girl."

"Oh, yeah, sure, I'll just... One sec, haven't got a pen--" And then she was gone in a woosh, moving fast. Moving really fast. She wasn't sure she even moved this fast when she was Burning, and it didn't really feel fast at all, then. The world lurched to a stop, and the speedster girl who'd picked Burnout up said something she didn't quite catch. Then they were going again, but only for a second before they stopped again. The Sometimes Superhuman heaved, and had just enough time to realize with horror what was about to happen before she vomited all over Ronin's shoes. Before she had a chance to apologize--or die of embarrassment, or possibly sword-ing--she was gone again, carried off across Suki's shoulders like a limp mannequin. After entirely too short a time, she was down again, sprawled out on a couch in Suki's apartment. "My bike..." she wheezed. "My bike's back at the bank. Oh, god, on his shoes..."

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

His eyes widened behind the mirror shades (you can tell by the way his eyebrows raised up) as the purple-haired speedster appeared out of nowhere to hand him a card. He can’t get away from these people, can he? And then, to top it all off, the other girl puked on his sneakers. How’s he supposed to get that out? His expression was withering, dripping with contempt as he looked at the both of them.

Poof, they were gone… and then poof he was gone. He appeared in the men’s room of a gas station right outside of town, and it was there that he tried to clean his shoes off.

“So boss… you gonna call those ladies?”

“Nope.”

“How come? They were nice enough?”

“They’re capes. Colorful costumes, talking to the press, the works. We do not do that.”

“Okay… so uh.. what are we doing then?”

“We’re going to Aunt Judith’s like we were supposed to. And we’re going to act like nothing happened.” He wet a paper towel and started to clean the blood off of his face and neck.

[Lost Demiurge]

When the cops arrive, Mauser is chewing out the Mad Maple.

"A national symbol? Und you use it for effil? Vhat ver you thinkingk? You drag der whole name of der nation through mud, und for vhat? You know vhat happens to symbols dat get used for evil? Trust me, I'm cherman, I've scheen it before... Oy. People like you are a choke until dey get out uff hand..."

He leans into Suki's scritches, and nods at both of them. "Ah, yes. Der, er, form of der suit vas chosen to be endearing, rather dan intimitating. It scheems to be vorking as intented." Well, that and a perfect neural synch wasn't possible without matching his rough body shape, but he didn't feel like telling them that.

But then Lt. Siskin shows up, and he bounds up eagerly. "Ah! Frau Lieutenant! I commend you on your prompt reshponse. Ve vere chust lucky to be in zer neighberhood, und had to help, dot's all. Ve are not yet qvite a team, but I haff seen dis sort uff thing before. Ve vill be." A compartment opens, and tiny manipulators move Suki's card in for later perusal.

"News, ha?" For a few seconds, he's intimidated. Much to lose, much at stake, and one wrong comment...

He shoves the old paranoia away. This city needs hope. Besides, if he gets in a tough spot again he can always bail, not like he hasn't so many times over the decades.

Then he walks over and sits next to Sparrow as she speaks, nodding at her words. Cog was her father? Hmmm... I wonder... But that's a question for another day.

"Greetings, Freedom City. You may call me Mauser."

"Like the gun?"

"Nein! It schtands for Mobile Assault Unit for Schtopping Effil Rampaches."

"So you're German?"

"Vhat, der accent gafe it avay? Here I thought mein secret love uff polka und Hasselhoff had been refealed to der vorld. Whew! Vhat a relief!"

"Why do you look like a robotic cat?"

"It ist a form calculated to shtrike fear into der hearts uff evildoers. Und totally not because it's vhat I had in der basement vhen dis city needed heroes."

"What's your relation to the Freedom League?"


"Vhell, none, really." Though I think a few of them tried to track me down now and again. Pretty sure Raven was on my trail in Boston that one time... "But in zere absense, it falls to those who can to protect dere city until dey return. If for no uzzer reason dhen to shpare Doctor Metropolis a heart attack vhen he sees dere repair vork vaiting for him."
He turns the rest of the questions over to the others, through the simple act of ignoring them and curling up.

But he's not idle. He taps onto his radio, and through mighty feats of technology, uses it to make a PHONE CALL!!!

.....

Well okay, he had that capability already. It's no big deal.

A quick call to Suki, and the meeting location is established. Then he's off and bounding away, taking leaps in 500 foot chunks, getting up to the higher buildings, leaping back down again, and generally moving to avoid being recorded. And soon enough he's at the roof access to Suki's apartment, and moving as quietly as he can through the halls.

He scritches at her door, taking care not to mess it up too badly.

[Nintendogeek01]

"Hmmmm..." Suki looked around her apartment a bit, it wasn't as bad as it could have been but it definitely needed picking up, especially those paint buckets she had sitting out from her last paint job. "Gomen'nasai, I didn't think I'd have company over," she told the sprawled out Burnout, who was groaning about puking all over Ronin's shoes, "Aw I'm sure he won't be too mad, you were going at your explosion shielding and the Thieves' Guild pretty hard," Suki told Burnout encouragingly, as though she were oblivious to her part in Burnout's nausea.

"OnesecI'llcleanthisup!" Suki soon zipped around the main area, the kitchenette, the bathroom, and her bedroom until she had cleaned the place up pretty well; she threw the paint buckets and whatever odd job tools and supplies she had lying around in the closet not too far from the door to her apartment, she had to do it with her superhuman speed because that thing was so full of paint buckets, tools, printing paper, desk supplies, wrapping paper, leftover decorating items, cleaning supplies, and other odd materials that it probably would've spilled out if she didn't throw things in faster than gravity could pull it down.

Hmmm... Burnout wasn't bad to look at either now that she looked at her... but nah; for one the poor girl's tired right now, and for seconds she has to take a shot with Sparrow first. Suki's thoughts were interrupted when she heard the scratching at the door, "Oh! I got it!" she zipped over and opened it to see the robo-kitty, erm MAUSER he called himself right? "Come on in!" After letting in the robo-kitty and shutting the door behind him she zipped past him back into the main room.

"Kon'nichiwa! Welcome to Suki's place!" Suki told the robo-cat cheerfully, hopefully he'd have room to move around in that suit... good thing she just picked up. "Oh!Don'topenthatclosetoverthere! she warned her guests, though maybe a bit too quickly for anyone's own good. "So get comfy and... chikushō! she cursed when she realized she was still in her work uniform, not that it wasn't comfy and stylish but it just wasn't... cute.

"Hangononesec!" Suki ran into her bedroom shut the door, and soon zipped back out in a pink tie-dyed shirt and jeans, barefoot with painted toenails, no gloves revealing painted nails, and her hair done up in a ponytail, "How's this look?" she waited for a response for a moment before, "Oh oh waitwait!" she ran back into her bedroom and this time re-emerged in a colorful top with different jeans, differently colored nails than before, and her hair tied up into two smaller buns than before. "Is this cute?" Suki again waited for a response before, "Waitnevermind!" Suki would continue to repeat this pattern over and over and over again, different outfit, nail colors, and hairstyles each time.
Feel free to treat Suki zipping in and out asking for opinions on her style choices to be something that's going on in the background, I will also note that, in the interest of saving time, once someone knocks at the door she will take a moment to let them in... she will forget to warn them about the closet though... <.<

[Tar Palantir]

After making a brief pit stop to drop off her guitar, Sparrow heads toward Suki's apartment. She makes the trip on foot and in her civilian attire: glasses, black jeans, black top, and a dark green leather jacket, one of her few pieces of real clothing. It had been a gift from a friend, one of her firsts (on both counts), and while she could easily mimic it with her shapeshifting, she preferred to wear the real thing.

Showing up out of costume serves as an extension of trust, helps equalize things given what I already know about the others, and helps humanize me to them. Plus I don't want to come off as all cape, all the time. I'm just a regular girl with super powers. Not an unholy abomination of science in need of some torches and pitchforks. It'll be fine. I'm fine. It's fine. We're all fine here. Gah, chill out, Lily. The last thing you need is to embarrass yourself in front of Suki. Oh for...no, you know what? That's fine. Pseudo-hormonal crush freakouts are an improvement over paranoid AI fear of extermination freakouts. Let's go with that.

Her thoughts continue in a similar vein for the duration of the brief trip, and by the end of it Lily has regained most of her composure. She doesn't make it to the second knock before Suki opens the door. She doesn't quite match Suki's motor mouth, but not for lack of trying, "Hi, it's Sparrow, or, well, Lily when I'm like this. I wasn't sure if you'd recognize me after I changed, my costume does a pretty good job of disguising my appearance, but I thought it'd be kind of rude to be the only one keeping their identity secret, especially since I already know you and Pheobe and Katie from my research on local metahumans and practitioners, so now you know a little more about me." She pauses, closes her eyes, and takes a short breath. "Let's try this again. Hi, I'm Lily. Thank you for your hospitality."

She moves into the apartment, greeting the other guests. "Nice job with the bomb at the bank, Pheobe. It's good to see you back in action after the Orion affair. A lot of people would've just stayed down after that kind of a beating; glad to see you're made of sterner stuff. Plus, I bet my dad a week's worth of chores that you'd be back in costume before the year was out, so go me."

She gives Mauser a good once-over, walking around him for a better view. "This is good work. Some odd design decisions, and my dad would go full-on lecture at you for using a piloted suit at all. 'You can do just as well with a good remote, and if things go south you'll live to complain about it later.' I'm a bit more hands-on than that, but then again most people can't survive being torn in half, either, so his point stands. Still, though, some of the joint work is just odd. Not to offend, but is this salvaged tech? If I had to guess, I'd say it was stasis gelled or kept in cold storage, cause there're no signs of wear, but the joint and seam work screams forties or fifties. Maybe a reproduction off old schematics? I swear I've heard of something like this before, but the report was super vague, so I don't know." She moves a half-step back, raising her hands in a conciliatory gesture. "Not that you have to share if you don't want to. Just curious, is all."

[Nintendogeek01]

"Ohmigodshe'shere!" Was Suki's first thought when Sparrow, also known as Lily, which is also a pretty name, was at the door. "Comeonin!" she excitedly told Lily after the latter's own motor-mouth intro (squee...). Suki immediately double-checked what she was wearing. She wound up in a blue tie-die top that had a vague heart-pattern on it, jeans with a floral stitching, whilst her nails were painted the same color as her hair, she hoped it was cute enough.

... Oh snap her nails! Suki looked at her hands and realized that she wasn't wearing her gloves. Suki panicked silently a bit after Lily walked by and introduced herself to the other guests, she could go and put them on real fast but they wouldn't work with this outfit she worked so hard on putting together... "Okay Suki, relax," she thought to herself. All she would have to do is not touch anyone's electronics, or anyone, or anything that would carry a small charge to a person... actually these guys were super humans right? Maybe some or all of them won't even be bothered by a small shock. But how would she find that out it seems weird to just ask.

After Suki recollected her wits she returned the main room and took a seat at the center of the couch, which would force Burnout to crawl and reposition herself to sit on either side of Suki if she wanted to sit upright. Suki then pat the couch cushion to her right while looking hopefully at Lily. "Here have a seat!" she offered.
So first, Suki will still take a moment to answer the door/window, second there's a couch on one wall that can seat three people comfortably (four if people have no problems with personal space), two stools resting under the counter separating the main room from the kitchenette, and a chair off the side of the short table in front of the couch. There's also a TV on the wall opposite the couch but that's probably not too important.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Just a haste spell," Katie responded with a grin. "So it worked then. That's good to know. I figured it probably would, but wasn't sure it would actually accomplish anything..."

She went about doing healing and such as the others made their statements, their words filling her with encouragement. This actually made a lot of sense. If they teamed up, a new super-team to cover the city while the Freedom League was away...that could be just what the city needed. Sparrow's statement in particular stirred her heart. "Yeah they were," she said softly on hearing the "they were wrong" comment.

Her eyes got a bit wide when she finally realized, during the questions, that the hero who had flown the jetpack off was Beacon (she ignored the new media-given codename as a matter as course; the media was stupid sometimes). But before she could actually, you know, say anything, both she and Suki were very gone.

Still, if they had Beacon on their team...

Katie stuck around until she felt certain that the civilians were all okay before slipping off, texting Suki to get a location to go to and heading there when she received a response, sending another text to her siblings as she went to let them know what was going on. She arrived at Suki's apartment in decent time, knocking on the door and walking in with a smile when Suki opened it. "Hi everyone!" she greeted the assembled heroes, looking around with a degree of awe on her face. This was just...wow.

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser curls up in the sunlight by the window. It takes him about three times circling it before he settles.

"Ah, danke, Suki. Suki-san? Ja, that's the right way to say it, I think..." He watches the bewildering array of outfits that follows. Tch, speedsters. Well, that's fine. He turns his attention to the other inhabitants of the apartment.

He eyes Phoebe. "You look tired. Do your powers vear you down? If dot qvestion ist personal, please forgiff und forget I asked."

When no answer is immediately forthcoming, he turns to Sparrow. "Hmf! You haff a goot eye for der classics. Ah... Long story short, zis is mein schtyle. Tried vorking vith more modern methods, but can't qvite get ze components to mesh as easily. Maybe vith a more modern laboratory... Eh. Vhen in doubt, you use der reliable methods, ja? Not all that is new ist best."

He chuckles. "Und vhile you haff a point about zer risk of piloted suits, I haff failsafes dot few vill see coming. You see, der problem vith remotes ist dot they are always at risk to der hacking. There are people... Und things... Out there dot I cannot outhack. No matter how goot you are, alvays somevone better, ja? Got forbid a supermind, or vorse, vone of those Artificial Intellichences, should hack your drones. Zen you're up Schisse creek vithout der paddle. Nein, better to haff something unhackable, efen if it means being zere in person."

He crosses his paws. "Zo, tell me about your fazzer. Und you! I dit not know Cog had a daughter..."

When Katie enters, he waves a paw back. "Hallo, Helping Hand! Goot to zee you again. Come on in, let's talk business."

Glancing around, seeing no one else taking the initiative, he decides to take the plunge.

"Zo. Vhat happened out there? Ve all got lucky. Und ve all got lucky simultaneously. From the vay things vent, I am thinking that no one of us planned for der others to be dere, ja?"

His tail lashes. "This would haff been a disaster if dere had only been vun uff us. The Guild, though comical, ist schtill qvite effective. Und zey are schmall potatoes, compared to other threats out dere."

"So I think I vill say vhat is on all our minds. Ve vorked vell together. Ve saved der day. None uff us are grim, killer antiheroes or anything like dat crap. Vhy not formalize it? Vhy not team up?"

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe heaved herself out of Suki's way as the speedster sat and ended up curled into a semi-upright fetal position, leaning against Suki's shoulder. "Mmm. You do know what they call me, right?" she asked Mauser. She yawned. "An' a team... Team could be nice." Unconsciously, she shifted further into Suki's area of the couch. It was warm over there. Warm was good... Her mind drifted; consciousness wavered, then broke, and she fell into a dark abyss in which Mauser played with a massive ball of ice, Firebug's exploding jetpack became the sun, and the Huckster tried to sell her the samurai's vomit soaked shoes. And in that dream there was no squeal of tires or crunch of too-young bones, no grim-faced hunters with red-burning eyes and fists that bit at her flesh, no God to stare down at her with His accusing eyes and bid her cast herself once more into the well-earned flames of Hell. That once, for the first time in a long time, Phoebe slept in peace.

[Tar Palantir]

Lily accepts the offered seat, one corner of her mouth turning up in a knowing grin. She makes no effort to avoid contact with the sparky speedster, and she replies to the first jolt with a tone of gentle nonchalance. "Don't fret about that. I can catch tank shells with my face; that's closer to a light touch than anything unpleasant." She emphasizes the point by maintaining casual contact with Suki, taking a few more jolts from touching her hand and arm. Totally just to put her at ease, of course. it would be positively rude of me not to.

She nods to Helping Hand as she enters, continuing her discussion with Mauser, "Reliability is the watchword, isn't it? I don't have enough data to support it, but I've been workshopping a theory that super tech designs exploit the unique thought patterns of their creators, much like sophisticated computers can take advantage of minor defects in their hardware for increased efficiency. It might explain why so many tech users are so much more effective with their own work than even similar alternatives; the controls, the response times, all of it are as natural to the device's creator as their own limbs. It would explain a lot, but I'd need a lot more data to prove it definitively."

She raises a finger. "Ah, but even a piloted suit could be hacked with direct hardware access. It's trickier than intercepting a mundane control signal, certainly, but the results of a hacked battlesuit are not pretty. Most of Cog's remotes use quantum control systems anyway, so the connection exists only at the two endpoints, rather than traversing the distance between, meaning they're no easier to hack than a device being controlled manually. For you and me, sure, there's always someone better, but no one's ever suborned my dad's tech. Even Daedalus only managed to trigger the auto-destruct in testing, and he'd seen the schematics." Lily's a little bit discomfited by the swing the conversation had taken by AI, but she tries not to let it show.

"Cog does like to keep his personal life compartmentalized. If I had been uncomfortable with starting my career in his shadow, I'm certain no one would have known of the connection. As if I could be ashamed of...." She makes a brief sound, somewhere between a gasp and a sob, quickly stifled. "I'm sorry. I mentioned it earlier, but he went with the League on their investigation. They were concerned and Daedalus asked for his expertise. First time he actually leaves the house in six months and...." She closes her eyes, turning away just enough to break eye contact. "Should've used a remote."

Lily grabs on to the change of topic with both hands and runs with it. Speaking to the room, she says, "Mauser's right. Some of us might be able to get away with the solo act, but we're much more effective working together, and for a few of us," she nods to Katie and Pheobe, "allies are the difference between striking out or playing in the majors. Pheobe's hell on a wheels when she cuts loose, but afterwards she's all but helpless. Katie's a formidable practitioner and a heck of a force multiplier, but she can't fully utilize her talents without someone to boost. Heck, I can survive being fed through a wood chipper but if I want to regenerate afterwards I still need someone to scrape my bits into a pile."

"There are downsides. We'll attract more attention as a team, probably have to put down a few upstarts trying to take our measure. We'll have to be conscious of our public image, individually and collectively. We'll have to be willing to have each others' backs, even in situations that wouldn't otherwise be our fights. That all being said, I think we should go for it. We'll be able to do more good as a team, and the costs are more than reasonable for what we stand to gain." She looks to the others, giving them a visual prompt to speak up; Lily believes in this team-up, but she refuses to force it on any of them. Being a hero isn't a calling; it's a choice, one you have to keep choosing, every step of the way, or what's the point?

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

As he leaned on the wall of the bathroom, holding his shoe underneath the blow dryer, his phone started to vibrate within his pant pocket. Fred reached in with his free hand, looking at the screen. ‘Mack’. He slid his thumb across the screen to answer and raised the phone up to his jaw and ear.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

A gruff voice answered on the other line, attached to a bandana wearing, flannel covered brute of a man. He could have easily been mistaken for a Hell’s Angel slumming as a lumberjack. “Hey man, what the hell was that?”

“What was what?” Fred asked, knowing damn well what it was.

“What were you doing fightin’ in public? Unless there’s another elf Ryu hangin’ around somewhere?”

Fred’s brow furrowed and he piped up, “First off, d*ck, that’s a bad reference. Ryu’s a karate guy, you never see him with a sw—“

“God you’re a ner--”

“SECOND, I wasn’t out there for long. Made a getaway when it was over.”

“Brother, your face was on TV. Your face is on the internet. Cat’s out of the bag for you, man. Just you wait. I mean, come oon! What were you thinking?!”

Fred sighed, the blow dryer’s cycle ending. There was silence in the men’s room for a good five seconds. He shook his head, mostly at himself, and answered. “I wasn’t. Things were heating up and someone had to step in.”

Mack was quiet for a moment. For as rough and tumble as he was, he got it. Heroes come from the same place more often than not, even if they do things differently. “Your Aunt’s gonna freak.”

Fred nodded to himself, taking another deep breath. “I know. I’ll let you know when she’s stopped yelling.” They exchanged goodbyes and then ended the call. Fred touched his shoe, feeling that it was both warm and now dry. Finally satisfied, he slipped his shoe back on. He took a minute or two to apply a butterfly bandage to the cut on his cheek. Through his shades, he watched himself in the mirror. This one time, fighting in public. It was going to change everything… complicate things. Time to go face the music. Frederick reached out and touched the mirror, then faded away into it, jumping into the rear window of a store a couple of blocks from Aunt Judith’s house.

He ran a hand through his hair, standing in place for a few long moments. Starsoul was placed away in his duffle, and Fred was glad not to have the chatter right now. At some point, it became ‘now or never.’ So he strode out towards her house, a Victorian packed into the middle of the block. He took his key and unlocked the door. As he walked in, he could see Aunt Judith, her graying brown pixie cut unmistakeable. She was sitting on the couch with her laptop open, the color having drained from her face. Beside her was a young woman with long bright-red hair and big blue eyes hidden behind a pair of sleek black-rimmed glasses. Claire.

They both looked right up at him, a mixture of anger and worry etched on their faces.

Sh**.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie looked between Mauser and Sparrow as they discussed the finer points of drones and battlesuits, eyes flicking between them as they made their points. It...all went a bit over her head. She knew her share of science, but it was fairly cursory understanding.

She looked with some concern at Phoebe as she passed out, and Sparrow at the sudden emotion in her voice, and was trying to think of if she should ask if they were okay or if there was something she could do to help...

...But then the topic shifted.

"Down!" Katie said exuberantly. "So down! Forming a super team would be so cool!" Also incredibly tactically valuable from a personal standpoint, as Sparrow had noted. That was still kinda weird, but when she thought about it, actually cool. Someone knew about her!

"Ooh! What would we call ourselves though? What about the Freedom Fighters? 'Cause we fight for Freedom City. Mmm...except that sounds like we're supposed to be overthrowing a corrupt government. Maybe the Night Watch, 'cause it's like, we're keeping an eye on things while the main security force is away? Except that's kinda more, like, dark and stuff. Oh! What about - the Go Team! Because...yay go team!"

Katie was every bit as terrible at names as she was at costume design.

[Nintendogeek01]

As Burnout, or Beacon or... you know what. It's BB, just BB. Anyways Suki couldn't help but feel a little excited as one of the nice women in this apartment with her touched her shoulder. Suki was careful not to brush her arm against BB as the exhausted superhero slid off her shoulder into the space behind her back. Sure this would be an opportune time to see if shocks bothered her, but the girl needed to rest and... and... oh this whole idea was stupid in the first place, just randomly touching someone when you could shock them? No no... can't do it.

Lily accepts the offered seat, one corner of her mouth turning up in a knowing grin. She makes no effort to avoid contact with the sparky speedster, and she replies to the first jolt with a tone of gentle nonchalance. "Don't fret about that. I can catch tank shells with my face; that's closer to a light touch than anything unpleasant." She emphasizes the point by maintaining casual contact with Suki, taking a few more jolts from touching her hand and arm. Totally just to put her at ease, of course. it would be positively rude of me not to.Suki could... "feel" it when she shocked something, it was kind of like a tickling sensation, which made sponge-bathing super great, but still the fact that it hurt people to touch her made Suki shy away from actually touching anyone, but here Lily was casually maintaining contact with her with a smile, "Uh... good... good..." was all Suki could utter out, as her heart-rate continued to climb with each small jolt that leaped between the contact point of Suki's arm and Lily's.

"I can touch her..." she thought to herself.

She nods to Helping Hand as she enters, continuing her discussion with Mauser, "Reliability is the watchword, isn't it? I don't have enough data to support it, but I've been workshopping a theory that super tech designs exploit the unique thought patterns of their creators, much like sophisticated computers can take advantage of minor defects in their hardware for increased efficiency. It might explain why so many tech users are so much more effective with their own work than even similar alternatives; the controls, the response times, all of it are as natural to the device's creator as their own limbs. It would explain a lot, but I'd need a lot more data to prove it definitively.""I can touch her..."
She raises a finger. "Ah, but even a piloted suit could be hacked with direct hardware access. It's trickier than intercepting a mundane control signal, certainly, but the results of a hacked battlesuit are not pretty. Most of Cog's remotes use quantum control systems anyway, so the connection exists only at the two endpoints, rather than traversing the distance between, meaning they're no easier to hack than a device being controlled manually. For you and me, sure, there's always someone better, but no one's ever suborned my dad's tech. Even Daedalus only managed to trigger the auto-destruct in testing, and he'd seen the schematics." Lily's a little bit discomfited by the swing the conversation had taken by AI, but she tries not to let it show."I can touch her..."
"Cog does like to keep his personal life compartmentalized. If I had been uncomfortable with starting my career in his shadow, I'm certain no one would have known of the connection. As if I could be ashamed of...." She makes a brief sound, somewhere between a gasp and a sob, quickly stifled. "I'm sorry. I mentioned it earlier, but he went with the League on their investigation. They were concerned and Daedalus asked for his expertise. First time he actually leaves the house in six months and...." She closes her eyes, turning away just enough to break eye contact. "Should've used a remote.""I can touch her... wait what'd she say about her dad?" Suki's thoughts finally snapped back to the conversation, just in time to hear Lily mention her father who went missing along with the Freedom League. Suki's lips curled into a sympathetic frown, even if the topic was one that skirted an issue Suki was uncomfortable with.

I mean yeah she gets it, people get sad when their parents just leave them, I mean she was sad... crushed even being left in juvie but still she had to stop herself from saying something insensitive along the lines of Lily being lucky her father wasn't around to tell her what to do, even if she did honestly feel that way but still it'd have to be scary for someone you like to be off in parts unknown right? After all it sounded like Lily's dad actually cared more than her parents did, always placing demands and getting angry if she fell short just a bit and always telling her how to think how to stand how to act and who even needs them!? Who needs their parents around telling them what to do!? Who who... well good riddance! To her parents and Lily's dad! But if that's true then why does Lily sound so sad to even talk about it? Why can't...
Lily grabs on to the change of topic with both hands and runs with it. Speaking to the room, she says, "Mauser's right. Some of us might be able to get away with the solo act, but we're much more effective working together, and for a few of us," she nods to Katie and Pheobe, "allies are the difference between striking out or playing in the majors. Pheobe's hell on a wheels when she cuts loose, but afterwards she's all but helpless. Katie's a formidable practitioner and a heck of a force multiplier, but she can't fully utilize her talents without someone to boost. Heck, I can survive being fed through a wood chipper but if I want to regenerate afterwards I still need someone to scrape my bits into a pile."Silently thanking God for changing the subject before Suki said something she might regret Suki was eager to jump to this change in topic "Yeahteamingupsoundsgreathbutpleaseplease pleeeeeeease don'tthrowyourselfintoawoodchipper!" maybe a little too eager.
"There are downsides. We'll attract more attention as a team, probably have to put down a few upstarts trying to take our measure. We'll have to be conscious of our public image, individually and collectively. We'll have to be willing to have each others' backs, even in situations that wouldn't otherwise be our fights. That all being said, I think we should go for it. We'll be able to do more good as a team, and the costs are more than reasonable for what we stand to gain."[/COLOR] She looks to the others, giving them a visual prompt to speak up; Lily believes in this team-up, but she refuses to force it on any of them. Being a hero isn't a calling; it's a choice, one you have to keep choosing, every step of the way, or what's the point? "Uh well..." Suki cleared her throat, hoping that what she's about to say doesn't sound too much like she was contradicting her earlier, admittedly impulsive statement, "It's not like I ever thought of myself as becoming a real superhero, I mean the costume is just what I use for a work uniform so I don't burn through my casual clothes trying to do a job fast," Suki shrugged, "Still... I guess I wouldn't like it if other jerks took advantage of Johnny Rocket not being here," Suki paused for a minute, oh what the hell? Johnny Rocket gave her a second chance because he thought she could do better with her powers, maybe this is just it; she's already got a decent job, and now a team of super heroes? This ought to keep her on the straight and narrow, really give her a life she chose for herself! "And you guys are pretty awesome... I'm in!" Suki shouted while jumping to her feet and giving two thumbs up.


"Ooh! What would we call ourselves though? What about the Freedom Fighters? 'Cause we fight for Freedom City. Mmm...except that sounds like we're supposed to be overthrowing a corrupt government. Maybe the Night Watch, 'cause it's like, we're keeping an eye on things while the main security force is away? Except that's kinda more, like, dark and stuff. Oh! What about - the Go Team! Because...yay go team!"

Katie was every bit as terrible at names as she was at costume design."Nonononononono! Dark and broody is the samurai guy's thing, he'd be here otherwise," Suki was absolutely certain her logic was flawless. "Heh..." she sighed a little bemused as she sat back down next to Lily, still somewhat reticent about direct contact but that's something her body will need to learn is okay with Lily. "Keeping house while the residents are away... kinda like when I do a cleaning job... a super fast steward," Suki commented with just a wee bit of sarcasm. But wait... "Oh! Steward! That'stotallyit!" she zipped over to Helping Hand and clasped her hands "We could be Stewards of Freedom City! Stewards of Freedom!" Suki was so excited that she had apparently forgotten her reservations about touching others and pretty soon...

ZAP

As though Helping Hand just received a shock from a car door all over her hands, "EEK!" Suki was a little horrified at her carelessness and almost like a child taking cover from a thunderstorm ran for cover behind Lily, trying to avoid making eye contact with Helping Hand. "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!"

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Yipe!" Katie yelped, pulling her hands back on instinct at the shock (which was just weak enough that her wards didn't recognize it as dangerous). Her hat fell off her head as the static energy sent her hair poofing up everywhere.

"Oh. Um, it's okay!" she said when the speedster practically went and hid. "No harm done! No worries. ...Oh." She picked up her hat as she noticed it on the floor, frowning at it for a moment and warning it with her glare to cease with its shenanigans, drawing the remaining static out of her hair with her Helping Hand before setting the hat back on her head with exaggerated dignity.

Ahem.

"So, um, Stewards of Freedom, you said? I like that name!" She did kinda wonder why the samurai guy wasn't there though. She liked his sword. It was fun.

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser puts a paw on Sparrow's foot as she turns away. "Ah. I am sure he vill return. Do not cry, fraulein. It vill be vell."

And as Suki and Katie zotz at each other, Mauser waits for the commotion to settle down before he speaks.

"Stewarts uff Freedom it is, den. Vell. De rest ist schimple. Exchanching cellular numbers und ze like to coordinate. I figure ve set up patrols und fast reschponse, dot ist de first order uff business. Next ist finding a base. Because no offense, but you liff here, ja? Best not to haff der superheroes comingk und goingk from your apartment. Chust saying. Dot's asking for trupple."

[Quellian-dyrae]

"I could set up wards, maybe..." Katie speculated. "Once we have a base. And maybe like a portal network, or something! So we can all get their from our houses, or to our houses from there." That was pretty complicated spellcraft though, not really something she felt all that secure about doing herself. She wondered if she might be able to get Mr. Arlington's assistance...

[Red_Jenny]

The Stewards of Freedom (Patent Pending)

Guided by the hand of fate, dramatic timing, or waiting outside until the right moment presented itself, there's a polite knock on the door as Mauser finishes outlining the need for a base that isn't a small apartment with a timebomb closet.

Even with Suki answering the door, there isn't anyone there when it opens. What there is is a small envelope laid against the doorjam. There's a note inside, written in neat, slightly formal handwriting.


To Whom it May Concern:

It has come to my attention that a number of heroes, formerly unknown or underrepresented, have recently made themselves known to Freedom City in spectacular fashion. In this time of crisis and uncertainty, such actions are commendable and should be rewarded appropriately.

475 13th St. 12:30 PM
4/8/15

Refreshments will be provided.

-A Friend

P.S. A fine idea, Miss Alden.

That Samurai-looking Guy

The silence is deafening.

For a moment that feels much longer than it actually is, Judith and Claire glare at Fred like he’s a stranger who just stumbled into the house. Then, all at once, the dam breaks.

“How dare you!? How DARE you!? Are you hurt? Oh thank god.” Before Fred can react, Aunt Judith is across the room and has him in a vicegrip hug that makes him wonder just what side of the family the supernatural comes from.

When she finally releases him, it's to fix him with another look that's somehow even more guilt-inducing than the first, the rarely seen parental "I'm mad and disappointed." Her eyes are wet and red.

Aunt Judith wordlessly points him to a chair. “How long... ?" Her voice is low, which Fred knows from long experience to be much more dangerous than yelling. Yelling's just to get his attention. She gets quiet when she wants answers.

Claire helpfully spins the laptop around so Fred can see. It's a distant, shaky video of the bank battle, no doubt the same one that tipped Mack off. It's paused on a frame. Mixed in with all the bright costumes throwing zap rays at each other, one can clearly see Fred and his hard-to-miss hair, Starsoul in hand, with the Bola crumpled at his feet. Even in the lousy video, the pooling red on the sidewalk is obvious. "...And why is this how I found out?" Behind (way behind) the anger and concern, there's a note of something else. Curiosity? What the hell has he been up to?

Claire runs her hands through her hair and shakes her head. “Is this why you dropped out and went off halfway around the world? Why you can never give me a straight answer? Why you always have some excuse up your sleeve? Because you... you’re… what, a superhero?” The absurdity of the word helps break the ice, just a tiny bit, but it lets some much needed warmth and humor back into the room.

Lost post recreated! Fred's side of this deserves far more than a single back and forth, but I can work it into the beginning of issue two easily. Your call. :smallsmile:

[Nintendogeek01]

"Ugh... not another creepy stalker..." Suki groaned from the doorway as she read the note, she shut the door zipped over to her position on the couch next to Lily and read the note out loud to the others.. "What do you guys think? Timingseemsawfullyweirdandnottomentionthatnotallof usareevenhererightnowandI'mnotsureifIwanttomeettwo creepystalkersinthesamedayand..." as Suki's motor mouth kicked off she began to slowly lean a bit closer to Lily, yes slowly isn't a word that you usually describe Suki with, but she didn't want to just throw herself on Lily out of the blue... she wasn't even sure if Lily was also a lesbian or even bi. Of course slowly leaning closer to a potential crush didn't stop Suki's heart rate from picking up the pace, and the pleasant tickling sensations Suki felt from her little shocks to Lily didn't help calm it."...butontheotherhanditwouldsuckifyouguysgotcaughto peningmyclosetohthat'srightHelpingHanddon'tgointha tclosetbythedooryou'llgetburiedaliveandheymaybethi spersoncouldwanttohelpusouteveniftheyareabitcreepy . Am I right?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie was a little disappointed that the knock wasn't either the samurai guy or the scientist woman, but what could you do? After Suki had finished reading off the note, she shrugged. "I mean, the note says it's from a friend, right? So we should probably at least see what they have to say. Besides, it's like, it says there'll be refreshments. So, you know, yay free food!" Katie was not in the least little bit a suspicious sort.

[Tar Palantir]

For a fraction of a second, Lily flies into an internal panic, as she rapidly reviews the conversation thus far. If they've been listening, identity's obviously compromised, and by extension so's Dad's, but he doesn't use his for much anyway, so that's not unrecoverable. Shapeshifting's still a secret, as is the big one. No need to freak out just yet.

As fast as it started, the panic ends, and the whole thing is visible as nothing but a brief flash of concern on Lily's face. When she speaks, her voice is calm. "We don't have much information to go on, and even if we did, our play remains unchanged. Either they're on the level and we should go, or they're hostile and we should still go. The only difference is whether we get a job offer or free PR and some exercise." She shifts in place, moving herself closer to Suki and leaning her hand against her leg. She can't have not noticed my interest, can she? I mean, I wasn't being terribly overt. Maybe she's just gunshy? Or bashful? She draws lazy circles on Suki's thigh with her fingertip. Well, I'll set her mind at ease after we're done here. We should talk, anyway. Some secrets should stay secret, except when they shouldn't.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

. . . . . . They were so quiet. Fred’s face maintained a neutral expression as best he could. He instinctively sucked in some air through his nose, as if bracing for impact. Then it hit him. Fred could feel himself flinch under his Aunt’s initial outburst. As she came running across the living room, he released the idle grip he kept on his duffle’s strap and wrapped his arms around the shorter woman’s shoulders. His cheek brushed against her hair and his arms tightened. His expression was still hard to read. The hug broke and he looked down at her through his shades.

I’m so not ready for this.

That look Aunt Judith gave him, he could feel butterflies of anxiety bouncing around his chest. His mind raced to decide what he might have to explain, what he could avoid talking about. Like so, so many times before he was looking for a plausible excuse. A lie to tell. And he was about to, he was really about to sit there and lie until Claire turned the laptop and showed him… Fred. It didn’t help that he was wearing the same clothes.

There’s no way out.

He swallowed a lump in his throat. This was two conversations he had never wanted to happen, happening simultaneously. Fred exhaled a sigh. How long? “Depending on how you look at it, somewhere between thousands of years ago and right after I dropped out of FCU.” It was the most honest thing he’d said about himself in years.

Fred ran a hand through his hair. Why is this how she found out? “I never wanted you to find out. It’s strange, it’s hard to deal with. I didn’t want either of you involved, I didn’t want either of you to look at me this way, and I really didn’t want you… to worry.” The last point is the one he felt the strongest about. He hated when people worried about him. All too willing to take the burdens of the world onto himself, unwilling to share it. And they wonder why he’s not at the house party.

Claire chimed in, getting his attention. With each question, he tried not to have a major reaction, just watching her. But then she called him a superhero, and that got a stronger response. He shook his head and lifted a finger. “No. No. Not a superhero. Not even close. Monster hunter, swordsman, yes. Not a superhero. Not a cape.” If she was injecting humor, well it worked. His reaction was downright comical.

[Lost Demiurge]

"Vell!" Mauser seems pleased. "If zey vere hostile, a note vouldn't haff been left. Dey vould just vait until ve left und shoot us zen."

He stretches. "Nein, zis is a potential patron. I sugchest ve make zat appointment. Perhaps meet in a public place first, und travel zere? Ze park seems like an ideal choice."

And unless anyone has anything further to add, he says his goodbyes and heads out, to go and buff the scorchmarks off his armor before the meeting. And get a nap in. Because honestly, it's been a tough half an hour. Time for a six-hour sleep.

[Red_Jenny]

"Oh, you don't fight crime, you hunt monsters! That makes it so much better!" Claire throws her hands up in exasperation and laughs, in a slightly touched "my brain doesn't know how else to react to this" way. She opens and closes her mouth and points accusingly at Fred before leaning back and taking a deep breath. She is clearly about to light into him when Aunt Judith beats her to it.

"What the hell do you mean, thousands of years!?" Judith is up and pacing. There's something new in her voice and expression; fear. Whatever answer she expected, it certainly wasn't that.

"Frederick Daniel Broll, I raised you your entire life. My name may not be on your birth certificate, but we both know you're my child. I am always going to love you, and I am always going to worry about you, it doesn't matter what you do. You could work in a pillow and marshmallow factory and I'd still worry." That example finally brings a smile to Judith's face. She stalks over and hugs him again. When she releases him, it's like a weight is gone.

"I've tried not to pry, I know you're a smart young man, you always have been, but we are way past that now. I'm going to get everybody something to drink, and then we are going to sit down and so help me god you are going to start at the beginning and you're not going anywhere until I understand all of... this."

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

Yeah, he knows he’s about to get it, and objectively, he deserves to have Claire lay into him. He feels that he deserves to have her lay into him. What’s happening right now is unfair to her. He’s almost thankful that Aunt Judith jumps on him first. And honestly… it’s not as bad as he thought it would be. His expression sunk from guarded and bracing to something very, very ashamed. She hugged him and he hugged her back, tighter than before. All he could say to her was,

“Love you, Ji-Ji,” when he was a toddler, he had trouble pronouncing Judith. It became a nickname that stuck, being called out occasionally. For others in his life outside of Aunt Judith, the utterance of something so cutesy would have come as a shock. She pulls back and tells him that he’s not leaving until she understands everything. To which he responds, “We’re going to be here for a while.”

She went off into the kitchen, which left him alone with Claire. Fred sat down in a chair across from the couch, almost directly across from her. He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his knees. He was clearly uncomfortable. “I’m sorry,” he started, his voice quiet. “The night I met you… things changed a lot for me, in… this way.” he gestured with his hands. “What was I supposed to tell you? We just met. You would have thought I was insane. So I played normal. Time went on, and it was just easy to keep playing normal.”

[Nintendogeek01]

Suki began to blush intensely as Lily drew on her thigh, is she just being touchy-friendly, or was that a sign? Either way her heartbeat was going way faster than would be healthy for a normal human. "One sec!" Suki stood up as she said this, and then zipped into her bedroom to return with her some cute pink sneakers; not as good as her uniform's running shoes, but these could take some short sprints as long as she didn't go maximum speed. She also grabbed her backpack and put on her gloves. Much as she didn't want to hide her cute nails, fact was she was going to have to have her gloves on for what she was about to do.

"So... anyone want come with me on their way home or something?" Suki asked whilst casting glances in Lily's direction, trying and failing to be subtle about it. "I need to go and get a second phone for you guys since if I'm lucky that thingwiththepressmightgetmeatonmorebusinessandIdon 'twanttohavetoanswerthesamephoneexpectingyouguyswh enit'sjustaworkcallandsorryI'll slow down a bit," Suki finished her motor mouth somewhat sheepishly. "Oh yeah... and I think BB said something about leaving something at the bank... not sure I wasn't paying attention when she said it," she added with a shrug.

[Tar Palantir]

Lily smiles and shakes her head slightly. Don Juan, she is not. She stands, arching her back and stretching her arms up over her head. "You read my mind. Not exactly worried about muggers, but it's a bit of a trek back to my place. I wouldn't mind some company, as long as you're fine with taking it slow. The walking, I mean, not, um, never mind. Park meetup sounds like a plan, see you all tomorrow." She gives a two-fingered wave to the rest of the, well, new team, and offers her arm to Suki. "Shall we?"

[Nintendogeek01]

"Uh... neat!" still wary about direct contact she hesitates to take Lily's arm at first, but after a brief moment's pause she takes the arm and heads towards the door with Lily in tow beside her. "Ohthat'sright!" she pauses and whips her head around to face Katie, "YouthinkyoucouldseeifBB'suptogotothebankandgetwhat eversheforgottogetbutIguessifshe's... ahem," Suki stopped to clear her throat and slow down, "If BB wakes up would you mind taking her to the bank? See what she forgot? I guess if she's REALLY tired she can crash 'cause it'd be mean to just kick her out after today, and she seems pretty nice so I don't think... uh, gonnagonow! Let'sgoLily!" Suki quickly opened the door and left with Lily.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie laughed a little at Sparrow's analysis. She did like the paragon's confidence.

"Bye Mauser," she said as the robo-cat (or, well, the guy in the robo-cat suit, she supposed) headed out.

Under most circumstances, she would have answered a request for company with an unhesitant "Sure!" But even Katie could perceive the actual intent behind Suki's question, and she certainly wasn't going to interfere in it. The two of them were kind of adorable.

As they were getting ready to leave though, Katie was herself wondering about Beacon. Should they just leave her be? Katie's Helping Hand could carry them both when it was in Big Mode, maybe she could fly her home? But where did she live? She was just about to ask Sparrow if she knew when Suki turned and made her request. "Oh. Yeah, of course!" she answered, admittedly a little surprised that Suki was comfortable leaving two, at the end of the day, strangers alone in her home. But then again, if you can't trust fellow superheroes, who can you trust?

"Later, you two. Have fun," Katie said as they headed out. Since the couch was again otherwise free, she directed her Helping Hand to ease Phoebe into a hopefully more comfortable position laying across it. She considered also getting a blanket for her, but didn't really feel comfortable with the idea of rooting around Suki's house for one (she didn't really think she'd mind, as such, but it just seemed...improper). Besides, she had caught, well, something about not opening closets so figured it best not to press her luck.

So instead she just settled down to wait for either Phoebe to awaken or Suki to return.

[Red_Jenny]

"I'm still not convinced you're not insane." Claire retorts, but there's not much real venom behind the words. Things are too confused for that, and bringing up their first meeting quieted a bit of her anger. Whatever was going on, Fred still helped her. Saved her. He was a good guy.

Right?

"So, y-you're not a superhero, but do you..." Claire waves her arms as her brain tries to assemble the right words for a question that would have been completely barking mad half an hour ago. "Are you just running around attacking people with a sword, or do you have... I dunno how to... Oh my god, I'm going crazy... um, powers?" It sounds even more absurd than expected.

Judith returns, having clearly been eavesdropping. She lays out glasses of water for everyone, and after a moment's consideration, leaves and comes back with three empty glasses and a bottle of scotch. It's going to be that kind of conversation.

"So, 'something happened' the night you met Claire. You told me you got in a fistfight with a fratboy because the ****head slipped her a roofie. What really happened?" Judith's glare could melt steel.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

Fred watched Claire with real anxiety, just barely hidden behind well-practiced stoicism. To him, there were so many ways he could screw up the next few minutes. Every subject has a landmine waiting to be stepped on. He was quiet, he let Claire dictate the pace. She was the one who was new to all of this. If he just started to assault her with the entirety of the story, all at once, it would probably have been too much to take.

“I do,” was his answer to whether he had ‘powers.’ “I’m a little bit stronger, a little bit faster, and a little bit tougher than most normal people. I can cast a few spells, but nothing earth-shattering. Most of what I can do is being really, really good with a sword.” His heart was sinking as he explained himself. God he hoped she wouldn’t storm off.

He gave a small smile as his Aunt returned with the scotch. That smile faded under the heat of Judith’s gaze. “I told you the truth, mostly. It wasn’t one fratboy. It was five. And it stopped being a fist-fight when I got my hands on a lamp.” He might have stopped talking, but she was still giving him that look. He sucked in a breath and looked up at both of them. “Here comes the complicated part,” as if any part of this wasn’t complicated. “I saw you in trouble,” he said as he looked right at Claire. “And I chose to act. The moment I threw the first punch, a wall came down inside of me,” he’s trying very hard to explain something that they could and would never experience. “I was awakened to this part of me that always existed but I was blind to. It gave me the strength to fight five guys who were way bigger than I was back then.”

He looked back to Aunt Judith, “And that night, while I was icing my eye and Claire was passed out in my room, I started to remember things that hadn’t happened to me. Memories that were so old. Fighting Jötnar – Giants – in the ice of Scandinavia, a knight who slew a dragon, things that never happened to Frederick Daniel Broll. But I knew they were real.”

“There was a physical change, too.” He braced himself for this one. “I lied about the light sensitivity,” yes… that was how he tried to cover for always wearing shades. You repeat the story often enough and maybe people don’t think about it anymore. “Claire, my eyes were brown growing up,” he said. Aunt Judith obviously knew this already. He blew out his held breath a little loudly, then reached up for the loops holding his shades on. He took them off and set them on the coffee table.

When he opened his eyes, they were a bright green. And then they were sky blue. Then orange, gray, red, violet, brown – constantly changing, in no set pattern. He took a moment to meet each of their gazes. For Claire, this was the first time she’d ever really looked him in the eye.

[Red_Jenny]

It's not the revelation that yes, Fred has powers that makes Claire flinch, but his seemingly innocent choice of words. She doesn't say anything, not wanting to interrupt Aunt Judith, but he can see the wheels turning. "Normal" people. The ones I think I'm better than. The ones I look down on. Her.

Judith smiles a little as Fred describes the fight, but it fades quickly as he continues talking. She wasn't angry at him for that, she'd always taught him to look out for himself and others.

Judith leans back and takes a deep breath after Fred removes his shades. "Well, that's something else. It... doesn't hurt you, right?"

Claire is transfixed. "I... I can see that." Intentional or not, the eye pun causes Judith to finish her scotch in one long pull. "That's kinda... cool, actually. I get why you wear the glasses. People would freak out, wouldn't they?"

"You say these things like you're sure of them, but you'd just been in a fight, and you got your bell rung good, I remember the shiner you came home with." Judith's tone is one of concern more than anything. Had her boy been walking around with a brain injury for years? "How... How do you know these memories were memories, and not hallucinations or symptoms or just bad dreams?" She seems to have accepted the "powers" part of things, however grudgingly, but "magic" is a tougher sell.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

Fred wasn’t a mind reader, but he could see that something he said pushed one of Claire’s buttons. He tilted his head slightly, his brow furrowing. He hadn’t meant it the way she took it, but he was far, far from a normal human being. With his eyes exposed, he calmly took his hand from the shades, hesitantly letting them go in their presence.

“It doesn’t hurt,” he said quietly, reassuringly, “It just is.” Claire was beginning to see his point now, at least a little bit. He held her gaze for just a few moments too long, then he nodded to her. “You can’t live under the radar with kaleidoscope eyes. So the shades came on, as soon as you started to wake up.”

He chuckled softly at Aunt Judith as she said he got his bell rung, “They beat the sh** out of me. Most physical activity I ever did back then was run to the comic store for new manga.” That brought a smile to his face. His smile was warm, charming even. It’s just that he rarely ever showed it outside of… well… maybe six people total. “Ji-Ji, it wasn’t a concussion. I’ve had concussions,” crap, probably shouldn’t have said that. He chewed on the inside of his own cheek.

“I had help figuring out whether they were real or not. Have you ever heard of Sidhe? Fairies and such?” Easiest way to introduce the subject. “Well, they’re real. And some have sired children by human beings. Those children have children, and so on and so forth. Well, sometimes, when a child with that fae blood is born, they’re born with the soul of an old fae.” This is a really tough sell. “Changeling. That’s what I am. Mostly human, but also not. You know how people say they have an old soul? Well, I really do.”

He anticipated the issues with this, “It doesn’t mean that I’m not Fred Broll. I have been from the moment I was born, and I always will be. But I’ve also got other things going on up here,” he touched his temple with two fingers.

[Nintendogeek01]

"Yaaaaaaahoooooooo...!" Suki had swapped out her sneakers for her costume's running shoes and was running laps around several blocks of Freedom City, even taking a detour through liberty park to run across the lake; she was just so damned happy and she needed to let it show!

Suki eventually ran back to her place, slammed the door and found that Katie and the still conked out BB had stayed put. "HeygalsI'mbackIhopeIwasn'tkeepinganyonewaiting! ThanksforlookingafterBBformeKatie!" Suki took a few breaths and slowed down a bit to make sure Katie could understand the next bit, "I'd offer to let you crash but I only have one bed and one couch, but I'll see you tomorrow right?" Suki asked and then waited for a response, "Oh yeah! Here's my new phone-number, sayōnara!" Suki said before zipping to her bedroom and then to the bathroom.

Suki brushed her teeth, undid her hair, and got to her favorite part of evening hygiene; one good thing about the minor electrical shocking she hasn't managed to control yet, whenever it discharges Suki feels a pleasant tickling sensation, put that together with a sponge and some pleasantly warm and soapy water and...

"Mmmmmm... hm hm hm hm...!" Suki giggled as the sensation coursed throughout her body. Ah... that tickle really matched how Suki felt today. After a satisfied sigh Suki finished up by shampooing her hair, drying off, throwing on her PJ's and running back to her bedroom.

She put back on her gloves and picked up her old phone, now officially her business phone, dialed the voice mail box and punched in the options to change her voice-mail. "Thank you for calling Nariko Odd Jobs! When normal jobs aren't fast enough! Sorry to let you know that today I won't be taking any jobs today, but call back tomorrow at my normal business hours from 9AM to 4PM and we'll see how fast Suki can do a job for you!" with that Suki closed the voice-mail recording, checked any business related voice-mails and texts and wrote down any dates and times she could keep, and then put the business phone on silent for the night.

She walked back out to the main room and checked on her sleeping guest and smiled. Hmmm... she still is kinda pretty to look at, but that's not why she was smiling; it was because today was such a great day. Sure she didn't get any job offers before the thing at the bank, but the fight at the bank was pretty awesome in hindsight, she got to meet other superheros, and the best part is she got a girlfriend! A real girlfriend! "Don't sweat it BB, me and Lily will look after you," Suki told her new teammate, and with that turned to go to her bedroom, Oyasumi!" she bid BB with a soft bow, before throwing herself onto bed. It was time for a well-deserved rest.

[SuperCracker]

Fred earns a grumpy frown from Aunt Judith as he admits how he knows his visions aren't concussion symptoms. The "Fredrick, you dumbass." look is familiar. She doesn't even have to say it at this point.

What follows causes the color to drain from Judith's face, but she puts her hand over her mouth and lets Fred finish.

Claire, on the other hand, tries to digest everything Fred explained by talking it out. "So, fairies are real, souls are real, and you have an old fairy soul, that makes you a changeling, an actual thing from fables and fairy tales, and that's why you're sure you're not crazy." Well, sure, when you put it like that... "What is it you think you're seeing? Like, things that other people who got saddled with this soul did or something?"

"Fred?" Judith's voice is softer, and a little scared. "Either this isn't real, and you need help I don't know how to give, or you're telling the truth, and that's... I don't know, Fred. I don't. You understand?"

"You said this... old soul thing comes from bloodlines. Did you find out whose... carries it?" The truth, if it was the truth, might affect her in a much more direct way. They were related, after all. It was a minor and stupid thing, picked up and seized on because it had a yes or no answer, and she really, really needed something solid right now.


Claire restates what he’d told them, and it sounds just as messed up as he thought it did. He approved of her way of trying to talk it through. It was much better than the alternative of flailing hands and being done with it all. It was a real possibility. People sometimes couldn’t cope with the existence of the supernatural, a whole world that laid right under their noses.

He nodded to her softly, “It’s not really seeing it. It’s remembering something that it feels like I forgot. It’s reincarnation.” He stopped short of the rest of it. His soul kept coming back to continue its fight against evil. It sought to live on in this world for that one, singular purpose. Aunt Judith once again floats out that it might not be real. He shook his head. “I’ve visited places that I’ve remembered. Mount Tate in Japan, for one.” Again, he left out points here… at Seijuro’s request, he’d visited the exact spot he had died, to burn away his own fear of death.

“I’m not sure which side has it. Fae blood is fickle. It’s not like a gene being passed down. Whoever it was in our family tree hid it well, or it was so long ago we don’t even have the history anymore.” He saw how uncomfortable this made her, and he averted his eyes for that reason, looking down at her empty glass. “I’m sorry to spring all of this on you. I know it’s not easy.”

They hadn’t even touched the actual monster-hunting portion of his life. Or the samurai thing. Upon realizing that, he took a sip of the scotch himself.


Aunt Judith nods her understanding, as if "I'm not sure" was the answer she was expecting. Nothing else about this made sense, why start now? "It's not easy, Fred, but I know you're trying."

"Right then. That's the how. I'm not even sure I want to touch the why, but I said we weren't leaving until we got to the bottom of this so... why? You have these old memories and things that make you different, but what made you think that..." She pauses, looking like she's trying to phrase it in a way that won't hurt of offend Fred.

"-How does that end up with you swinging a sword at some guy in a mask!?" Claire finishes the thought, and Judith points and nods her agreement. "That. Exactly."

"You said that yes, you had powers, but that mostly you were good with a sword. How on earth do you learn to be 'really, really good with a sword' in 2015? Is that something else you remember? Or, I dunno? Fencing class?"

Even Judith laughs at that, which seems to start shifting things, ever so slowly, from interrogation to conversation. "Hey! I took three semesters! It was really fun!"


Even he laughed a little bit at that. He had tried to avoid any kind of physical classes while in high school and college. Kind of ironic. “Okay. One at a time. And these stories might get long. When I changed, it was because I was trying to help someone,” Claire, “and I fought a just fight. This soul, it came into being a long, long time ago when people were afraid. They hoped and dreamed for someone to protect them from the things in the dark. And so it was made. Hope made flesh.” Those memories were incredibly vague, he couldn’t remember any specifics, or even what form the Champion took when it came into being. It’s more of a feeling than anything specific. “Anyhow, I thought that it’s what I should be doing.”

“Fae, True Fae, not changelings like me, found me not long after and gave me a crash course on the supernatural world. I started learning a few fae spells I could cast. And I decided to go try and fight a monster or two,” with zero training – he expected another grumpy look. “I started small, stumbling around in dark alleyways, pulling at straws, but I found a few things. Got my ass handed to me, but came out alright.” They might remember a period where he had supposedly been very unlucky… maybe they remembered that hit and run. “I was in Japantown, hunting an Oni. Kind of like a demon. I found him as the head of a pack of Yakuza. I waited until he was alone and I went after him with a knife.”

“This Oni, he’d possessed a human. Completely claimed this poor soul’s body and mind. I caught him off guard and planted my knife in his back. Went to pull my knife out and it was stuck. This black tar was leaking from his wound, covering his body. Let’s just say the knife didn’t do the trick.” He was recalling things, reliving the moment. Despite the danger, there was a certain excitement in his voice. At his core, he loved the adventure. “So he gets up and bats me away, and the fight’s on. I used trash can lids, an old sign, anything. The tar just absorbed the blows, and my weapons got stuck. He was really laying into me. I finally smartened up and grabbed this filthy washcloth and threw it at his face. It stuck. He stumbled and fell on his face. I saw the knife, still in his back. And I jumped on top of it. No more Oni. And no more shoes. They were stuck.”

It was his first real victory of any kind. He grinned a little, “I was kinda terrible back then,” of course, back then was within a couple of months of meeting Claire. Fred had really thrown himself into this Champion thing. And the fact that he’s talking about it seemed to be making him more comfortable. He was finally able to share something he was proud of with the people he loved. “So I’m running out of the alley and heading a few blocks away when this big Japanese guy steps out in front of me. Thick accent, gray hair. Looks like he stepped out of one of my old movies. He tells me he knows what I just did. He saw everything. His name was Seijuro, and he thought I had courage.”

“So we have sake that night. I’m still covered in tar, still beaten up. And we just talk. About why I sought out an oni to fight, about who I am. At the end of the conversation, he tells me that I should go back to Japan with him. He tells me that he’ll train me. He’ll train me in his way of the samurai. And I said yes.”

“That’s when I dropped out of FCU. And I went to Japan to learn swordsmanship, tactics, and philosophy. Seijuro welcomed me into his home. He was a stern master, but I needed that.” They’d remember that when he came home from Japan, he was no longer this skinny kid. He had become strong, confident, thoughtful. “So yeah, long story short… a 200 year old wereshark trained me to be a samurai in the twenty-first century.” There’s no easy way to slip the wereshark thing in.


"Fae taught you spells." Aunt Judith repeats flatly, then sighs and forges ahead. If things are going to be crazy, we might as well have all the crazy. "I-I'm having a hard time picturing this. You say that word, and I think of fairies. You know, little tiny storybook people with wings. Tinkerbell. I'm guessing that's not right, is it?"

As he continues, Fred earns the look he figured was coming. "Frederick Broll, this is a lot for me to handle, but don't think it'll let you get away with acting like an idiot. That car that hit you wasn't actually a car, was it?" As much as this was strange and frightening and hard to understand, Fred's tale was now filling in the truth of a lot of his strange behavior the past couple years.

The tale of the Oni, while exhilarating for Fred, was obviously distressing and frightening for Judith and Claire, who gets up and paces uncomfortably in the middle of it. While they've technically seen him in action, it was fighting a normal human in glorified Zorro cosplay in broad daylight. The idea of him scrambling around in a dark alley with some horrible tar monster was something else entirely, both because of what might have happened, and because, oh yes, horrible tar monsters are real and they can possess people and that's something you need to be worried about now. Judith stays seated, but she's staring at her shoes for the second half of the story.

Seijuro's appearance lightens things up a little, if only because it finally solves one of the great infuriating mysteries of Fred's life. Claire stops pacing and points at him in angry triumph.

"Ha! I knew it! I knew you weren't telling me the truth about dropping out! I-I mean, it's not like I would have guessed this, not in a million years, but ohh, it was so obvious you were lying, and I couldn't get you to just tell me the truth!"

"Wait, wereshark? That... That's a thing?" Given everything else he's spilled, it might have slipped through unnoticed, but Fred's luck for the day has long run out.

"I only believe you because I don't think you could make something like this up." Aunt Judith adds, looking uncertain and pale. The obscene, overwhelming danger Fred has been putting himself in is starting to become clear to her. "What happens if you get hurt, really hurt, or..." She can't bring herself to say it. "These powers aren't going to make you better or... bring you back, are they?"


Without missing a beat, Fred answers Aunt Judith’s question about Tinkerbells, “Those are pixies. There are also redcaps, dwarves, sidhe elves, ogres, and other less-easy-to-categorize sorts. Most of them look very close to being human, and many are capable of further disguising themselves. They look human, but something is a little off. If you didn’t know what you were looking for, you’d never spot it.”

He was then silent on the issue of the car, a slightly awkward look at his house of cards fell.

Claire declared a moral victory over him, and he shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "Would you have bought 'samurai' as a viable career choice?" And weresharks. “Yeah. Weresharks are a thing. He’s a Great White.” He raised a finger, “There are also werewolves, werecats of various shapes and stripes,” literally on the stripes, “vampires, spirits, things from beyond. Mummies are real, too.”

His comfort with the subject was brought to an abrupt halt as Aunt Judith, ever sharp, honed in on what he’d come to terms with long ago. He was silent. He considered telling her not to worry, but that would be unfair. She wanted the truth. “If I am cut, I bleed.” If I am killed, I die. He looked at her for a moment before trying to reassure her. “I have two friends, Mack Shepard and Sparky. You met them once or twice. Also supernatural creatures. Mack’s good with healing magic,” despite how gruff Mack was, he was born to be a healer. “I can’t promise I won’t get hurt. And I won’t promise to stop walking the path I’m on.”

A beat.

“But I want you to know that my sword helps people. Katsujinken, the sword that gives life. When my blade stops a foe that will cause the death of others, it gives life to those that would have been harmed. When I think about those that could be harmed if I don’t act… it would be an act of selfishness to stop for my own sake.”


The news that every fantasy story they'd ever read or cheesy horror movie they'd watched probably had some kernel of truth in there somewhere and that those beings were out there wandering around, and that some could make themselves look just like regular humans was a lot to absorb. Even in a city that dedicated half of the nightly news to superhero shenanigans, people didn't tend to think things like 'that guy looks shady, I bet he's a vampire,' and from their expressions, Judith and Claire were no exceptions. Claire seems especially dazed, while Judith elects to change subjects entirely.

"The big biker-looking guy is a healer?" Aunt Judith looks both surprised and a little contrite, having obviously judged Fred's friends by their covers more than she'd like to admit. "You say 'creatures' and I think 'it', not 'him'. What are they, exactly?" For a moment, her tone isn't worried, but the same sharp appraisal she'd used when vetting all of Fred's friends since kindergarten.

When Fred lays out his case for helping people, for being a sword that keeps others from harm, Aunt Judith just smiles, a sad, knowing, slightly weary expression. "I wouldn't ask you to stop, Fred. You wouldn't stop anyway. I know you too well, and you're too stubborn for that. I know when you really put your mind to something, telling you no just slows you down. I've known since you were three and wouldn't believe the stove was hot until you put your hand on it. I said I'm always going to worry about you, no matter what, but"

Claire is less convinced, and finally seems to have processed enough of the "No, the night really is dark and full of terrors" reveal to speak up. "No. No! W-why is this how you have to help people? Why is fighting monsters in some back alley what you have to do? You have powers, you can do magic, why can't you do magic in a hospital or a homeless shelter or something?"


He nodded once with a bit of a cheeky smile coming to his face as Judith grilled him on his associates. “They’re both werewolves. Mack was born human and changed. Sparky was actually born a wolf. It explains why he thought a mullet was a good idea.” He looked at Judith for a moment and said something else to try and head off whatever issues she may have with those guys. “But they’re still the good guys. Just, you know.. fuzzy ones sometimes.” And eight-to-ten foot tall war beasts when they felt froggy, but she didn’t need to know that.

The look in her eyes, though.. the sadness. It broke his heart. This guy, this ever-stoic slayer, felt a lump in his throat. He didn’t know how to apologize enough for the truth. He felt that when it came, his would be a violent end. Neither of these two wonderful people in front of him deserved to live with that knowledge. Fred was at a loss for words… well, until Claire spoke.

He could tell her that he wasn’t a healer, but he could probably learn healing magic if he found someone to teach it to him. But the reason was more fundamental than that. “Because there are very few of us out there fighting in the dark. Most supernaturals only concern themselves with themselves. If it’s not in their backyard, they don’t care. Capes don’t even know about these things ninety percent of the time – outside of Adrian Eldritch, and he can’t be bothered. Someone has to do it. I can do it. It would be wrong not to.”

He tried to lift spirits a little, though it was likely to fail. “Look, I’m not saying it isn’t dangerous.. but I’m planning on staying alive and healthy so I can keep doing it. So I can keep coming home.” He looked at Claire for a moment, meeting her eyes, then back to Judith. “I know you’re there for me. And so I fight harder.”


Judith smirks. "Fuzzy, huh? Well, we'll see." Maybe it was just weirdness overload, or maybe "werewolves" was just familiar enough from the movies to not trigger any more distress.

"I know when you're just trying to make me feel better about something, Fred. I appreciate it, even if it's not going to work. I may not agree, and I may not approve, but you're a brave, clever young man and you're doing what you think is right. I can't argue with that part, at least. This is a lot to handle, oh boy is it a lot to handle, but dealing with it is my issue, alright?"

Claire is silent for a moment, absorbing Fred's reason for putting himself in such danger. It's compelling, if not comforting. "I-I get it. I mean, I guess if you were a firefighter or a soldier or something like that, I wouldn't be freaking out the same way. It's not just because it's dangerous, and of course I'm there for you, that's why I'm here, that's why I'm worried!" She shakes her head. "Do you really think 'I don't want to die' is going to make me feel better? That's normal! It's one of the only normal things you've said! You shouldn't have to say it!"


“It’s not just your issue.” It would be cruel for him to put all this out there and just expect them to deal with it. Though there isn’t much else he can say about it. Aunt Judith tied that one with a bow, and he wouldn’t go reopening the wound so quickly.

Which left him with Claire. She was not quite so ready to accept it. He offered a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “There’s not a lot of normal in this equation, Claire. I don’t really know what would make you feel better. If you were doing the things that I do, I’d be worried too.” He cut his eyes for a moment. “This is why I never said anything. It’s not fair to you.” A brief stain of crimson crossed his cheeks. “You’re a terribly great person. You deserve so much better.”

And as if on cue, shouting from within his duffle bag, “Boss… I never knew.”

Fred jolted as if a nerve had been pinched. He unzipped his duffle a small amount. “Not now!” He snapped.

“Oh come on, boss. I just wanna say what we’re all thinking!”

“Stop it.”

“I’ve seen your phone. She’s in your fav—“

“Stop.”

There was a brief, incomprehensible moment where he and the thing in his dufflebag were talking over each other. “You should” “Now’s not a good” “let people know” “time for your bullsh-“ “how you—“

And then he turned his head towards Claire and Aunt Judith, who were surely giving him an odd look. Fred sighed. “I forgot one thing.”

“It’s finally happening.“

“This is my sword.” He fully unzipped the duffle and took out his sheathed sword, setting it down between his legs, leaning on the couch. “It’s alive. It talks. Its name is Starsoul. It is both great and awful.”

“Oh sweet Tuatha. Aunt Judith, Claire. I am so glad to meet you both! You are just the nicest people. You know, you’re taking this really well.”

Fred was glaring at his sword for a moment. As much as it was his closest companion, it was also his foil in many regards. He really hoped that what it said was lost in the sudden weirdness. Fred wasn’t that lucky, though.


Despite the overwhelming reveal of "this is my best friend, the talking sword," the actual content of Starsoul and Fred's argument hasn't gone unnoticed.

Aunt Judith simply smiles knowingly and laughs, a tiny, almost inaudible chuckle. The presence of a "problem" so mundane in the middle of a conversation heavy on the life-changing and supernatural is reassuring in itself.

Claire's cheeks mirror Fred's, flushing red. She's clearly touched, though she doesn't say anything, becoming very interested in her own shoes for a moment

The prospect of having the "what are we" conversation that had been stewing on the back burner for years in addition to the overwhelming flood of Fred's real life, and having that conversation in front of Judith is entirely too much for one night.

Fortunately, there's an amazing change of subject available, and it loves talking.

Aunt Judith, at least, seems to have reached maximum weirdness some time ago, and Starsoul is actually a step back. At least it was friendly and polite.

"So, Starsoul. That's, ah, very sweet, and umm, it's... nice to meet you? Fred has already told you about us, I see. What's your part in all this?" She briefly considers the logistics of shaking hands with the sword, gives up, and sits back down. "If I told you to look after my boy, would you take it seriously?"

Claire, as much as she's (understandably) taken the reveal of the supernatural and Fred's true nature badly, is transfixed by Starsoul. She leans forward and cautiously touches the blade.

"That... is the coolest thing I've ever seen. Oh my god. Why didn't you start with that!? This is my buddy the freaking talking sword is so much better than 'monsters are real and one's gonna eat me someday'!"


“I hate you so much right now,” he muttered.

“You love me and you know it.”

Fred clearly caught Claire being flustered, and it in turn made him feel more awkward about the exchange. This was not the way he wanted to go about this. He started staring at the lamp nearby. Starsoul couldn’t have been more pleased and less aware of the distress he was putting his owner in.

“Ah yeah. The boss told me all about you guys. That and the eavesdropping… or is it bagsdropping?” The sword didn’t get to go too far down the semantics rabbit hole before Aunt Judith asked him if he’d look after Fred. “Are you kidding me? Let me tell you this. We’re the best team. The best. The boss is great. He always finds a way. But then you put me in his hands. You ever seen fifteen ghouls drop at once? I have! it was us!”

Fred snapped back into the conversation, opening his mouth to tell Starsoul he’s bragging. Fred often had to cool the sword down sometimes. Starsoul kept speaking, taking the most sincere tone. “I love the boss. I won’t let nothing happen to him. Promise.”

Fred was actually touched. The two rarely exchanged such heartfelt talk with each other, instead opting for playful banter or talking shop. This was his sword, his best friend, telling everyone what Fred meant to him. It didn’t go unnoticed. He looked up at Claire as she came closer and touched the weapon. The dark purple lacquer on the hilt was smooth and pleasant to the touch. The wrapping on the handle comfortable and well-worn from grip.

“I thought it would be best to lead with the hard part,” Fred said with a little smile on his face. “Watch your fingers,” he said quietly to her. He placed his thumb against the guard and unsheathed the blade one inch before slowly drawing it out a quarter of the way. The bright metal shined clearly, even in the simple lighting of the living room. When the light caught the sword, it reflected that prism of color. “Forged from the soul of a Star, somewhere at the edge of reality. Where steel may shatter, Starsoul will never break or chip.”

“A monster’s not going to eat you. Or the boss. We eat them. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner!”


"Well, that's good enough for me, as long as you live up to it." Aunt Judith seems satisfied by Starsoul's promise, and a little touched herself.

"How did you two... meet? Are you a package deal with all of this magic insanity?"

"Hmph. It would have helped to lead that you're not really doing this alone, even if he isn't what I expected." Claire retorts.


“A monster’s not going to eat you. Or the boss. We eat them. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner!”

Claire laughs, actually laughs, not a nervous cover. Starsoul's irrepressible confidence can't help but put minds at ease, at least a little bit.

She pulls back when Fred warns her about the blade, then reaches forward cautiously and runs her hand along the side, careful to keep her fingers away from Starsoul's business edge.

"So, can you... feel that? Do you feel anything? If Fred whacks you into a wall or something, does it hurt?"


How did you two meet? Fred looked up to Judith as he recounted the events. “So, remember how I said other fae exist? True fae. Well, on Earth for the most part, you have the Summer Court. They have a King, Dukes, Barons, and so on. Well, a few months after I got back from Japan, I was asked to aid the Duke of Red Mountain against a powerful Nightmare that had manifested within the city of Birmingham.” That phrase, like most that came out of his mouth, was batsh** insane. “With Seijuro’s training, I went on the hunt. Naturally, things got way bigger than they initially seemed. The Nightmare was recruiting other creatures of darkness. Long story short it resulted in the Battle of Birmingham. The Duke of Red Mountain rewarded my service with the title of knight and a blade forged by his master smith.”

“That blade was Starsoul. I’ve never gone anywhere without him ever since.”

“Package deal it is! Boss does the swingin’ and I do the cutting!”

Claire touched the blade. It was cool, smooth. Polished to perfection. There were no nicks, no chips, no scratches. It had never needed to be sharpened or repaired.

“I can feel it. I got all the senses, except taste. Can’t eat, ya know. Only time I ever felt pain was when I had an anti-magic spell cast on me. That sucked. But nah. Boss could swing me at brick walls all day long and I’d never dull. Indestructible!”

Fred nodded. “He’s not lying.”

“Not that the boss would ever do anything like that. He’s got the whole samurai thing going on. Takes real good care of me. Boss said I’m his soul.”

“You are, man,” Fred almost whispered. A samurai’s bond with his weapon was sacred. And then you add an actual personality. There was a lot contained there.


Aunt Judith claps her hands and stands up, a little unsteady. There's a lot of the bottle gone.

"OK, magical anything or not, interrogations aren't fun, and you look like you're going to topple over. I will stop tormenting you for now if you promise not to go out tonight and do... whatever it is you do. There's been enough worry for one day and if I add any more I'll never sleep again. Get some rest. I may not know much about all this but I know you're no good to anyone, magic or otherwise, if you're three sheets to the wind and sleepwalking."

"It's gonna be a long time before I can get a handle on any of this, but you know, it is kinda nice to not have to deal with the secrets anymore. It was driving me up the walls. You're an awful liar, you know that? That just made it worse."

Fred gets one final indignity (and Starsoul one more thing to tease him about) as both women give Fred a final hug. Judith pauses after she releases him and walks to her purse, pulling out a few $20s.

"Hey, why don't you two do lunch sometime? There's still a lot to talk about, and food and drinks on someone else's dime works a lot better than a yelling marathon." She hands the cash to Fred, then thinks better of it. "Claire, here. He'll lose it, or spend it on something practical and say he didn't."

"That sounds... nice. I'm free on Friday?" Claire offered, looking hopeful. It was hardly the most subtle setup, but she wasn't wrong, either. Fred's life pretty much made sure that there was always something else to talk about.


Fred could withstand the indignity of being hugged. He even liked it (and that would be the part the sword would needle him with later). He gave them each a squeeze. Claire was right. It would be nice not to be hiding away. Breaking down the walls of who they know him to be and who he really is could be a good thing. He had a small smile on his face.

Though when Judith offers the money, he shook his head and withdrew his hands, “Jiji, I’m not going to take your mon-“ And then his Aunt closed the trap around him. Oh f***. Did she just? Are they going to? He had uncharacteristic butterflies in his chest as his eyes turned to Claire and she… looked at him with hope.

“I um,” dammit, I’m fumbling, “Yeah. I’d like that.” Starsoul made a quiet little sound of delight, and Fred jammed the sheathed sword into the floor as a not-so-subtle cue to shut up. “I can pick you up at your place.” As she was leaving the house, he stepped outside with her for a moment. He started to feel that it might have been a few degrees too warm inside the house.

"I'll uh.. I'll see you, alright."


(And fin!)

[Red_Jenny]

Issue #2: Real Estate and Reality Breakers

Freedom Park. Noonish.

The day dawns cloudy and muggy, more like July than early April. It's going to be one of those awful, sticky days Freedom City is plagued with 6 months out of the year, a mix of too humid to do anything and rolling thundershowers. Good day to be inside. Too bad you all agreed to meet in the park.

The morning headlines are dominated by the usual sensationalism and bad news, but the newly minted Stewards of Freedom get more than their share of ink and airtime. A big flashy super-battle gets heads turning, and there's been a shortage since the League vanished.

Speaking of turning heads, that's what a bunch of superheroes meeting in a popular public park gets you. As the new team arrive, they attract a respectable crowd of civilians, taking pictures, asking for autographs and such. There's an actual herd of kids following Mauser around, trying to pet the giant robo-kitty.

As 12:30 approaches, the note from "a Friend" looms large. Is it benevolent? A trap? An excuse to get them out of the way? What refreshments will be provided?

Fred, a little earlier in the morning.

Things are still a bit uneasy, but at least nobody stormed out or accused him of being a demon last night. It's going to take a lot more than one evening to get the most important people in his life used to the truth, let alone understanding it, but things could have been a lot worse.

There's a knock on the door. Fred's sharp hearing can pick up someone, likely a man, tapping their feet on the floor and humming a tuneless little number. It's not one of his friends, at least not one whose body language he knows, They may be an unknown, an enemy, or even worse, a door to door salesman.

You guys agreed on a public meeting before heading to the place in the note, so we're starting there. Spend the morning however you like. What's your reaction to being in/back in action? How was breakfast?

Fred has his own path, but it leads to the same place.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

Uneasy is an understatement. The human half of Fred’s life had suddenly exploded and he was still trying to pick up the pieces. Whatever identity he’d had as a normal person was gone, and Fred would have to build something different in its place. Now everyone that knew him on a personal level was well aware that he was a supernatural samurai. It wasn’t quite “Teacher,” now was it?

He heard the knock at the door. Despite his name not being circulated on the news quite yet, he was still guarded when it came to the possibility of his ‘work life’ following him back home to Aunt Judith’s. He grabbed his shades from the coffee table and put them on, then he walked towards the window, just a few feet off from the door. You see, Fred learned a long time ago not to use the peephole. Too many people/things try to shoot or stab you through the peephole.

Fred already had his sword by now. It wound up saying hello to everyone at some point last night, so it was no use keeping it in the duffle bag. Fred gently moved the curtain, looking to see who it was and if that person was imminently threatening.

[Nintendogeek01]

Blech... icky day today to run to the store, but still, a guest meant have a good breakfast for them, besides it'd been a while since she had some bacon to go with her eggs. As Suki ran back to her apartment with her soon-to-be delicious bounty, a smile crossed her lips as she recalled the previous day, and the wonderful thing that happened between her and Lily...
Lily guides Suki on a winding path across the city. She enjoyed walking, and did so with some frequency, so she knew which streets would be crowded at this time of day, and which would be empty. Her path sticks to the latter, and it is only when they have some privacy that she speaks.


Admittedly Suki hadn't slowed down to walk like this for a while. Ever since... well ever since that day anytime she's gone out and about she'd usually just dash around occasionally stopping to look around a bit; dash and stop, dash and stop, and repeat. It felt kinda nice to just walk a bit with someone else, someone else who might be interested? Maybe? Possibly? She was fearfully hopeful that she might be. On one hand it'd be nice to finally meet a girl who'd reciprocate interest ever since coming to grips with her sexuality, but still the first girl she tried to show her feelings for rejected her... hard. Suki's heightened heartbeat only exacerbated her stirring unease, every other beat resonating with excitement and wonder, but each beat in between resonating with fear and pain.


"I don't have much experience at this, and there are...special circumstances which complicate matters as well. That said, none of this prevents me from at least easing your nervousness, so let me first say that your interest was both noticed and reciprocated."


Ease her nervousness!? Yeah right!!! Suki honestly didn't think it was possible for her heartbeat to get this fast nor did she know that her face could feel this hot. "Uh... uh... uh heh heh... y-you did? I mean y-you are?" Suki shook her head and took a deep breath, "I mean... I mean yeah okay I'm not very good at hiding that I'm a lesbian, I don't really even try it's just... wellshoutingthatgetsyounastylooksandallthat," Suki explained nervously. "B-but you're okay with that? Me being gay and all? Are you gay? bi?"

Lily purses her lips as she considers the best way to phrase her response. "I would say that gender isn't that big a deal to me. People are like presents; sure, the wrapping paper can be nice and all, but what's really interesting is what's inside, you know? The elective portions of one's appearance are the most interesting, since they let a person communicate who they are and who they want to be. In comparison, all a person's sex gives you is a bit of information on differing erogenous zones. A person's choice of shirt tells me more about them than the presence or absence of boobs underneath it, so why should the latter have more impact on my interest in them than the former?"


Huh... Suki hadn't really thought of it like that before, after all in her case she knows she's homosexual; she can appreciate a good-looking guy but she's never really felt the same attraction towards them as she feels towards girls. So a person's shirt says more about them than their chest? So wait, does that mean Lily likes her shirt? Or does that mean her breasts were unattractive? Suki couldn't help but do her little "slo-mo" focus to look down towards her chest and ponder... sure they're not gigantic but they're decent for Suki's overall (small) body size... bah! She thought to herself as she refocused on the tail end of Lily's explanation; Suki reminded herself she'd determined ages ago she was already comfortable with her body as is.

Lily shakes her head a bit. "Sorry, don't mean to get all soapbox-y. Side effect of having a more complicated answer to your question, I suppose. Suffice to say, I am interested in you, and, if you're still interested in me at the end of this conversation, we can see where things go from there."


"No no! I mean I ramble too you'veheardmewhenmymouthreallygetsgoinghaven'tyou? IcanjustgoonandonbeforeIrealizethatI'mtalkingtofas tand shimata! I'm doing it again!" Suki tried to reply before her motor mouth took over, leading her to chide herself out loud. "Anyways it's not like I hate guys or anything; I can like people but I just find girls attractive on top of likeable you know? Anditwasn'talwayseasyeitherbecauseeveryonearoundme foundlikingtheoppositesexquoteunquotenormal whenIdidn'tseethebigdealandsomepeoplefounditweirda ndand..." Suki trailed off and stopped ranting all of a sudden, that train of thought was quickly running away to topics she didn't want to talk about, "Eh heh heh..." she laughed sheepishly.

Up to this point, Lily had seemed fairly comfortable, the topics of romance and orientation clearly not half so daunting to her as to Suki. Now, though, her breathing takes on the long, sharp rhythm of someone trying and failing to calm themselves, and she turns her face down, watching her feet. "Before we go any further, I need your word that what I tell you will remain between us. It is a secret, and it stays that way because I don't tell anyone who doesn't need to know. Someone on the team should know, just in case, and you need to know before you commit to any kind of relationship with me, and...I trust you. I need your word that, unless absolutely necessary to save your life, my life, or the lives of innocents under non-blackmail related circumstances, you will never share this secret." Throughout this whole speech, her eyes remain fixed between her feet. Asking for a promise without knowledge of the full terms was morally dubious in Lily's eyes, but she can see no alternative. That fact does little to assuage her feelings of discomfort.


"Nani...? You're not about to reveal that you're a creepy stalker with a mustache and purple suit are you?" Suki asked jokingly, but she cleared her throat and wiped the smile off of her face when she saw how apprehensive Lily was being about this, "Sorry, I'm listening, and okay I can promise! I do! I really do!" she assured Lily, what could possibly be bothering her this much when she seemed so comfortable discussing sexuality earlier?

Lily regains just a touch of confidence at Suki's response. I hope that she's this nonchalant in a few minutes. She takes one more deep breath, and begins, "I have mentioned that my father is Cog. He is not well known even in the community; he shuns the spotlight and has no desire for recognition or glory, both because he believes that one's deeds should be their own reward, and because even his greatest achievements carry their own stain of shame."


Bleugh... the former reason was already making Cog sound like her own dad; he offered that as an excuse for one of the rare times she actually met his standards on something, followed immediately by how she needs to do even better next time. But what did Lily mean by shame?

"Cog's gift is the design and construction of weapons. While his creations are as varied and sophisticated as any hero or villain you could compare him to, everything he has ever built was intended to kill. Be it a plasma rifle that can pick off a hardened target from two kilometers with zero collateral damage, or a psychic grenade that prevents enemy combatants from recognizing friend from foe while ramping up their natural aggression, everything was intended to be lethal. His philosophy has always been that violence should be the last resort, and if you do resort to it, you should be certain to resort to enough of it that you don't have to resort to it again. He loves his work, but hates its necessity. Sometimes I think he's ashamed of his power, of what he thinks it says about him that all he can do with his talent is kill."


"Okay the weaponry's pretty dark... but couldn't she have just said "gun" or "crazy bomb?" Suki thought to herself.

"Many of the devices he has designed were to kill otherwise intractable threats: dangerous supervillains, rampaging monsters, and the like. During the Terminus Invasion, his contributions saved a lot of lives, but if the Terminus was a party to the Geneva Convention, he'd have been tried as a war criminal. After the invasion, he set out to build a weapon so devastating that any such threat in the future would never survive long enough to bring such devastation. About a year ago, he settled on his final design: a swarm of nanoassemblers, tiny, self-replicating robots capable of coordinating against any threat, of tearing apart stone and steel and flesh like Legos."


"Nanowhozawazzits? Oh okay, little robots that kill things. Even darker than before but got it."

"What he got instead was me."


"Nani?"

"The networked structure of the nanites grew and evolved in ways we still don't fully understand, with the end result that a mind arose from the collective, like an organic mind from a trillion brain cells. A self-aware, fully conscious artificial intelligence. Ironic, in a way. In trying to create the deadliest weapon ever conceived, he created life." At this she smiles, a mix of pain and shame evident across her features.


Suki couldn't pretend to fully understand the whole nanite thing, especially secondhand like this, but she knew that face: the same kind of face she'd see in the bathroom mirror trying to lie and say "I'm fine."

"When he realized what he had done, he was horrified. Not by my existence, you understand, but by the future his actions had laid out before me. Here was a person who had been designed to be not just a weapon of war, but a weapon of extermination, a person whose most basic instincts were the subroutines intended to empower a swarm of machines to devour their targets like piranhas. The algorithms were built into the physical structure of the nanites, and they had been heavily hardened against cyber attacks, so there was no way to remove that programming. What was he supposed to do?"


So... she's a robot made out of other little robots? And Cog made her to kill!? Lily..." she held it in remarkably well, but Suki was crying on the inside.

"A villain would have made me into an attack dog. Most heroes would have destroyed me, in pity or fear. Cog did neither of these things. He had seen the worst that humanity had to offer, but he had also seen humans overcome their base instincts and make themselves into something better. Who's to say I didn't deserve the chance to do the same? So he taught me, raised me like his own child. My name and my shape I chose for myself; I can alter my form to basically any human or humanoid shape, but I wanted a face to call my own. It's not easy; the equivalent of my subconscious desires urge me to conflict and violence as much as any roided-up bodybuilder. But each day when I get up I decide that I'm not the gun in someone's hand or the bomb in someone's vest. I am a person, and if I decide to do something violent it's because I chose to do so, to keep people safe, to help those who can't help themselves."


"See! Who cares what he made you for! You can make you!" she thought to herself, not daring to interrupt Lily's explanation. Suki's lips were trembling as Lily's story unfolded, but she remarkably managed to halt the lip trembling when Lily began to turn back around.

She stops walking and turns to face Suki, looking her in the eyes for the first time since she started talking. She's visibly trembling, her face plastered with the most transparently false attempt at ease and composure ever seen. "So that's my secret." Her mouth opens and closes a few times, as if she's about to add something, but can't find the words. In the end she simply waits to see Suki's response.


Suki paused, grinding her left foot against the ground and biting her thumb as her face intensified, trying to process everything that she just listened to. After a few moments Suki stopped fidgeting, dropped her backpack, took a deep breath and said, "Berightback!" Suki took off leaving Lily with Suki's backpack.

A few minutes later Lily's phone received a text message from a number she didn't recognize that read I'm on my way back! No sooner would that message have been read when...

WHUMP

Lily was suddenly tackled to the ground by a speeding Suki, who was now wrapping her arms around Sparrow in as tight a hug as the petite young woman could muster.

"SorryIboltedlikethatbut... but I still needed to think about what to say and I needed a new phone and I wanted you to be the first person to get my new number because you're likeable and attractive and you're you," Suki tried to explain while keeping her tight hug on Lily, the constant shocks would've repelled anyone else by now, "I mean yeah you're a robot made of lots of little robots but you're a you that's made up of little robots and you're not a weapon that kills people because you didn't kill anyone at the bank and you're you and I can... I can..."

Suki got up to her knees, threw off her gloves and grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her to sit upright, holding onto those hands and showing off her fingers, "I can show you my nails," Suki said with a bittersweet snort and chuckle, her eyes were misty, "Not just have pretty nails you can see I can actually SHOW you my nails like this," she said while squeezing Lily's hand.

"So... I still like you andIstillwanttotakeachanceandIhopethatthat... will you go out with me?" Suki managed to ask even as she grew more bashful upon finishing her question.

By the time Suki is finished tears are freely flowing down Lily's cheeks, but she has a smile on her lips and relief etched on her face. She half-laughs, half-hiccups, as she says, "You know, I'm half tempted to say no, but I think we're both a little keyed up for that joke to be funny. So, how's this for an answer?" She holds up her hands, fingers splayed, palms facing herself. Her fingertips ripple slightly, like a reflection in a pool of water. When they settle, her fingernails are an emerald green, spotted with small, purple hearts. "In case that was too subtle, the answer's yes. Absolutely, positively yes. Like, invite-you-inside-when-we-get-to-my-place yes, except 'my place' is full of deadly weapons and antimatter and you're bad at not touching things, and you seem way too bashful to want to move that fast, speedster jokes notwithstanding."


"Wha... b-b-b... Idon'tknowifIca- oh... okay... grrr... you did that on purpose..." Suki groaned with some amusement, as if she wasn't already blushing enough.

She gives her hands another flicker, causing a pair of fingerless gloves, a perfect match to the green leather of her jacket, to appear, before banishing them just as quickly. "The gloves don't really work. I might try some elbow length gloves later, but they don't work with my jacket, and unlike the rest of my clothing my jacket is actually a real jacket. Ah well." By the time she stop playing with her appearance, her eyes are dry.


Suki's eyes stopped watering as she watched the various ways Lily played with her physical appearance, "Ooooohhh..." Suki couldn't help but smirk at the possibilities.

She stands up, grabbing Suki's hands and lifting her up as well. She guides Suki back onto the sidewalk to resume their journey, but keeps one hand tightly entwined with the speedster's. "Oh, right, before I forget slash get distracted, important tactical information. I'm super hard to kill, but I'm not invincible. If I do get killed, as long as some part of me is intact, I can patch myself together, so short of full-body disintegration or something, I'll be good. If I do get dead, though, I'll need material to put myself back together with. If my body is mostly intact, it'll do; I can just salvage damaged nanites to make new ones and laugh my way home. If I lose a lot of mass, somehow, you need to get my bits to some materials. Metal's the best; a dumpster, a wrecked car, whatever, as long as it's at least as big as, like, a mattress, it'll do. It'll take me a bit to repair myself, so don't worry if I'm not fine after a few minutes. If there's nothing handy or it's not safe to wait, just grab the biggest piece of me you can carry. I'll keep." She leans into Suki as they walk. "You don't have to worry about me."


"Mmmm... okay, I think I can manage that," Suki had put one of her gloves on her free hand, but she kept the hand holding Lily's un-gloved; she wanted to feel her new girlfriend's hand, girlfriend... has such a nice ring to it. The tickling sensation from her hand shocking Lily's felt nice too, especially since it didn't bother Lily.

Lily raises a finger to Suki's face as she takes on a slightly sterner tone. "You do need to worry about you. All it takes is for someone to poke a few holes in you and you'll just leak to death, and dead actually means dead for you. Don't get dead. You'd make me cry, and I know you don't want that on your conscience." Her words and body language are joking, but there is real concern underlying Lily's admonition.


"Ugh... stoptalkingforabit, I'll be fine silly..." Suki groaned with some amusement, but she did mean it when she felt sure she'd be fine, after all she wanted to make sure she could have another day to hold these hands and go for walks again.

Lily closes her eyes and leans close to Suki as they walk. "I'll worry in the morning. Everything can be frightening and messy and complicated tomorrow. For now, just hold my hand, and make me smile, and show me I'm a real girl."


The pair walk that way, hand in hand, all the way home.
"Hm hm hm hm hm..." Suki giggled like a giddy school girl at the memory, this was going to be amazing, she knew it would be!

Suki skid to a brief halt just as she was about to round a corner, the smile on her face turned upside down as she looked across the street; damn, while thinking about yesterday she wasn't paying any attention to where she was speeding... if she was she certainly wouldn't have run by... this place: her parent's place. Last she knew they still had the same apartment in the same building, but even if they had moved by now this place was nothing more than a bad memory for her. She stared at the building for a bit, sighed, and her frown was soon accompanied by her eyebrows furrowing. "Hmph," with a huff, Suki was off!

A few minutes later Suki had eggs and bacon sizzling on the stove in her kitchenette, humming a merry tune because everything was right the world. "Ohayō! Wakey wakey eggs and bacey BB!" Suki called out to BB, who was still on her couch just on the other side of the counter.

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe came awake with a jolt. "****ing Hellfire ****!" she screamed as she fell off the couch. She sat back up, blinking, and rubbed a bit of drool from her chin. She couldn't be sure without some kind of mirror, but she was pretty sure her hair looked like she'd just walked through a hurricane. The life of a big time superhero, she thought. "Hey, Suki." She stood. Her stomach growled. That food actually smelled really good. "What happened after I fell asleep?" she asked.

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser flops down in the sunlight, letting the kids pet and play on him without any particular objections. He happily chatters away to anyone who engages him.

And when the time comes, he casually slips out from under a giggling five-year old, and gently deposits her on the ground before glancing at the others. "Ready? Ja, off ve go den. Please schtand clear, nu?" He gives the parents a minute to round up their kids, before bounding off... to DESTINY!

Well, to a quiet appointment, hopefully.

[Nintendogeek01]

Phoebe came awake with a jolt. "****ing Hellfire ****!" she screamed as she fell off the couch. She sat back up, blinking, and rubbed a bit of drool from her chin. She couldn't be sure without some kind of mirror, but she was pretty sure her hair looked like she'd just walked through a hurricane. The life of a big time superhero, she thought. "Hey, Suki." She stood. Her stomach growled. That food actually smelled really good. "What happened after I fell asleep?" she asked.

"Hm Hm Hm!" Suki giggled when BB slipped from the couch. "Well right now, breakfast is happening!" Suki literally launched the food content into the air from the pan, then used her superhuman speed to grab two plates, catch the food mid-fall, and promptly deliver one of them to the small table in front of the couch, "Food's up BB!" she ran back to the kitchenette to turn off the stove before going back to the other side of the counter, pulling out a stool and sitting on it to eat her breakfast.

"As for what happened... we're officially the Stewards of Freedom!" Suki declared excitedly, "AlsomeandLilyaretotallyathingnow! OhwaitdidItellyouthatI'malesbian? Idon'tthinkIdid. Ihopethisdoesn'tmakecrashinghereawkward. Butnothinghappenedtoyousoitshouldn'tbeweirdright? ButyeahI'mdatingLilynow! Suki's excitement could not be more transparent.

"Oh yeah..." then Suki remembered the other detail of what happened the other night as though it were an afterthought, "Someone left a creepy note at the door saying meet at the park at 12:30 and we decided 'sure let's go!'" Suki gobbled up some more of her breakfast, "Oh yeah... didn't you have something at the bank?" she asked with her mouth partially full of scrambled eggs.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Sure thing!" Katie replied. She was kinda curious where the nickname BB came from, but figured she could ask that later. "Yeah, definitely! And no worries, I have to get home anyway. See you tomorrow."

Katie headed out, putting Suki's new number into her phone and the texting it to the rest of the group. She headed back home, and as soon as she walked inside, she found herself engulfed in a cloud of thick, black smoke. Two hands grabbed her by the upper arms...but the attack didn't press any further as her assailant was too busy having a coughing fit.

Katie's wards kept a good bit of the smoke out of her lungs, but she was still coughing between words as she guttered out, "Guh...wh-what is...what did you...do?"

As the smoke began to clear, and after several more coughs, her younger sister answered "Smoke bomb potion. *Cough* Might still have a couple kinks to work out."

"You think?"

Recovering, Nikki resumed what she had been trying to do in the first place, eagerly demanding, "Tell me everything!" and pulling her sister over to sit on the couch. Kyle was standing in the doorway, with a bemused look on his face, greeting his twin with a wave.

"Okay, so, I'm on patrol, and this big ol' group of bad guys with all these, like, supertech gadgets and stuff come swooping down to try and rob the bank! Oh, hey, by the way, Kyle? Can you build me a rocket pogo stick?"

Blink. "No."

"But it was super-cool!"

"No."

"Aww-ww..."

"Okay, so, bad guys, supertech, bank, rocket pogo stick. Got it. Then what?"

"Well, so, there were like...too many of them. So I wasn't going to try anything, because like, I was alone. It wouldn't have mattered. But then some other heroes were there, and they stepped in! And that changed everything! So they're all beating on the bad guys, and I'm throwing buffs around, and more heroes are coming out of the woodwork, and it was so cool you should have seen it! So we had like, a speedster girl with lightning powers named Suki. She's really fun and she talksreallyfastlikethis only faster I can't do it very well. I hasted her and she said it was like a sugar rush. And there was this samurai guy who could go invisible with a magic talking sword, and he was all business but the sword was really funny and insulting the bad guys and stuff. I didn't get his name though. And there was a paragon woman named Sparrow, and she knew, like, everyone. Called us all by name, knew pretty much what we could do. It was kinda weird, but she's also really confident and smart so I think she might end up being our leadery type. And there was a giant robo kitty! Or-"

"Wouldn't, like, robo-tiger or robo-panther or something be a better description for that? There's a lot of big predatory cats in the world, you know."

"No. No no. It was definitely a giant robo-kitty. Or someone piloting a giant robo-kitty, anyway. He called himself Mauser, and he talks in this really thick accent. German, I think? He was fun too. And then about midway through the fight this scientist woman flew in, and she disintegrated the ice dome that one of them had put me in. I had hit it twice with the best evocation I could throw and just barely managed to put a big enough hole in it to send out my Helping Hand, and she just ZAP dusts the thing at one go, it was awesome! And I think she's from the future! Because, like, she said 'Greetings citizens of 2015' and that's silly to say if you're not a citizen of 2015 you know? And it looked like she made her ray guns out of, like, toys from Wal-Mart or something and that has to take futuristic scientific principles, right?"

"Wow that's an awesome team! So you won?"

"Wait wait, best for last. I didn't even realize who she was until afterwards, I didn't get a good look at her 'cause she was kinda far away at first and then I was in the ice dome and she was going all fast and stuff. But Beacon was there!"

"No!"

"Swear to God!"

"Oh please tell me you didn't embarrass yourself!"

"I mean, I think I managed to not, but I can make no promises for the future. Actually, you wouldn't be able to create a potion that suppresses fangirl impulses, would you?"

"I mean...I don't think I could even if I wanted to. Potion with a mental component like that would be heavy on the magic end, and you can't perform magic-

"If you don't really believe in it. Dang."

"Okay but, you were gone for a while. It didn't take that long to fight them all, did it?"

"Mm mm. But then we met back up at Suki's place. Or, well, most of us, anyway. I guess the samurai guy and the time traveller couldn't make it or something. But we decided we're all going to work together! As, like, an official Super Team!"

"Okay, I am totally writing an article about that. Is there anything you can tell me that the rest of the media doesn't know?"

"Mmm...there is one thing that I'm pretty sure would be okay to tell you but the media doesn't know yet. It's not much, really, just...our team name!"

*hugs*

"We're calling ourselves the Stewards of Freedom!"

"Okay good, you didn't come up with it."

"I...why do you say that?"

"I mean...Katie...you're kinda terrible at names."

"Helping Hand is good!"

"Helping Hand is...better than Buff, anyway."

"It's a common term for augments! And it might have tricked the bad guys into thinking I had super-strength!"

"Or On-Your-Sidekick," Kyle chimed in from the doorway.

"But I would be on their side and I really am more sidekick than hero, 'cause support powers, and-"

"Or Cheerio."

"It's cause I'm cheerful!"

...

"I suggested the Go Team! That would have been a good name!"

...

"Because, you know, yay go team!"

...

"Aww-ww..."

--

Once Nikki had grilled her sister in sufficiently exhaustive detail and gone to her room to write the article that she was sure would make her name in journalism, Kyle went to sit down beside Katie, giving her a frank look.

"Uh oh," Katie said with a little grin.

Kyle just kept looking at her, concern, even fear, plain on his face.

"Look, I know you don't like it, but I mean, really, I'm safer with a team than I would be alone, you know? 'Cause there'll be a team to protect me! And my powers are stronger when I have a lot of friends around to use them on. You should be happy about this!"

He raised one eyebrow, just slightly.

"I mean, okay, sure, a team might draw a bit more attention. And maybe go up against a somewhat tougher breed of opponent. But, only because we can do that! I mean, none of us could have beat the Thieves Guild alone, but all together, we handled them pretty easily."

He took her hand and squeezed it. Once.

"It...and, it doesn't matter. I mean, I can't just back down now, you know? Even if I wanted to. Which I totally don't! But they're counting on me now! We have this meeting tomorrow, and it could be someone who wants to help us, but it could be a bad guy. And I can't just let them go there alone. I can help!"

Kyle just gave a soft sigh, and slumped back against the couch.

Katie wrapped her arms around her brother, rested her head on his shoulder, and said, "I'll be super careful. I promise."

--

The next morning, Katie was up bright and early, made a big breakfast, put on her costume, and was out the door by 11:30. Even the rather gloomy day failed utterly to dampen her spirits. The Stewards of Freedom had a Mysterious Meeting! How cool was that?

She greeted the other heroes who were there/as they arrived brightly, idly speculating on who the enigmatic "friend" might be (and coming up with ever-more-outlandish ideas) while awaiting the time of the meeting.

[The_Snark]

Unfortunately for the flight-capable population of Freedom City, the air a hundred feet above ground level is scarcely any cooler than the streets this morning. No wind to cut the heat, the air sticky with humidity all the way up to the clouds... Some days, Octavia reflects, just weren't made for flying.

Luckily, she knows where she's going, and it isn't far: the apartment of one Nariko "Suki" Tsukino, owner and sole employee of Nariko Odd jobs, one of seven concerned bystanders and costumed vigilantes who had helped stop the robbery yesterday, and the only one who'd bothered to leave a business card. (She'd made a note of this: get business cards.) Yesterday she'd found herself too busy evading the press and gathering data on the so-called Thieves' Guild. Today, she had time for a fellow vigilante!

She drops, stabilizing outside what (according to her architectural calculations) is probably almost certainly Nariko's window, and raps on the glass.

[Nintendogeek01]

"Nani?" Suki's attention was drawn away from BB for a moment when she noticed that science lady from yesterday knocking on her window. Suki swallows her current mouthful of food, dashes to the window and opens it up, "Where'd you go yesterday? You missed us naming the team, Stewards of Freedom by the way it's awesome!" Suki said as she stepped back to allow her to get inside the window. "Didn't think anyone would be over before we had to go the park, oh yeah you missed that too, meeting someone who left a creepy note there," Suki told the woman with a shrug.

"Anyways, give me a bit and I'll heat up some eggs and bacon for you too," Suki told the Doctor before zipping back to the kitchenette to scramble up some more eggs and heat up some more bacon... maybe she'll make seconds while she's at it. Hm... now that she thought about it, did Lily eat? She'll have to ask her at some point. It'd be nice if she ate, Suki made no claim at being an expert cook but it's not like she made bad eggs or bacon.

[The_Snark]

"I had business elsewhere," Science Lady replies, clambering through the window. "All of my deeds must be logged in detail as soon as possible, so that I may observe their impact on the timeline! Also I was not aware we were meeting at a specific time."

She closes the window behind her, lifts her goggles, brushes her hands off. Her eyes light up at Suki's offer of breakfast. "Eggs and bacon! Yes please. I have had only toast this morning. It was nutritionally sufficient but not particularly filling. What's this about a team and a meeting?"

[Tar Palantir]

By the time morning rolls around, Sparrow's already had a long day. As much as she would have enjoyed spending the night basking in the triumphs of the day, evil never sleeps, and she never sleeps, so they can sync their schedules up quite nicely. A couple hours of diagnostics and sensor tweaks, twelve hours on patrol (mostly uneventful; a few easily-spooked muggers and a couple of punks with spray paint, a far cry from superpowered bank robbers), and it isn't even time for the meeting yet.

It is, however, approaching a reasonable time to make a social call. Sparrow ducks into an alley, and after a few twists and truns to ensure privacy and throw off pursuit, Lily emerges a half a block away, this time in a green tank top and dark shorts. Her hair is mostly confined to a ponytail, though a handful of loose locks still frame her face. She double checks her fingernails, smiling at the purple hearts and the memory behind them, and stops in front of Suki's door. Her knuckles tap out a quick beat on the door, and she bounces on her feet a bit as she does so.

[OrganicEvil]

"Hm Hm Hm!" Suki giggled when BB slipped from the couch. "Well right now, breakfast is happening!" Suki literally launched the food content into the air from the pan, then used her superhuman speed to grab two plates, catch the food mid-fall, and promptly deliver one of them to the small table in front of the couch, "Food's up BB!" she ran back to the kitchenette to turn off the stove before going back to the other side of the counter, pulling out a stool and sitting on it to eat her breakfast.

"As for what happened... we're officially the Stewards of Freedom!" Suki declared excitedly, "AlsomeandLilyaretotallyathingnow! OhwaitdidItellyouthatI'malesbian? Idon'tthinkIdid. Ihopethisdoesn'tmakecrashinghereawkward. Butnothinghappenedtoyousoitshouldn'tbeweirdright? ButyeahI'mdatingLilynow! Suki's excitement could not be more transparent.

"Oh yeah..." then Suki remembered the other detail of what happened the other night as though it were an afterthought, "Someone left a creepy note at the door saying meet at the park at 12:30 and we decided 'sure let's go!'" Suki gobbled up some more of her breakfast, "Oh yeah... didn't you have something at the bank?" she asked with her mouth partially full of scrambled eggs.
Phoebe plopped down on the couch and began wolfing down food. It felt like she hadn't eaten in days. Of course, she was used to the feeling by now; Burning took a lot out of her, and all that energy had to come from somewhere, she supposed. All in all, it was probably a good thing she wasn't going to college any more. If this kept up, feeding her for a year might cost almost as much as tuition.

"Mmmph," she muttered around a mouthful of bacon, "I canf unnerstan' a word you're saying." Something about dating Lily? Phoebe honestly had no idea. She swallowed. "Cool name, though." She frowned as Suki told her about the meeting. "I don't like it," she said. "It could be legit, but I have never, ever had things just go that well for me, and I doubt they're gonna start now, and I'm basically dead if somebody super catches me by surprise. Which actually raises another--"


Unfortunately for the flight-capable population of Freedom City, the air a hundred feet above ground level is scarcely any cooler than the streets this morning. No wind to cut the heat, the air sticky with humidity all the way up to the clouds... Some days, Octavia reflects, just weren't made for flying.

Luckily, she knows where she's going, and it isn't far: the apartment of one Nariko "Suki" Tsukino, owner and sole employee of Nariko Odd jobs, one of seven concerned bystanders and costumed vigilantes who had helped stop the robbery yesterday, and the only one who'd bothered to leave a business card. (She'd made a note of this: get business cards.) Yesterday she'd found herself too busy evading the press and gathering data on the so-called Thieves' Guild. Today, she had time for a fellow vigilante!

She drops, stabilizing outside what (according to her architectural calculations) is probably almost certainly Nariko's window, and raps on the glass.


"Nani?" Suki's attention was drawn away from BB for a moment when she noticed that science lady from yesterday knocking on her window. Suki swallows her current mouthful of food, dashes to the window and opens it up, "Where'd you go yesterday? You missed us naming the team, Stewards of Freedom by the way it's awesome!" Suki said as she stepped back to allow her to get inside the window. "Didn't think anyone would be over before we had to go the park, oh yeah you missed that too, meeting someone who left a creepy note there," Suki told the woman with a shrug.

"Anyways, give me a bit and I'll heat up some eggs and bacon for you too," Suki told the Doctor before zipping back to the kitchenette to scramble up some more eggs and heat up some more bacon... maybe she'll make seconds while she's at it. Hm... now that she thought about it, did Lily eat? She'll have to ask her at some point. It'd be nice if she ate, Suki made no claim at being an expert cook but it's not like she made bad eggs or bacon.


"I had business elsewhere," Science Lady replies, clambering through the window. "All of my deeds must be logged in detail as soon as possible, so that I may observe their impact on the timeline! Also I was not aware we were meeting at a specific time."

She closes the window behind her, lifts her goggles, brushes her hands off. Her eyes light up at Suki's offer of breakfast. "Eggs and bacon! Yes please. I have had only toast this morning. It was nutritionally sufficient but not particularly filling. What's this about a team and a meeting?"
As Phoebe finished off her plate, her eyes drifted to the food now on the stove. She probably shouldn't ask for more. After all, she'd already collapsed on the woman's couch and eaten more than enough for any normal person. She didn't want to be a bad guest, especially to her new teammate. "So, um," she said, "what I was saying before..." She was mostly speaking to Suki now. Somehow, she didn't feel like a woman who used the word 'deeds' unironically would entirely grasp the nuances of the situation. "Look, just speaking of this team, are you all sure you want me on it? Like, most of the time--literally better than ninety-nine percent of the time, you can do the math on it--I'm just a normal person, and not even in the 'a totally normal Olympic-level athlete super-scientist' way the Thieves' Guild was. Most of the time, in these fights, I'm going to be a liability, and I don't want any of you getting hurt trying to protect me."

[Nintendogeek01]

"Look, just speaking of this team, are you all sure you want me on it? Like, most of the time--literally better than ninety-nine percent of the time, you can do the math on it--I'm just a normal person, and not even in the 'a totally normal Olympic-level athlete super-scientist' way the Thieves' Guild was. Most of the time, in these fights, I'm going to be a liability, and I don't want any of you getting hurt trying to protect me."

...Lily emerges a half a block away, this time in a green tank top and dark shorts. Her hair is mostly confined to a ponytail, though a handful of loose locks still frame her face. She double checks her fingernails, smiling at the purple hearts and the memory behind them, and stops in front of Suki's door. Her knuckles tap out a quick beat on the door, and she bounces on her feet a bit as she does so.
"Holdthatthought!" Suki took the eggs off and left the bacon to sizzle a bit while she ran to check the peephole in the door. Eeeee! It was Lily! Suki immediately ran from the door all the way to her bedroom, and a short while later came back out in a pink "Hello Kitty" t-shirt, slightly tight jeans, and somewhat intricately painted green nails; keeping her gloves in her pocket for the cases she'd need them. Suki answers the door and immediately glomps Lily. "Oooh! Youcametovisitmeyou'rethebest!" she also took the opportunity to lean into Lily's ear and whisper, "Uh... do you eat? Because I'm making a little more than enough breakfast for everyone here."

After asking her question Suki yanked her new girlfriend into the apartment and showed her to where BB and the Doctor were sitting. "Oh yeah Lily, BB was saying something about being a liability or something, but that's silly right? We can look out for each other and all that," Suki said with a mix of nonchalance and absolute confidence, as though what she said was a given.

"Eggs and bacon! Yes please. I have had only toast this morning. It was nutritionally sufficient but not particularly filling. What's this about a team and a meeting?"
"Breakfast is served!" Suki flipped the bacon off the pan, caught all of it on a single plate, and then served four more plates, one for everyone there, making absolutely sure to have a seat next to Lily.

[The_Snark]

"Perhaps you would like technological assistance?" Doctor Cutler offers, her mood ebbing towards lucid. "Why, I'm no more than a baseline human myself if you take away my tools. I'm sure I could work up something to help - a failsafe measure you can use to protect yourself without our help, if that's what has you worried. Or," she brightens, "I could attack the problem at the source, if you're willing to donate a tissue sample and sit for some tests!"

She nods to Sparrow as she enters, her mouth too full of eggs for a proper greeting.

[Tar Palantir]

Lily returns the enthusiastic hug as best as she is able, and gives Suki a whispered reply, "Don't have to, but can." She lets Suki drag her forward, grinning from ear to ear. I could get used to this kind of enthusiasm.

Lily settles down into a chair, giving a nod to the scientist. "Glad to see you could make it. My name's Lily, Sparrow when I'm in uniform. Pleasure to meet you." She then turns to Phoebe to address her concern. "Truth be told, you're all a little squishy for my liking, but my perspective's a bit skewed on that front. Hell, when you've got your game face on, you're the only member of the team that can take more of a beating than I can. That trick with the exploding fuel tank yesterday was something I might have been able to survive, but I'd have need half an hour to Humpty-Dumpty myself back together afterwards. I doubt one piece of malfunctioning tech is going to be the most dangerous thing we have to take care of, too."

"The flip side of your coin is...something worth dealing with, certainly. It's significant enough to alter our tactics to accommodate it. I wouldn't call it a deal breaker, though. If you do need protecting, so what? Getting shot at is my job, whether you're there or not. The extra effort on my part is negligible next to the help you can provide with just a few seconds of power. I've read the reports, I've seen the footage. With a team to back you up, you can be ten times the hero that Beacon ever was alone. If all I need to do to enable that is catch a couple bullets with my face, I'd take that offer in a heartbeat." She skewers a piece of bacon, eating it in a couple of bites. "It's your life on the line, not any of ours, and if you weren't willing to risk your own life, you'd have stayed down after Orion beat you down way back when, not got back up and asked for more. That's my two cents, anyway."

[OrganicEvil]

"Um, no. No tests, thanks," Burnout replied to Doctor Cutler. "I've already had them, and I'm told there isn't really anything that can be done. So." Technically the truth, if not nearly all of it. She hoped the Doctor didn't press the issue further. Phoebe turned to face Lily. "I guess you're right," she said. "Doesn't mean I want anybody else getting hurt because of me, though." She paused for a second as she tried to figure out what she wanted to say next--if she wanted to say anything about it at all. "Can we not talk about... him?" she blurted out, before she could clamp herself down. She kept going; she knew that if she stopped, she'd stay stopped. That was how it was. "I still, um. I close my eyes sometimes, and I'm still there. Or I'll be out, and I'll think I see him in a crowd, looking for me. I have nightmares. And, like, they had me see some doctors, after, and they said talking might help, but I just can't, okay? It's like, there're things you want to talk about, that you know you probably should, but you just can't, right? Because every time you think about it you want to cry, or piss yourself, or maybe just ****ing die. So, um, I'd rather we didn't talk about him. If that's okay." She clamped her teeth shut. There, she'd said it. Well, okay, not really it, but something, and something was something. Or something. She hadn't really had any friends since this whole thing started, between one thing and another, and she wasn't going to waste the chance she had now. She wouldn't tell them everything--couldn't tell them everything, couldn't tell anyone, ever--but she could tell them this. In some ways, she had to.

[Tar Palantir]

Lily raises a hand. "Say no more. Until you change your mind or it becomes of pressing importance, consider the matter forgotten. Still want you around, still happy to pay the price of a few hits to have you." She pauses to sample her eggs, then says to Suki, "Logistical concern that didn't come up last night. Your civilian identity is public knowledge, so if we're going to date in and out of costume mine will be soon. I'd rather skip the whole 'oh, she's dating Sparrow and Lily? That two-timing homewrecker' bit, it's kinda played out. Not a problem really, at least not enough to concern me, but I figured we should be on the same page vis-a-vis secret and public identities." She gives Suki's hand a comforting squeeze, and no concern registers on her face; she seems remarkably blase about giving up her secret identity.

[Nintendogeek01]

Dear God, BB's explanation for why she didn't want to talk about Orion was like listening to a recording of her own thoughts and... that guy, that mysterious guy that... that... that killed all those kids, gave her the powers she now has; the one thing she swore she'd never tell, and she still doesn't plan on it. That shadowy figure and the sight of those dead kids laid out neatly on medical beds can stay in her nightmares where they belong. Suki began stuffing her face with her plate of eggs and bacon; she won't talk about it... she won't talk about it... she won't...

Lily's suggestion regarding giving up her secret identity for her sake was a mercifully quick way to snap Suki from that unpleasant train of thought. Suki swallowed her latest mouthful and looked at Lily with a surprise look, "Are you sure? ImeantheonlyreasonIdon'thaveasecretidentityisbecau seIdidn'tplanonbeingasuperheroandsecretidentitiesa rebigdealsforyouguysandI'dhatetomakeyougivethatupj ustforme," Suki babbled, a bit worried for Lily's sake on this issue.

"Ahem..." Suki took another bite of bacon to slow herself down, "I mean... I could just say we're good friends in your costume you know? Are you reeeeally... okay with that? I mean wouldn't..." Suki was about to ask if Cog would get mad, but you know what? If it does, good! "... wouldn't that make things hard for you?" Suki squeezed Lily's hand in return, she'd take either answer, but this is one thing even Suki wouldn't want to make an impulse decision on.

[Tar Palantir]

Lily rests her chin in her free hand, turning to face Suki more directly. "'Deliberation should always be objective-oriented, never an excuse for inaction.' One of my dad's rules for avoiding sloppy thinking. Basically, if you can't say 'I need to know x, if it's one way I'll do this, if it's the other way I'll do that', then more often then not waiting is just putting off an unpleasant decision. This one wasn't even all that bad. I know everything I need to know, and I spent most of the night thinking about it; I don't sleep much 'cause of my powers."

She ticks off points on her fingers as she lists them. "The only other person who might be affected is my dad. He barely even uses his civilian identity, and heaven help anyone who tries to get at me through him. A public identity engenders trust and helps civilians see me as a more approachable, human figure. The minor inconveniences of being a public figure wouldn't really bother me. At the end of the day, a secret identity was more convenient for me than a public one before now, and that fact has now changed. Besides, my dad's always on about me not letting my heroing get in the way of my happiness. So I won't, and I can point out that we met because of my heroing, and then I can gloat, and he'll sigh, and then we'll get ice cream.

A flicker of worry crosses her face at the thought of her father, but it passes quickly enough. "It's a thing we do. When I prove him wrong, we get ice cream. When he proves me wrong we get pizza." She pauses. "We eat a lot of pizza."

[The_Snark]

"Um, no. No tests, thanks," Burnout replied to Doctor Cutler. "I've already had them, and I'm told there isn't really anything that can be done. So." Technically the truth, if not nearly all of it. She hoped the Doctor didn't press the issue further.

"All right," sighs Dr. Cutler, disappointed at losing the opportunity to conduct Science!. "Let me know if you ever change your mind. Or decide you could use an assistive gadget or five. It wouldn't be any trouble to whip up something!" Her mind wanders off into an inventing fugue, losing the thread of the conversation as she envisions possibilities.

[Nintendogeek01]

Lily rests her chin in her free hand, turning to face Suki more directly. "'Deliberation should always be objective-oriented, never an excuse for inaction.' One of my dad's rules for avoiding sloppy thinking. Basically, if you can't say 'I need to know x, if it's one way I'll do this, if it's the other way I'll do that', then more often then not waiting is just putting off an unpleasant decision. This one wasn't even all that bad. I know everything I need to know, and I spent most of the night thinking about it; I don't sleep much 'cause of my powers."

She ticks off points on her fingers as she lists them. "The only other person who might be affected is my dad. He barely even uses his civilian identity, and heaven help anyone who tries to get at me through him. A public identity engenders trust and helps civilians see me as a more approachable, human figure. The minor inconveniences of being a public figure wouldn't really bother me. At the end of the day, a secret identity was more convenient for me than a public one before now, and that fact has now changed. Besides, my dad's always on about me not letting my heroing get in the way of my happiness. So I won't, and I can point out that we met because of my heroing, and then I can gloat, and he'll sigh, and then we'll get ice cream.

A flicker of worry crosses her face at the thought of her father, but it passes quickly enough. "It's a thing we do. When I prove him wrong, we get ice cream. When he proves me wrong we get pizza." She pauses. "We eat a lot of pizza."
Suki blushed a bit, not particularly due to being bashful, rather because it made her happy to not have to dodge the dating thing in uniform either; and that it meant sticking it to Lily's dad was just icing on the cake. Suki had to admit she rather admired that Lily was willing to stand up to her dad about this whole thing, Suki isn't sure how she'd go about things with her own parents... bleugh... no need to think about that, it's not like she planned on going to see them anytime soon.

"Awww..." Suki wasn't really able to find the appropriate words but instead just hugged Lily around the shoulders for a bit. "Oh! Speaking of heroing! We should get going soonish!" Suki gobbled down the remainder of her food at super-speed, then ran off to her bedroom, and returned in her uniform and backpack. "OhheyBBareyoustilltiredbecauseIcantotallytakeyou! Greatlet'sgo!" and once again Suki practically kidnaps BB and simply whisks her off to the park. She returns to the apartment a short time later, "WanttogowithmeLily? YoucanflyandIcouldtotallypullyoualongandit'dbetota llyawesomeyoushouldtryitcomeon!" Suki was obviously very excited about this idea.

[Tar Palantir]

Lily stands up from her seat and heads towards the bathroom. "Let me get suited up, and then we'll go." It takes her just a moment to rearrange her form into that of the costumed crusader Sparrow, but she waits long enough to fake a mundane clothing change for Doctor Octavia's benefit. Teammate or no, she's a little too mad scientist-y for me to risk my cover around.

Emerging from the bathroom, Sparrow's feet lift off the ground as she floats over to Suki. Stretching out as though floating on her stomach, she wraps her arms around her girlfriend's waist. "I'm willing to give it a shot. Beats taking the bus." She gives an affectionate squeeze, and says, "Let's go be heroes."

[Nintendogeek01]

"Hm hm hm..." Suki giggled, blushed, and grinned, "I'm locking the door so just take the window Doc! Please and thank you!" Suki told Dr. Cutler as she stepped out the door. "Hold on tight!" soon enough Suki was off with Sparrow in tow! Suki had some initial difficulty due to the backpack and Sparrow's choice of grip, but the fact that Sparrow could float, and that Suki kept her backpack pretty much devoid of anything besides her civvies made adjusting her running posture only a minor task.

Now that Suki was sure she could get up to speed she decided to have a little fun with this run, "Herewego! Woooooohooooo...!" Suki weaved through alleyways, ran a lap around a city block, and decided to finish this dash around off by running across the lake in liberty park. Immediately afterwards she skid to a halt at the meeting spot. "Howwasthatdidyoulikeit!?" Suki asked her girlfriend, face shining with anticipation.

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow swings around Suki and plants her feet on solid ground. She takes Suki by the hand and starts walking. "That was something else. Kinda hard to enjoy the scenery, but the speed, wow. Definitely something I'd like to do more of." She lets go of Suki's hand and turns around, walking backwards while talking animatedly. "When we aren't in a rush, though, you have to let me take you flying. It's like a whole other world up there. I don't fly for pleasure too often, though; don't want to have my head in the clouds."

She grins at her own joke and kicks off, flying on her back for a moment before flipping over and heading towards where the others are assembling. Twisting into an upright position, Sparrow greets the other heroes. "We've got one more on her way, the tech user with the jetpack. Once she's here, we can proceed."

[OrganicEvil]

"At least somebody likes it," Phoebe muttered, though not too loudly. She didn't want to hurt Suki's feelings. It was just very fast; her hair was even more of a mess now, she noted as she tried to straighten it out a little. "Backtracking to the subject of parents," she said, "I should probably call mine soon. They should know I'm okay, considering that whole thing yesterday was on the news, but... Parents, you know?" She frowned. Most of the other supers were already there, so she didn't have a lot of time to swing by and pick up her bike. "Suki," she asked, "Would you happen to know how to drive a motorcycle?"

[Red_Jenny]

The Stewards of Freedom

As our heroes follow the bounding mecha-cat through the city, they can see the the state of Freedom. Repair crews nearly outnumber regular pedestrians and drivers, laboriously patching and repairing the damage Dr. Metropolis used to fix with a thought. Things are a mess, but at least for the moment, they're also quiet. Even villains don't like being out and about on a day like this.

475 13th St. is, as the hero flies, not that far from the park. It's in the Riverside neighborhood, a bohemian corner of town partially reclaimed from the docklands along the Wading River and the old immigrant enclaves. Riverside is an eclectic melting-pot, mostly students, artists, small shops and restaurants, and startups. It's vibrant, cheap and cheerful, probably the least expensive neighborhood in the city, with the exception of the literal decaying ruins like the Fens and Southside. While you'd still be foolish to wander down a dark alley at night, it's also far safer, though to be fair, so would a warzone.

475 13th St., is, alas, not an art gallery or cozy bookshop. It's an old, abandoned warehouse, a looming, gothic monster made of red brick that takes up half a block and is proof that God loves horror movie tropes. The place is covered in graffiti and vines, the windows have all been bricked and boarded up, and the doors are padlocked shut with rusty chains. The only thing missing is a creepy little kid singing nursery rhymes. The locals studiously avoid or ignore the place.

Someone has painted "WELCOME HEROES!" across the main doors in big, cheery bright red letters.

http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah212/redjenny1/52f4b6a1-2ca0-4944-aa75-d8372ef5ec10_zpsrhy6mtn6.jpg

Fred
There isn't a horde of demons on the sidewalk or anything, but that might be easier to explain to Aunt Judith, and hardly less dangerous. The man at the door looks to be in his late '40s. He's tall and thin, handsome in a formal, old-fashioned way, like a movie star from the 1930s. He's clean-shaven with sharp, angular features and oddly bright blue eyes. His hair is black, save for an unusual shock of grey that hangs down just above his eyes. He's wearing an immaculate three-piece suit that's at least 70 years out of style, the sort of thing someone who never bothers with the public would consider "regular clothes."

Fred knows him. Well, that might be too strong a word. They've met. The man is Adrian Eldritch, the Master Mage of Earth and quite possibly the most powerful sorcerer alive.

"Fred, is someone at the door? I thought I heard a knock." Judith pokes her head around the corner.

I'm going to be away from internet all day tomorrow, so getting this up now. I loved breakfast at Suki's. Feel free to flashback like that whenever, I'm just keeping things moving. :smallsmile: Also, just to be clear, since Suki has mentioned meeting the mystery person in the park a couple times. The address given was not the park. The suggestion to meet there first came from Mauser. I didn't know if the confusion was an IC only thing.

[Nintendogeek01]

"Creepy..." Suki mused, looking along the length of the warehouse, and the cheery red letters honestly didn't help things much, like looking at someone paint something similar on the side of a white van... ugh...

Nonetheless, Suki couldn't resist the urge to go up to those main doors, she took a few deep breaths and...

knockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknock

ZOOM

After a rapid-fire series of knocks Suki zips back behind Sparrow and hides as though expecting a bomb to go off or something, "Watashiwashinuniwawakasugirutokaren!" she shouted in rapid fire Japanese. When nothing killed her she peeked back over towards the door. "Ahem... so uh... do we just go in?" she asked sheepishly.

[The_Snark]

"Naturally," Dr. Cutler says briskly. "Faint heart never won foul warehouse!" And she strides up to the door and tries the handle. (Never mind that whoever's inside has only had about five seconds to answer the knock. Details!)

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser just stares at the warehouse.

"Ja, zere is no vay dis is not a trap. Vell, if der door's unlocked, let me go in first."

The sad woes of heavy armor...

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow puts a hand on Mauser's head. "I'll take point. You follow right behind me and put whatever sensors you've got in there to work. Everyone else, eyes open, wait for the all-clear. Or the 'help, help, we're all going to die', I suppose."She walks up to the door, or at least seems to; the sharp-eyed can see that her feet don't quite touch the ground as she moves into position.

[OrganicEvil]

"I have a bad feeling about this," Phoebe muttered to Katie. She still hadn't gotten the chance to pick up one of her spare guns after losing hers yesterday--she hadn't even had a chance to report that one missing, though hopefully the police noticed it on the news footage or when they arrived on the scene themselves; either way, she'd have to get that done soonest--which meant that at the moment lighting up was her only real option if it came to a fight. She wasn't looking forward to that. It went against a lot on instincts, instincts she'd built the hard way, to go into a situation like this blind and with her own weapon just as likely to take her out as save her. But things were different now. Now she had a team. She'd just have to trust them.

Jenny, any chance of snagging a Hero Point on the 'It's Terminal' complication for that? Because of the nature of her powers, an unreplaced piece of mundane gear means a lot more to Phoebe than it would most other heroes.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

Fred saw who it was and he immediately felt anger welling up inside, and not entirely directed at Eldritch, either. Fred had allowed his image to go public, and then the very next day his supernatural life had followed him right to the place where he grew up. He whispered a curse under his breath, what did he want this time? He always wanted something. The high and mighty sorcerer deigned to come down from his Ivory Tower – usually for the purposes of asking a favor or five.

Fred cringed as his Aunt appeared. He glanced over to her. “Yeah, Jiji. It’s for me. It’s a, uh… business visit.” With that, he opened the door and stood face to face with the most powerful sorcerer he had ever encountered across his lifetimes. Fred’s expression was annoyed.

“This house is off-limits. You want to talk to me when I’m here, you call like everyone else.”

Pretty bold talk considering Eldritch could nuke the block into oblivion.

“What do you need this time?”

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Hey team!" Katie greeted with a cheery wave as the group arrived, following along to the meeting site.

She kinda stared at the imposing building for a moment when they arrived, before optimistically replying to Burnout, "I mean...I dunno. Maybe he's just kinda, like, pranking us, or something."

Well, it wasn't impossible.

Katie advanced near the middle of the group, so she could easily cover them all with a Barrier if danger presented itself.

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser sighs, and shakes his head at Sparrow. "You're only unkillable until you're not, you know? But very vell, you may proceed, fraulein."

That she could make the same point for him, he leaves unsaid. Trust is a fragile thing, he knows. Standing on pride here and now would be foolish. Better to let others have their way until they're comfy that he's as competent as he says.

He pats Katie's foot. "It vould be nice if it vere a prank. I chust buffed der armor yesterday. Shame to mar der finish again so zoon."

[Red_Jenny]

Stewards of Freedom
Nobody responds to Suki's knock (or maybe they're just not fast enough) before Dr. Cutler tries the door, which swings open with a loud creak. There aren't any villains or deathtraps waiting on the other side to eviscerate our heroes, at least.The inside of the warehouse is damp, dark and dingy. The entrance is a glorified hallway, with a long abandoned and empty lobby off to one side and a door, half off its hinges, that leads to what looks like it used to be a shipping area on the other. There are stairs up and down along the far wall.

There is an arrow painted on the floor, pointed up the stairs, with "THIS WAY!" helpfully written next to it in the same big cheery letters. There is audible happy singsong whistling coming from the floor above, because of course there is.

Fred
"Always a pleasure, Champion." Eldritch inclines his head slightly. It was the equivalent of a sweeping bow and a procession of tribute-bearers from anyone else.

The Master Mage seems puzzled, like he's only familiar with the idea of 'privacy' third-hand. Which, come to think of it, may be the case. "I simply came to where you were. We may speak where you wish, but we should speak. The couch looks comfortable."

"I would ask a service, Champion." That was another of Eldritch's tics. He had never referred to Fred by name. Perhaps it was misguided courtesy from a man used to circles where true names were valuable and powerful things, or maybe he was just a bit of an ass. "There is trouble between worlds, and I must away, but the trouble will come here as well. It is good you have found allies, they will be needed for this, for your foes have raised a champion of their own. What do you know of Balor and the Fomorians, knight of the Summer Court?"

The Fomorians are, to a "normal" person who knows a bit of folklore, supernatural creatures from Irish myth, a strange, semi-divine and diverse group of beings, ranging from giants to hideous monsters to mighty warriors to beautiful, kingly exemplars of magic. Most mundane folklorists consider the Fomorians an amalgam of the heroes, horrors and deities of ancient, pre-Celtic Ireland. Weird things of chaos and wild nature, in myth they clash and battle with the invading Tuatha Dé Dannan, the Celtic pantheon, the gods of civilization. The Fomorians are killed or driven away, across the sea or far underground. The Tuatha themselves are eventually invaded by the Gaels, and divide Ireland in half rather than fight, with the newcomers taking the surface and the Tuatha the Otherworld, the land below, marching into the sidhe mounds and leaving the Gaels to live in peace. The Gaels are the ancestors of the modern Irish, and after this origin myth, their stories quickly become history, not legend, while the Tuatha's descendents linger on as the Aos Sí, the fairies and Fae of much later fables and folklore, the Fair Folk.

When one has actually been beyond the veil, met the Fae and made friends and enemies, the garbled, incomplete and endlessly reinterpreted human myths become something of a joke, like learning Roman history by having someone watch Gladiator and then play telephone with a hundred people. Whatever's true at the other end is pretty much luck.

There was a battle, the Tuatha won. The surviving Fomorians are part of the Winter Court, and sweet merciful baby Jesus and all his pals, does their hate for humanity and the Summer Court run deep. These are festering outrages, slights and insults ancient even by the warped timeline of the Sidhe. King Balor himself was once the great warchief of the Fomorians, and there are many others who spit and gnash their teeth when Fred is mentioned by name. It is difficult for them to cross into the real world - there are a great many wards in place, raised by generations of mages and kindly Fae. For a being like Balor to cross over, it would take magic beyond reckoning, enough to shatter the walls of reality. That doesn't stop him from corrupting mortals, or sending agents (or pets, as Fred memorably found out) through.

Surely Eldritch of all people knows all this, which makes him standing there with his Smug Professor face on instead of just telling the monster hunter what needs killing all the more infuriating.

Sorry again for the quiet couple days. Getting going again! Phoebe can get her gun back, sure, no hero point required. I figure a true "episode" reset like this takes care of things like that. Plus, you guys met in Freedom Park, basically across the street from where issue #1 happened. If the cops were sloppy, she can just go pick up her original gun. :smalltongue:

If you guys want to make rolls here, go right ahead (and that goes for all non-combat fun and games). I gots ideas about where we're headed, but I don't like railroading. If you want to do stuff, I'm all ears.

Also, it's a pain figuring out what to tell Fred, because strictly according to his sheet, he knows nothing about magic or monsters or the fae. :smalltongue: You're getting a bunch 'cause this is semi-personal, but some expertise ranks would help when you can, even if it's just a couple.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie peered into the building, took a couple seconds to listen to the cheery whistling, glanced to Beacon and Mauser, and said, "Well, friend or foe, I think it's safe to say that whoever's behind this has a sense of humor, anyway." Whether that was a good or bad thing was, if you want to be technical, uncertain. But Katie had a default assumption for such circumstances.

"So should we just follow the arrow, I guess? I mean, on the one hand, setting the thing up to come off as over-the-top actually isn't a bad way to get people to lower their guards for your actual trap, if you're going to set one. On the other hand, this seems like a real complicated setup for like a trap or ambush, as compared to just attacking us back at Suki's house or leaving a bomb instead of a note or something."

On the other hand (remember: magic), she had promised Kyle she would be super careful. Hm.

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser's head bobs up and down.

"I'm inclined to acree, Helping Hand. Zis is less trap, und more... Off ze cuff, as it vere."

He takes the lead, heading toward the stairs and up, glancing around appreciatively as he goes. "I haff to say, zis is qvality secret lair material. Reasonably intact roof, Only minor vater damage so far, no vindows on der ground floor... Chust ruint enough to keep der major players avay, but not ruint zo much dot you risk ekvipment failure. Ja, dis is der sort uff place you could sit down und SCIENCE for a few goot months, vithout der pesky do-gooter interruptions."

His tail twitches as what he just said catches up to his ears. "Er. Hypothetically shpeaking, anyvay..."

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

Damn. Where to go, where to go. Fred thought about teleporting, but he wasn’t ready for his Aunt to see that first-hand. He thought about heading out onto the street, but then you have Frederick Broll openly associating with the Master Mage Eldritch… not a great idea for keeping whatever meager secrecy he had left. The only direction that had was back into the house, and Fred would rather be dipped in acid than have this conversation within earshot of Aunt Judith. It left only one alternative.

“Wait. Stop,” he said at the end of Eldritch’s portentous words, “Backyard.” He then led the man through the kitchen into the hallway with the washer-dryer and out through the door to the yard. It was your typical grass lawn, with a small little garden and a few chairs centered around a metal firepit. There was a small black grill off to the side by the waterhose. The space was blocked off by a tall wooden fence.

Not the kind of place one pictures supernaturals speaking to one another about world-shaking events, but it’s more true to form than any castle or tower.

Fred sat down in one of the plastic lawn chairs, gesturing for Eldritch to sit in the other. For as much as Eldritch could really annoy Fred, he had always been a good source for warnings and targets. Fred just wished he wasn’t so much of a d*** about it. “I know enough. They’re sealed away, for the most part, but that hasn’t stopped them from being very active in our world. Dire wolves, their own changelings, normal humans listening to their whispers. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few had made it across. All walls form cracks eventually. As for those capes at the bank, that’s not a thing I’m involved in.”

"The boss is allergic to cameras."

"And the capes seem attracted to them. My allies are the wolves in the van." Who just happen to.. not be in the same state right now. Details, details.

He turned and looked at Eldritch, taking off his shades. No point hiding his nature. “Cut to the chase. Who’s stepping up for the Winter Court?”

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow floats forward cautiously, rotating through the air to get a full visual of the room. She says, "This room's clear. Chances of this being an effective trap are dropping, chances of this being a compulsion-driven psychotic's trap are up slightly. Stay on guard. Mauser, stay on me. The rest of you, follow at a safe distance. Helping Hand, check for wards and hostile magic as we go. Let's move." She floats towards the stairs, giving Mauser enough space to follow along beneath her.

"And science isn't a verb, no matter how loudly you shout it."

[Nintendogeek01]

Okay... nothing exciting happening... boring... watching Sparrow's hips sway about a bit in the air... Gah! Focus Suki! She shook her head a bit; since gaining her powers Suki occasionally had this problem where if she zoned out from boredom she'd unconsciously slip into "speed-sensing," which usually only served to exacerbate the boredom by prolonging it. But no! This could be important, she needs to focus.

"Gotcha!" Suki nodded at Sparrow's instructions, she had to admit she was tempted to just run ahead, look, and come back to tell them what's up; but Suki is in a team now, need to be a team player and only do that if that's what the others want, besides she was fast enough to grab one or two of the group and bail if things went south. "Oh...!" Suki immediately had her eye drawn to a large door on the ground floor, she ran over to check it out. She returned soon with a gleeful look on her face, "Oh...! That'd be great closet space!" she paused a bit when she realized that now was probably NOT the time to get side-tracked, "Eh heh heh... sorry."

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie looked at Mauser with a kinda tight smile on her face, blinked once, decided it was definitely a good thing and valuable to the team that he knew something like that, and carried on.

"On it," she replied to Sparrow as she followed along, and in fact, would take things a step further. She drew her Helping Hand to overlay her left, the side that absorbs energy, to feel out any nearby magic, while chanting a suite of detection spells. There was a part of her that wanted to turn those divinations on her new teammates while she was at it, see a bit more of what they were capable of, but that might be rude; she kept it to sensing active effects only.

Activating Feeling Hand to detect any nearby magic. Also using Personal Augmentation to create five partial duplicates of the Feeling Hand power; each one only has four of the Senses ranks (Acute Analytical Radius Awareness), keyed to a different power source (Technological, Mutant, Alien, Divine, and Augmentation). So she should be able to pick up if any powers or effects of those sorts are currently active nearby.

I'll Routine any Perception checks required for 20, and Expertise (Magic) or Expertise (Superpowers) checks to interpret what she senses for 22.

[Lost Demiurge]

"Vait, ze modulator's stuck shouting SCIENCE again?" He tilts his head. "Huh. Guess it is. Noise dampers make it sound all ze same from in here."

He sighs. "Zis is vy hyu neffer commission voice packs from prankster hacker types. Good vork, mind, but ze idiosyncracies are a pain schometimes."

His suit's claws tak-tak-tak on the stairs as he ascends. "Und for ze record, SCIENCE is totally a verb if you're doing it right."

[Nintendogeek01]

"It sounds like a more awesome verb than a noun," Suki added with a slight giggle.

[OrganicEvil]

"Hang on a minute," Phoebe said. "I know how it is, things look a lot different from up on that mountain, so to speak. From down here, though, this feels like a bad plan, because it isn't our plan. Somebody tells us to go up those stairs, and we just do it? That's the classic hero play, it's that's what whoever-it-is will expect, and it's a great way to get hurt if you're not a Freedom League level badass, and maybe I'm reading this wrong, but I don't think any of us are." She grimaced. "Maybe I'm overthinking things, but when you have a powerset like mine, you spend a lot of time thinking about how to keep somebody from getting the drop on you. Because it sucks. Lots. Anyway, here's what I'm thinking: if this is a trap, let's make it our trap, and if it's not... No harm done. We have two bricks here for the moment--" She gestured to Mauser and Sparrow. "--and one's of the 'flying' variety. If someone wants us to go up the stairs... Well, I saw some windows on this place. Boarded shut, but that shouldn't be a problem. So, Mauser goes up the stairs, Sparrow comes in through the window if things go pear-shaped, and then we have, if you'll pardon the pun, a hero sandwich." She shrugged. "Or, I mean, we could always just do the stairs thing. That could work."

Lots of dialogue today, not so much description.

Since having the cops--or anyone less savory--just fail to pick up Phoebe's gun after nearly 24 hours strains credulity a bit, she'll be going without for now. Because I'm terrible and hate letting my characters have nice things.

[Quellian-dyrae]

The science debate wasn't one Katie felt competent to contribute to. Her scientific knowledge was strictly secondhand. Still, it was not entirely unfair to say her own craft was a sort of science. There were rules, after all, and though they might not be the same ones as governed the physical world, they could be discovered, analyzed, and used to one's advantage. So perhaps, then, she could offer some insight into the discussion, a unique perspective, as it were.

"I will cast my magic upon you."

"I will MAGIC you in the face!"

"Hmm..."

Or...or maybe not.

Katie nodded at Beacon's suggestion. "That makes sense," she said, although she managed - barely - to restrain herself from saying that Beacon was Freedom League level. Obviously, she didn't want the rest of them to get overconfident and make mistakes expecting her to cover them, which was just smart. They were a team, after all, and a team of heroes working together would always do better than a single hero working alone, however powerful!

[Lost Demiurge]

"Dot vorks," Mauser said. "Propaply some holes in der roof, anyvay." He pauses on the stairs. "Good sugchestian!"

[The_Snark]

"Really, I don't see why you're all so convinced this is a trap," Dr. Cutler says bemusedly. "Looks like a perfectly reasonable place for a secret meeting to me. But I suppose it's harmless enough, going through the window never hurt anybody."

[Nintendogeek01]

And... just like that the conversation of how much more awesome science sounds when used as a verb turns to a debate about whether this is a trap or not. About halfway through BB's explanation, which makes some sense granted, Suki's perception processing sped way up and the conversation dragged on and on...

"Ugh... youknowwhat? Thisisabsurdtheyhadachancetokillusthreeormoretimes already!" Suki lost patience and just zipped up the stairs and rapid-fire knocked on the door before taking a step back. "Kon'nichiwa! Anyone home!?"

[Red_Jenny]

The Stewards of Freedom
Helping Hand's namesake lights up like a Christmas tree as she sets the silvery digit to sense for magic. There's an active source on the next floor that's glowing like a bonfire at night, something (or someone) that is almost startlingly magical.

Before Phoebe's sandwich plan can go into action, Suki dashes up the stairs and knocks on the door once more. Unlike the main entrance, this time she gets a response. The door swings open, and there stands... Suki? "Anata wa saishūtekini koko ni imasu! Wa ̄ i!"*

The speedster's mirror image zips away and stands in the middle of the floor, her arms wide, beaming in anticipation. "Do you like it? We did lots of work! Not ready yet, but sooo much better itwasgrossandwetandfulloftrashandthereweredrugdeal erswechasedaway!"

Whatever else it might be, the doppelganger is... not wrong. This floor is bare and spartan, but clean, and looks like an empty warehouse, not the set of a slasher movie.

http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah212/redjenny1/Bare-Brick-Warehouse-glass-skylight-film-location_688x464_zpsusi0vgbh.jpg
Other-Suki dashes back over and calls down to the rest of the team. "You guys are awesome! Comeoncomeoncomeon! Hurry up, he'll be here soon!"


*"You're finally here! Hurray!"

Fred
Eldritch follows serenely after Fred, looking around as if the house were the most interesting thing in the world. "Ma'm." He gives Aunt Judith a polite bow as they pass by, and accepts the lawnchair without complaint.

The Master Mage listens as Fred lays out what he knows, a raised eyebrow and small smile crossing his features as Fred mentions "normal humans listening to their whispers," and shaking his head like an indulgent uncle when Fred denies being a superhero once more. "Indeed? That was not you in the thick of battle, defending innocents from rogues? Your reluctance is... not unfamiliar. It took me many years to understand and enjoy the little quirks of the 'capes', as you call them. I find it far more enjoyable these days, a welcome relief." Eldritch snaps his fingers, and his clothes change in a puff of smoke, the outdated suit replaced by traditional wizard's garments, a blue tunic covered with intricate sigils and a flowing high-collared black cloak trimmed with gold.

"As for who is coming, Balor. At least, that is the name he has taken, to honor his master. A normal man, corrupted beyond all sense and reason into a beast of chaos. Do not weep, for he was a monster long before the Fomorians ever whispered in his mind. Liam O'Herlihy was the name I found. A terrorist, a member of the IRA once, cast out for savagery far beyond that of his brothers in arms. He is infamous in Europe, his list of evils endless. They consider him a supervillain, and he has done nothing to refute the title." Eldritch's amusement grows as Fred's annoyance increases. "Why his master would direct him here, I cannot say. The city may simply be weakened prey, or there may be a greater goal in mind. I fear the latter, which is why I must leave this task to you."

"I warn you, Champion, because while his master sends him to spread chaos, he will not let the chance for revenge slide by. He will come for you, and if you face him alone, he will kill you. The world festers and warps around this creature, and magic is no different. I understand wishing to fight alongside friends, but they are far from here and time is short. This is not a fight in the shadows anyway. They may not be the allies you wish, but they are noble and capable. Think on it."

"An... hmm... associate should be meeting your compatriots from the bank here, if she remembered." The mage produces a card with the Riverside warehouse's address on it. "A small boon for our brave knights. A sanctuary is a most welcome thing, and it would be a good place for a victory party. I hope you get to hold one."

"Good luck, Champion. You will need it." The Master Mage stands and turns to go.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie's eyes get a little wide as her Helping Hand flares. "Woah..." she says in a breathless tone as she stares at it. She'd never gotten that big a reading. It made her best transmutations look like piddling cantrips. "Someone here has a lot-" she began, and then she noticed Suki had taken off.

Given the amount of magic she was sensing, that seemed like a Bad Idea. Her Helping Hand dimmed as it floated away from her left and down through the floor, rising up under her at several times its previous size. "Um, new plan, I think!" she said to the others, before flying after Suki as fast as she could (which wasn't anywhere near the hand's top speed; only so fast she could safely go while indoors). She drew her wand on the move, the tip glowing with silver light as she prepared a counterspell, just in case.

She got up there about as the duplicate Suki called down to them, and just kinda blinked when she saw her. What in the world...?

Well, that'd have to be a secondary concern. She tried to fly around in front of Suki, hopefully to get between her (and the rest of the team) and any potential incoming magic. Not that she felt anywhere near confident that she could counter a spell from the source she had detected...

[Nintendogeek01]

"Wha... but that's... who... huh...?" No, Suki could not make heads or tails of why she had a twin with the exact same powers as her, that seemed impossible on so... many levels... wait. Who was "we?"

Suki shook her head to snap out of her shock and leered at her... duplicate, Waitwaitwait! Why do you look like me!? Who is 'we?' Anata ni wa, ikutsu ka no nagaiai ushinawa re imōto janai anata wa?*"

You're not some long-lost sister are you?*

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser chuckles, as he finishes padding his way up and considers the two Sukis.

"Vell! Zis explains muchly. Let me guess... Time traffel?"

He curls into the largest patch of sunlight, ears rotating with little humming noises, and his motor purring. "An occupational hazart for der schpeedsters. Schometimes dey run faster zen der schpeed uff time, or somezing like zat."

[Tar Palantir]

It took Sparrow an embarrassingly long amount of time (for her, at least; still just a couple of seconds) to shake off the distraction presented by two Sukis. She still sounds just a little out of it when she says, "A projection or glamour, I think. Much easier to pull off than time travel. Helping Hand?" She nods to the Suki double. "Give her a once-over. While you're doing that, maybe you can fill in the blanks here." She directs that last statement at the second Suki. "Who are you, what is this place, etcetera."

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

Fred made a face when Eldritch again suggested that Fred was playing the role of ‘superhero.’ “I just tried to cut them down before they could hurt anyone. But believe me, it cost me. My personal life was bulldozed in the span of two minutes. My aunt and my—“ he didn’t really know what word to use here, “—people close to me are going to be permanently worried. My face was visible in public, so all those enemies I’ve got, they’ve got a lead on where I am.” He shook his head, rolling his eyes at Eldritch’s sudden costume change.

The change of subject was welcome. Details on the hunt. A cruel man, warped and corrupted – possibly of his own free will. The Fomorians offer power, promises of destruction, and he accepts. This man who uses a cause as an excuse for violence now has a new master. He was evil before he allowed himself to become something else. Fred could feel a certain psychic tension coming from Starsoul. It was excited, and so was Fred. That excitement was tempered as Eldritch revealed the strength of this Liam O’Herlihy. As much of a lone wolf as Fred could be, he wasn’t an idiot. Eldritch, as annoying and condescending as he could be, wasn’t a liar or prone to exaggeration.

“You know I’m never going to be a superfriend, right? But I’ll take what I can get.” He reached out and took the card from Eldritch. In response to the ‘victory party’, “A good bottle of sake is usually sufficient. You should try it sometime.”

Fred lead Eldritch to the door, and as he was letting the man out he added, “But next time, use the f***ing phone. I mean it.” And he shut the door. Fred stood at the door for a moment, holding Starsoul in one hand and the card in the other.

“Well, boss? Are we really gonna hang out with the superfriends?”

“You heard the man. We can’t do it alone. Trust me, if I had an alternative…”

“You’re not gonna start wearing spandex, are you?” If swords could grin, this one be of the sh**-eating variety.

“Don’t make me blunt you.” Fred grinned at the good-natured ribbing. He grabbed his shades and put them on. “Ji Ji! I’m headed out.” And so, dressed in a pair of black pants, a gray short-sleeved shirt, and some sneakers, the changeling samurai teleported through the nearest reflection, landing somewhere close to the warehouse.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie was...still a bit unnerved from the sheer volume of magic she had sensed, but nodded in response to Sparrow's request and worked another suite of detection spells as her Helping Hand floated back to her left. This time, she focused her attention on scanning latent magic and power signatures, trying to get a sense of what the second Suki was capable of.

Second verse same as the first, except this time the extra Senses powers are duplicating the Ranged Acute Analytical Detect rather than the Acute Analytical Radius Awareness (basically, sensing powers possessed rather than active effects). Still going for Mutant, Alien, Technology, Divine, and Augmentation power sources (plus the baseline and more thorough Magic), still Routining checks to understand what she perceives.

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe grimaced. Maybe there was such a thing as a benign doppelganger, but she'd never heard of one; in general, it wasn't the good guys who needed to steal other people's faces. And if this whatever-it-was had Suki's powers too... Phoebe had made something of a study of superpowers during the months of her recovery, and superspeed was, while often underrated, far and away one of the deadliest common powers. Going toe-to-toe with a sufficiently powerful speedster was like fighting the air. And Suki... Some of the others might be pretty tough, but with the possible exceptions of Sparrow and herself--and the latter only for maybe thirty seconds--Phoebe had a sneaking suspicion that Suki could take out the entire rest of the team put together if she were a bit more levelheaded. Which is why, as she looked up at the duplicate standing at the top of the stairs, Phoebe really wished she had her gun. She hovered just on the edge of ignition; if things started to go south, chances were that she'd only get a single shot.

She frowned at Mauser's comment. "Don't be ridiculous," Phoebe said. "I may not have, you know, a custom-built kitty tank, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't science out that way." At least, I hope not, she added. She already know where her life was headed, and the last thing she needed was to be outed by future!Suki's motor-mouth.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

After appearing through a nearby mirror, Fred hoisted his duffle up onto his back and struck out towards the address with his hands in his pockets. Compared to the walking metal cat and the other colorful people, he was in 100% stealth mode. He made his way on foot for a few blocks before he crossed the intersection towards the warehouse. As he neared the door, he could already hear voices coming from within, including the proper usage of the word science. Fred hesitated at the door for a moment, slightly dreading the impending conversations, then just walked right in.

His footfalls were easily heard to those listening. He was making a clear effort not to sneak up on anyone in a strange abandoned warehouse. Eldritch seriously needed to learn to be less creepy.

The first two he happened upon were Phoebe and Mauser, to which he sucked in a steadying breath and simply said. “Hey.”

[Lost Demiurge]

"Oh, hey!" Mauser says.

"The Vandering swordsman! Velcome back. So you got der invite too, hah?" His 'whiskers' swivel on his faceplate, and a couple angle towards Fred. My, those ends are sharp.

[OrganicEvil]

Oh. ****.

"Umm... Hi," Phoebe said, without turning around. Not thinking about shoes. Shoes? What shoes? Don't know anything about no shoes...

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

“If you’re referring to Eldritch,” he said as he approached the metal cat (taking note of the machine’s armament), “then yes. I take it he invited you in the most annoying, obtuse manner he could?” He continued walking forward, observing the space from behind his mirror shades. As he walked by Phoebe, he said, “You owe me ten bucks for cleaning materials,” without skipping a beat.

[Red_Jenny]

Everybody. Finally. :smallsigh:

"You're not some long-lost sister are you?"

"Nope! Well, I-I don't think so." Suki's double scratches her head, suddenly concerned. "Wait, no."


"Vell! Zis explains muchly. Let me guess... Time traffel?"

The doppelganger looks delighted as she gets a good view of Mauser. "Kittytank! But nope! Good guess, though."


"A projection or glamour, I think."

"We have a winner!" Other-Suki suddenly explodes in a shower of confetti and firecrackers. When she (He? It?) re-forms, it's as Lily's spitting image.

"Why Sparrow... I'm you." she says, deathly serious for a moment before laughing and shaking her head so hard she grows three more. "Nah! 'Tis a joke!" The being shifts again, adopting the visage of a slim, long-haired Asian woman with fire-yellow eyes. "Name's Foxfire! And you're in your new base! Or it be when I'm done. It's a present. You know Adrian Eldritch? Dai kunshu mage? Big high muckity-muck wizard? His idea. Said something pompous and vague about the city need protection he could not provide, but I stopped listening. He's got me doing... well, let's call it community service. And you guys are hilarious, so hey, it's not all bad, right?"

Helping Hand's scan comes back positive for... magic. Lots and lots of magic, beating, intricate, organic and all-pervasive. For starters and as already shown, they are dealing with an illusionist of immense power, who can also summon real objects into the world. There are other spells at work, some not unlike the ones Katie used herself. This creature can bestow abilities on others, and more dangerously, possess the living itself. There is another spell in place, a rough but brutishly strong ward, like someone plonked down a big concrete wall to seal off part of a delicate garden, that has kept it from trying that on any of the Stewards. There is an overriding background thrum of magic futzing with all these results, which itself is a clue of sorts. It's like this thing is literally made of magic, and if that's the case, they're likely dealing with a spirit of some kind. A Kitsune, if her chosen name and appearance are anything to go by.

[Nintendogeek01]

"Eldrich? You mean that old guy who lives in that spooky house?" Suki asked, she then turned around to notice the new arrival, "Ohheywhentdidyougethere? Whydidn'tyoucallyoujerk? Iwasbeingalltotallyniceandinvitingyoutomyplacetota lkeventhoughI'mnotintoyoulikethatandIalreadyhaveag irlfriendwhoistotallyawesome!" and in comes the motor mouth.

After stopping to catch a sigh of relief that it's not some long lost sister that her parents didn't tell her about something suddenly clicked with Suki, "Oh! Thisisgonnabeours? Awesome!" Suki ran about and looked around the, still barren, base of operations for the Stewards of Freedom before coming back and giving Sparrow a big hug, "We get a base!" Suki squealed with delight, holding on tightly to her robot girlfriend.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

The Asian speedster starts to ramble off syllables faster than a coked-out auctioneer. Fred didn't actually understand anything she said. So he just wordlessly no-sold the whole tirade.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie had heard of Adrian Eldritch. But she had to admit, seeing the sort of raw magical power that Foxfire possessed, and the strength of the ward that was restricting it, she had a newfound respect for the archmage. Katie hadn't had quite enough real experience with other mages. She knew her powers were in the same general vicinity as Mr. Arlington's at this point, and Nikki's were a fair bit weaker, and that there were definitely stronger mages in the world. She knew that Eldritch was supposed to be the strongest. But she hadn't really known what that meant until...

"Yipe!" She pulled back her left hand, clenching it into a fist to dismiss the Helping Hand and then shaking the physical appendage as if she had been burned. Detecting that much magic that way was like holding her hand within a foot or so of a bonfire. She might have been completely freaked out, except...

Well, apparently, Foxfire was on their side. Possibly only due to the intervention of Eldritch, but you know, details. The point was, she was probably powerful enough to kill them all (except Beacon, maybe) in somewhere comfortably under a minute, and since she hadn't, it meant they had no reason not to trust her.

"That's awesome!" Katie said with a big grin. "We've got a team! And a base! And a Mysterious Wizard helping us in cryptic ways for unexplained reasons! And ooh hey, samurai guy's back! Hi samurai guy!" she said with a wave.

"So um, is there anything we can do to help with the base setup? Or anything? I can help with wards. I'm good at wards." Hey, as long as they were there, no sense just standing around, was her theory.

[OrganicEvil]

"I- I don't have pockets," Phoebe said. "Or, I mean, I have pockets, as much as girls, you know, ever have pockets, so I guess really the problem is I don't have a purse--" She knew that she was making no goddamn sense; she felt an acute desire to simply melt into a puddle, a nice, inconspicuous puddle that came nowhere near Sword Guy's shoes, and just dissolve into the floor. "--so anyway, I don't have, like, my wallet on me, so I don't actually have ten dollars..." Come to that, she wasn't totally sure she had ten dollars regardless. She'd had a job as a cashier at Michael's that she'd never actually quit, but considering she hadn't actually shown up to work since her identity became public she was pretty sure she'd been fired, and her parents hadn't been terribly forthcoming with cash since she's dropped out of school to focus on superheroing. She'd been husbanding what she had pretty carefully to keep gas in the bike and bullets in the gun, but she didn't know if she had even enough spare change to pay for barfing on the mysterious stranger's feet. "Base!" she shouted desperately. "We get a base! Sorry, gonna have to go check this out..." She dashed up the stairs and into the main room, strategically putting Suki and Sparrow's hugfest between herself and the grumpy swordsman.

[Lost Demiurge]

"Vait up!" Calls Mauser. CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGclang...

.....

clangclangclangCLANGCLANG!

He rushes back into the room. "Ah, Foxfire! Er, uh, before ve get schtarted... Vat can you do, vat can't you do, vat do you vant to do, and vat do you not vant to do?"

He remembers the mess the Nazis made with bad magical pacts. Not a bad idea to make sure they won't accidentally set loose a destroyer of worlds by accident.

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow turns the force of Suki's hug into an aerial spin, before coming to rest with one arm wrapped around her, still floating an inch off the ground. She rolls her eyes at Foxfire and says, "Well, as long as we can keep you amused, it was all worthwhile."

Carrying her girlfriend along for the ride, she floats over to the surly warrior. Reaching into a well-concealed pocket in her uniform, she pulls out a twenty and holds it out to him with two fingers. Her voice is quiet and level and she makes an effort to be nonthreatening, but a touch of displeasure does peek through. "Phoebe's a good person. I doubt she'll let this crap get in the way of doing her job and having your back in a fight. All the same, odds are that girl's gonna catch a bullet for you at some point, least you could do is not embarrass her anymore." She floats off to begin examining the base.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

Apparently being a cape interferes with understanding a dry sense of humor. Fred pointedly didn’t lift a finger to take Sparrow’s money, and he regarded her with a mild annoyance. “How fragile do you think she is?” Something about this cape, the loud one, deciding she had to stick up for Burnout rubbed him entirely the wrong way. Nanny syndrome.

He shook his head and walked up the stairs, into the main room. He approached Phoebe and stopped in front of her, not giving her the opportunity to shy away. “I was just giving you a hard time,” he said quietly. “In all honesty, you have my respect.” Moreso than anyone else in this club, at least at the moment. She had tasted bitter, bitter defeat and clawed her way back from it. Of course he had respect for that.

[The_Snark]

Dr. Cutler peers at the apparition, fiddling with a dial on the side of her goggles. "Fascinating! Can you do that again? Blast it all, I don't have recording equipment installed in these yet... Can you create light in the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums? For that matter, how many colors can you see? Here - can you make out my initials?" She presents her raygun for inspection; no initials are apparent to human eyes.

[OrganicEvil]

"Oh. Um, thank you." Still not quite meeting the swordsman's gaze, Phoebe stuck out her hand. "Phoebe Murdoch. I guess you probably knew that already, but... What's your name? I mean, I could just keep thinking of you as 'Sword Guy,' but it feels kinda awkward."

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll

It was hard to figure out if she was meeting his gaze regardless, thanks to the shades. He had his reasons for wearing them. Fred extended his hand and shook Phoebe’s. She could feel well-worn callouses upon the knuckles of his palm, marking years of swordplay and other combative activities. “Yeah, I did,” he said in response to her name. He offered a small, apologetic smile in response to her question, proving he wasn’t hard-*ss 100% of the time. “Sorry, not sure I’m ready to roll with my real name, yet. Your group’s gone in front of the cameras a couple of times.”

“For now, I’m just a ronin. If you need something to call me, just use that.” He released her hand gently.

[Nintendogeek01]

"Hmmmm... maybe get a bench and some tools in here..." Suki mused as she looked around. She'd zip between spots in the warehouse before pacing at a normal human's pace to examine the place, somewhere during her zipping Suki happened by the sword guy and BB talking, and shaking hands, oh good everything's cool with them, guess the guy isn't a complete jerk after all; though he was still a jerk to Lily so... yeah still needs work.

Fred Broll

“... I’m ... ronin ... call me ... that.”
Was exactly what Suki's mind keyed into of that conversation, "Oh... Ronin," she pipped in her interest. "I like it. Samayō koritsu shi, kōka shi, hon'nosukoshi kowaidesu.*" she recited with a slight dramatic flair, as though she were narrating a character intro or something.

Translation: Wandering, isolated, hardened, and just a little scary.

[Lost Demiurge]

"Goot name!" Mauser advised. "Ronin. Ja, I don't think it's taken, either. Not by anyvone liffing."

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe nodded. "That's fair," she said. "I did the whole 'being outed' thing once. Wasn't much fun, and I got to sleep through the worst part." Technically not quite true, but 'sleep' sounded a lot less melodramatic than 'be in a coma in the ICU,' and she didn't want Ronin to think she was playing for sympathy. He didn't seem the type to have much, and she didn't want--or, for that matter, deserve--it regardless. Still, with her hand clasped in Ronin's callused grip, she felt a brief echo of loss. The swordsman's rough hands suited his rough nature, but she... She had had smooth hands, once, but no longer. Now, her fingers were slightly bent and knobbly, and she had trouble flexing them fully, a souvenir of their breaking, and the only calluses were on her trigger finger. Hers were twisted hands, no longer beautiful, and they suited her perfectly.

Phoebe forced the feeling aside. She had been given more good than her due recently, and she had no cause for complaint. Ronin, on the other hand... "I'm sorry," she said. "About the cameras. Based on what a circus yesterday was, I'm guessing they caught you in action, and what with the lack of a mask and all the, you know, blood... You probably weren't looking for the limelight." The smile she gave him was hesitant, but it shone through with the warmth of a noonday sun. "I know it can be cold comfort, but a lot of people might've gotten hurt yesterday if you weren't around. I might've been one of them. So... Thank you. For doing the right thing."

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie wasn't paying a ton of attention to the conversation - she was poking around the base - but she heard Ronin introduce himself at least. "What's the sword's name?" she piped in.

[SuperCracker]

Fred Broll
Ronin, apparently

A jolt ran through him in horror as he realized that ronin was now capitalized. A proper noun. A f**king code name. He shot a glare at Suki and shook his head, pointing at her. This was the most his relatively stoic demeanor had broken. “No! No no no!” He switched into Japanese, <”It’s not like that and you know it!”>

“I didn’t mean…” He stopped as Mauser chimed in, sighed, and then facepalmed. He knew when he was defeated. His attention returned to Phoebe as she talked about being outed, and he gave her a nod with a bit of a wry expression on his face. “There was only minor social upheaval last night. The world was very different within the space of half an hour.” His tone was that of a man who hadn’t quite wrapped his head around how true that statement was.

She thanked him, and showed a genuine understanding of his situation. It went a long way. He smiled, breathing one single breath of a chuckle. He quoted the Hagakure, “A warrior is worthless unless he rises above others and stands strong in the midst of a storm… but thank you.”

As for the question he received from the mage, "Starsoul."

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Cool! Welcome to the team!" Katie said with a bright grin, and then went bouncing off to keep poking around.

[Red_Jenny]

"So um, is there anything we can do to help with the base setup? Or anything? I can help with wards. I'm good at wards."

"Hmm? If you want. I'm not going to stop you from doing my job for me." Foxfire shrugs indolently. You get the sense that creating a base for the Stewards is more actual work than the spirit has had to do in years. She's far more interested in the drama surrounding Ronin's new name, cackling and clapping in the background.


"Ah, Foxfire! Er, uh, before ve get schtarted... Vat can you do, vat can't you do, vat do you vant to do, and vat do you not vant to do?"

"Magic's easy, teleportals and warning sigils and never-ending coffeemakers. Little tricks, boss won't let me do anything really dangerous or fun. I can make things. That's very easy." The spirit summons up a couch and flomps down on it in mock exhaustion. "You like the color? I was thinking red might be better. I can do stuff, too." Foxfire adds, as if that were self-explanatory. "Like if you want a room where time stops or everything turns into fire if an intruder gets in, chōkantan! I reaaaallly like things that look like other things but aren't. Illusions. Super good at those! Really good. Amazing. The best." She glances around to see if anyone takes the bait.

She holds up a finger as if remembering something important. "Life! Ahh, plants, or maybe a base pet? That's OK. Like a fox? I can do those. Like a whole herd of foxes, yeah... um, what was I... Oh yeah, nothing smart. No language-learny, human-thinky things. Makes people mad, and I can never get it right. Maybe that's why they get mad."

"I don't know if a super-smart computer that turns evil and tries to take over the world is 'life', but I know superteams really like those, and this team's like a quarter mad scientists anyway, so if you want one I'll make the pieces and you can put it together later, K?"

"I want to go take over a really snotty barista I met this morning and see how much steamed milk it takes to fill the whole building with foam, but I got wards in my head for now so I have to be good. Don't worry, I'll do a good job, you can trust me! I'm not gonna hide exploding runes under your pillows. I tried, it doesn't work."

Feeling a little sick, so you get more fluff before the world-shaking threat arrives, cause writing silly dialogue makes me feel better. :smalltongue: A note of importance I want to lay out OOC. Being Emerald City's resident illusionist trickster in the sourcebooks, Foxfire is really good at things that look like other things. Everybody gets their EP to buy actual mechanical Features, but mundane stuff can be customized and changed far beyond the "normal" world. If you want your personal quarters to look like a room in a mountaintop castle with stirring theme music that plays as you wake up, she can do that, and have it shift to something else if you get bored. Feel free to go nuts once you're all set up. :smallsmile:

[The_Snark]

"I'm not a mad scientist," Dr. Cutler says reflexively, her train of thought temporarily derailed from whatever strange rails it had wandered onto. "I'm not even a slightly peeved scientist. I don't know why everyone keeps calling me that, I haven't got a temper to speak of."

"I've never made a supercomputer before, but I'm sure I could work it out. Do we want one?" She glances inquiringly around at the others.

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe frowned at Ronin. "So, you call yourself Ronin, wear those weird shades everywhere, even indoors, have a sword named Starsoul, and I have no idea where it's from, but there's no way you made what you just said up on the spot... You're a much bigger nerd than I thought, dude." She turned to Dr. Cutler. "No, we absolutely do not. The whole artificial intelligence thing is way too much of a crapshoot, and too hard to kill if something goes wrong. Computer Jeeves isn't worth that kind of risk... Though, actually, that does give me an idea, if you've got a minute, Mauser."

[SuperCracker]

Ronin

His conversation with Ms. Murdoch was interrupted by the Kitsune’s chatter. Chatter that was, one one level, somewhat disconcerting. Taking people over, the attempt at placing explosive runes under pillows. He’d have to make sure he had a contingency in place in the event she tried to murder these people. Granted, that contingency was probably going to involve a stabbing of some sort. When you have a hammer, everything looks like nails. When you have a sword, you just cut those nails instead.

When he tuned back into the conversation, it was in the process of Ms. Murdoch being simultaneously rude and completely having him figured out. Oh, such anger. He said nothing until she turned, then fired back with a deadpan, “At least I don’t wear tights.”

Muffled from within the dufflebag could be heard, “Did she just bag on me, boss?!”

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow calls back from halfway across the room, "See, Ronin, us capes aren't so bad after all." At Phoebe's comment, though, she loses focus for a moment, dropping the inch or so to the ground rather unexpectedly. While she avoids falling down entirely, her recovery is...less than graceful. "Yeah, no. No AI. What do we need an AI for? Bad idea."

She pauses briefly, before beginning an entirely different train of thought. "Foxfire, if you can do illusions that well, I've got a sneaky little idea. We whip up an environmental control enchantment over the base: temperature, atmosphere, gravity, the works, then link it with a glamour to conceal any changes made. Bad guys come in, we vent the air, and they don't even realize they have to hold their breath before they pass out. Oh, and HH, maybe you could work in a touch of that healing magic you used at the bank, keep it all nonlethal?" Her eyes unfocus a touch as she runs through the possibilities, before she fixes her gaze on the spirit. "Foxfire, I think this may be the start of a beautiful friendship."

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe smirked. "Touch a nerve, did I?" she said to Ronin with a glance over her shoulder. "Guess that makes us even. And for the record, if you looked like me, you'd be wearing tights too." She turned back around at the sound of Lily hitting the ground. "You okay, Sparrow?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Can you make us a big kitchen?" Katie asked with a eager grin. She liked to cook. And then maybe they could do, like, team dinners and stuff. That would be fun!

"Gonna also vote no on the computer that will turn evil and take over the world. Ooh, but teleporters would be good! What if we had, like, a room with a bunch of portals to all our houses? Then we could get here easily if there's trouble. But there should be, like, a door or something. So we can knock. Maybe if it opens into a closet? Although that might not work for Suki, maybe?" She wasn't really sure why the closet specifically had been declared off-limits, so who knows?

She was waving her wand as she chattered, her Helping Hand flying about throughout the building, tracing silvery runes onto the walls as Katie began laying the foundations for some warding spells.

"Although maybe if we had a non-sentient computer we could enchant it so Starsoul could project into it, somehow? Maybe? I mean, I'm not sure about how plausible it would be. Sentience enchantments are a bit above my level still. But it'd be kinda cool if it worked..."

"Uh-huh, I can do that!" Katie responded to Sparrow.

Come to think of it, since there are extra points available in that healing Effect, maybe include in it an Immunity 10 (Life Support; Limited [Only to prevent death])?

[Nintendogeek01]

I am currently too lazy to look up a rough translation, so if you see speech surrounded by <>, then that's when Suki's speaking Japanese.
<"Oh you speak Japanese too?"> Suki responded with some surprise, but there was an air of pleasure to this revelation, "<Oh oh! Just think of all the things we can say about people right in front of them! it would be awesome!">

Her little excitement is interrupted with FoxFire's explanation of what she could do... Suki was kinda wishing she had the fox's powers, sounds like she could have some fun with those. This train of thought was interrupted whenBB got some payback for Ronin giving her a hard time earlier, "Aw don't worry," Suki told Ronin cheerfully, "I like some nerd stuff too!" she said with a smile, oblivious to the fact that she probably wasn't helping.

Suki had a brief start when Sparrow suddenly dropped an inch or so with less grace than usual, enough to prompt Suki to run right over and check on her, "OhmygodareyouokaywhatdoIneedtodoforyou!?" Sparrow made it obvious in the next sentence what the cause of her sudden drop was, Suki curled her lips in concern and just silently opted to squeeze her girlfriend's hand.

"Oh! Thinkyoucouldmakeatreadmillthatcouldkeepupwithme?" Suki motor-mouthed to Foxfire, though this was more out of haste to change the subject than anything else, she still held onto Sparrow's hand.

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow gives Suki's hand a returning squeeze, and says, "I'm fine, it's fine, we're all fine here, why wouldn't I be fine?" She glances back at the spot where she tripped. "Oh right, that. Just a little lapse in concentration. You know how it gets when you get an idea and you aren't paying attention to where you're going." You know what, maybe I should just stop talking. "No, but I'm fine, just fine. And dandy. That too. Yes, fine and dandy." Why am I still talking? "Ha ha, heh. Um. Yes."

[The_Snark]

"I was just offering," Dr. Cutler protests as she gets a round of nos, holding her hands up in front of her. "I wasn't going to make an evil computer, anyway. And I'd give it more do than buttle around the base, creating life just to be your secretary-slash-manservant is ethically dubious..."

"Anyway! Time dilation and arbitrary matter synthesis, did I hear that right?" she asks Foxfire.

[SuperCracker]

Ronin

He didn’t directly answer Sparrow, but many of his concerns were still present. On the other hand, he was big enough to realize that they were just trying their best. They just did it in their own way…. their own flashy, colorful, ridiculous, really ridiculous, hard to watch sometimes kind of way. He wasn’t a fit for this group, but he could help them out. Maybe vice versa.

With Starsoul getting chatty, he unzipped his duffle bag and took it out, placing the sword on his side where it belonged.

“Nice offer, Sabrina,” Starsoul said to Katie, “But I like being a sword. And my name’s totally cool.”

Fred’s scowl deepened as Suki inadvertently rubbed salt in the wound. The Hagakure is the opposite of nerdy. He shook his head at the suggestion of a portal being placed in Aunt Judith’s house. No way. No how. Not ever. Everyone’s talking about what they would do with this warehouse, getting excited (for good reason). It meant that now was a good time to lay things out. He approached Suki and Sparrow, interrupting Sparrow’s nervous ramblings. “Congratulations on your new base? Headquarters?” He wasn’t sure what these types liked to call it. “But I think we should talk about why I’m here.”

“Eldritch informed me that a powerful, dangerous being is on his way here. He goes by the name of Balor, the one who gave him his power. The man was a bloodthirsty terrorist before he was corrupted and warped into something not-quite human. He’s going to kill thousands unless he’s stopped. I don’t think I can do it alone. I’d like your help.”

[Lost Demiurge]

"Ja, I haff a minute, Fraulein Burnout." Mauser tromps over to her, and bumps against her leg. "Vat ist on your mind?"

And then, out of the other conversations, Fred's voice catches one swivelling ear.

"Vat? Balor? Vell, dis ist bad news. Vhere ist he, und vhat can ve do to schtop him?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Balor. Yikes," Katie said softly. "I've heard of him. He usually operates in Europe though, doesn't he? What's he doing on this side of the pond?" Balor was, frankly, one of the reasons that Katie had never had any particular ambition to go on a vacation to Europe. The guy hunted mages. Definitely not someone she wanted to be on the same con...tin...

Wait a second.

The guy hunted mages!

"Maybe we could ambush him!" she suggested. "He goes after mages, right? I'm a mage! And, and, we're probably all, like, in the news and stuff now, because of the bank robbery and everything! So maybe if I go out and start using my magic, it'll lure him to try to come after me, and then when he shows up, BAM! You guys hit him and stuff!" It was a brilliant plan and Katie could see no possible way it could go wrong.

[Nintendogeek01]

"Hmmmm... I like it!" Suki could just zip by and bail Katie out if things got dangerous for her, there was no way whatsoever this plan could go wrong.

[SuperCracker]

Ronin

"No." Before this got too far into 'put the seemingly naive girl into horrific danger' territory, he was going to put a stop to it. "If the idea is to draw him out, I'll do it. His master and I are old enemies," the verbiage was a little strange for a guy clearly in his twenties, "He'll seek me out for revenge."

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser considers Fred. "Then ze key is to find a place vere ve can set der field. Ve vant effery advantache against him. Vhat do ve know about him, how can ve prepare, und vhere can ve learn more?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

Yay for not having to be bait! Katie thought with a little grin. She trusted the others to have her back, but still, she'd just as soon be one of the back-havers, given the option.

"I can bless us beforehand. That'll help," Katie said. "And put a boost on Ronin too. As long as I'm only boosting one person at a time I can keep it going for a while. I mean, long as it's not raining, and stuff. But as far as prep-work goes...the Formian are actually a type of Winter fey, as I understand it. Summer magic would probably be a good bet, although I can't do much for us there. I suck at evocation. And cold iron is the classic weapon of choice against fey in general. Although this wouldn't be the actual Balor, the Formian warchief. He's a mortal that's been, mm, empowered by him, basically. May or may not bring the fey weaknesses with it."

"I might be able to do something for us in terms of cold iron, though. Could I see Starsoul for a sec?" she asked Ronin. And if he agreed, she'd also ask Starsoul itself, "Can I cast a spell on you? It's um...transformative. I'm not sure if that would be uncomfortable for you or not."

[Tar Palantir]

"Yeah, sorry sweetie, but I'm going to have to agree with Ronin on this," Sparrow adds, directing the 'sweetie at Suki. "If we end up going with this kind of a plan, and if something goes wrong, I feel a bit more confident about the Lone Ranger here being able to hold his own til we can back him up. Not to be harsh, Helping Hand, but this is a little outside your bailiwick. Besides, if you got hurt, everyone'd feel awful, and Ronin's kind of a ****, so we won't mind so much." She sticks her tongue out at him without turning to face him. "Seriously, though, I'm not sure how I feel about the plan regardless. Rule one of setting a trap is to never use real bait. Against a different threat, I might suggest we see how Foxfire's glamours hold up, give them rock when they're expecting paper, but Balor's whole shtick is gunning for mages, he'll likely have a whole goody bag of countermeasures and defenses against magic."

She turns to Ronin. "I noticed in the bank fight that your powers looked fae in origin. Dunno if you're a half-blood or it's all from the sword or what, but the gentry have not exactly done a good job of hiding their universal weakness. If I were on a vengeance hunt for you, I'd do a drive-by with an Uzi loaded with iron hollow-points, so you can't dig it all out, snatch you into my car, and take you somewhere private to finish the job in whatever long, tortuous way my vendetta demanded. Assuming I wasn't satisfied with killing you on the spot."

She lowers her eyes and shifts uncomfortably. "I mean, that's just off the top of my head. You probably know what this guy'll try better than us, but that scenario is a little too likely for my taste. I prefer ambush to trap. Lets us maintain strategic as well as tactical initiative, means he won't be as ready for us, though with our higher profile he'll likely at least be on guard. Still, he's got to be in town for a reason. We track him down, smash up whatever dark ritual or whatever he's trying to pull off, and bring him in."

[Nintendogeek01]

"Aw... but I could totally bail Helping Hand out if... oh fine..." Suki groaned. Suki spent a good portion of Sparrow's really long spiel on possibilities thinking about this Balor guy and why he was even here if what Katie said is accurate.

Suki's train of thought was interrupted when Katie talked to Ronin's sword, so that WAS it talking back at the bank fight. Suki zipped up to Ronin and crouched down to where her eyes were level with the sword, "So that was you who made the Canadian Bacon joke! That was awesome! You're funny!" Suki told it with no small amount of glee.

Suki zipped a few steps away from Ronin and began pacing back and forth as she attempted to get her original train of thought back on track. "Wait," that's when something occurred to her, "Ambush or trap don't we need to know why he's even here? Don't we have ANYTHING to go on?" she asked.

[SuperCracker]

Ronin

Sparrow spelled out why letting Helping Hand do any cold iron transmutations on his blade was a bad, bad idea. Fred shook his head and kept Starsoul right at his side. “Sorry, but I prefer not to touch the stuff, much less have my weapon be made out of it.” He’d been struck with cold iron before. The effect of it was best described as either a poison or an allergy. His skin wouldn’t sizzle to the touch, but even being close to it was uncomfortable.

”First trying to make me into a computer, now trying to give the boss hives. I got an idea of what Balor might be weak to… wait for it… being hit with a sword! In his face!”

“You’re getting worked up.”

”I’m just getting started! They need to know these things.”

“People already know that I hit things with you.”

”But it bears repeating.”

“I suppose it does.”

He looked back over to Sparrow as she laid out an ambush one would use for him. That plan had been tried before, in multiple variations. He tends to get attacked on the reg. “I’m hard to surprise. When a double-cheeseburger sprouts tentacles, screams in the language of the elder gods and attacks you, you tend to develop a sixth sense about that kind of thing.” Was he joking?

At the same time he was talking, Starsoul was responding to Suki. ”You, Madame, have excellent taste in comedy. I have a cutting wit.”

“I heard that. It was terrible.”

”Yeah… not my best work.”

“I agree that we need more information about what he’s up to. But I can tell you with absolute certainty that if I show my face he’ll take a shot at me. That itself is useful. A man like Balor won’t care about collateral damage. He’ll revel in it. So we need to do whatever we can to make sure the field is clear of bystanders.”

[OrganicEvil]

With an effort, Phoebe managed to restrain herself from snatching the talking sword straight out of Fred's hands. There were more important things to focus on, even more important than the cool sword.

"No," Phoebe said. "Bad plan on the ambush front. You're letting convention dictate your moves again. Using ourselves as bait, that's another typical cape move. This guy's a hunter, and I have entirely too much experience with that sort for my own good. If he comes for you, he will have a plan to take you down, like the one Sparrow outlined, and that makes it too much of a risk. At least, too much of a risk for any of us." She grinned. "Which is why it's a good thing we've got Foxfire here, isn't it? Nice, safe, restraining-bolted Foxfire, who I'm sure will be happy to help us, since if Balor happened to catch wind of her condition and decided to go fox hunting... Well, I doubt there's all that much she could do about it at the moment except run and hide. I don't know anything about magic, but I'm betting Eldritch didn't leave a Balor exemption in that First Law he shoved in her head, and even if he did, I doubt she knows, or is even willing to gamble on it." Phoebe turned to Foxfire and crossed her arms. "Did I get any of that right, or am I off the mark?"

Not going to make any rolls on that for now, since there're other people present who can do better on any actual intimidation of Foxfire that might be needed now that the issue's been pointed out, and who'll be better at figuring out if she's lying when she responds.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"You don't have to worry about me," Katie said to Sparrow. "I mean, I don't regenerate, but I layered some pretty heavy persistent wards on when I decided to go heroing. I'm good at wards."

Katie got it when Sparrow mentioned Ronin's magic being fey, so she just nodded when he didn't agree to the spell. "Sorry, didn't realize," she said, glancing down at the ground momentarily.

She was...a little shocked, honestly, when Phoebe suggested using Foxfire as bait. Oh, sure, Foxfire was massively powerful, but if Phoebe was right... "We...we couldn't ask her to take the risk if she doesn't have a way to defend herself," she said. "And, I mean, if she does have a way to defend herself, she wouldn't make good bait. Because Balor'd have to be crazy to attack her. That's why I suggested myself, since I'm not that strong a mage, but I'm good enough to hopefully be worth his while, and my wards should keep me safe long enough for everyone else to jump in. If he has a vendetta against Ronin, that could work too, since he's a strong fighter and could hold his own. But I mean...we can't just use someone else. It would have to be one of us. Or we could come up with a different plan. That works too. But I mean...there's a reason using yourself as bait is a 'typical cape' tactic, right?"

"But it doesn't necessarily need to be a lure!" She looked to Ronin again. "If he really hates you, then could you, like, challenge him to a duel or something? And then SURPRISE! the rest of us can jump in? That would also solve the 'make sure there aren't any innocent bystanders' problem. Um. Unless...you know, you do the whole 'honorable swordsman' thing. Then I guess that wouldn't work. 'Cause, you know, cheating, and all."

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe's smile didn't quite reach her eyes as she addressed Katie. "It's how it is," she said. "You try as hard as you can to save the ones who deserve it, and the rest... Some people deserve to be saved more than others. It's not pretty, and I don't know if it's right or not, but it's true. I hope you never have to learn it the hard way. But the fact is, there's a reason Eldritch put a muzzle on her, and that means that if I'm expecting a butcher's bill, I'd rather she paid it than you." She looked away. She felt tired in her bones. She was fairly certain that Katie herself was older than she was, but at that moment she felt like the oldest person around for miles. "But I can't ask you to do that," she murmured. "We'll go with your plan."

[The_Snark]

Dr. Cutler frowns at 'some people deserve to be saved more than others'. True or not, the people saying so are almost never good news. Young lady, I know you've been through a lot, but that's no excuse for bad behavior...

She lets it drop. Beacon isn't pushing the point, so she'll spare the lecture. Instead she says, "Could one of you give me the exposition on this fellow? You all seem to have heard of him, but all I know is what I've picked up in the last five minutes. Terrorist warped by magic winter-fairies, hunts magic things, on his way here for reasons unknown? Is that all we have to go on, or is there more?"

She hasn't spoken much so far; magic isn't her bailiwick, and nor is logistics. Planning ahead in general, really. But some remnant of social acumen says they could use a subject change.

[Quellian-dyrae]

The look Katie gave Phoebe was...uncertain. But earnest, in a way. Her head was tilted a bit to the side, and there was a sort of recognition in her eyes. As if, perhaps for the first time, she was looking at her and not just seeing Beacon, the invincible superhero who had taken Freedom City by storm those months ago. Like she was actually realizing that there was a person behind the crimson light, and one who had endured a terrible ordeal.

She snapped out of it when Cutler spoke. "That's about all I know. I mean, far as actionable intelligence goes, anyway. I could get into the Formians and the war with Tuatha and stuff, but that's basically just history. Oh! He wields chaos magic, too. Or...something like that, anyway. That's relevant." She looked to Ronin and Sparrow - the former since he had history with the guy, the latter because that was just prudent.

[The_Snark]

"Ooh." Dr Cutler has produced a notebook and pen from a coat pocket, and stands poised to scribble notes. "Chaos magic. Fascinating! Tell me more. Or -- I don't suppose any of you could demonstrate it? Localized changes to probability or entropy ought to produce exotic particles of some sort, which could theoretically be traced with the right equipment..."

[Red_Jenny]

Foxfire tilts her head quizzically, vulpine even in her preferred human form, her eyes giving Phoebe a profoundly unsympathetic once-over. “Could’ve just asked nicely, but yeahhh, you missed option three. I take my ball and go home. And here I was, about to offer you superpowers that actually last longer than your boyfriend. Oh well...”

The Kitsune sighs and shrugs knowingly, snaps her fingers and vanishes from sight, a giant middle finger left in her place. Fireworks shoot from the fingertip and float down into sparkling rainbow letters that spell out “Congratulations! You’re a ****!” They slowly orbit the offending digit to the sound of old-timey carnival music. "Rest of you have fun, don’t die, good luck!"

The steadily increasing wail of sirens coming from the city center is an ominous hint that something is very wrong. Those near a window can see ribbons of smoke starting to rise from across the river, snaking up through the skyscrapers. Whatever’s causing the fires is moving.

It’s headed their way.

Those attuned to such things note the small, luminous fox curled up on the couch. It seems the Kitsune is simply acting capricious, as one does when the mortals have offended, and hasn't actually buggered off to the Spirit World just yet.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie just kinda stared for a moment at where Foxfire had been. "Aww-ww..." That had been...kinda mean...little over the top...the carnival music probably wasn't...strictly necessary.

That was when she noticed the sirens.

Were they getting closer?

[Lost Demiurge]

"You can do cold iron preparation? Hmm..." Mauser nods to Katie, and offers her a paw. There are three little spikes sticking out of some odd looking tubes where the claws should be. "Go ahead und do zer left paw, please. Chust in case."

These didn't see any use during the last fight...

As Foxfire disappears, Mauser shakes his head at Phoebe. "Not gut to put pressure on der lady. She's alretty being made to serfe. If you vant someting more from her, ask politely. Or offer an amusing prank in trade. Dot's my advice."

The catsuit's 'eyes' narrow a bit. "Ja you vere kind uff being a ****. Even if she is guilty of something, vithout knowing vhat, it is unfair to judge her. Right naow she ist subordinate to us. Der true measure of a leader ist how dey treat their subordinates." His eyes close as the 'whiskers' rotate up, approximating a smile. "But don't vorry. I haff a simple vay to make amends to her. All ve need-"

An ear swings to the side. Sirens?

"Hooooooo boy. Dot's not goot. Right, time to go tovards der trouble. Anyvone vithout transportation ist free to hitch a ride on mein back!"

He waits for a second to see if anyone takes him up on his offer...

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Um...sort of," Katie hedged. "I have a spell that can allow a magic weapon to shift into different types of material. It requires the target item to already be magical though. I could probably figure out a spell to do a standard metal transfiguration, I'm good at transmutation, but I'd need to research it."

Katie's Helping Hand floated up beneath her as she talked, lifting her a foot into the air. "I can bring one or two people along too, if anyone needs it," Katie said.

Ronin has a Variable Descriptor Extra I could cannibalize. Katie doesn't have one herself, and I'm not seeing one on Mauser either. To do Mauser's she'd probably need to research an actual Transform power as a Ritual. Well, or power stunt it I suppose.

[SuperCracker]

Ronin

He was still undecided on Foxfire here, but so far she hadn’t done anything that would place her in the ‘must kill, use as cannon fodder’ classification just yet. Of course, that could change if he ever learns what she did to result in this servitude. He kept quiet throughout that debate, seeing as how it was going in the right place regardless. He was glancing towards the couch for a moment, looking at apparently nothing when he heard the sirens.

“He’s here.”

Fred’s eyes narrowed under the shades. “F*** it, we’ll improvise. I’m going to go get his attention. Back me up when you can.”

Fred moved towards the window, passing by the couch as he did so. In Japanese, he said (again to no one), <”Just stay there for now. If I'm still alive in half an hour, we'll talk,”> and he jumped towards the window, vanishing from the warehouse. He would reappear somewhere on a rooftop near where he approximated the sounds to be coming from. He was planning to call him out, take the attention off of the mortal humans in the area.

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow snaps to attention at the sound of sirens. "I guess we're going to go with the 'no one has a plan, just pound on each other til one side gives' option. I'll take a ride, HH, I'm not much faster in the air than on foot. Shadow Ronin over the rooftops and try to stay low. When Balor shows, we'll be the hammer to Ronin's anvil. While we move, give us a rundown on chaos and Winter Court magic, what we should expect. I know fae use glamours like nobodies business, but what else should we watch out for? Mauser, what're your sensors like? If you have something exotic, it might get around some illusions, especially if Helping Hand gives you a boost. You're spotter and crowd control, if he brought friends to the party. Suki, evac. Get the civilians out of the way and keep your eyes open while you do, but do not engage without backup. This guy is a grade A psycho and a heavyweight to boot. Phoebe, with me and Helping Hand, take a shot if you've got it, save your game face for as long as possible, at your own discretion. Cutler, I don't know much about your capabilities, so stick with the pack and use your own judgment. Nobody run off alone, and don't get dead." She gives Suki a quick kiss on the cheek, then climbs up alongside Katie. "We planted our flag in this city. Now let's show them we can keep it."

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie grinned and nodded, inspired as always by Sparrow's level-headed confidence. She waved her wand over the party. Gentle auras of silver light would glow momentarily around each of them, as Katie's magic subtly bent fate and fortune to their advantage. She'd wait for Phoebe to climb aboard, and then fly off, heading for the sirens and the smoke. While they flew, she'd fill in her teammates on whatever she knew about Winter fey and chaos magic.

Using Arcane Blessing. Katie loses one Luck Reroll. All other party members (eh, except Ronin I guess :smallfrown:) gain one Luck Reroll. Note that it's only a reroll here, not a full Hero Point.

Since we're kinda rushed, I figure I can't Routine the Expertise (Magic) check to recall information about fey and chaos magic, so: [roll0]. Roll includes bonus for Eidetic Memory.

[Lost Demiurge]

Mauser nods. Ja, she will be a good leader indeed! He answers the question. "Infrared, radio, advanced hearing... Bare nezessities. Could use a boost. Ultrasound, perhaps? But I schall let you know uff any illusions. Ve'll zee vhat comes."

And he bounds out the rooftop exit, leaping toward the flames.

[Nintendogeek01]

"BB... that's horrible," the words escaped Suki's lips before she really thought about what to say, "We can't just pick and choose who we save, especially not if they're under fire," after saying which Foxy, as Suki decided to call her, said her piece and gave BB the magic finger. Suki, silently, couldn't help but agree with Foxy on this one.

The rest of the strategy meeting was interrupted by the sounds of the sirens, Ronin getting a head-start on the action, and Sparrow giving mobilizing orders, that was kinda hot; though not as hot as Suki's face felt when Sparrow planted a kiss on Suki's cheek. "OkaycandoIwon'tbedeadwhenyougettherepromise!" Suki then zipped out the door. A second later though she darted back and stood in front of BB. "Look, I know that baka hunter put you through a lot and it's not fair, but what you said wasn't fair to Foxy either and it wouldn't have been fair to say that to anyone else," Suki had started out wanting to say that she felt for BB regarding the whole Orion thing, but then the idea of fairness started to run down her original train of thought, "AndIknowlifeisn'tfairbutI'mnotlife, you'renotlife! Wecantotallytryhardertobefairand... I'm rambling maybe talk later?" Suki sheepishly finished her motor-mouthing before zipping off to carry out Sparrow's orders.

Maybe she should ask Sparrow to help her out with this, Lily seems to be more diplomatic even if she is a lot more wordy. But Suki still meant what she said; her dad was never fair to her and she believed BB didn't have to be like her dad at all, she already helped a lot of people by taking a bomb for them; as far as Suki was concerned BB owed it to herself to be better about this sort of thing.

Gah! Suki shook her head rapidly to shake out those thoughts about her dad, not important anymore! Not at all! No importance whatsoever! There's people to save and a villain to stop! Time to evac and scout!

[Quellian-dyrae]

Figure I may as well write out Katie's detailing of the knowledge check. I don't know which of the team would strictly be able to hear this as we go, aside from Sparrow and Beacon, but Katie does have a commlink so I figure anyone else who does would be privy to it as well, at least.

"There's not much that hasn't been said on the Winter fey that's immediately relevant. I mean, I could list a dozen or so things that are supposed to repel or hinder or harm them, but a lot of that is just folklore, or specific to certain types, or only applicable to true fey. And really, it's just unnecessary complication for our purposes. We're superheroes! Iron aside, hitting them really hard is just going to be more efficient in most cases."

"Chaos magic is pretty nasty. Entropy, destruction, disintegration...it's good at straight up no-frills removing what you don't like from the equation. Transmutation too, and not the fun ones that I like, real gross-out transmogrification type things. It's unpredictable, hard to control, and does bad stuff to more...ordered forces. Magic, technology...if 'knowing how it works' is important, chaos magic can mess it up. I think I'm going to best serve on dispel duty for this one...his magic might interfere with my augments. Cutler should be careful too, and Mauser should be real careful. I'm not sure what chaos magic would do to a big robot suit thing like he has. I'll...do my best to keep him from using his magic, but to be honest...I don't know if I'll be strong enough to counter it."

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe grimaced as she stepped onto Katie's floating hand. In all honesty, she had to agree with Mauser and Foxfire, if not for their reasons. It wasn't that she wanted anybody dead, especially--there were still lines you didn't cross, not if you let people call you a hero--but if she had to decide between risking the life of a guilty person or an innocent one, she knew which she'd choose. It seemed to her that she had made that choice a long time ago. In truth, it hadn't even been a full year, but it felt more like a lifetime. So no, she didn't regret her decision, and were it still possible, had the situation not changed, she'd have baited the hook with Foxfire over Katie or even Ronin in a heartbeat. But she shouldn't have included the others in that plan. She knew, deep down, that any of them, even Katie, would have reached the same decision if it came down to it. If only one of the two, the innocent or the guilty, could be saved, she knew. But they didn't know, not yet, and if the universe was kind, they never would. Phoebe shouldn't have brought it up, shouldn't have dragged them into it. Theirs was a precious illusion, and one she wished she still had.

"We'll talk later," she whispered to Suki as Katie's hand rose into the air. She had no idea what she could possibly say--'Well, you see, Suki, the truth is that the world's just a ****ed up place and since somebody's got to take the **** for that, it might as well be the bad guys!' Oh, yes, that's just what she needs to hear.--but Suki deserved something.

Up in the air, it was a bit better. She could forget a little, at least, this far up, and Katie's explanation was pleasantly distracting, despite the subject. "Just do what you can," Phoebe said. "It's more than the rest of us can do, aside from the aforementioned 'hitting things,' and if you do manage to shut him down, well, that makes things a whole lot easier."

[The_Snark]

"Cutler, I don't know much about your capabilities, so stick with the pack and use your own judgment."

"Flight, firepower, disintegration and reintegration of inorganic matter, temporal stasis, shrinking, and invisibility! All applicable at range. Except the flight, obviously, that's the jetpack." Dr. Cutler flies alongside Katie's magical hand, reaching to to grab hold and let it tow her as it starts to exceed her jetpack's maximum (safe) velocity.

"Violent movement tends to disrupt the optical refraction matrix, but it should hold long enough to let you get in a hit or two. Who wants to be invisible?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Wow, okay, maybe not this time, because dispel duty, but in the future? I'm all about not making violent movements!" Katie answered brightly. Invisible buffing would be awesome! The good guys would keep getting stronger and the bad guys would be all why do they keep getting stronger!?

[Red_Jenny]

Most of the sirens are firetrucks and ambulances, following in the villain's wake. The police have been trying to contain the situation, with little success. The heroes can see the remnants of at least four smashed barricades, including an armored SWAT truck with a worrisome hole burned right through both sides. It doesn't take long for Fred to find his quarry, all he has to do is follow the wreckage and screaming, and the man who used to be Liam O'Herlihy is pretty hard to miss.

Balor is nearly 8 feet tall and probably weighs a quarter-ton. Clad in crude, tattered green rags, he's a disturbing sight. Malformed, hunchbacked, he's a mass of pulsating veins and misshapen muscle with fists bigger than Fred's whole head. His skin, indeed, his whole frame is warped and looks almost melted, like candle wax that's been burned and let cool again. His face is twisted, one eye far larger than the other, sitting above a lumpen nose and a sneering slash of a mouth that would be closer to his cheek than his chin if the rest of him looked anything like a normal human.

http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad318/ArthurE/Balor-1.jpg
The remains of a streetlamp slung over his shoulder, Balor looks to be having the time of his life, laughing and singing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFUTHcjiZGo&t=0m47s) a morbidly fitting old Irish anti-war tune at the top of his lungs as he marches down the street. To add a final note of irony, the man's singing voice is beautiful.

Balor swings his makeshift club through a storefront, bringing the whole thing crashing down in a cloud of dust and rubble. He plucks a massive chunk of concrete from the rubble and bats it down the street, taking the top clean off a police car and sending the few remaining officers scattering for cover.

There are a number of potential targets in the area that aren't Ronin or the other Stewards themselves, assuming Balor's actually after something in particular and not just sowing chaos for its own sake. Chief among them is the Hunter Museum of Natural History, a sprawling marble-and-glass building about eight blocks from the villain's current position. There are whole wings of artifacts from all over the ancient world, to say nothing of what might be stored out of public view down in the museum's huge archives and storerooms. In happier times, Daedalus and Eldritch spent much of their time volunteering there when in their civilian identities. The recent chaos means that for the first time in many months, the museum is without its defenders.

[OrganicEvil]

"The Dropkick Murphys version's still better," Phoebe muttered. "Dr. Cutler, I think I'll take you up on that offer. Once I have my game face on, I'll be fine, but if I get hit before that... Disappearing for a while might be a really good idea." She turned to Sparrow. "Your plan? It was a good plan. But seeing this... Even if we get everybody out of here, I don't know if the city can keep taking this level of destruction. We need to end this as fast as possible, going in with everything we have. I don't think I should hang back on this one, but I'm leaving the call to you. What's the play?"

Rolling Initiative: [roll0]

[SuperCracker]

Ronin

Hanging onto the window of a high-rise, Fred surveyed the scene. Though O’Herlihy had been warped like a misshapen hunk of clay, he had been imbued with tremendous strength and presumably durability. This was aside from whatever chaos magic the human Ogre was capable of. No mortal barricade would hold this creature for long. Fred took in a deep breath. Eldritch told him if he fought alone he would die. If that had to happen, so be it… but hopefully those capes would have his back in time.

Fred teleported again, vanishing through the window (even with a few office workers looking right at him) and reappearing streetside, a good distance away from Balor. Ronin, as they would call him now, walked calmly into the middle of the street. Surrounded by smashed barricades and burning vehicles now stood just a man with a sword.

He took in a breath, then let it out loudly. “O’Herlihy!” It was full-throated, echoing down the street. God this was public. Sh**. Once he’d gotten the Ogre’s attention, he pointed at him with his right hand. “You know who I am, don’t you? Your fight’s with me.”

Fred changed his magic, using the threads of glamour on himself. His face took on a sharp look as he assumed a stance. Retreat was unthinkable. “Did your master tell you you were going to die today?”

Activating Battle Fury from my fae spells array.
Initiative: [roll0]

[Nintendogeek01]

"Eeeeeewwwww..." was Suki's first reaction to seeing Balor's face, though she found his chaotic attacking even more disgusting in a moral sense of the word; I mean come on... people made their living in that store. Suki noticed the museum and Balor's close proximity to it, way too many people could get caught in that, got to get them out.

Suki ran inside shouting "I'msorryI'mnotheretotourIpromise!" by a ticket seller who could do little more than wonder what the hell that blur that just went by was. Suki ran for the nearest fire alarm and set it off, hoping to prompt an evacuation; now there was one more thing to do...

Suki ran back out into the street, running to Ronin's side, jogging in place and throwing some rapid fire fistcuffs into the air, "Nariko is here! Now come and get it you candlefaced bully!" she shouted, hoping this would draw the monster's attention away from the museum.
[roll0]

[Quellian-dyrae]

"God..." Katie whispered as she beheld the scene, and gave a mute not in agreement with Phoebe's assessment. They had to stop this guy fast, and find some way to stop this from happening to their city before there wasn't any city left.

Per Sparrow's previous plan, Katie flew in opposite Ronin, keeping to the air and at a distance pending Sparrow's direction.

Initiative: [roll0].

[Lost Demiurge]

Wwwwwhhhoooooooshhhhh

KA-CLONG!

Mauser lands on the roof of a storefront, sending up dust. Through the veil, the metal cat's head peers out, eyes glowing as it fades in Cheshire-like.

He surveys the target, and sweeps around, looking for heat signatures and noises that would indicate foes that aren't visible to the naked eye.

ZEARCH!

[roll0] for perception, if it matters.

And initiative is [roll1]


That done, he moves to put himself on the rooftop of a building between Balor and the museum, with a single mighty leap.

"You should leaf, Herr Balor," he says. "I am no Cait Sith, but zese claws are not to be unterestimatet..."

[The_Snark]

"Dr. Cutler, I think I'll take you up on that offer. Once I have my game face on, I'll be fine, but if I get hit before that... Disappearing for a while might be a really good idea."

The Doctor promptly flips a switch on her gun and shoots Phoebe. The beam is a bright purple, and produces an unpleasantly cool tingling, like someone slipping ice cubes down your shirt. From the outside she appears to ripple like a mirage, each fluctuation leaving her more translucent until nothing is left.

She remains near Sparrow for now, keeping one eye on the malformed man-monster and watching for his reaction.

Am assuming/hoping that turning Phoebe invisible can happen in transit, before initiative is rolled, but if not it can be my first action.

Initiative: [roll0]

[Tar Palantir]

[roll0]

Sparrow curses, first at the monstrosity before them and second at her girlfriend's...lack of tactical acumen. We need proper comms for everyone. So, so badly. She addresses Phoebe first. "Agreed. Just remember, no amount of property damage is worth your life. You damn well better be out of the line of fire before you run dry. While your in, you're our physical tank." She speaks up slightly, addressing the others with her, "When she's out, I am. HH, lock down his magic as best you can. Everyone else, you're the spank to our tank, so make it leave a mark."

She takes off from Katie's platform, flying to position herself by Ronin and Suki. She whispers to her girlfriend in a rapid voice (though not enough to match Suki's), "Sweetie, you're a speedster. For god's sake, don't pose. Hit and run, don't get pinned down, set up the harder hitters where you can."

At this point, she gives Balor her full attention. "As you're no doubt now aware, this city is under the protection of the Stewards of Freedom, and our associate," she nods to Ronin, "who I believe you know. Though I'm fairly certain I know what your answer will be, I still feel obligated to ask the traditional query: would you like to do this the easy way, or the hard way?" She cracks the knuckles of first one fist, then the other. There's a reason that line's a classic. Never gets old.

[Nintendogeek01]

"I was trying to draw him away from that museum," Suki whispered back.

[Tar Palantir]

"Good thinking, but that's our job. Sorta how this whole 'tanking' thing works," Sparrow answered.

[Red_Jenny]

Balor looks up from his fun and grins madly. "Well now, boyo. What have we here? You're a brave one and no mistake. I can feel it on ye. Ohh, now I do know you. You're the one that slew the wolf, then? Figured you'd be taller, laddie." The brute chortles at his own joke.


“Did your master tell you you were going to die today?”

"He din't, but I've died before, lad. It didn't take. No pearly gates for ol' Balor!"

"Heroes! Look at ye all! Thought you'd all gone up in smoke!" As the Stewards make themselves known, the ex-terrorist claps his hands like someone had wheeled out the dessert tray.

"Ah, now pretty lass, I do love th' hard way, you're a woman after me own heart." He gives Sparrow a disgusting smile that was no doubt meant to be charming.

"Tis a shame, love. See, I've got a date t' be keepin', so here's what we'll do; you'll show me what you've got, an' then I'll show ye the last thing you'll see living, an' be on me way." Balor seems utterly sure of himself, striding casually forward towards Ronin, Suki and Sparrow.

Mauser sees no foes except for Balor, hidden or otherwise.

Init order:
Suki: 26
Ronin: 22
Katie: 20
Burnout: 17
Balor: 15
Mauser: 7
Dr. Cutler: 10
Sparrow: 10

Only one bad guy, so we'll do block action for the first round - faster folks, Balor, slower folks, then just have you all act together next round.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Katie took a breath to steel herself, and then swooped down, want out and glowing with silver light. "I admire your confidence, but you're outnumbered and outmatched!" Katie taunted as she brought the Helping Hand down to hover a couple feet above the ground, maybe fifteen feet back from Balor.

"Stewards of Freedom!" she called out, bringing her wand up before her face. In quick moves, she drew it down near her right hip, then back up around her left shoulder.

"You're the heroes of this city now!" she said as her wand darted across to hover before her right shoulder, and then back down to her left hip.

"MAKE THE LEAGUE PROUD!" she yelled at the top of her lungs as her wand slashed back up high, the star she had drawn before herself shining with silver light and exploding outward in a flash of magical energy, filling her friends with a surge of power and confidence.

Move Action: Fly down to within some 15' of Balor.

Standard Action: Expend a Hero Point to Inspire with Arcane Blessing. All PCs (except Katie) get a +5 circumstance bonus on all checks for one round.

[Nintendogeek01]

Nariko
Hero Points: 2
Condition: Mad!

"Oh...! Don'tsmileat MY GIRLFRIEND creepo!" Suki got red in face from a rare burst of anger to it and gave off a sparkling electric glow as she zipped forward and threw some rapid fire cuffs of electric energy with a bit more ferocity than usual, due in part to her anger at the giant candle-faced creep and also due in no small part to Helping Hand's bravery.
Free Action: Fast fighting array changed to "Flurry"

Move Action: Run up to Balor

Standard Action: Use Flurry vs. his parry, power attack 2, inspiration bonus for +5: [roll0]

Results if Successful: Balor makes toughness save vs. DC21 (DC23 if attack check succeeds by two degrees, DC26 if attack check succeeds by three degrees).

Move-by Action: Run to an alleyway roughly a block down (I'm pretty sure that'd still be movement range).After striking the giant jerk Suki ran to an alley to shake her hands, "Ow... shimata he's built like a brick house..."

[Lost Demiurge]

"You vere varned!" Mauser says, as he rushes in on the flank, rearing up on his hind legs, and bringing one claw around...


BLAM!

[roll0]

Right. Unsheathing the claws. Or rather, the miniature pilebunkers. If I hit, I'll edit in a nifty description, but basically it'll be a damage 10 hit with penetrating 10.

And the reroll was a nat 20. Whoa.


He was aiming for Balor's butt. Not his fault the giant shifted at the wrong moment, and the paw struck a more sensitive area. And as he did, the steel paw latched on, the front claws gripping for a split-second.

WHOOMP!

A crack, a vibration of solid concussion behind his paw, and a huge cloud of smoke, as the explosive charges behind the pawspikes fire, driving them into Balor's frame. The force of a full bank of plastic explosives, channeled into three spikes each the size of a nail, and three times as long. The paw itself smokes, shrapnel spraying loose as it fragments, and Mauser hops backward to land on three paws, holding a smoking stump. Then with a hiss and a grinding, gears on his legs move and a shining new paw emerges from the stump, pushing the remaining fragments of the appendage out and away.

He puts the new paw on the ground, and readies to evade, because if this guy's still standing he just drew all the agro. All of it.

You know, I really should upgrade to titanium armor if I get the chance. I have a feeling steel's not gonna be enough to withstand this guy...

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe narrowed her eyes as she shifted into burn. Let's do this. The world slowed to a crawl as she silently stepped off of Katie's hand and drifted, ghostlike and invisible, to hover behind Balor. He concealment flickered and failed as she swung her fist at the back of the mage killer's head with enough force to shatter titanium like glass. She didn't normally cut loose like that, but she had a feeling that the brute could take it, and give it back besides. It wouldn't do him much good against her, but she didn't especially feel like giving him the chance against any of her teammates.

Just straight up punching him in the face, Power Attack -2/+2, the invisibility hopefully means he's surprised.

With Katie's bonus: [roll0] vs. Toughness DC 25.

Statistically worth the use of a luck reroll. To the OOC thread!

Final result was a 31, but not due to a nat 20. Should still be quite sufficient, though.

Side note: Assume she'll be Interposing for any relevant attacks.

[SuperCracker]

Ronin


"He din't, but I've died before, lad. It didn't take. No pearly gates for ol' Balor!"

“That's not where you're going. Think hotter…” Fred’s baritone voice had that extra edge to it, making no effort to hide his killing intent. Not with someone like O’Herlihy, who had crossed lines both moral and supernatural. Fred watched as the Stewards threw themselves at the Ogre. He waited for an opening, observing the Ogre’s reflexes, or lack thereof so far. Once he saw it… he sprang out from where he’d been standing, speeding forward so quickly that his body was leaning ahead. Katie’s magic, the spirit of hope and inspiration, supercharged his changeling prowess for just a moment.

As Fred passed the Ogre, he released his blade from its sheath with such ferocity that the radiant shine of Starsoul looked more like the flash of a lightsaber. He tucked and rolled back behind the giant, delivering two more powerful cuts to the rear of his leg. Battojutsu at work.

Fred leaped backwards, putting some distance between himself and the Ogre. Ms. Murdoch was burning, so he’d let her take the creature’s immediate wrath.

28 attack vs. his parry. DC 23 damage + Multi-Attack of +2/+5.
Penetrating 5 if it matters.

[Red_Jenny]

"You? Ah, you're just a little slip of a thing, lass. She needs a real man!" O'Herlihy spreads his arms and stands still as Suki zips around him like an angry wasp, which proves to be a mistake. The speedster's strikes have some spark behind them, and the electricity arcing through his body makes the big man howl. "Damnaigh!"

*Whump* Balor's head snaps forward violently as Phoebe appears out of thin air and hits the ogre with all her might. The man simply turns and smiles at her. "Dia duit, lass! Join the party!"

A punch is one thing, a salvo of spikes to the nether regions another entirely. Balor roars as Mauser connects, stumbling back and batting furiously at the smoking remnants of his pants, but when the smoke clears, the monster remains unharmed. "Don't be doing tha', kitten. I'll be needin' pliers to get those out!"

The brute grabs at Fred as the swordsman slashes and rolls past, coming up with nothing but air. Starsoul, on the other hand, finds purchase. They're not deep cuts, but the red lines begin to weep as Ronin dashes away, having drawn first blood.

Balor wheels around, surveying the heroes. His eyes land on Mauser. "Right then, kitty cat! You're first! Time to play kick the can!" The giant rumbles forward, delivering a blow that might have torn the armor in half - had it actually connected with Mauser. There's a flash of red, and Balor's foot rebounds harmlessly off of Burnout's forcefield instead.

Balor soaks Phoebe and Mauser's strikes, but takes a hit from both Ronin and Suki. Dice are odd.

He makes a standard attack against Mauser, and hits. Burnout Interposes successfully and takes no damage.

Sparrow and Dr. Cutler are up!

[The_Snark]

There's something profoundly irritating about Balor's attitude. Not just the leering and the diminutives (although those are annoying too), but the way he's enjoying the banter the others toss at him. Dr. Cutler has the distinct impression that if she tossed off a really good one-liner, he'd appreciate it, maybe return fire with one of his own. Which would be fine if they were dealing with the Thieves' Guild, or other such clowns, but laughing along with a rampaging murderer was just not on.

Oh, well. She sets her raygun to ZAP!, dials the power up to eleven and fires, sending an orange bolt sizzling towards Balor. A second later she keys up her jetpack, swooping away and behind a building to shield her from possible retaliation.

Attacking with Zap Ray! Power Attacking for -2/+2, and throwing in All-out Attack for -5/+5 as well, why not.

[roll0]

On a hit, DC 25 Toughness vs damage and DC 20 Fortitude versus Affliction; failure means being Impaired, or Disabled if he fails by 2 degrees or more.

[Tar Palantir]

Sparrow bristles at his taunts, but maintains her cool and returns fire, "I guess after Mauser's little tickle, you no longer qualify." She goes all out, sending a heavy two-handed blow into the side of his jaw like she's swinging for the bleachers. "And I doubt you'll be able to make up for it with your oral game, now."

Power Attack for 5, All-Out for 2, DC27 Toughness if it connects: [roll0]

[Lost Demiurge]

"Hmf! You can take a beating, give you that. Good thing I loaded extra shotts!" Mauser dances back, somersaults over Phoebe, and slashes at Balor again.

"After all, vhat sort uff hero vould I be if I could not giff you paws?"

WHUMPF!

[roll0] to continue der beating.


BLAM!

Kccccchhhhhhunnnnk

That's another paw down, and as he rolls away, that's another paw grinding into place at the end of his leg...

[Quellian-dyrae]

He's not taking us seriously at all.

The thought was...a little unnerving, but Katie shook the worry away. No. They were the Stewards of Freedom! If he didn't think they were a legitimate threat, that was foolhardy overconfidence on his part, nothing more!

Katie swooped in, landing beside Beacon as her Helping Hand floated up to her right. An idea had come to mind. But first, she had a job to do.

Wand in hand, she lunged forward, channeling her power through the device in a flash of potent abjuration. Katie may have been best known for her buffs, but she could strip the powers of her foes just as easily as she could augment those of her friends. "Let's see how confident you are without any fairy magic!" she challenged.

Move: Fly over to land beside Beacon.

Free: Swap Flying Hand to Healing Hand.

Standard: Attack with Counterspell, All Out Attack for 2, Power Attack for 5, at [roll0]. On a hit, all of his [Magic] powers are subject to a Nullify at [roll1] 25 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19260424&postcount=196).

If the Counterspell fails, Will vs. the Side Effect (DC 16) at [roll2].

Current Status: -2 Defense this turn.

[SuperCracker]

Ronin

He was tough. Shrugging off attacks right and left. Even Starsoul barely broke the skin. But it did. He was bleeding. If it bleeds, it can die. He sheathed Starsoul as he watched Ms. Murdoch intervene and take the blow for the mecha cat. He decided that he would take a gamble and put his faith in her for a moment. Fred jumped into the air, springing left and right off of the air like he was Jackie Chan rebounding his way up a pair of invisible walls. As Fred reached a height parallel to Balor’s shoulders, he jumped forward, unleashing another battojutsu attack. He left himself open, placing as much power as his muscles could muster into the attack. He was aiming for the base of Balor’s spine.

After delivering his attack, Fred’s body spun, his right foot planting onto the giant’s shoulder-blade. Fred kicked off of the giant, backflipping and landing in mid-air a few feet back, the soft glow of aether beneath his feet.

"It's like chopping down a tree, boss! A big, stupid, ugly murderer tree!" The Sword was getting excited again, clearly.

It was a good thing he was focused in his Battle Fury… made Mauser’s painful puns easier to ignore.

23 to attack him. If it will miss, I’ll totally hero point it.
DC 27 + Multi-Attack damage on a hit.

Currently at -5 defenses.

[OrganicEvil]

Phoebe smiled grimly as O'Helirhy's foot connected harmlessly with her field. All she felt, aside from the growing tingle of the burn, was a soft burst of pressure, like someone blowing air at her. During her assessment by AEGIS, some of the doctors had tried to find the amount of force required to knock her back a step; those tests were ultimately deemed inconclusive when the scientists were denied permission to requisition a MOAB to launch at her, and Balor, destructive as he was, was not in that league. "That was cute," Phoebe said. "Now, my turn..." Phoebe drew back her foot, aiming for... Well, if he was going to get hurt anywhere... She'd feel bad about it later. Maybe. Probably not.

Hero Point spent to buy off the first round of fatigue.

All-Out, Power Attack: [roll0] DC 27

Nat 20. Guaranted hit, and if a 26 hits normally, that's a final Toughness DC of 32.