[IC] Halcyon Chronicles-Masks

[CoreBrute23]

Issue 1 of Halcyon Chronicles

“Hey there viewers, this is Halcyon Chronicles reporter Chand Panda, that’s Paan like the food, not like the cooking implement. I’m talking to you via my cellphone,” the image of the rotund Indian man in the camera shakes slightly. “Live from Hōgyokujū Gems, a specialty jewellery store at the Halcyon strip mall where I was going to get a certain…well that’s not important. What’s important is-“ there is a loud crash out of sight and the man winces.

“It’s just been attacked by a man made of bronze.” The camera moves and shows a large bronze man towering over the cashier. There’s shattered glass and tossed jewellery from where the bronze man has shattered two display counters.

“Chalco will not ask again.” The statue speaks in a low grating voice, as if each word requires immense effort. “Give me the gem.”

“I’m telling you, I don’t know which gem you mean!” The cashier, a young dark skinned teen with bright green hair and a nose ring says nervously. The camera shifts back to the reporter Chand’s face.

“As you can see, we’re both trapped in here with the bronze man. I can only hope a group of heroes are on their way.” There’s another loud crash behind him. “Quickly on their way. Very quickly.”

Thankfully a group of heroes did just happen to be near the robbery. What were you doing at or near the strip mall on a Saturday afternoon? And what are you doing now?

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5

Halfway down the mall, Liz sighs, then knocks back the last of the Starbucks she was nursing. After all, it wasn't like her friends would be coming any more. In her experience, people tended to avoid sites of supervillain attacks. Dropping the disposable cup in a rubbish bin, she slides off her seat and scurries across the floor, slipping into a nearby bathroom. Rooting around in the bottom of her backpack, Liz extracts the leather jacket and a few odd and ends.

Slipping off her own, butter-cup yellow down jacket, and sliding on the dour brown replacement, Liz zips it up to cover her sky-blue shirt, and pulls on what appear to be heavily modified gardening gloves. An elastic tie is extracted from one pocket, and her hair done up in a messy bun, which is promptly covered with a hood and mask. She grimaces, rolls her shoulders back, and lets the change flow. The world twists, curling over into itself, and Liz snarls as a wave of smells hit her nose. Silently cursing her decision to change in a toilet, Fenris stalks out, sneakers moving silently across the tiles.

She hunkers down beside a pillar, watching the scene through squinty eyes. Chalco is metallic, and thoroughly uninteresting, but the retail assistant - well, she can smell the fear from here. A wave of anger, hunger, rip-cut-tear-eat, comes rolling over her, and she forces the change down with a grunt. Tearing her eyes away, she looks around the mall, looking for the rest of the team.

[The_Specialist]

Justicar, the Protégé
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5

One part of him was suddenly relieved that he had allowed himself to be talked into paying a visit to the mall with the troublemaker, having not been particularly enthused originally about the idea of shopping, with or without Answer. His team mate had insisted they find something to make the base less austere, as the minimalism was apparently unbearable to the taste of some. One part of him however, remained annoyed with the entire situation. Now Answer would likely hold it over his head, on how this had been such a great idea, look how it now meant they were nearby to help!

"You’ve got to be kidding me..." Max let out an irritated sigh when he heard the first crash, glancing towards Answer with a hint of exasperation already apparent. "Let’s see what’s what..." With a jerk of his head, he beckoned his team mate along as he made haste towards the origin of the sound.

Reaching under the collar of his jacket, he pulled the hood of his hoodie beneath up and over his head, before sliding out a thin mask over his face. It had a similar appearance to the faceplate of his helmet, but could more easily be stashed in his jacket. The next item to be pulled free from inside the front of his jacket this time was a short metal staff, waiting to expand into his warhammer with the right gesture.

"...Text the others, looks like trouble..." Justicar whispered towards Answer (almost certainly the faster typer) as they grew closer and glimpsed a strange bronzed figure inside the jewelry store. Two fingers lifted towards the side of his head and then sharply outwards in the semblance of a salute, should Fenris catch his gaze.

[Sahe]

Goblin Girl, the Transformed
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5

Riley left the changing booth with some hesitation. The black dress with the low cut back was reasonably elegant and something she would've worn to a movie premiere before her transformation. Well with difference that it would've been some exquisite designer designer dress for an outrageous price and not something ready-made like this. She turned to Answer slowly span around so he could see her from all sides. "How do I look?", she asked, knowing full well she looked ridiculous and felt very exposed. It was like she her new body straight up refused to look elegant in just about anything and stuff that had looked great on her before now was just...terrible, even if you didn't account for the ugly spots on her skin, the messy hair she had attempted to tame by getting dreads or the tusks. "Ghaaaa! This is stupid!", Riley exclaimed and was about to storm back into the changing booth, but stopped when she picked up strange sounds from afar, making her ears twitch. "Something's going on out there...an attack on a jewelry store...I guess we should help."

Glad for the distraction and hopefully someone she could vent her frustration at she took off running towards the trouble...or more like attempted to, because the dress really wasn't made for that. She managed to take a total of two steps before she ungracefully faceplanted. "You'll go on ahead, I'll catch up once I'm out of this stupid thing", she said to the others and didn't waste time by first going back to the changing booth before changing out of it. Once she was done, she didn't waste time either getting back into her sweatpants and hoodie and instead ran after the others. While she ran her legs morphed and changed, elongating and resembling the hind legs of many quadruped creatures giving her more power and speed making it easy to catch up to Answer and Justicar.

[Razade]

Answer
Conditions: None
Potential: None

Varian was, for what it was worth, having the time of his life. One had to take pleasure in the simple things and while juggling a grumpy Max and a frustrated Goblin Girl was probably not the most fun he could be having on a given day at the mall, he was among friends...a friend...maybe...and that was all that mattered. "You look extraordinary. Why, looking back to your old self one might argue. Not me, I wouldn't argue that but someone might." he comments, taking the moment to appraise Goblin Girl's most recent choice from the limited selection of the no doubt plebeian wares. No doubt he'd spun some half baked excuse to Max on the importance of team moral to get them in the clothing store in the first place.

Of course he couldn't soak in their displeasure for long as both seemed to catch some trouble brewing and the day which had been so promising before was suddenly taking a turn. With a sigh he whipped out his phone and shot a quick message to the other three.


Seems we've a spot of trouble at the mall. Probably won't miss it. Princess and The Boss are likely to make a scene.

He only gives a nod back to Goblin Girl as he strides out into the mall proper. "Oi! Tall, dim and looking like a cheap dime store display! Over here!" With a flourish of his hands, Answer dug deep. Using the Rune and his own mana was like taking a drink from a cold fountain, crisp and refreshing. With another draw several large boulders rose from the ground, breaking the tile floor and causing a few pipes beneath the floors to burst. They sailed at the bronze man, Varian not taking too much care for how damaged the store front got. The point was to distract and, hopefully, do some damage to the villain.

Time for the first roll. Going to roll a Directly Engage with our good friend here.

[roll0]


Welp! Going to take Resist/Avoid blows since I am at range and Create an Opportunity for my Allies.

[Awful]

Forgeheart
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5

Clothes shopping.

It wasn't normally what Tabitha Fawkesbury, more commonly known these days as Forgeheart, did. Of course, she hadn't really had the chance over the past few years, being hospitalised and then... yeah.

Not really any chances.

Tabitha didn't quite fit in in her scuffed hoody and bulky cargo trousers. She wasn't overly sure why she tried to hide the glow through the skin of her arms and legs, considering how Riley was somewhat distinguishable from the common girl, but hell. Nothing wrong with being different, right? As Riley left the changing room, Forgeheart gave her a thumbs up, only to look around as crashing was heard.

She paused only to pull out a scarf and tug it on over her face. Who'd ever be able to work it was her now?! No one, surely. Heh.

"Right, see you there," she called in response to Gobbers and jogged out to meet the foe.

Within her, molten metal began to beat.

Oh, it was him. She glanced around for █████, but Answer had already begun the fight, really. There was an opportunity, there, while the bronze-skinned man was focused on her rather irritating companion. She grinned.


Will give an actual action once I learn how made opportunities as above by Answer affect things.

[rooster707]

Fadeout
Conditions: None

Julia was in a bookstore, half-heartedly picking through the clearance shelf, when she got Varian’s message. Finally. She’d bought everything she needed more than an hour ago; since then she had just been wandering around waiting for the others to finish. Still, that was better than sitting around at the base all day.

She hid her bags behind the bookshelf and stepped outside, activating her suit as she searched for the source of the disturbance. The nanites in the air nearby began to coalesce, merging with the ones making up her clothes and forming into armor plates that clicked into place around her as she took off towards the others.

[CoreBrute23]

Several rocks crash through the front of the store, causing incredible damage before breaking into rubble on Chalco's back. The bronze man turned around to face the man who had assaulted him.

"Chalco not cheap looking." Chalco started to charge out the store, leaving cracks in the ground with every step. "Chalco beautiful!" He roared as he charged at Answer.

[Chalco marked Angry. The opportunity is that Chalco is no longer in the store, so the team has the opportunity to attack without worrying about damaging the store or endangering the civilians.]

Inside the store, the cashier and the reporter are hiding, as they narrowly avoided being struck by Answer's flurry of rocks. However, Chalco's heavy footsteps and the structural damage causes the roof to start to creak. If nothing is done, the two civilians (that you can see) are going to be crushed by the collapsing roof.

What do you do?

[Awful]

Forgeheart
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5

"Rescue the civvies! I'm going in!" Forgeheart called to her teammates before tensing her legs.

A single bound cratered the ground under her as she propelled herself towards the bronze colossus. Air whistled past and her mouth stretched into a grin.
"Hey, Chalcoooo!" she roared as she hurled through the air, colliding with the metal man like two mountains crashing. Her leg flared white hot as she used his face as a springboard to flip backwards, landing with an impact that cracked the tiles. She unleashed a flurry of blows, the anvil-crashes of her fists impacting echoing through the mall even as he swung back, sparks rising as she deflected each blow or simply took it without flinching. She landed a kick to his chest that sent him staggering back a step.

"You couldn't beat me before, tinheap! Not gonna happen now, either! Come on!"




Roll to directly engage a threat in OOC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?559512-Halcyon-Chronicles-A-Masks-Story-OOC-Thread&p=23125066#post23125066) got 12:
So the options to choose are to avoid enemy blows and frighten the opposition

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: None
Potential: 1/5

The inherent problem with sharing a team with a geokinetic, Fenris realises as she crosses the floor, is that it makes it rather hard to run. The ground shifts and grumbles underfoot, making each step a difficult balancing game. Rapidly circling around Chalco, she moves in, claws sliding out from underneath her gloves, only to see, and, more importantly, hear Forgeheart slam into him.

Shaking her head to dislodge the thunderous ringing in her ears, and regretting her advanced hearing, Fenris turns, scurrying behind Chalco and towards the cashier. Who still, quite frankly, looks edible, the reporter even more so, even as Fenris vaults the counter-top, claws crunching into the soft wood. Suddenly realising that her hands are basically just a set of razor sharp steak knives, she crouches down behind the counter, revising her plan to grab them and go.

Looking up at the teetering beams and creaking metalwork of the ceiling, Fenris lets the first thought that springs to mind drop from her mouth, sounding faintly surprised by how mind-bogglingly bad this idea even was.

"Oh crap..."

Coming back to herself slightly, she seizes the wooden countertop, tearing it free from its housings with a loud screech, and braces it against the oncoming collapse. Looking around, she yells at the civilians, trying to get them to move.

"Don't just stand there - run!"

This is a terrible idea, but I'm going to do it anyway. Fenris will try and defend someone, by holding up the roof long enough for them to escape.

[roll0]

Let's get hit by a ceiling! Yay...

[CoreBrute23]

As you strike Chalco repeatedly he just stares at you awestruck, not striking you once. When you kick him hard, you cause him to wince as he steps back, before keeling over. He then looks up at you.

"Forgeheart!" He says with wonder. "Chalco missed you so much! █████ missed you too!" He then glances around and yells. "What do I do █████? Do I fight Forgeheart? She's our friend!"

You don't get to pick afraid. I get to decide if he's impressed, frightened or surprised. I pick surprised. He's also marked Insecure from your attack.

Fenris, you try to hold the ceiling up, and you do so long enough for the two civilians to escape, unfortunately, the ceiling gives out and collapses on you, crushing you under it's weight.

Roll to take a terrible blow.

[rooster707]

Fadeout
Conditions: None

Fadeout felt a momentary surge of panic as Fenris disappeared beneath the rubble, which she quickly suppressed. She’ll be fine, you idiot. Help the others. She stepped up beside Forgeheart and reached out across the multiverse, searching for something to use as a weapon. What appeared to be an automatic rifle dropped into her hands, and she flicked the safety off and leveled it at the bronze man’s head. “Stay down.”

Trying to provoke Chalco into surrendering. [roll0]

Edit: Ooh, so close. Shoulda just shot him, I guess. :smalltongue:

[The_Specialist]

Justicar
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5

Some part of him winced at the overly destructive first volley, but there was no time to waste on annoyance, things unfolding far too rapidly. In just a few short moments already the store was on the brink of collapse, with civilians and a team mate at risk. At the least, the showy attack had drawn Chalco out of the store and away from the two bystanders, while Forgeheart’s appearance was definitely keeping him busy.

"Keep him busy! And away from civilians!” Justicar shouted to Answer as he began to bolt towards the store entrance. "Riley! Can you restrain this a**hole or something?” He still wasn’t entirely sure the full capabilities the once movie star had at her disposal, but he knew she could shift in some fairly crazy ways and trusted her creativity. Fade- ..well, Fadeout had a gun. That was probably good enough.

Justicar made it to the door in time to find the civilians escaping, pushing the reporter and clerk both in the opposite direction of trouble "Go! That way! Evacuate anyone else you find! Oh sh--! Fen!!” His blood ran cold as the ceiling began to collapse on top of his team mate in front of his eyes, a string of more colourful language muted by the clatter.

"Hold on, man!” Leaping into action, he stowed the haft of his hammer in favour of simply ripping through the rubble with his hands, taking advantage of his strength to try and help throw away the pieces and dig Fenris back out. "Come on...”

[roll0] to Comfort or Support and help ol' Fenris out of the rubble...

[Sahe]

Riley was a bit overwhelmed unsure what to do? Help Forgeheart whose hits onto Chalco rang painfully in her ears or Fenris who had just been buried under rubble? She would be fine...right? She was tough and Justicar was already on her way to help her out of it and also calling her to action. Frankly, Riley had been a bit reluctant. She looked like a freak already, but when she used her powers, things just got progressively worse. But she couldn't hold back on super heroics because she was embarrassed and ashamed, people where in danger!

So she took a few steps towards Chalko and let a set of four tentacles grow forth from her back, letting them snake their way towards the attacker and wrapping around him like constrictor snakes, all the while her feet shifted into claws that dug into the ground to give her better stance.


I rolled an 8 on my engage.
And I'm trying to take his movement away.

[Razade]

Answer
Conditions: Angry
Potential:

Answer watched from the safe distance he tries to keep with all giant men made out of metal. The team...well. They were the team. Buildings seemed more of a threat than the bronze man however and for no small reason his fault on that. He'd apologize but it wasn't his fault a city filled with superheroes couldn't build a mall to withstand the occasional bit of combat. With another flourish he drew a web of earthen spires around Chalco and with another movement of his hands drew them close to keep the terrain as rough and difficult to pass as possible. The thing couldn't hit anyone if he was busy clearing a forest of rock out of his way.

Think that should count as an Unleash as I'm trying to reshape the terrain and make it more difficult for him to move. If that counts more as a Directly Engage I'd have hit as well and I'd take "Take their movement". I marked Angry to keep the terrain shaping permanent.

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: Afraid, Hopeless
Potential: 1/5

It takes an unpleasantly long time for a building to collapse. The weight of the ceiling bends the ply countertop inwards, bowing it for just long enough that terror starts to seep into her bones, then smashing it too pieces with almost casual force. The weight of the steel and concrete comes rolling over like a wave, and she struggles to stay upright, clawing wildly towards the light. The debris sweeps over her anyway, and for one terrifying moment she can't move.

The changes comes a second later, the undertow to the current, and Liz snarls as steel bends, tearing herself free. Her body flexes and twists and for a moment she is more scared of going all the way, even as Justicar's face appears in front of her. Half-stepping, half falling forward, Fenris curls over on the floor, shaking uncontrollably. A volley of short, pained grunts emerge as she rolls over front, painfully rising from the floor.

I'm going to mark two conditions, afraid and hopeless. I remember Earthquakes being kinda scary when I was a teen, and I wasn't in a building that fell down.

[CoreBrute23]

Alright it seems Justicar has been nominated Team leader.

So starting total is 2.
Justicar does not have influence over all the PCs, so no extra point is given.
Does everyone has the same purpose in the fight...seems no. Some purpose is rescuing civilians, others are fighting Chalco, and given at least one person endangered civilians engaging Chalco, they do not have equal priority. So no extra point is given.

Now for the subtractions.

Does anyone mistrust Justicar? From the initial opinions, it seems at least Answer and Fenris don't completely trust him. So it seems 1 point will be subtracted. *

Is the team ill-prepared and off balanced? I'm gonna say yeah, no one expected this. So another -1.*

*Just a reminder, the leader 'Justicar' can choose to take a condition instead of substracting a point from the team pool. He could take 2 conditions and preserve 2 points, or 1 condition to save one, or none and have a pool of zero. It's up to him.

EDIT: Because of the captain move, Justicar adds 1 to the teampool for free. So there is 1 in the pool already.

Fadeout

As you hold the weapon, Chalco turns to look at the weapon head on.

"I like your doggy." He says, looking at your weapon. Then you realise your weapon isn't a normal automatic rifle. It's bio-organic and looks very evil.
https://i.imgur.com/AHCmFm4.jpg?1
Then it starts to shift in your hand. Twisting and jutting, before it leaps out of your hands, hissing at you, as it rears on four legs. The creature's mouth has more teeth than a shark, and it's tail has the end of the rifle pointing at you. It's about the size of a Great Dane.
http://news.toyark.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/04/Alien-3-Koto-Dog-Alien-Statue-001-928x483.jpg
The creature snarls at you, before it runs off, chasing after the civilians-it's new prey.

Justicar

You eventually manage to pull the rocks aside, freeing Fenris, who cowers on the floor. He seems to have gone into shock, perhaps traumatised from being trapped under the falling roof. Seeing your friend hurt like that, when you could have done something-it hurts you.

Mark the Guilty condition.

Goblin Girl

You manage to constrict Chalco, but as you do, it pulls hard on your restraints. And it hurts! Chalco is strong, and despite you spreading yourself among 4 tentacles, it feels like he's going to rip you apart. You're barely able to hold him steady, until finally his grip weakens.
He takes a third condition and is taken out of the conflict. You also need to mark a condition though for trading blows.

Answer
You're able to surround Chalco with stone, making sure he can't get out of there, but it looks like the fight has left him. However, the alien dog Fadeout summoned was not captured by the rocks, easily leaping to freedom, and heading straight for civilians.


The civilians scream in panic, scattering, but the creature is fast.

What do you all do?

[The_Specialist]

Justicar
Conditions: Guilty, Angry
Potential: 1/5

"Fen!” As soon as he saw the familiar albeit now dust-caked mask of Fenris, he felt at least some modicum of relief. Not nearly enough to assuage the feeling of intense guilt at not being fast enough to have got the other out in the first place of course. A gloved hand caught at Fenris’ shoulder, helping pull the other teen a little further from the pile. "Sh*t... are you alright...?” His chest tightened with deepening guilt hearing the pain and feeling the shock in the way that Fenris began shaking.

Awkwardly tearing his jacket off, the haft of his hammer clattered to the floor as he threw his own garment around Fenris’ (admittedly now much broader) shoulders. Something in the back of his mind about shock victims needing to be kept warm. "I got you... We got you... s’ok.”

Glancing over his shoulder quickly it seemed as though the team had Chalco under wraps, somewhat literally. That moment of relief and faint pride was fleeting at best, shattered by the sudden screams of civilians, as... something leapt over the rocks and bolted after the easy meals.

"What the h*ll is that?! Fade, Answer, don’t let that thing escape! Forge, is that brick down for the count? Riley, you good?” He struggled to try and wrap his head around the situation as it rapidly seemed to be getting out of control.

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: Afraid, Hopeless
Potential: 1/5

"Don't touch me!"

Deep down Fenris knows that this is freaking Justicar out, and, if this the wolf was slightly less hungry-angry-sad-rip-kill-eat-run something would probably be done about it, but now is not the time for people to be touching. Skin pulses and twist against the heat of the other's hands, rolling and curling. Fenris feels hairs stand up, twisting around and forming into a thick mat of fur.

Standing bent over, arms shaking and spine curling of its own accord, breath catching raggedly for a moment, the wolf rises, before, painfully slowly, fading. Straightening up, Fenris coughs heavily into the mask, feeling plaster dust coat the inside of the leather. Turning with an unpleasant sinking feeling to Justicar, not really wishing to see whatever he might be thinking, the young hero hands the jacket back, seeming to shrink into themselves. As the aftershock fades Fenris collapses into themself, going from much taller than the male hero to a few inches shorter.

"Sorry - I was worried I was going to you know..." The hero trails off, wondering how to politely say 'hulk out and try and murder you'.

No move this time, this is just for fluff. I'll drop a real move soon, probably, depending on what other chars do.

Also, remembering to switch from female to gender neutral pronouns as she puts on the mask is hard. Net time I'll hopefully remember slightly earlier :smallredface:

[Razade]

Answer
Conditions: Angry
Potential:

Answer didn't have much time to comment on why he was totally not down with pulling things from the ether, a rabid dog like thing seeming a pretty good foundation for a point none the less, before said good foundation went and started terrorizing yet more civilians. Dropping a building here or there was certainly on the docket but a rabid monster beast would probably do a lot more damage and a lot more lasting damage if left to run free. Which was why he thanked his lucky stars he was still at range. "Can we not add to the problems for a change please? I'm on the monster puppy." Came Answer's only real plea. Was it so hard not to pervert a perfectly good timeline with random time travel shennanigans. Soon enough he'd be his own grandpa. Dashing after the beast, Answer lifted some rubble from the collapsed floor and began hurling it at the monster, the large boulders breaking apart and firing like a machine gun at the creature's legs.

Rolled a 13. So going to take

Avoid/Resist their Blows since again...not in range to really get hurt.
Going to take something from the monster: It's movement as I aim to break its legs.

[Sahe]

Goblin Girl, the Transformed
Conditions: Afraid
Potential: 1/5


Chalco fought back against her grip and how he did! For a short moment Riley thought he would rip the tentacles straight from her back and she panicked, almost releasing him. But she kept going and pushing against him until the bronze man gave up and went limp. Answer sealed the deal by trapping him in a stone prison and Goblin Girl let her sore tentacles slither away from him, resting and twitching behind her back like snakes.

Taking a deep breath, Riley thought it was over but then a beast that she could only describe as a space dog for lack of a better term, darted past her, going after some civilians. For a moment Riley just stood there, dumbfounded, not really believing what she had just seen, then she sprang into action, chasing after the weird thing before it could do any harm. Using her tentacles and her transformed legs, she managed to close the distance between them. Suddenly a flurry of rocks flew past her smashing into the legs of the extradimensional breaking it's legs with a crack and causing it to tumble several feet while it winced and howled in pain.

Riley stopped her wild chase a short distance away from the hurt beast and felt sympathy for it. Sure it was ugly, but so was she. To her it looked scared and in pain. Riley sat down, trying to appear non threatening to the little monster that was now hissing at her and reached out with a tentacle to an overturned Thai food cart not too far from her grabbing some meat and slowly moving it towards the alien, carefully dropping the food half a feet away from it while humming, what she hoped was a soothing melody.


I'm marking Afraid from Chalco

Also rolling to determine if I can calm down and befriend the space doggie. Not sure if that is a Comfort/Support, Provoke or Defend. I'll just roll my worst of the 3 to be on the safe side for now.

Normal Comfort/Support, because Goblin Girl doesn't envy little space doggie with the broken legs.

[roll0]

[CoreBrute23]

Answer's attack brings down the dog, there's an audible shatter of bone being hit by stone that seems to cripple it. It winced and howled in pain, much like a real dog, as it collapses on the floor.

The alien dog is not a threat to anyone anymore.

As Goblin Girl goes up to the creature, it's head turns to face her, seemingly able to gauge her position despite it's lack of eyes. As you drop the food near it, it drags it's body towards the thai food, and devours it. Then it stops and turns it's head back to Goblin Girl. It then struggles towards you, it's movements clearly in pain. Unconciously, one of your tentacles reach out to the creature.

It stops, stares at the tentacle with it's teeth...and then starts nuzzling your tentacle with it's bulbous head.

This alien dog loves you, and you can't stop your self from caring about it. The alien dog now has influence over you. Feel free to name it.

Combat appears to be over.

Everyone

Chand Panda, the reporter who narrowly escaped the collapsing jewlery store approaches those of you who are outside, still with his camera recording.

"Hey, thanks for saving me back there...sort of. In your own way." He offers his hand to Forgeheart. "Chand Panda, reporter the Halcyon Chronicles." He also shakes hands with anyone else whose nearby.

"So, uh, what are you gonna do about the Bronze guy? And the...gun dog?" He asks.

Goblin Girl, is Halcyon Chronicles one of the media outlets owned by your parents? or is it independent?

[rooster707]

Fadeout
Conditions: None
Potential: 1/5

“S***!” Julia blurted out, spinning to watch the “gun” as it runs away. She hesitated for a brief moment - if she summoned something else she could hit it from here - was it worth the risk? But before she could decide, Answer had already sprung into action, taking the thing down with another hail of debris. The others seemed to have that handled, so instead she stayed behind to keep an eye on Chalco.

[CoreBrute23]

Fadeout

Chalco just stares off in the distance, his head tilted to the side as if he's trying to hear something. Or is listening to something. But you can't hear anything and you're right next to him.

[Awful]

Forgeheart
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5

Forgeheart accepted the handshake, carefully moderating her strength to avoid pulping the man's hand.
"All in a day's work, citizen!" She grinned as she said the cheesy line. "That said... I have no idea what's going on with the gun... dog... thing.

We've got Chalco pretty well trapped, so he can stick around until the authorities come grab 'im. I have a feeling someone else is snooping around, though. I'd recommend you clear out, yeah?"
She walked over to Chalco, looking down on him with a scowl before looking around. The invincible teenager crossed her arms.
"Heads up, everyone. Likely there's still another one about." She raised her voice. "...You skulking about, █████?" she spoke into the air, waiting for a reply. God, she'd look dumb if he-she-it wasn't about or wanting to talk.

[Sahe]

Goblin Girl, the Transformed
Conditions: Afraid
Potential: 1/5

That didn't went exactly as Riley had planned but at least it didn't end up with the little monster biting down on her face either. In fact when Riley saw the little thing struggle and nuzzle up against her one tentacle it her heart warmed. Her other tentacles reached out carefully picking up the poor thing and cradling it. It was ugly, possibly dangerous, but also sort of really cute...kinda like her. Now she only had to find a name and a way to heal the broken legs.

When suddenly the reporter addressed her, she was a bit startled giving the man a confused look before answering, "Her name's not gun dog...it's...uuuuhm...Gobbet...yeah...Gobbet and I'm gonna keep her", then she noticed that she was still running around in her undies. Not that there was much to see anymore, at least in her mind, but she got up anyway and went back to the shop with the dress to retrieve her clothes, still cradling Gobbet.

[The_Specialist]

Justicar
Conditions: Guilty, Angry
Potential: 1/5

Don’t touch me!

The logical part of his brain knew what was really happening, that it wasn't personal, that it was just a fear response. But the already guilty conscience twisted tighter as Justicar was quick to pull his hand away and take a step back. He didn’t smell like fear, at the least, perhaps a small comfort for Fenris. He struggled with the sense of futility and being unable to help, and it kept him near at hand even if obligingly unmoving.

Though his eyes could be seen through his own mask, they weren’t lifted to meet Fenris’ 'gaze' when his team mate finally turned towards him. It didn't seem to be intentionally evasive, rather that he'd become distracted with his own thoughts, perhaps, or was trying to give Fenris that tiny bit of privacy by not outright staring. He did look when the jacket was offered back to him, and there was still visible concern and a hint of guilt in his gaze, for some reason amplified as he found himself now looking down at Fenris rather than up. Awkwardly, he pulled the garment back over his own shoulders.

"I know..." He confirmed, so that Fenris wouldn't be stuck finding a more pleasant way of phrasing the danger he had potentially been in. "Sorry, I... wasn’t thinking." He added, but it still didn’t feel enough. A bit stiffly, he bent down to pick up the haft of his hammer, wishing for better words to miraculously form in those brief seconds as he did, but alas, Max was perhaps doomed to always be ineloquent. "I’m sorry I wasn’t... quicker, I was going to-..."

He was alerted by the sound of the reporter's voice just outside, unable to quell a swell of anger bubbling up as he glanced over to see the civilian moving closer to the only-just-restrained danger once more, still recording. Justicar shifted, placing himself between Chand and Fenris as he took a step through the doorway, just in case the reporter wanted to get too nosy and obnoxious. At least it seemed that Answer and Riley had made quick work of subduing the.... whatever that gun dog was, though he'd have to ask later about the fact that it was now being cradled like a baby by the latter.

Something about the way Chalco was spacing out rubbed Justicar the wrong way, and left him prickling with suspicion. Forgeheart's reaction seemed to confirm that feeling of unease was justified.

"Excuse me, sir...? Mister Panda?" His tone was just a little terse, but he was trying to be polite despite feeling tense and just a little annoyed. Stepping in, he reached to take Chand's hand, giving it a firm shake. "I need you to get to safety, I’m not sure the danger is done yet. Please continue to evacuate the area, and why don’t you use your phone to call the authorities for us? Thanks." His tone was firm, but as polite as he could manage, using the grip on the reporter’s hand to try and help gently guide the man in a direction away from Chalco and Gun Dog, using his other hand with the haft of his hammer to point away as well. He did pause to glance back over his shoulder at Fenris, however, his tone a bit softer as he managed to filter the annoyance out of it for his team mate. "Are you alright? I mean... will you be ok, till we can get you to the med bay...?"

Next he focused on Chalco, stepping up on the rocks so he could tap the bronzed figure’s head with the haft of his hammer. "Hey. What are you doing? Are you talking with someone? Who are you communicating with?" He demanded, no longer filtering the edge of irritation from his voice. "You know him, Forge? Who are we expecting?"

Following up on the ‘Assess the Situation’ roll I’m using my second question in regards to Chalco, with ‘What here is the biggest threat?’

[Razade]

Answer
Conditions: Angry
Potential:

Alien dogs and reporters were good distractions and while the fight seemed to have fizzled...and the concern that someone or something was still lurking about...Answer took the time to pad over to what was once a jewelry store. Not just to inspect the damage he'd done, it was always prudent to look at that sort of thing and make adjustments for the next fight, but because when no one was looking well...no one was going to miss a few sensible pieces of jewelry now were they? The Court should have called him Magpie honestly, even as he bent down to pick a necklace or two to stash in his pants, he couldn't help but eye the few more expensive pieces with envy. Shiny things were always a distraction. Justifying it was simple enough. Goblin Girl was going to need something to wear with that dress she was trying on earlier and it'd make a nice present to surprise her with. Everyone should have a little black dress, never know when you're going to have the social occasion to use it.

But there was another reason Answer went shifting and sifting through the rubble, using his powers to lift particularly large parts of concrete and rebar about. Chalco was looking for something. A giant bronze man didn't come to a shopping mall for no reason. Villains rarely did which made having a social life outside of the Court rather difficult. Point was if Chalco was looking for something here...it was bound to be here. Or a lead to where it was. So that was Answer's self appointed mission while Justicar and Forgeheart went to deal with Chalco and Goblin Girl kept the press busy. Where oh where was the lead and just what was this gem in the first place?

I don't know if that counts enough to clear Angry with Blowing Off Steam, but aiming to do so with it here. There's really no victim and if the pieces are under 500 bucks it's only petty larceny. Which is a misdemeanor.

Got a hit on the Unleash so...coolio

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: Afraid, Hopeless
Potential: 2/5

Fenris nods slowly, feeling the shaking finally shiver to a stand-still. They look about to say something, but instead just watch as Justicar walks away. A minute passes as the adrenalin rush dies, before the young hero shakes themselves and turns back to the action. Patting their ribs cautiously, they shrug in response to the other’s question.

“Don’t think so. Feels like I haven’t broken anything…”

They watch Answer amble past her, casually pilfering some jewellry from an overturned display case. Fenris pauses slowly, then shrugs again. With a stiff walk they stroll behind him, blocking his activities from the rest of the team’s sight.

“Don’t you think you ought to do that slightly less obviously?” Fenris asks quietly, carefully facing the other direction. “I mean, I don’t care, but Justicar just maybe might.” The sarcasm is probably a bit thick, the young hero concludes, attempting to lean back against a surviving pillar. Wincing as they are reminded of her bruises, Fenris bounces back off the concrete, regretting the choices that brought them here. There is a moments silence before they continue, trying to avoid another snippy remark.

“What do you want it all for, anyway? I hadn’t picked you as a necklace wearer.” Fenris shrugs a final time, looking around the scene as they wait for a response. Their head pops up at Forgeheart speaking to empty air, but they says nothing, being more interested in the conversation behind her, at least for the moment.

Not really a lot going on here, but I'm going to make a move for the kicks. Pierce the Mask on Answer:

[roll0]

Hah. Poor Fenris, poor, poor Fenris. Failing a move with their top stat...

[CoreBrute23]

Answer

You easily manage to put some low value jewlery in your pockets, and you don't believe your other team mates noticed...besides Fenris. [Clear a condition for blowing off steam]

You however have difficulty figuring out what gem you are looking for because Chalco was very vague about what he was looking for. Suddenly,

Thump. Thump.

It's a beating, and it's coming from your rune tattoo. You raise it and it thumps harder in a certain direction, just behind the wall safe, which has now fallen off because of the collapsed store. You go behind the safe, and your rune leads you to a small ornate box. Inside, you can sense the gem inside. It's not a Rune-or at least, not a true Rune-but it resonates with your True Rune. It's possible, with the help of your criminal connections, you could use whatever gem is in this box to find the other True Runes.

Do you take the box?

Fenris

As you turn to ask Answer a question, you suddenly feel intense pain in your eyes. You start crying instinctively, but as you feel your tears you discover they are metalic-like quicksilver but bronze.

Suddenly your head explodes in pain, as you feel your whole life flash before your eyes...and then suddenly parts of it disappear in front of you. What is your middle name? What kindergarden did you? What's you favorite ice cream? Slowly you feel your human memories vanish.

Roll to take a terrible blow.

Justicar
Your battle instincts are still heightened, your years of training and time on the street alerts you that the danger is not over. You glance to the possible causes. Chalco? No he's trapped and docile. The alien dog? No it's crippled and seems to no longer be hostile after being fed. But what's causing you to get so rattled?

Suddenly you turn around and see Fenris, and your heart pumps with fear. They are snarling, holding their head in pain. They seem...almost feral, like a wounded wolf. And for some reason, every instinct in you is screaming, Fenris is the biggest danger to you and the others.

Everyone

Chalco looks up and suddenly speaks.

"█████ has a message for you guys." He notes. "He said that if you do not release Chalco-that's me!- and give Chalco the Rune Gem, he will...." he seems to be struggling with the next words. "Er-ase you friend Fenris' memories of being a human. What does that mean?" Chalco wonders.

At that moment, you all hear Fenris snarling from in front of the jewlery store.

"She looks a bit scary." Chalco notes. "Good thing I'm safe in this rock cage."

Chand is shaking, but the phone is up in his hand as he slowly steps away.

What do you all do?

[Razade]

Answer
Conditions:
Potential:

"Fenris my dear, I don't know what you look like under that absolute stunner of a mask but I know what beats in your chest and it's not the heart of a lover." Answer tssks, making a very loud click with his tongue against his teeth. "Sometimes it's just nice to have things, sparkling things, and sometimes its nice to give things to others. Everyone deserves to have something pretty don't you think? I got something for you too, an apology for dropping a building on you. It seems I'm good at it." He couldn't help but chortle at the image of doing the same to Justicar even if he did feel guilty for it. "I've worn necklaces too. Would you like me to wear one?" Another image, not one that he wanted to recall, of a night at the bath house the Matron ran so close to High Town.

"Besides" he sighs, picking through more rubble. "It's really just a distraction. I'm looking for som..." and then it happened. The Rune so carefully etched onto his back pulsed and his heart sunk. Feet, moving on their own, brings him to his prize. It was...it was everything. A single step on a much larger staircase leading from years of toil. His hands, moving on their own, grabbed the box and held it close. Just to feel the rhythm of that beat, a drum that buzzed ever so good. It was like his body was cotton. But too soon the cold water of sobriety was plunged upon him as Fenris started to spew...well that was certainly not good. "Forgeheart!!" he shouted. This needed to be resolved and he needed to stash the box before the others saw it. How was he really going to apologize to Fenris if they lost the memory of the building dropping on them. Not that it was his first thought but the concern was there. "Where are they and how do we stop this?"

His eyes were already darting about, looking for a clue...any clue really...on how to put a stop to this all. Nothing was going to jeopardize this pick up. He'd drop the whole damn mall around them if he had to.

So, with a seven I get one pick. How do we end this quickly? My friend is puking up mercury and I want to get the box as far from here as possible. It's the logical question.

[Awful]

Forgeheart
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5


Justicar
Conditions: Guilty, Angry
Potential: 1/5

Next he focused on Chalco, stepping up on the rocks so he could tap the bronzed figure’s head with the haft of his hammer. "Hey. What are you doing? Are you talking with someone? Who are you communicating with?" He demanded, no longer filtering the edge of irritation from his voice. "You know him, Forge? Who are we expecting?"

"...Yeah," Forgeheart said finally. "Yeah I... do."
She looked away, uncomfortable. "Long story, alright? Not important. There's another, someone called-"

And then Chalco spoke, and Fenris snarled, and there wasn't time to talk.

She shut her eyes and focused, cutting out the growing growl of her lupine teammate and the concern of her other companions. █████ had to be close enough to do this. They'd always gone into the field with Tab, so they had to have some kind of limit of range. And if she was close... Forgeheart could find them. Would find them.

Her sense expanded out, feeling the pulsing heat of other living beings. She listened for the scuff of quiet footsteps with no feet to be seen to make them; she felt, with her soul, for the resonance of the other pieces of old carved-apart Xos.


11 in unleash powers to extend my senses.

[The_Specialist]

Justicar
Conditions: Guilty, Angry
Potential: 1/5

"Go!" He urged Chand again, waving the staff at him to try and herd him along. When his attention turned to Fenris, he felt his heart pounding suddenly. It was a jarring response, he'd grown used to Fenris' abilities after working together, and generally felt no innate fear of his team mate. But suddenly, they seemed to be behaving... almost wild, and he found all those natural alarm bells signalling in his head, adrenaline and instincts kicking back in. Why...?

"Rune Gem...? We don't have a Rune Gem..." His head snapped back to Chalco as the bronzed figure spoke, his teeth gritting as he juggled the uncomfortable anxiety of danger and uncertainty. He felt his blood boiling as the stakes and terms were revealed, the subtle groan of metal squeaking out as his fingers tightened around the haft of his hammer at those words. Er-ase you friend Fenris' memories of being a human.

"Oh you are not safe in that rock cage... not from me. And if anything happens to my friend, there isn't anywhere you or your friend will be safe, you read me?" Justicar uttered, his tone suddenly very even and articulate, low and metered, yet seeming to carry an invisible weight to each word. "You'd better hope your friend is willing to fight for you. Call them out. Where are they, Chalco? Where are they!" The volume of his voice rose steadily until he demanded the final command from the imprisoned figure, while swinging his arm with the metal haft out to the side and away from them, causing the weapon to expand fully into the warhammer.

Hazel eyes did dart momentarily to Forgeheart given her answer to his question, though unfortunately Justicar was no longer in the appropriate mind set to catch onto the discomfort nor try to comfort. "It sort of seems important. Fenris is in danger. Find them!" His tone was a little harsh, yes, but time was of the essence in his mind. He could be argumentative, certainly, though his motives were not cruel.

Rolling to try and Provoke Chalco to give up his friend's location... [roll0]

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: Afraid, Hopeless
Potential: 2/5

'I've been poisoned...'

Fenris is aware that they ought to be panicking. No, they ought to screaming and crapping themselves, panicking not quite covering the gravity of the situation. But the air is warm and thick, like water at the beach, the beach that she can no longer remember, except for the echo of waves on sand. They take a faltering step, with limbs that are like putty, then fall limply.

Halfway through the arc of their descent their mouth opens, shaping around the word that seems most appropriate, albeit understated, to the situation.

"Bollocks."

With that final comment, Fenris impacts the ground with a clatter, lying sprawled in the dust and detritus of the shattered storefront. Face first and unmoving, they slump, a trickle of brassy mercury spilling out from the slits of their mask and pooling on the tiled floor.

As per the OOC, Fenris is passing out. She's had a terrible, no good, very bad day, and this is just icing on the cup-cake. Hope someone brings her back soon, so I don't have to sit too much out.

[CoreBrute23]

Answer
Your mind goes in a blur as you think the fastest way to solve the problem.

If you cared about Fenris above all, the fastest way would be to give the Gem Rune to Chalco and let him go. Then Fenris would not be in danger any more. But you don't care about Fenris that much.

If you didn't care about Fenris at all, the fastest solution is trap them in rock and then run out the back store. You could tunnel out of there with your powers, and finally take that first step with the Gem Rune. But you do care about Fenris.

No you care about both Fenris and the Gem Rune. Which means the fastest way to solve this problem that satisfies both issues is to knock out the mentalist Blank, stopping what they are doing. And to do that...you need to go through Chalco. He is speaking to Blank somehow and is your best chance of finding him.

Because Chalco is already being interrogated, you can instead apply the +1 from this to knocking out Blank.

Forgeheart
You sense for the familiar Mind of Xos, and for a moment you're confused. It's nowhere on the street of the strip mall. Then you feel the familiar beat come from above you. You glance up, and see there is a two story building with an Astro Java-Halcyon's favorite coffee franchise-on the top floor. The Mind of Xos, and therefore █████ is there.

Justicar

Chalco stares at you as you swing the hammer towards him and shrugs.

"Chalco is not scared of violence. Chalco feels no pain-not anymore." He says simply. "Chalco protect his friend."
Provoke only works if he is susceptible to your words. You don't have influence over him so he is not automatically susceptible to your words. Additionally, Chalco is not afraid of violence, especially not from you or your hammer.

Just a reminder-his conditions are currently Angry and Insecure. Not Afraid.

Everyone

Fenris passes out in front of you, the bronze metal still leaking out from under the mask.

"Oh, there's something else." Chalco notes, tilting his head. "█████ says the memory wipe is more effective than they thought. If they don't reverse the effects in a few minutes, there might not be anything left of your friend. █████ says to hand over the Rune Gem, they know you have it, if you care about your friend at all." Chalco doesn't look at anyone specifically when he says that.

You however know that you are bring called out. █████ is saying you're being self-centred and not caring about your friend. If you don't reject the influence, increase superior by 1 and decrease mundane by 1.

[Awful]

Forgeheart
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5

Ah... there it was. Forgeheart bared her teeth in satisfaction.
"...Found you." the molten-veined girl said, almost sang, almost snarled. Even as she tensed to leapt, she snapped out a quick "Astro Coffee, top floor-"

She leapt. The ground shattered under the force of her.

What happens when you hit a coffee-shop wall with a high-velocity, human-shaped lump of red-hot, unbreakable metal?

The same thing that happens to everything else.

Bricks and glass shattered before her as she ploughed through the wall, reducing a chunk of the floor into splinters as she clipped it on her way up and through. She landed, skidded, tearing furrows in the floor, sending tables crashing, before she surged back towards the figure she knew was █████, even as her mind slid off the being like her brain was greased. She slammed her fists into the ground, sending both herself and her target falling. They crashed into a table, splintering it beneath them,, ending the motion with her hand with a iron shackle around their neck. The heat of her palm was enough to raise tiny blisters on the throat of her captive.
"Undo it," she barked. "Now, █████!"

She could feel him scrabble at her mind, but the steel pulsing through her brain was tough enough their spectral fingers couldn't get any purchase.
"Now!"


11 in engaging a foe, +1 choice from in a china shop:

• create an opportunity for your allies
• impress, surprise, or frighten the opposition
• resist or avoid their blows

[CoreBrute23]

Forgeheart

You crash through the window, the impact causing the entire second story to shake sending the coffee goers stumbling as rifts start appearing on the floor. You look around and your eyes make contact with █████ but as you do, it feels like your brain immediately forgets what they look like. They just look like a static outline.


https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59d56b6712abd9e8327a0260/t/5a7131b0652deacdc862ac93/1517955127742/black-mirror-xmas-2.w529.h352.jpg?format=500w

"**** ****!" You hear █████ shout as they try to run, but your quick thinking causes the ground under them to give way. In moments, you both land on a lower floor on a table. █████ groans while you have your hands around their neck, his mental attacks bouncing off your focus.

█████ eventually spits out,

"I'm gonna tell you why you should let me go." You stare as you hear the next words come out of his mouth and they sound so reasonable...

You blink and flex your hands. █████ is not in your grip, and you can't remember what they said to make you let them go.

What you do know is that the only way out is the front of this place and your team mates are near the front.

█████ is Afraid and trying to flee. The opportunity your team mates have is that the only way out of this mostly destroyed Astro Coffee is the front door-where your team mates are watching.

Everyone

You aren't sure but you think █████ will come out the front door. But it's hard to keep track of █████ in this crowd of civilians fleeing from the destruction.

What do you all do?

[rooster707]

Fadeout
Conditions: None
Potential: 1/5

For now, Fadeout ignored the others. She had no idea who or what this new threat was, and there wasn’t time to figure out. Hopefully Forgeheart could deal with them, but if she couldn’t...

Julia forced the panic down, reduced it to a more manageable gnawing dread, and sprang into motion. Up out of the cage, into the jewlery store. She’d been able to alter people’s memories before, somehow twisting the flow of time to impose new realities on the minds of others. Although she’d never tried it before, theoretically she could restore lost memories as well. Julia knelt beside Fenris, her gauntlet splitting open and folding back into itself as she laid her hand on their shoulder. She closed her eyes and -

Suddenly she could feel them, pressing in on all sides; billions upon billions of possible worlds, waiting to be made real. She ignored them all and focused on the current timeline, aligning Fenris’ mind with a point a few minutes before they collapsed. Julia didn’t entirely understand how she did this, but she knew, intuitively, that this should restore Fenris’ memories up to just before they were erased.

Not sure, but I think this is a Defend.

[roll0]

[CoreBrute23]

Fadeout and Fenris

Reaching across similar timelines to fill in the gaps, you feel satisfied that you've managed to resotre what Fenris lost.

The defend succeeded. Pick one of these options:
• add a Team to the pool
• take Influence over someone you protect [In this case Fenris]
• clear a condition [One of yours not one of Fenris']

Fenris, you actually start to come through, your eyes blinking awake. You remember who you are, and you feel your memories are back...mostly. There's some memories in there that don't seem real...but you kind of wish they were.

You are awake and back in the scene. You got your memories back, but you also have a memory from an alternate version of yourself. What is that memory, and why do you wish that was something that had really happened?

[Sahe]

Goblin Girl, the Transformed
Conditions: Afraid
Potential: 2/5


Answer pocketing some jewlery Fenris collapsing, Forgeheart demolishing even more of the mall, Riley had more or less missed all that as she though the danger had been over had taken a walk back to the shop to get dressed again all the while cradling her newfound friend, Gobbet. She just left the store with her jeans and shoes back on and her hoodie bound around her waist (she still had her tentacles out to carefully carry Gobbet and she was wearing a sports bra), when a shadow...or more an idea of a person zipped past her, barely able to make it out with the eye. This had to be the mysterious █████ Forgeheart and Chalco had referenced earlier!

In the hopes to better pinpoint the exact location of the illusive villain, Riley closed her eyes, opened her mouth and send out a scream in a frequency the normal human ear couldn't pick up, but she could, giving her a different perception of the space around her as the sound was reflected. Based on that information, she lashed out with a tentacle, it's tip hardened like that of a spear to stop █████.


Riley will directly engage █████

[roll0]

And completely miss. Apparently Echolocation doesn't help pin pointing █████

Also I forgot she was afraid which would be a -2 (-1 in total) on the roll so it's actually just a 4.

[CoreBrute23]

Goblin Girl

You try to lash out at the outline of a being with your tentacle, however your echo-location couldn't actually distinguish between the crowds of fleeing humans and █████, so your attack just barely missed a civilian.

"That monster attacked me!" An old man yelled out.

"That monster's dog tried to eat my baby!" A woman with a pram yelled out, pointing at Gobbet.

"We have to stop that monster!" A young teen girl shouted out. "We can't let the mutant freaks push us around!"

Suddenly the crowd is no longer running. They advance on you, some holding makeshift weapons like bricks and glass shards wrapped in cloth.

Gobbet snarls at the crowd from within your arms, trying to scare them, but it can't move due to it's broken legs.

What do you do?

Everyone

There is an angry mob of humans advancing on Goblin Girl and the alien dog she's holding, chanting "death to monsters!". █████ is running off in the distance, ducking behind an alley. Suddenly you hear the sound of sirens in the distance.

"Oh good the police have showed up." Chand Panda says with relief, his phone still up in his hand. "Finally this madness can end."

What do you all do?

[Razade]

Answer
Conditions:
Potential:

A lot of things were in motion so it was hard to concentrate on all of it at once. It was times like this he was thankful for the Court, they'd taught a breathing technique that let you slow everything down...at least mentally...to give some time to look at everything in segments. Justicar's regular brash attitude seemed to have no effect on Chalco, that made it a dead lead. Forgeheart went to the source of the problem which made Chalco a moot point regardless. Fadeout saved Fenris, which was a load off his mind. Chalco might have had a point, small though it would have been, but Answer trusted the team and trusted himself that they'd work together. Even if the rest of the team maybe didn't. None of them, the bleeding hearts, was going to just let Fenris asphxiate. He really didn't grok the memory loss but Fadeout was good with that sort of thing. Gobbo...well she'd stuck her foot in it with that damn creature. Like Fenris, the others would likely handle it if they saw he was handling Static-Y.

And he was. It was unbecoming of a villain to hide themselves and even worse to puppet a friend trapped and lost. This was the real reason Chalco's or really Static-Y's words failed to hit home. What concern of Answer's were the words of a maggot? The audacity of the man trying to run away after hurting his friends, the audacity that this dishonorable worm to try and cause as much hurt as he could to cover his escape. It rankled him deeply.

Pocketing the little safe in one of the various bags he'd collected from their shopping trip, he was off. Feet slammed against the ground and debries were quick to follow until he was skating on small waves of earth. "Not so easily, I'm afraid. A Villain should have the courage of their convictions to see a job through! You're just a boy, playing at being some petty little thing! Come back, come back and play!" he shouts after the villain and even as Static-Y rounds the bend the very wall reaches out to slam into his face. It would have been perfect in a cartoon, the splat he made as more walls formed around Static-Y. The approaching sound of sirens were an appreciable sound for once though he didn't want to stick around for them. "He's contained! Let's clean up and go guys! Reds and Blues are on their way, they can handle the rest!"

His tone was urgent. Answer did not like cops. Especially with stolen merch on him. Especially with the gem on him.

So. Got a 14/15 depending on the roll. Directly Engaging Static-Y

Going to
-Avoid/Resist their blows. Because I am at range and he is running so it only makes sense.
-Going to take something from them. This is a mainstay of me but I am going to take their mobility. I don't want this jerkhole to run.

[rooster707]

Fadeout
Conditions: None
Potential: 1/5

Police sirens. Screams of fear replaced with shouts of anger. Not a good combination. Julia stood, pulling Fenris up with her, trying to support as much of their weight as possible. “We need to go. Can you walk?”

[The_Specialist]

Justicar
Conditions: Angry, Guilty
Potential: 1/5


The metal of his hammer groaned in protest again as his fingers tightened around the handle in a punishing grip. Every vengeful cell in his body wanted to show Chalco just why he ought to be afraid of Justicar’s threats of violence, but reason stayed his hand. And with good cause.

Everything moved so quickly, there was no time to be distracted by petty spite. His attention was drawn in every direction. Fenris crumpled to the ground. He had no way to gauge just what danger they were in, or how much damage had been done. Or how to stop it. Forgeheart charged off with fury, waiting for no one, though time was certainly of the essence.

And it seemed she'd found their quarry, but that was not the end. The strange would-be villain would try to escape, and that could not be permitted… just as leaving Fenris alone was not an option. As much as he wanted to tackle the fleeing figure, and as much as he hated to admit it, Answer had a more useful skillset when it came to stopping someone in their tracks fast, albeit not without collateral damage to their current environment. A fair price, given the circumstances.

"...Answer-"

Thankfully, the mischief maker was already on it, bursting past Justicar in a flurry of flowing fabric and cracking tile. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Fadeout was tending to Fenris. Good. But it seemed the complications weren't quite through. The fleeing crowd they were trying to protect had turned on their team mate in confusion and fear, turned to anger.

"Fade, stay with Fenris!"

He had to trust that the others had the elusive stranger under control, now he knew where he needed to be. Justicar became a blur as he bolted forward to intercept the crowd turned mob, throwing himself in between them and Riley. Dropping the hammer behind himself, it immediately reverted to a simple staff shape, while Justicar threw his arms up in the universal gesture of `stop’, his hands open and empty as a gesture of good will to show that he was not arming himself against them.

"Woah, woah, woah! Stop! Stop!" Justicar called out urgently, his voice loud and firm to reach over the clamour of the crowd for their attention, all the while showing his empty hands as he tried to reason with them. "She's on our side, she's not going to hurt you! That was an accident! We're trying to stop a very bad man, we're trying to protect you all. That is who she was aiming for. Just ask the reporter over there... Please everyone put down the weapons, I know you're upset, scared, but you're not killers are you? I don't think so. We aren't going to fight you. Please, leave this to the authorities, don't you hear them? They're here now… please stay back. Everything is going to be ok…"

Rolling to Defend Goblin Girl. [roll0]

[CoreBrute23]

Answer

You run down the alley out of sight of your friends, but are able to quickly encase █████ in the nearby wall.

"Alright I give, I give!" The staticy figure calls out. "I beseech your aid!"

You wonder why he's asking you for aid, when you realise his head is turned away from you. You suddenly feel a gust of air from behind you and see a familiar face.

"Hello Chickadee." Osprey remarks. They are dressed in green birdlike powered armor, with metalic looking feathers. Their face is not concealed, allowing you to see their handsome face and bright red hair.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/spiderman-animated/images/f/ff/34535.png/revision/latest?cb=20160618191250

"I'm going to have to ask you to release the henchman," nods at █████. "Into my custody. Court of Raptors requested it personally, as a favor to it's master Fermukiss." The police sirens are coming closer. "Chop chop Chickadee."

You are out of sight of your friends. They won't be able to see what you do. What do you do?

Justicar

The mob stop advancing, but they don't seem pleased. It's more they don't want to mess with the man in armor, and they seem satisfied the police will handle this. Goblin Girl is safe for now.

You got an 11. Pick one of the defend options:
• add a Team to the pool
• take Influence over someone you protect
• clear a condition

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: Afraid, Hopeless
Potential: 2/5

Waking up is like the moment when you break the surface of the water, lungs bursting with the hunger for oxygen, screaming out their need for life, for a moment's more survival. They come to with a snarl and a jerk, body shaking itself into motion. Rolling over and reaching out to grab Fadeout's arm with a grip that is weak, far weaker than it ought to be, Fenris looks up at the other hero for a long moment, then relaxes slightly. They say nothing, staying silent and, letting themselves be pulled up limply.

Can Fenris move? The question, they are forced to admit, a good one. It's not that their legs are particularly weak, anymore. Rather they don't work, or they don't work the way they used too. They stagger slightly, like a child learning to walk, and let Fadeout drag them off. This, in itself, is unlike them, to accept being this kind of support without a fight. But their thoughts are busy, trying to piece together memories, to separate the truth from the falsehood. The wolf growls once or twice, but curls around itself and goes to sleep, leaving its host to sort out their problems alone.

Fenris is soundless for a long time, trying to put together how their life once went together, reassembling the jigsaw of icecream and sand and laughter and love and death into its original form. Picking up the pieces from the floor of their mind, they grimace slightly at the leftover memories, the not-real moments. They remember the first conversation between themselves and the girl half-carrying them twice, comparing the images. They remember telling them everything, and telling them nothing. It took the edge off the loneliness, they conclude sadly, having someone that they really confided in. To have someone who knew their secrets, and someone whose secrets they knew in return, it created something better than this strange, twisted reality they live in.

"When," Fenris says, with a voice that isn't right either, seems un-natural, like something they've never used before, "when you asked me about my past, what did I say?" She knows the answer, of course, but can't quite let the image in her mind go. It taunts her, hanging in brighter colours on the wall of her memory, reminding her of lost opportunities.

Fenris remembers a past existence where she and Fadeout confided in each other, and became besties as a result of that. She can't remember exactly what Julia confided in her, other than that it was important, and that she didn't tell anyone else about it.

Also, this post took far too long, and I'm still hardly happy with it. Ehh, such is life, I guess.

[Razade]

Answer
Conditions:
Potential: 1/5


Answer comes to a halt, the prison growing thicker as he finally settles. That is until he's interrupted. It figured that someone else would just show up out of the clear blue. And of course it was Osprey. "I'd love to help you. Both of you. Really I would." He would be, of course, obligated to hand Static-Y over to the villain if he was part of the Court. Rules and all, though an explanation was generally meant to be forth coming. He didn't really expect that either.

"Sadly my hands are tied. Can't give him over until I know he's going to be locked in some dark hole. He hurt my family. You know the rules." The Court was very particular about hurting one another. Fenris wasn't family, to them, he didn't think. But it was worth a shot. He was just hoping he could stall long enough for Forgeheart to come in and give him some backup. Otherwise he'd be fighting two people. Because he wasn't going to give Static-Y up for anything.

Rolled a 4 on the Pierce the Mask so, wrote it so it wouldn't be very convincing

[CoreBrute23]

"The mutt is not your family. None of them are." Osprey says firmly. "Family don't lie to each other. Family doesn't pretend to be something they're not. Family," He raises a hand and points at you. "Doesn't hide the fact they stole magical jewelry." You realise he's pointing at exactly where you're hiding the box with the rune gem.

"Your only family is the court Chickadee. Always has been." He says firmly.

Take the Insecure condition. He's also telling you how the world works-your friends are not your family, the only ones you can truly trust is the court. If you don't reject, increase Superior, decrease Mundane.

What do you do?

[rooster707]

Fadeout
Conditions: None
Potential: 1/5

“You... told me to go f*** myself, I think.” A brief summary, but an accurate one. Julia had never been very good at interacting with others, and being trapped thirty years in the past hadn’t exactly helped. So her first interactions with Fenris - with most of the team, really - had been... less than ideal. Not that it mattered. She wasn’t there to make friends. Fadeout continued towards the exit in silence, wondering what Fenris was thinking. Why bring this up now, of all times?

[Razade]

Answer
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 1/5

Answer's jaw clenched tightly, eyes narrowing as Osprey motions to the gem. "It's mine." he states firmly, shifting his body into a more ready stance. Lying of course was a matter of course. You could lie about the important stuff. The gem was important. The most important. Was it really lying anyway? He then motions with his free hand to where Static-Y was interred, tilting his head a little. "That one's mine too." The rest however, he couldn't argue with. He knew better than anyone that Osprey was right. The Court was his home. These people weren't his home. They weren't his family. They were others. Strangers. They didn't trust him, maybe couldn't trust him. After all. He was a member of the Court. That string would always be attached. But he wanted them to trust him, to see him as more than that. Wanting, as he'd learned so very early, didn't make things so. You had to work at it.

This was the track he needed to keep Osprey on. Sweet words often led to bitter decisions. He really hoped someone else was coming to take care of Static-Y. Or he'd have to give them up. Osprey wasn't going to let go. "Quite the bind then don't you think Brother? How about we both go to the Warren, friend in tow, and have a word with the Council?" He had no intention of that. To be certain. "Or...I turn them into the police and you bust them out. We both look good then. You to the Court and me to these strangers. I'll send a note of apology or something back home." He had no intention of doing that either. "Or we could fight, which I think we're both not going to be happy with. Striking a Brother's bad news. I'd be happy to discuss this with you but all I see is a Buzzard, looking to take my meat."

Not going to reject. Shifted labels appropriately.

[Sahe]

"Crap! Sorry!", Riley called out when her sharp pointed tentacle went past Static-Y and just barely missed a civilian piercing into a wall. She pulled back the tentacle and was about to go after the fleeing villain when she noticed how suddenly there was a lot of attention on her. A lot of angry attention, with some of the people in the mob even having armed themselves.

"No! It was an accident! I didn't attack anyone!", she said and snuggling Gobbet a bit closer to her chest. "Leave us alone! I'm not a monster! Go away!", Riley called out in desperation to the mob, tears running down her face. But she only hit deaf ears. She took a few steps back, scared of the people who slowly got closer and slowly realizing that she had been responsible in part for their sentiment. She had stood on a podium and railed against "freaks" and "mutants". She snarled at the crowd and meanwhile all her tentacles had formed sharp, bone like blades at their ends, twitching about defensively like angry snakes. "LEAVE US THE **** ALONE!", she cried ready to lash out with a warning strike when Justicar stepped in and defended her, telling them to stay down.

Now that she didn't feel immediately threatened, Riley grew back her tentacles and put on her hoodie again, pulling the hood up to hide her ears and face. "Thanks you", she silently said to Justicar, "I...I don't know what would've happened hadn't you stepped in...I guess I deserve this. I created this stupid climate, if I could go back in time I would punch my younger self for being so ****ing stupid."


I guess this counts as sharing a vulnerability/weakness?

If so: Justicar, is Goblin Girl gaining or losing Humanity?

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: Afraid, Hopeless
Potential: 2/5

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Fenris shrugs opaquely, then rolls their head around in its socket, testing the unfamiliar muscles. Pulling themselves upright with a grunt of pain, they move slightly away from Fadeout, determined to operate under their own steam. Under the mask, their face whitens slightly, already an unhealthy shade of pale, but Fenris grinds on anyway. After all, how far could they possibly be walking, anyway?

Turning to the girl beside them, the question is asked, trying desperately to avoid the admission of weakness. "So I s'pose we're going back to base? Justy's going to want to debrief us." Almost as they close their mouth, another thoughts rushes in, blowing such minor concerns away. Alarmed by the realisation that arises, like a monster from the pit, in the forefront of their mind, they stop almost mid-stride. After a momentary pause, Fenris steps off again, working their jaw and trying to find the best way to frame the question. "So, uh, you did something with my memories, didn't you? Someone had poisoned me, or something, and you bought them back. Did that involve, y'know, looking at them?"

Suddenly horrified by the thought that the whole team might have been told their dirty laundry, they look over at the other hero, thankful that the mask hides the concern in their eyes. Waiting for a response, Fenris wonders whether this is how their membership on the team ends, as quickly as it started. Would they go back to the A.E.G.I.S agent and ask to be paired with some other group? Heck, would their ex-teammates go public, if they discovered the traitor in their ranks? Almost instinctively Fenris quickens their pace, trying to flee the scene. Of course, in their current state of health, this merely means that they stumble that much sooner, only narrowly avoiding a second visit to the pavement.

Did it? I wondered this at the time, but thought it could wait till now to be mentioned. I'm easy either way, whether you want to know everything, something, or nothing.

Could do, on an unrelated note, with some comfort for her as well. Two conditions is more than I care to be carrying around.

[Awful]

Forgeheart
Conditions: None
Potential: 0/5

Tabitha blinked for a moment, confused. She'd just... she'd had... damn, damn, damn! She bit down the hot sick feeling of having her mind played with again, slamming a fist into the ruin of the table. It was further pulverised, and she snarled.
"Damn it!"

She closed her eyes again and focused. She wasn't letting him get away! Forgeheart could still feel the oily sensation of the Mind of Xos. It was further away than she'd hoped, but not far enough. She broke into a run, skidding as she took in the sight outside -mob, dispersing, dealt with, fine, go, go - before she ricocheted down the alley and crashed next to Answer. The (probably) ex-villain looked ready for a fight, which means the man in the green bird armour...

She steamed gently from the heat of molten metal in her veins as she glowered at this new clown.
"I don't know who you are, and don't really care, but if you're trying to stop █████ being taken into custody... we'll have a problem. Shove off..." She slammed her hand to the side, cratering the alley wall. "...Or I'll give you a kick to get you going."

[rooster707]

Fadeout
Conditions: None
Potential: 1/5

“Whoever that was, back at the mall, he had a friend. Said they were wiping your human memories.” Out of the corner of her eye, Julia saw Fenris tense up. She smiled a little at their next question - after all that had happened today, that was what they were worried about? Typical. “Relax. I wasn’t in your head, I just...” She paused, trying to think of a way to explain what she had done. “Never mind. Your secrets are safe. Whatever they are.”

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: Afraid, Hopeless
Potential: 2/5

Relief, a cocktail of chemicals and the dregs of fear, is one of the better drugs. It floods through her veins, runs around the inside of her mind, and she grins like an idiot under the mask. Then Julia keeps on talking, and Fenris feels their hackles rise as she hears the smile in Julia's voice, a brief heady swirl of anger tingling through. The wolf grumbles and turns over in its sleep.

"Good," they snap, and immediately regret it. After all, it wasn't as though Julia was trying to be rude. A breath hisses in and out, calming slightly in the cooler air. The leather and cloth of the mask is damp and sweaty, Fenris longing to take it off, but daring not. "Hey," they say after a long pause, "thanks for whatever it was that you did. I don't know what I would have..." Pausing slightly, the young hero lets the words trail off as they negotiate the footpath, lost in thoughts of their own.

"So," Fenris asks after a minute has passed, their mind turning back to the way their brain seems not quite to work as it once did, "why do I remember somethings twice? I mean, my memory's always been strange, what with the wolf thing, but I swear it wasn't like this before..."

[rooster707]

Fadeout
Conditions: None
Potential: 1/5

Julia recoiled slightly, surprised by the sudden anger in Fenris’ voice. “I...” She hesitated, realizing she had no idea what to say. So she just turned and kept walking, letting the awkward silence stretch on until it became almost unbearable. Finally, Fenris broke it with... Wait. “What? You... S***. I thought...” She reached up to brush her hair back out of her eyes, a nervous habit that continued to be both unnecessary and impossible with her armor on. ”How far back do the differences go? Can you tell which things actually happened?”

[The_Specialist]

Justicar
Conditions: Guilty, Angry
Potential: 1/5

A small gush of relief helped soothe the frenzy of adrenaline in his system when the mob stopped their advance, but it didn't stop his heart from racing. Having heard Riley's panicked shouts, he was acutely aware of just how close they'd come to a point of no return, and something truly terrible. That hint of relief was miniscule and short lived however, as he continued to watch the crowd and realized that there was no understanding in their faces, that they simply hesitated with his presence. They left not with guilt but with resentment still lingering in their hearts, arrogant superiority instead of sympathy or shame.

"She was trying to protect you, you animals! Don't be so proud of yourselves, acting like a mob..." It seemed he couldn't restrain himself entirely, not that it really mattered. Justicar ground his teeth together, stepping back so that he could kick the staff back up into his hand, though he kept it pointed towards the ground and in its 'dormant' shape rather than something threatening. Their reaction grated on his nerves and left him with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something Riptide had said echoed in the back of his mind, though he beat it down as best he could. One mistake, and they'll turn on you just like that...

Turning towards Riley, the anger was still visible in his eyes behind the mask, though hardly directed at her. He seemed to try and blink it away as he faced her, but the indignation on her behalf was clear. While he hadn't been quite sure what to say as he faced her, Riley's own words earned a quick answer. "No." He asserted firmly. "You don't deserve this, Riley." He continued in explanation. "You're a hero, alright? Don't take what they've done to heart... Don't let them discourage you. We'll protect you. You can't hold the blame for what your family does, and you certainly don't deserve to be punished for it. Can't change the past either... you know better now... All we can do is... fight to fix it, yeah?"

Justicar did his best to encourage her, and he did sound sincere. "Why don't we get out of here... make sure the others are okay. I got your back."

Goblin Girl: Justicar would say you are gaining humanity, because you show remorse for past actions/mindsets and take some responsibility there, rather than just blaming the crowd in fear.

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: Afraid, Hopeless, Insecure
Potential: 2/5

Fenris stares at Fadeout with a worried expression under her mask. They mentally do the math in their head, trying to work out exactly when the two streams in their mind split, memories running down different paths like streams over a cliff. One hand works awkwardly, drumming on their trackpants as they walk along on.

"They go back maybe two, three years. Like, the first time I remember something twice was when I first took Chrissy," Fenris thinks that she ought not to be giving such information away, but pushes on anyway, "my little sis, that is, to school for the first time. I remember her wearing black sneakers. But then," they say quietly, feeling a twinge of fear return to their gut, "I remember her wearing white ones too. I can tell that the black one is correct, the real thing, but the other feels like it ought to be."

Looking away from the other hero, Fenris applies themself to grinding stiffly up the road, feeling the bruises and muscles twist and pull under their skin. Avoiding Julia's eyes, they stalk on upwards, not sure they want to know the answer to their next question. "What does that mean? Is it bad?"

I guess telling Fadeout about the double memory thing counts as a vulnerability/weakness. Which is kinda annoying actually. Therefore, she gets a secret about Fenris's secret life, and I have to mark another condition for not being able to push Fenris's mundane over +3.

Fadeout also gains influence over them, but she has it already, so she can shift Fenris's labels instead.

[Sahe]

Goblin Girl, the Transformed
Conditions: Guilty
Potential: 2/5

Justicar's words rang hollow, empty phrases he probably felt like he had to say them, because "that's what heroes do". Whatever, he did defend her, that was something, only she didn't believe his words. She was totally for getting the hell out though. She really didn't care for more press to show up or explaining any of this to the police.

"Yeah...good idea, let's get out of here...Gobbet needs some rest I wanna look at her legs."


I shifted Mundane up and Savior down and cleared my condition "Afraid" as per my Team Move. I did mark Guilty, because I think that should've happened from my miss on the Engage.

[rooster707]

Fadeout
Conditions: None
Potential: 1/5

“I, uh...” Fadeout hesitated for a second. There was no way out of this, was there? She’d have to tell them something. Dammit. She sighed. “I have no idea. I still don’t really understand these powers. At all. I was just going on instinct, it felt right, but... I guess I must have made a mistake. It could be bad, it could be nothing, I just don’t know.” She looked away, suddenly unable to meet Fenris’ eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Hmm... Danger up, Mundane down. Fenris just had a building dropped on them, then had their brain basically wiped and restored from a backup. Like, five minutes ago. It takes a special kind of badass to just get up and walk away from that. :smalltongue:

[Mr. E]

Fenris, the Janus
Conditions: Afraid, Hopeless, Insecure
Potential: 2/5

"You don't know?" Their voice rises, halfway to anger, but hits a speed bump along the way, developing an unaccountable wobble. "You don't know what's going to happen t-to me?"

Fenris takes a deep, shuddering breath. Shoulders roll back in their sockets, straightening up painfully. They can't, they feel, afford to cry now. Tears would feel like an admission of defeat, a concession that the enemy succeeded in cutting them deep. Looking up, they blink into the sky, preventing any drops from falling, then pivot awkwardly to look at Fadeout.

"Thanks for trying. If you didn't succeed, if I wake tomorrow and forget all of this, or something stupid like that, I want you to know that I cared that you cared, I guess."

Well, that's going to push the relationship boat along quickly, I guess.