[Masks] San Fransapporo: After Dark

[Catastrophic_B]

Ground Zero
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

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Freak: +1
Danger: +3
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane:-1

Spoiler: Moves

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In a China Shop: When you directly engage a threat, you can cause significant collateral damage to your environment to choose an additional option, even on a miss.
Physics? What physics: When you unleash your powers to barrel through an insurmountable barrier, roll + Danger instead of + Freak
-Defender: When you leap to defend your love or rival in battle, roll + Danger instead of + Savior to defend them.

Kai follows Ronin as she moves away from Hierophant and goes back the way they came. His heads swimming as he tries to make heads or tails of what the Hierophant told them. Fortunately, Ronin seems to have a far better grasp on what was said, and gives her interpretation of the Hierophant's words, talking about how she's expecting trouble, and that they should meet up with the rest of the team as soon as possible.

After the fight at the River Market, and hearing of Ronin's own exploits that day, Kai is at first confident in their ability to take on any goons that are sent their way. Then he remembers just what sort of place they are in, and the level of skill it would take to infiltrate it. These goons were more likely to be of the weak-ass hydrokinetic and not so weak Bruja variety, than the Coyote's Knights sort. And while one-on-one, he doubted he or Ronin would have a problem with enemies of that level, if there were more than that, well... both he and Ronin are tough, but neither of them are invulnerable.

He nods in agreement of her assessment. And then she goes and asks him if he's doing alright. At first he's surprised by the question, but as she keeps talking, stumbling through her justification for the question, he can't help but chuckle a little at her social awkwardness. He's reminded that it wasn't just the fact that she was curious about the Cacophony, that led to him telling her the most about his time in that plane. It was because she genuinely cared about other people. In her own socially awkward way.

"When you find yourself trapped in a world inhabited by creatures that feed off of the emotional energy of humans, you learn pretty quickly learn to push down any particularly strong emotion, otherwise you might catch the attention of something like that," he gestures back down towards the Hierophant. "Though to be fair, he was way bigger than anything I saw in the Cacophony. I'll admit it put me off guard for a moment, but after that, I think I just kinda instinctively defaulted back to suppressing emotions, so right now I'm fine. No guarantee for later though. What about you? How was your first meeting with a High-Elemental?"

As the duo reach the top of the ramp, with Ronin's warning in mind, Ground Zero puts up a hand to stop his teammate. "Hold-up a sec, I want to try something," he explains as he put a hand to the wall, trying to push his powers through the solid wall and through it get an idea of the layout of the floor and anyone that might be lurking nearby. And he sees... nothing.

He almost laughs at himself. What the hell was he thinking? Subtle s*** like this wasn't what he was about. Since when did he need to see through walls? He already knows all he needs to know about this place, and that is the fact it breaks. Everything does. Everything except him. That's how he survived the Cacophony, and that's how he's going to survive this 'wave'.

He thinks back to how he'd been acting lately, his conversations with others. All that s*** where he tried to be clever. That just wasn't him. It was time to find some bad guys and knock some heads together.

"Nevermind, let's keep going," he tells Ronin as he starts moving towards the elevator. His steps are more confident than before, and a small smile on his face to go along with his reaffirmed sense of self.

Spoiler: OOC

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Rolled Unleash Your Powers to try extending senses (seismic Sense). Rolled a 5. That makes 5 potential. Unlocking Moment of Truth as Advancement. Potential reset to zero.

[Mr. E]

Moonshadow
Conditions: Angry, Hopeless
Potential: 3/5

Cindy keeps her arms folded for the entire trip up, one foot monotonously tapping against the steel floor*. As the doors open she steps back, letting her sister go first, before following behind, willing herself not to be over-awed by the grand scenery.

'I'm not going to be impressed, I'm not going to be impressed, I'm not going to - okay, that's kinda impressive,' she concludes ruefully, gazing around the spacious, 'apartment? lounge? Waiting room?' Despite herself, she feels a grin stretch across her face, and her arms slowly unfold as she takes in the scene, tension draining from her shoulders. Standing still, Cindy watches Lanuola almost run across the room, eager to explore, and her smile grows a little wider.

"I mean, that's Tsunami's decision," she replies to Ms. Wei, half turning to look at her. "But I think we'll probably go last. And, ah, thanks!" She calls out to the woman's retreating back, who doesn't appear to wait for a response. For a moment Moonshadow looks after her, then shrugs slightly and turns her attention back to her sister**.

"I know, right?" Cindy replies to her sister. "And, y'know, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. It's your powers that let us play with the big boys, after all." She lets the thought hang for a moment, then punches her sister lightly in the shoulder, smirking as she does. "So thanks for the view, sis."

*And thus, in a feat thought impossible by conventional science, she found a sound more annoying than elevator music

**Also the view, but the sister's the more important thing here, after all

Spoiler: OOC

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I think that getting a kickass trip to the top of the tower of awesomeness qualifies for a triumphant celebration on her part? If that's considered kosher, then Cindy will tell Lan that she's awesome 'cause of her super-superpowers, and thus add a team to the pool.

[Comissar]

Sunburst
Conditions: Guilty, Hopeless, Angry
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +1
• Freak: +2
• Savior: +0
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Burn and Flares

Show

Held Burn

0

Shielding

You call up a fast protective field to stop a danger. Spend 1 burn to defend someone else from an immediate threat, rolling +Freak instead of +Saviour.

Moat

Spend 1 burn to create a barrier that will hold back threats as long as you keep your attention on it. The GM may call for you to spend another burn if the barrier is threatened by particularly powerful enemies.

Reality Storm

You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling +Freak instead of +Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another burn.

Snatch

Spend 1 burn to use your powers to seize any one object up to the size of a person from someone within view.

The focus of the panels shifts to have the backs of the two sisters in the foreground, slightly blurred and out of focus, with their reflections in the glass the centre point. Lanuola flinches as Cindy hits her shoulder, but her mirrored image shows she's grinning. An embarrassed look on her face. She shakes her head, bumping her shoulder into Cindy's in turn, "Well, uh, I wouldn't even be doing any of this if you didn't push me to. You've, uh, you've gotta take some of that credit yourself."

Her reflection smiles back at the pair of them, and she's content to let the moment hang for a few seconds, then breaks into a bigger grin, turning back to her sister, "Want to raid the snacks..?"

[Razade]

Pool: 3


Ground Zero, Ronin, Miss Shu: Basement 001

Your ping outwards tells you little Ground Zero though somewhere in the shadows, Silk may well notice a blip in her own placid meditation. Nothing huge, nothing compared to the overwhelming presence of the Heirophant but enough to give notice. Someone was looking outward. Someone suspects there's others here. That should be worrying enough for the young villero. Or herlain . No matter, she's other things to contend with before she can get to you.

Miss Shu is waiting for you at the top of the ramp, Ground Zero and Ronin. "We trust your visit was been more productive. Your teammates have opted to wait for you in our designated guest suite. If you'll follow me?" She offers a bow before motioning you both to the elevator. The ride should provide time for more banter if you need, it is quite a long way up as indicated, but in time you are presented with the sweeping suite that Sunburst and Moonshadow have made themselves more or less at home in. Miss Shu however remains near the door, a silent gargoyle of imposing size and threat one might argue, obviously waiting for you to conduct your busies before stepping in once more.

[Hans Free]

The Lion
Conditions: 2, Hopeless (-2 on unleash), Guilty (-2 on provoke or assess)
Potential: 4/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +1
• Danger: 0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: -1
• Mundane: +2

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X]Words of the past: When you seek the guidance of one of your elders or a member of your legacy, tell them a problem you face, and ask them a question about the problem. They will answer it honestly, and tell you what to do. Take +1 ongoing if you listen. If you go your own way, mark potential.
• [X]Never give up, never surrender: When you take a powerful blow from someone with far greater power than you, use this move instead of the basic move. Roll + Savior. On a hit, you stand strong and choose one. On a 7-9, mark a condition.

"What Heriophant, Tsu'?" Mosi blurts out cheekily, face hidden in the panel, walking across the lab. "Say no more. No apologies necessary, except from me to you. I've never fancied myself much of a smith, sorry to say, but I'll give it everything I've got. I trust you that this is the right call. And if I-- if we have to miss out on the meeting with the giant... space-thingy*, so be it. The team deserves that much at least... well... from me. You've done nothing wrong." Mosi rolls his shoulder with a small sigh, his biceps practically oiling themselves in preparation. It's my fault the team is divided. And that kinda sucks. But... The young Lion yanks up one of the Smith's hammers at his teammates request, less oversized in his hands than most, before slinking over to Tsunami in a confident strut, swinging the tool like an idiot -- clearly unaware that the hammer is as impressive as it is, both to Tsunami and in its sheer weight & size. He lays his hand in an mighty pat onto Tsunami's shoulder as he thrusts the hammer into Tsunami's center with a laugh.

"Hey, at least I get to hit something! My trademark move. Laying the smackdown on some mythical metal sounds pretty therapeutic right about now. Hahaha, I think I'm starting to get a sense of why you like this activity so much." He smiles, his brow now teasingly cocked.

*Technical Term.

Spoiler: OoC

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Spending 1 Team from pool to boost Tsunami's roll to smith Mithral.

[DreadPirateH]

Silk
Conditions:
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +1
• Danger: +3
• Savior: -1
• Superior: +1
• Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X] Devil or Angel on My Shoulder: When you provoke a teammate to violent action or drastic measures as your Hero Persona, roll with your Alias Label. When you discourage a teammate from going overboard or making an action they can’t take back as your Alias Persona, roll + your Hero Label.
• [X]Save the Light: When you step in to intervene, help a civilian, or stop a threat roll + your Hero label. On a miss, you’re made to look the fool. Mark a Condition and give ground. On a hit, you’ve got someone’s attention. Use it as an opportunity or provoke them to action. On a 10+ your foe must respond in kind or flee.

For a moment, Silk can't move, can't think, even forgets to breathe. Like a mouse caught in the petrifying gaze of a cobra, like Frodo before the Eye of Sauron, she stands frozen.

What are you?

As soon as the moment passes, she withdraws from the shadows, whipping the scarf off of her head and almost knocking off her mask in the process. She falls to her knees, gasping for air. She knows where to go. And where not to go. Waving a hand to ward off Tiger Shark and the Hunstman, she manages to get out a few words between gasps. "I saw it! The key. It's up, at least thirty floors."

Swiftly pushing herself to her feet, she replaces the scarf carefully around her neck. She has to get to the ket, fast. Can't risk a shadow walk that far. Not with that thing around. The panel shows her face in profile, with a map of the building imposed next to her head as she plots a course. "We have to go through the Archives. This way!"

[Razade]

Pool: 2



Tsunami and The Lion: Research Bay

Time certainly flies while you're building. The going is hard, another two hands making it easier but the task before you...may never really have been intended to be finished at the rate it's gone and the ease it's gone through. A lesson in humility maybe, from The Smith? To use Mithril to do it seems unlikely. Eventually The Lion's help isn't needed, the work growing technical and difficult and with precision.

Miss Wu seems to have stepped away through it all as well, leaving you on your own. If there ever was a time to get out and start some trouble Lion, now would be it. Tsunami is distracted with work, work that you can no longer help with, and your minder is missing. What do you do?


Tumult, Polaris: High Above

The panels pan up and up, past the archives and into a secure room. The archives below are a sprawling affair, pillars standing in an otherwise expansive area that runs almost the entire length of the skyscrapper. The pillars themselves pulse with light, holographic displays at contact points while large monitors hang above like strange fruit. The room above, another three or so stories, is much smaller. Four armed men stand diligently around a black monolithic box while security cameras pan the room in a full 360 range. The lights, mounted in the floor, flicker for several moments and when they return the cameras are smoking ruins and the four guards lay out cold on the floor with a dart in each of their necks.

Above, the culprits reconnect. Polaris glows with an unearthly violet glow while Tumult slides a dart gun out from a seam in the ceiling tiles above. "That's that. Team two should be a go. You call our escape route?" Tumult asks, keeping the dart gun oddly angled in frame, the tension in the small crawl space palpaple until Polaris's light dims.

"Yeah, there's a terrace not to far. You'll get a pick up but I have to stay. Seems one of the Warlord's girls is here with her team." Polaris brings up a holographic display from a tablet he procures from his suit. The faces of Yami no Yojimbo hover in the dark. Tsunami, Lion, Sunburst and Moonshadow, Ground Zero and Hikari are all on display. Hikari is darkened out, marked with an MIA stamp. Sunburst is similar marked but highlighted in red. "Danger, imminent dispatch". Tumult's eyes scan the pictures, a frown forming on his face.

"Alright, best of luck to you. Let's get to the LZ."

The panels shift outside. The storm has come and the two young men wait near another downed security guard with a pulsing beacon.

"Say..." Tumult starts, disceetly moving closer to Polaris as they wait near the edge as the sound of a helicopter grows near. "Why didn't they include me in this hit?" It's an earnest question and a distraction in one as Tumult moves to be heard over howling winds and rain.

Polaris gives a surprised look, shrugging a little. "You've got a no-kill clause in your contract thanks to the Wolf. The Warlords want all of these guys dead. You're not eligible."

The frown from before grows deeper on Tumult's face, the helicopter's lights in sight through the clouds. "Well. It's only for heroes anyway." With a sudden movement forward Tumult slams himself into Polaris. The other teen only has time enough to utter a scream before he falls, swallowed up by the clouds below.

Silk et all: Basement 001

"Ancient. This will not be our last meeting, Little Shadow." the reply returns even as you reel from it. The dark shadow beneath, darker than your own, remains. Neither of your "team" rush to help you even as you try and keep them at distance though your moment of recovery is interrupted as your earpiece crackles to life. A cunning method for quick communication between you and your actual "teammate" Tumult provided by the Kodo. "We've cleared the way, I've hit a snag." comes the other operative's voice. "There's heroes here. Polaris thinks we should make a move and neutralize them. I'm on it, prioritize your mission. Take out the trash" The inflection on yours is clear. Something really did hit a snag, the Huntsman needs to go before you can secure the key.

Neither argue as you take charge either. Tiger Shark seems more than willing to follow your lead and The Huntsman remains as silent as ever. Getting to The Archives may well be the easiest part. Detail how you do it. Do you take out the Huntsman while you do so? If so, how?

[Captain Jak]

Ronin
Conditions:
Potential: 2/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +0
• Danger: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X] I'll Show Them: When you defend someone who doesn’t believe in you, you can always take Influence over them, even on a miss.
• [X]All The Best Stuff: You’ve compiled access to caches of equipment and weaponry other supers have hidden in the city. When you access a cache, say whose cache it is. If it’s a hero’s, roll + Savior. If it’s a villain’s, roll + Danger. On a hit, you find a tool or intel useful to your situation; the GM will detail. On a 7-9, you leave evidence that you’ve been here. On a miss, you tripped an alarm and they’re coming; prepare to explain yourself.
• [X] Always Prepared: When you have a chance to restock your supplies, hold up to 2-gadgets. When you unleash your powers by producing a brand new minor invention or gadget from your supply, spend 1-gadget and roll + Superior. When you reach 0-gadgets, mark a condition.

Ronin is gratified that Zero seems to be handling this brush with his past so well, and supposes that skills like he describes probably are rather critical to survival in such an alien environment, filled with pathophages. His return question into how she is handling herself in the aftermath takes her a bit off guard however; she hadn’t even really considered that.

”I...hadn’t really thought about it,” she replies, almost speaking her stream of consciousness as they followed their guide into the elevator. ”It was...fascinating,” she says finally, echoing her favourite pointy-eared alien. ”How such a creature could evolve at all, in an environment so alien, begs so many questions.” The scientist in her had already been mulling the issue over; what environmental conditions could have selected for some of the more bizarre evolutionary traits she had seen? And the sheer size of it as well?

Atypically, however, she manages to wrench her attention back to the matter at hand.

”I don’t tend to be all that emotional of a person,” she goes on, as if this is any real surprise to any of her teammates. She can get enthusiastic, even passionate; but emotional?

Sadly, she herself doesn’t entirely realize that this is for a reason surprisingly similar to that of Zero’s; she too grew up in an environment where showing too much emotion could draw predators...if of a different sort.

She would shrug, but the armour’s mobility doesn’t really support it. ”So, I guess not a lot to snack on,” she says wryly as the long elevator ride carries them upward.

Eventually arriving at their destination, she lets out a low whistle at the sight of the sisters’ surroundings.

”Hard at work, I see,” she comments loudly, although there’s wry humour in her tone.

[Mr. E]

Moonshadow
Conditions: Angry, Hopeless
Potential: 3/5

"Yep," Moonshadow replies to Ronin's comment, delicately pincering a chip between thumb and forefinger, "we're, like, working flat-out up here." She lets her head tilt back, rolling off the edge of the plush couch. Lying back on the cushions, Cindy dangles her feet over the backrest, head upside down and braid coiling on the ground. She grins toothily at Kai and Miho, then crunches on the chip, Adam's apple thrown into sharp relief as she swallows.

"I mean," she adds, watching them without showing any inclination to get up, "there was something we could have done, but we decided to let you do it. I mean," Cindy continues with an insouciant grin, "I've always felt that paperwork is really more your area than mine." Reaching for another handfull of chips, she munches on one, then rolls sideways, bringing her feet down and standing up. "Jokes - we will help, or watch you do it, at least. Anyway, how did you go, while we made friends with the mini-bar?"

[Comissar]

Sunburst
Conditions: Guilty, Hopeless, Angry
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +1
• Freak: +2
• Savior: +0
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Burn and Flares

Show

Held Burn

0

Shielding

You call up a fast protective field to stop a danger. Spend 1 burn to defend someone else from an immediate threat, rolling +Freak instead of +Saviour.

Moat

Spend 1 burn to create a barrier that will hold back threats as long as you keep your attention on it. The GM may call for you to spend another burn if the barrier is threatened by particularly powerful enemies.

Reality Storm

You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling +Freak instead of +Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another burn.

Snatch

Spend 1 burn to use your powers to seize any one object up to the size of a person from someone within view.

Lanuola looks over as Ronin and GZ make their entrance. With a mouthful of chocolate bar, and the offending snack clutched in one hand, she finds herself feeling a bit sheepish as Ronin reminds her that she wasn't here on a sightseeing tour. She works to try and quickly chew and swallow her mouthful, though not so quickly and obviously as to appear undignified in front of Kai, and as such her sister beats her to replying.

Cindy's response to their teammates only serves to heighten Lanuola's feelings of embarrassment. She rubs behind her neck as she finally reaches a point where she can speak, "We, uh, we were given an, uh, an unexpected offer. We, or, uh," She glances to her sister, "I guess at least I didn't know, uh, didn't really know what to, uh, to do with it." Looking back to Kai and Miho, she continues, "Umm, Wukong have, uh, have offered to let us say, uh, say what we want them to tell other people about us. I think."

[DreadPirateH]

Silk
Conditions:
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +1
• Danger: +3
• Savior: -1
• Superior: +1
• Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X] Devil or Angel on My Shoulder: When you provoke a teammate to violent action or drastic measures as your Hero Persona, roll with your Alias Label. When you discourage a teammate from going overboard or making an action they can’t take back as your Alias Persona, roll + your Hero Label.
• [X]Save the Light: When you step in to intervene, help a civilian, or stop a threat roll + your Hero label. On a miss, you’re made to look the fool. Mark a Condition and give ground. On a hit, you’ve got someone’s attention. Use it as an opportunity or provoke them to action. On a 10+ your foe must respond in kind or flee.

Monkey Island might seem impregnable from the outside, but inside it's a complex, delicate web of guards, cameras, proximity sensors, and bio-metric locks, interwoven with plenty of redundant elevator systems and air ducts. Whoever had done the background work on this job had done it well. There were few enough missing guards and downed security sectors that they wouldn't be immediately noticed, but they had been strategically chosen to provide plenty of room to maneuver in the dark, figuratively speaking. By making use of an out-of-the-way service elevator, Silk and her squad soon arrive outside the Archives.

"Security gets a lot tighter from here on. It's a finesse job, so I'll take it from here. If anything goes wrong, this is where security will come. If that happens, you know what to do. But take it easy, we don't want any casualties on this one. If it gets too heavy, scarper. Think you can manage that?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Silk knows that the team is here. She's leaving the Huntsman and Tiger Shark behind for the team to deal with while she makes her way toward the Key. The team takes out the villains, giving her plausible deniability, and the fight slows the team down, giving her time to get what she came here for.

[Catastrophic_B]

Ground Zero
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5

Kai lets out a low whistle as the elevator doors open and reveal the luxurious room. "Man, they could have used a bit of this interior decorating down stairs," Kai comments as he walks towards the sisters.

"The Hierophant's bigger than any I've seen before, and like speaking in riddles. Fortunately Ronin seemed to be able to catch what he/it/that-thing was saying," Kai says in response to Cindy's question.

When Lanuola finishes talking, Kai is silent for a moment as he takes in the two sisters. The clearly nervous Lanuola, and the seemingly too relaxed, Cindy.

"I think we should all head over and sort out that info stuff while we have the chance. It'll give Tsu time to finish whatever he's doing, maybe even Hikari will be able to make it over here, and then we can decide what to do next as a team."

His words are said loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, but he looks at Ronin as he says it. Trying to tell her, without outright stating it, that he doesn't think the sisters should go down to the Hierophant.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

A bit late, but in response to Ronin's comfort and support I'm going to be shifting labels. As her asking him about how he felt reminded him that he's not in the same sort of environment he use to be in, and that it's ok for him to have emotions, I'll be shifting Mundane up and Freak down.

[Captain Jak]

Ronin
Conditions:
Potential: 2/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +0
• Danger: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X] I'll Show Them: When you defend someone who doesn’t believe in you, you can always take Influence over them, even on a miss.
• [X]All The Best Stuff: You’ve compiled access to caches of equipment and weaponry other supers have hidden in the city. When you access a cache, say whose cache it is. If it’s a hero’s, roll + Savior. If it’s a villain’s, roll + Danger. On a hit, you find a tool or intel useful to your situation; the GM will detail. On a 7-9, you leave evidence that you’ve been here. On a miss, you tripped an alarm and they’re coming; prepare to explain yourself.
• [X] Always Prepared: When you have a chance to restock your supplies, hold up to 2-gadgets. When you unleash your powers by producing a brand new minor invention or gadget from your supply, spend 1-gadget and roll + Superior. When you reach 0-gadgets, mark a condition.

It doesn’t take a genius intellect to catch what Zero is getting at, and the thought of the Polynesian sisters descending to that...presence...doesn’t fill Ronin with a sense of good times to be had by all.

”Literacy is a great asset in doing paperwork, yes,” Ronin fires back dryly at Moonshadow. ”The Heirophant’s words were...complicated but I think we got what we need. I think we got as much as we’re going to, actually; I got the impression more answers weren’t going to be forthcoming,” she explains, glancing about the room as more details reveal themselves to her.

”But seriously – Wukong has given us the opportunity to give them PR copy that will officially come from them?” the excited cadence of her words are unmistakable; for someone whose entire heroic career is going to be a long-haul PR slog...well, this is fantastic! Her mind starts racing as to how to best make use of this opportunity.

[Razade]

Pool: 3


Silk et All: The Archive

With deft maneuvering, the work that Tumult and Polaris pulled off while you climbed up and any number of other factors the climb to the Archives is...slow...though succesful. The massive floor as detailed previously is dark, only the holographic displays casting their light as lightning lances off in the distance through the various windows. The storm has rolled in. A few lights do flick on above you in the high ceiling on your way to the lone elevator shaft Silk, shutting off as you three reach your actual goal.

The Huntsman and Tiger Shark don't seem too terribly upset with your gameplan, both happy enough to post up next to the elevator door as you travel up. And up. And up.

The room above, when you reach it, is cramped. The bodies of the four guards stationed taking up a good deal of room. Well lit, the air is almost cold enough for your breath to mist. The single black box takes up the rest of the room. Previous establishing shots have done little to show detail on the monolithic cube though now that you're this close the surface of the almost obsidian like substance is riddled with more Elemental symbols. A latch is depressed in its surface and there is undoubtedly a key on one of the guards. Whatever the Key is, it wasn't in such a confined unit last time...though you didn't get near enough before Iron Devil went crazy to get a good look at the container before.

Your goal is here all the same. You need only to open the box, take it, and get out. What do you do?


Tsunami: Research Bay

By the time you've finished with the large Mithril spikes Tsunami, The Lion is gone. As is Miss Wu and any chance you'll get to speak with The Hierophant. The Research Bay is quiet but not for long as a ringtone blares from your phone. It's familiar, all too familiar as the throaty whisper of the singer calls out "Bury a friend" and while the panels don't reveal the caller the voice on the other end is unmistakably Tumults after a few long moments of heavy breathing. "There's a balcony a few floors up." The tone is casual, a side panel showing Tsunami and Tumult side by side, one inside and one out. "I'll meet you there in five." The phonecall then ends, the familiar beep all that's left on the page.

When the panels break, we're outside. Tumult sits on the edge of the balcony facing the imposing and rain slicked sides of the Wukong Building. Mask gone and wild orange hair free though the panels make particular note to frame the dart gun he was using earlier on the page.


Ronin, Ground Zero, Sunburst, Moonshadow, The Triplets: To the Archive

Miss Shu is close enough at hand to hear the conversation, gently raising a hand. "That is indeed our offer. We apologize for all the foot travel, Miss Wu and your friends have proven unreachable. It would seem their task was more complicated than we anticipated. You are free to wait here after you've taken your time in the archives, if you'll follow me?" She offers a bow before sweeping an arm back to the hallway and down to the elevator.

A short, cramped, ride later brings you to the Archives. Unlike before the entire floor gets a splash page all its own showing just how dwarfed you all are by its size. The words are written in styilized Chinese type font. The Immortal Peach Orchard. A name, grandiose and needless, for one of the largest sources of privatized information in the city...maybe even beyond. Wukong Industries is after all the premier weapons manufacturers in the world. One could get lost here, in the Orchard, if they weren't careful. Especially with all the lights off. The whole place lit by sweeping holographic displays casting the towering pillars housing various computers and other data centers like ghoulish bones.

To add to this atmosphere of apprehension, Miss Shu seems suddenly on alert as you step onto the floor. Several small security booths are unmanned, panels darting behind them to show the guards out cold on the floor with several large darts in their neck. These panels sweep to the elevator spire at the center of the room, the only place where the lights remain on. We then get another series of two page spreads.

The first, with letters made from bone, displays The Huntsman. Dressed in cowl and cloak and wielding a very large crossbow mounted on a tripod. "Born to be wild" inscribed beneath. The second is of Tiger Shark in her form hugging suit, the name given in a water droplet motiff. "This time it's personal" looped around her in a water spray. The next page shows Miss Shu dashing to the security desk as several bolts scream through the air though any alarm she seems to have wanted to trip goes silent.

"I don't understand" is all she can get out before a powerful blast of water sends her soaring into the elevator, its doors closing and the arrow indicating she's got a long trip down.

The previous mission objective is reprinted.

Mission: Monkey Island Mayham

- Split into teams, two each.
- Speak to the Hierophant
- Defeat Tiger Shark and The Huntsman
- Protect the Archive
- Do not cause collateral damage to The Archives
- Get out safely.

The distance between the four of you and the long ranged foes is quite long, more bolts and high pressure water blasts raining down around you. The area is precious, anyone could see that. Damage to any of the computer towers would be expensive...not to mention a disaster for the company. One would be wise to avoid that. What do you do?

Spoiler: Dangerous Foe

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Hey now! We get our first Dangerous Foe question. Obviously The Lion, Tsunami and Hikari don't have to answer this. We're going to do this quickly with my hack for this so we save time. You start with 2 team. Answer in the Discord Server.

- Ronin has, for the most part, seemed to be in control of the party through this whole event. Do we agree she's the Leader here? If no, remove a team.
- Do you all feel unprepared for this fight? If no, state your case otherwise lose a team.
- Do you any of you not trust Ronin? If so, lose a Team or Ronin can mark a Condition to keep it.

[Comissar]

Sunburst
Conditions: Guilty, Hopeless, Angry, Afraid
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

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• Danger: +1
• Freak: +2
• Savior: +0
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Burn and Flares

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Held Burn

3

Shielding

You call up a fast protective field to stop a danger. Spend 1 burn to defend someone else from an immediate threat, rolling +Freak instead of +Saviour.

Moat

Spend 1 burn to create a barrier that will hold back threats as long as you keep your attention on it. The GM may call for you to spend another burn if the barrier is threatened by particularly powerful enemies.

Reality Storm

You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling +Freak instead of +Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another burn.

Snatch

Spend 1 burn to use your powers to seize any one object up to the size of a person from someone within view.

Lanuola's wide eyes at the description of the Heirophant turns to an expression of disappointment as it starts to sound like she won't get a chance to see it. "That sounds really cool. It's a shame it, uh, it didn't want to talk with more of us."

Getting to her feet as Miss Shu returns, she nods her head and follows after their guide. There's a panel showing her entering the elevator first, scooching toward the back to make space for everyone else. A second shows her glancing up as the others pile in and she realises she's now in extreme proximity to Kai. A third shows her softly glowing face looking both embarrassed and nervous as she very self-consciously tries to not come into contact with him, her mind flitting back to Cindy's joking and teasing the previous evening.

And then everyone's piling out again. She looks out at the vast, dark room with interest. Her mouth half opens, ready to ask a question, when she catches Miss Shu's tension. And her eyes take in the unconscious guards. Something was very wrong here. Abruptly, she lets out a yell of surprise as Miss Shu is blasted away and sent down below. Turning back to the source of the blast she spots the two villains.

While her mind played catch-up, she found herself already starting to react. Taking a couple of steps back from the group, she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Bright, patterned light flares up from within her, dispelling the gloom surrounding the group. Her hands tremble as she channels her powers, but she maintains her footing as her eyes glow bright white.

Spoiler: OoC

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Gonna roll to Burn before I continue the IC post since there's a chance Lanuola could knock herself out doing this.

(2D6+3)[7]

Hit! Will mark Afraid and hold 3 burn

[Captain Jak]

Ronin
Conditions:
Potential: 2/5
Gadget: 1

Spoiler: Labels

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• Freak: +0
• Danger: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X] I'll Show Them: When you defend someone who doesn’t believe in you, you can always take Influence over them, even on a miss.
• [X]All The Best Stuff: You’ve compiled access to caches of equipment and weaponry other supers have hidden in the city. When you access a cache, say whose cache it is. If it’s a hero’s, roll + Savior. If it’s a villain’s, roll + Danger. On a hit, you find a tool or intel useful to your situation; the GM will detail. On a 7-9, you leave evidence that you’ve been here. On a miss, you tripped an alarm and they’re coming; prepare to explain yourself.
• [X] Always Prepared: When you have a chance to restock your supplies, hold up to 2-gadgets. When you unleash your powers by producing a brand new minor invention or gadget from your supply, spend 1-gadget and roll + Superior. When you reach 0-gadgets, mark a condition.

Ronin barely has the opportunity to fill in the sisters the on the warning of one of the Rogue’s cohorts on the premises on the elevator ride up, which still leaves all of them unprepared for the non-star-themed assault that engulfs them as they emerge into the Archives.

”Chisei, kinetic shielding online!” Ronin requests urgently as they come under fire from down the Archives. Their presumably formidable guide is swept efficiently away, confirming that she clearly had been the most urgent target to deal with.

Leaving just them.

Ronin isn’t about to waste the second granted by that opportunity.

”Everyone, cluster up behind and within arm’s reach of me!” she barks, not even considering whether or not it’s her place to do so as more projectiles start coming downrange. She takes up a stance in the middle of the hallway, and addresses Chisei again.

”Time to bring up that new shield module we were just working on, old buddy,” she says with a mix of trepidation and anticipation – antrepipation? – as she squares off against their foes.

I FEEL OBLIGED TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS AN ENTIRELY UNTESTED MODIFICATION, MIHO, Chisei prints across her HUD even as the status lights on the new add-on start to wink into the green.

The panel crops close on Miho's face behind her HUD; her expression is a little wide-eyed. ”I am well aware,” she replies dryly as the module starts doing its job, Chisei helpfully displaying a wireform schematic of what's happening in one corner of her HUD. The kinetic shielding projectors cease providing a close, all-around field of protection and instead project a broader plane of effect in front of her, expanding until it's a square roughly eight feet on a side. To the naked eye, however, there's barely a distortion in the air to indicate something is up...that is, until something hits it.

For a moment, she wonders at the side effect of growing illumination, but quickly realises that her tech is not the cause, but their very powerful – and potentially very destructive – teammate.

”Keep it tight! We can't afford to trash this place!” Ronin exclaims, her voice a little strained.

RUNNING DIAGNOSTICS ON MODULE, Chisei informs her helpfully. They're about to get a lot of live fire testing....

Spoiler: CRUNCH

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Unleashing powers via Gadget: activating the experimental wider-range shield module for the armour's kinetic shielding. 9. Spending 1 Gadget, 1 Gadget remaining.

[Catastrophic_B]

Ground Zero
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

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Freak: +0
Danger: +3
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane:+0

Spoiler: Moves

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In a China Shop: When you directly engage a threat, you can cause significant collateral damage to your environment to choose an additional option, even on a miss.
Physics? What physics: When you unleash your powers to barrel through an insurmountable barrier, roll + Danger instead of + Freak.
-Defender: When you leap to defend your love or rival in battle, roll + Danger instead of + Savior to defend them.

Ground Zero find himself a little surprised by the sudden appearance of the two costume figures, more so because he's pretty sure he recognises the woman as the hydrokinetic from the river market. He sees Sunburst charging up, and Ronin projecting her shield out, and can't help but think they're making way to big a deal out of these two.

Don't get him wrong, the shield was a smart move to give cover Sunburst and Moonshadow, who didn't have the defences he and Ronin did, but he'd already beat one of these losers when they had a river to draw on. He seriously doubted that switching that out for a dude with a crossbow was going to make much of a difference for her. He actually seriously doubted either of them had the firepower to actually scratch him.

"I got this," Ground Zero says, Discarding his jacket, as he's unwilling to risk damaging two in the span of as many days. He then takes off, flying around the slight distortion that marked Ronin's shield, and gunning it towards the hydrokinetic, as her powers posed the most risk, not to him, but to the archives.

"Hey Shark-bait! Do me a favor and stay down this time!" Ground Zero calls out as he charges forward with a fist pulled back and ready to knock Tiger Shark into next week.

Spoiler: OOC

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Rolled +Danger to Directly Engage a Threat. Rolled a 7. Going to go with Resist or avoid their blows, as Ground Zero is unbreakable. And I already put the fear of God into her the last time we clashed.

[The_Specialist]

Tsunami
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

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• Freak: +0
• Danger: -1
• Savior: +2
• Superior: +3
• Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X] Been Reading the Files: You’ve learned about the superhuman world through your mentor’s resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll + Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you’ve learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge; the GM will tell you why.
• [X]Be Mindful of Your Surroundings: When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.
• [X]Venting Frustration: When you directly engage while you are Angry, you can roll + the label your mentor denies (Mundane) and clear Angry.

Somehow against all odds, with Mosi’s help and a little bit of controlled panic, the spikes get made. Max does feel slightly deflated that he wasn’t able to salvage any to take back to the base and play with later, but at least the job is done. He wonders if he’ll actually see Mosi in the forge now, going forward. It only occurs to him as he finally takes a moment to breathe easier, that Mosi isn’t anywhere in the noticeable vicinity. Nor is Miss Wu. While he generally doesn't mind being alone, in this particular moment and scenario it does leave him slightly disconcerted.

“Mosi...?”

No sooner does the name leave his lips than his phone goes off. He generally keeps it on Do Not Disturb when the team is on business, though naturally all the team members and their app are exceptions. The Smith and Tumult are the only real others, and the tune that creeps along tells him immediately it was the latter of those two. They haven’t actually spoken since the fight with Coyote, not by voice, and things had certainly been left at... an awkward point then, to say the least. While part of him feels this isn't the time, certainly not for the last conversation they’d been having, another part of him has a gut feeling to just pick up.

“Hey.” Max answers, his brows furrowing as he’s met at first only with heavy breathing. “...You alright?” Concern seeps into his tone before Tumult finally answers, though when he does it certainly does little to assuage Max's unease.

"There's a balcony a few floors up."

“Uh...-”

“I’ll meet you there in five.”

Tumult had given him little time to ask why or how he knows where Max is, let alone why Tumult is also apparently here, and close enough to be aware of where they can meet up. A mixture of uncomfortable emotions swirl through Max’s chest, a flicker of anger among them. He really doesn't like being interrupted while ‘working’, though he is more worried than he wants to admit. This doesn't have the feeling of a prank or a joke, such things Tumult is often fond of, but that honestly makes him feel infinitely worse about the matter.

“Mosi...?” He calls out again as he stashes his phone, glancing around one last time. “...I’ll... be back in a bit,” Max finishes, in case the missing Prince is skulking somewhere in hearing range still, before turning away from the work-space and back towards the elevator awkwardly.

The panel breaks then to join Tumult on the balcony, Max stepping towards him with an expression that is overtly concerned with just a hint of caution, unobstructed as his own mask hangs around his neck. It isn't that he's afraid Tumult would harm him, the thought has never crossed his mind, but the redhead's armed presence does suggest something unsavory is afoot.

“Xiua...? What’s going on?” His tone is urgent, but he is careful to make sure it does not sound accusatory.

[Razade]

Pool: 4


Tsunami, Tumult: Balcony


Tumult offers a wave with his free hand, the other still gripping the tranq gun though its still not trained on Tsunami. "I'm not really sure, Don't think you're going to tell me what you're doing here on a night like this without explaining myself." He gives an exasperated sigh, slowly moving to hook his own mask back on his face before slowly moving to his feet. "Something's goin' down Max, somethin' big. Big enough to get the Warlords spooked. They sent a team to get...something. A key...I'm not up on all the details. I couldn't tell you if I was, you know how it goes. No point in freaking out over that, I'm here with a team too. They should already have their hands on what they came for."

He holds up a finger, motioning further up on the building. "Problem is, that team's got one of The Rogue's Constellations with them. Or they did. Before I kicked him off the building. The Warlords know you're here tonight and the rest of the team's got a lot of money in their pockets to take you out. I suspect they've already put a move on the rest of your team. I wanted to get you away before they got to you. I've got a helicopter up on the roof waiting to take me and the Key and the other operative to a safe location. We can bring you along, if we leave now."

[Hans Free]

The Lion
Conditions: 2, Hopeless (-2 on unleash), Guilty (-2 on provoke or assess)
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

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• Freak: +1
• Danger: 0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: -1
• Mundane: +2

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X]Words of the past: When you seek the guidance of one of your elders or a member of your legacy, tell them a problem you face, and ask them a question about the problem. They will answer it honestly, and tell you what to do. Take +1 ongoing if you listen. If you go your own way, mark potential.
• [X]Never give up, never surrender: When you take a powerful blow from someone with far greater power than you, use this move instead of the basic move. Roll + Savior. On a hit, you stand strong and choose one. On a 7-9, mark a condition.

By the time Mosi looks up to tell Tsunami that he needs some fresh air, he’s already gone. it's not Tsunami but Mosi who has disappeared from the workshop, without even realizing it himself. You see, our Lion has always had an unfortunate lack of internal GPS, a life-long characteristic that tended to get him lost more often than not when not put in direct path of a teleportal or given GPS directions— especially in a city that was inarguably much larger and more maze-like than Imam’s Capital, even the Labyrinthian corridors of The Rock; so while his tendency to get lost frequently served him well -- either in putting him along the path to a stray-tossed spear or to save someone, it just as often put the young man into mortal peril.

But this… This isn’t that, not either. Not at all.

THE LION? MONKEY ISLAND??

We cut to a splash of one particularly generic hallway in the Monkey Island Building. It’s calm for a second, only just, as serene tranquility music blasts through some speakers. The music slows and lowers in pitch to the point of distortion when the ELEVATOR DOORS CLICK OPEN showing the Lion gripping onto his mask for dear life, sweating and panting. Inside, over his shoulder, we see the hallways has warped into an inky black thrombosis -- a swirling kaleidoscope of memory. We stay locked behind and a little low on Mosi as he stumbles through the hallway in an almost-drunken stupor trying desperately to ply the mask from his face.

He lets go long enough to look back, and see the elevator. Inside stands MOSI, irises a little TOO BLACK. He looking out onto the WORKSHOP and at Tsunami, lost in the complexities of his smithing. Then Elevator Lion smiles at Hallway Lion with a look of fear in his eyes.

"I... need to get some air or go the bathroom or something." One of them says, or said, to Tsunami. Or maybe it was to no one, to an empty elevator. Or maybe it’s a command to himself, as he looks back to the hallway, confused as all Duat what is going on. He picks up into a stumbling run before he falls into the left wall and into THE PAST. But he pulls his head up to reveal black sand pouring from both orifices. He faces his mouth up to an imaginary sky and screams out. STIFLED.

"You stole your brother's name. His rightful birth name. And the only ambition he ever had in life. To be good enough for your father. To be the Lion. And you took it from him. And then, when he dared to get even... to take the name for himself, you took Imam away from him. His birth right! Not yours. Not your father's--" Mosi opens his eyes again to see a massive, stone throne room ON FIRE.

"No, that's not true...! That... That isn't what, that isn't how it happened."

We pull back around to see Mosi, 14, breathing heavy. The young prince is on his knees, soot-covered, bleeding and beaten half-blind; his arms dangling LIMP at his sides. In front of him the Spear of Sekhmet lies flat on the ground, a gold trimmed boot pinning it down. In the top left third, a graphic pops up:

THE ROCK, 3 YEARS AGO.
Imam's capital building.

Behind Mosi are the members of Lion Family we've already met: Asha, Mosi's younger sister looks like what she is, a terrified eleven year old girl who's just seen her whole family fight and cripple one another. First Mami, then Mosi, and finally Mios, the Black Lion himself, physically destroyed and lying in front of her. Because of him.

From below, for the first time, we see him tower over Mosi looking so small and just as broken. Above him, his brother's DIVINE FIGURE is cast in rays of LIGHT and SHADOW from the partially destroyed ceiling; a towering giant of pure muscle with not even a drop of fat on his scarred, tribally tattooed body -- decorated with a mix of tribal cloth, utilitarian paramilitary gear and swaths of gold jewelry plundered from the residents of Imam, the first task of its new warlord. We freeze frame before his face can come out of the shadows -- one eye glowing gold, colors inverse of Mosi's typical cat-like slits -- black on the outside and gold on the pupil. A graphic rushes onto screen.

Brother Beast (aka Benghani Imam-Pride)
"First, family. And then the World."

He paces back and forth over the destroyed Lion Family, his organization, The Beasts, rebels and disenfranchised men of Imam, line up the Elders to the side wall with their assault rifles readied to annihilate the entirely defenseless council of old men and women. Then, so, so quiet.

"Ben... Benghani!" Mosi coughs out, his back straight up. He puts one knee on the ground. "Brother Beast!! I-I'm... I'm not done with you yet!" Mosi tries to stand up slowly, one knee at a time as he tries to just use his cripple arms only to balance himself. Dozens of trained Imam Rebels, Benghani's men, redirect their attention -- and their rifles -- to him, only to laugh as Mosi tries and fails to get himself standing over and over and over and over again.

We pan out to a shot of the great hall, of the conquered and the conquerer, the players looking small in their parts, another cog of destiny turning its wheels.

Mosi stands up, at least, and against overwhelming odds. He stumbles up to the spear and puts his foot just in front of it, standing just in front of his older brother -- looking up at him. Mosi's eyes well with tears.

We get a close up panel of his foot, about to step again. Benghani smirks, a bit of pity in his voice.

"Mosi... Come on, buddy. You know you can't use that thing."

Mosi steps forward again, putting his foot straight to the spear -- and almost steps off the ledge of the Wuikong Building.

"Sekh-met!" Mosi (17) present day, gasps and practically flings himself back onto the building.

BALCONY GARDEN.

We cut to one of several outdoor green houses contained in large semi-structures along the exterior of the building, an inovation that provides highly controllable greens and seem-less organic integration -- all the way to the Immortal Peach Orchid itself.

Spoiler: OoC

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With my Birthday Potential(!) I advanced, and I've unlocked the final two powers in Mosi's suite: Magic Weaponry & Divine Armor. They'll "snap in" during the fight.

[DreadPirateH]

Silk
Conditions:
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

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• Freak: +1
• Danger: +3
• Savior: -1
• Superior: +1
• Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X] Devil or Angel on My Shoulder: When you provoke a teammate to violent action or drastic measures as your Hero Persona, roll with your Alias Label. When you discourage a teammate from going overboard or making an action they can’t take back as your Alias Persona, roll + your Hero Label.
• [X]Save the Light: When you step in to intervene, help a civilian, or stop a threat roll + your Hero label. On a miss, you’re made to look the fool. Mark a Condition and give ground. On a hit, you’ve got someone’s attention. Use it as an opportunity or provoke them to action. On a 10+ your foe must respond in kind or flee.

Compared to the Archives, dark and filled with holograms that cast almost no ambient light, the key room is much brighter. Hardly any shadows to speak of. The panels show a view of the elevators as the doors slide open. Silk is on guard as her elevator opens into the room, but she needn't have worried. Tumult and Polaris took care of their part of the job well. All according to plan. The panels cut to a low angle along the floor. The unconscious guards lie where they fell, each with a dart sticking out from somewhere. They don't leave much space to get around in.

Stepping carefully over a fallen guard in her path, Silk approaches the monolithic cube. It's plain enough to see that it's from someplace else, if not sometime else, like something a primitive tribe of ape-like almost-humans would dance around. And to think the cube isn't even the object of interest - it's just the safe! Whatever this key is, it must be important.

Silk reaches out a hand, brushing her gloved fingers along the thing's surface.

"What are you?" she asks the thing. She can answer the question herself.

Ancient.

Suddenly, the words that other thing had spoken return to her. You will not find what it is you have come here for. The Key has gone beyond your reach, and theirs. Could it be?

Gingerly, she pats down each of the guards. She finds what she's looking for on the third. "Bingo."

Returning to the box, she holds the key out in trepidation, suddenly unsure of what she'll find. Sticking the key into the slot, it slides smoothly into place.

The box hisses, trails of steam pouring and erupting from vents that break its otherwise smooth surface. Panels slowly fold in upon themselves until the box itself simply disappears into a large pedestal, a lid sliding away at last to reveal your prize. Outlined in what appears to be a glass box, a still beating heart thumps rhythmically away. Alongside this box is a colorful qipao and mask, both white with black and red stripes and fringe.

The panel cuts behind a disbelieving Silk, showing her from the back. Her hands reach around the back of her head, untying her mask. Black hair spills out, keeping her face from view. There's a beat panel as she leans over, staring into the contents of the box, her mask hanging at her side. Taking a deep breath, she takes a step back and raises a hand to her ear.

"Tumult. We have a problem. The key isn't here."

[Razade]

Pool: 4


The Lion, Polaris: Balcony Garden


The panels cut to the sky above, rain falling on the glass with the faint pitter patter beloved by broody teen poets and lonely people in street side cafes. This sound is punctuated by a very large crash as something falls through from above. Any peace one might find is hard to find, especially as the figure stands. The Constellations are well known enough by San Fransapporo that you'd be able to pick them out by sight. Distinctive form hugging and color coded outfits and sweeping capes, the Constellations make up the backbone of The Rogue's power structure. With their boss out of the city, it has fallen to the group to maintain order in The Rogue's stead. Ursa Minor glitters on the now torn and ragged cape as Polaris stands.

The page spread completes the theme, a stylized bear with the glowing points of Ursa Minor stand proud behind the villain as "Polaris" blazes across the page in neon purple letters. He doesn't seem to see you...or really even seem to be standing well as steam spurts from his suit as he begins to get his barings. If you're going to do anything, now's the chance. Polaris's energy blasts are particularly powerful and while he didn't seem to use it, its well known all members of the Constellations can fly.

What do you do, Lion?

[The_Specialist]

Tsunami
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

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• Freak: +0
• Danger: -1
• Savior: +2
• Superior: +3
• Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X] Been Reading the Files: You’ve learned about the superhuman world through your mentor’s resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll + Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you’ve learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge; the GM will tell you why.
• [X]Be Mindful of Your Surroundings: When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.
• [X]Venting Frustration: When you directly engage while you are Angry, you can roll + the label your mentor denies (Mundane) and clear Angry.

Tsunami draws up close enough to Tumult to be within arm’s reach, showing his trust and comfort in the other boy’s presence, despite what awkwardness may linger between them for matters most likely better discussed another time. Max gives Xiua a vague look that confirms the exasperated redhead’s assumptions; he’s not keen to tell his friend everything about his team’s mission given that Xiua appears to be there as Tumult.

“No, but we should talk soon, when masks aren’t required.”

Belatedly, Max reaches for his own mask when Tumult raises his back into place, starting to follow suite but he doesn’t quite make it, pausing thoughtfully instead. As he thought, this is hardly a social call though. It’s clear that the notion of ‘something big going down’ isn’t catching Max by alarm. If he’s surprised at all, it’s because Xiua seems aware already, as well. “...Has the Warlords flustered, huh...? That doesn’t shock me, actually. We really need to-...” Max is cut off as he begins to reiterate, when Tumult starts to explain his presence there. This time, Max’s eyes do widen slightly.

He doesn’t know what this key is, but he’s willing to suspect it is something his team needs. Or at the least, something they definitely don’t want the Warlords getting their hands on.

“There’s plenty reason to be scared. Freaking out won’t help, but everyone should be worried, you too. I’m willing to bet I’m going to need that f*cking key too.” Max sounds a touch exasperated as well. He can’t exactly ask or expect Tumult to give him the details of his team’s plans, and that is frustrating. This is exactly the kind of situation Max has hoped to avoid, ending up on a mission (and on site at the same location as Tumult no less) where they are directly opposed. Though at the very least it’s not escalated to the point where he has to choose whether to fight Tumult or let down his team. Yet.

The thought alone leaves an unpleasant tingling creeping down his spine and a queasy sensation in the pit of his stomach. Confusion and guilt roil together.

Tsunami lifts a hand to rub at his forehead, visibly irritated. Until Tumult mentions that he’s kicked one of The Rogue’s men off the building. “You what?” Max blurts in alarm, worry visibly flickering through his eyes as he considers what kind of trouble that’s going to put Tumult in, before he grows still and quiet as Xiua reveals that the Warlords know Tsunami and his team are there. “...How?” He sounds nigh on incredulous now. Not that he’s ever doubted the Warlords have a reach that is far and wide, but the team has moved so fast and spoken with no one outside of the base about this matter!

Anger lashes out inside his chest and joins the rest of the uncomfortable mix of emotions, his fingers curling into fists as Tumult continues. He shakes his head violently, as though he didn’t hear Tumult’s last words clearly.

“I’m sorry, what?” Max demands, squinting disbelievingly. “Did you just tell me that the Warlords have people here who are on orders to kill my team?” He continues in a sharp blunt tone, just shy of shouting, but likely only to continue to increase in volume and intensity alike. Resettling his weight between his feet in a sturdy stance, as if Xiua’s offer has actually unbalanced him, he jabs an index finger at his own chest. “You want me to run while my team is in danger?” The same hand swings away to point behind him. “You expect me to leave people, good people, to get murdered? You really think I would leave anyone to that fate if I could stop it? Even if they weren’t my friends? Do you even know me?” It’s harsher than he means, but Max is genuinely caught off guard and truly shocked by the proposal.


You know me better than that!

I thought you did...

“Thanks for the warning I guess...?” Is the most amiable thing he can think to say in the wake of the rest, though the fury is still very much audible in his tone. Something else starts to break through as he blinks against the rain, staring at Xiua, his features actually softening with a strange look taking over in his eyes. When he continues, his tone is utterly serious, albeit slightly raw.

“San Fran might be wiped off the map soon, and I’m trying to stop it. We all are, my team! The Warlords should be scared. You should be scared! I’m scared, Xiua!!” It’s a very rare admission from the gruff teen, and the worst part is that it sounds genuine, the stoic, dire tone in his voice becoming more vulnerable. He does sound scared, as if for once he’s not bullheadedly certain this is a fight he can win. “If you really want to help me, if you f*cking want this city to continue existing, with us in it, then make sure the Warlords don’t get that key. Because I’m not running. You could stay at my base. You could help us. We need all the help we can get. But I can’t stay here. I can’t go with you, I’m sorry.” Tsunami finishes, reaching up to fix his mask back into place over his mouth and nose as he begins to back away and turn.

[Razade]

Pool: 4



Tsunami, Tumult, Silk (sorta): Balcony



"Oh god dammit Max, I knew you were going to do this." Xiua's body language changes almost immediately, the tension releasing as he takes a heavy sigh. He hears you out at least though his eyes only grow more angry and incredulous the more you speak. As you turn, Tumult levels the tranq pistol at you slowly, the panels charting its steady climb up in small boxes. "You've gotta lot of nerve, saying all that to me and acting like you're just going to walk away." The usual flippant tone is cold, the mask hiding the obvious hurt on his face. "I dropped everything for you, because you're my friend. You turn around and y-"

Some chatter sounds from the other teen's ear, obviously not good news as a string of expletives flows from his mouth. He keeps the weapon trained on you, Tsunami, his other hand moving to his ear piece. "Not possible. Take what you can and get out. Be careful, you've got heroes in the building." His eyes remain trained on you the entire time as well, the gun finally lowering "You better go, your real friends are gonna need all the help they can get real soon." With a flourish, Tumult launches off the balcony and into the raging storm beyond.

[The_Specialist]

Tsunami
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

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• Freak: +0
• Danger: -1
• Savior: +2
• Superior: +3
• Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X] Been Reading the Files: You’ve learned about the superhuman world through your mentor’s resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll + Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you’ve learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge; the GM will tell you why.
• [X]Be Mindful of Your Surroundings: When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.
• [X]Venting Frustration: When you directly engage while you are Angry, you can roll + the label your mentor denies (Mundane) and clear Angry.

Max stops when Xiua levels the pistol at him, easing his weight back slowly from a forward lean as his forward momentum had almost carried him a step further. Staring at the gun first, his gaze slowly lifts back to Tumult’s face; once his weight is balanced again, Tsunami very slowly turns back around towards the masked redhead. Though it doesn’t show in his eyes, he’s genuinely shocked that Tumult would go so far as to point a weapon at him, nonlethal or otherwise. Max doesn’t speak at first, taking in the icy tone Xiua addresses him with in silent appraisal. Maybe he went off too hard, came in with too short of a fuse, but surely no one would expect he’d react kindly to the notion he should run when his team is in danger. And if Xiua truly believed he would do such a thing... why would he even want him as a friend, let alone something more...? How could he truly trust or value Max if he were that kind of person?

Tsunami straightens a little as Tumult insists he dropped everything for him, as a friend, before some unintelligible chatter draws the redhead’s attention. Max is ‘polite’ enough to wait for Xiua to finish the conversation with his cohorts before trying to speak. His gaze never acknowledges the pistol again after the first time, remaining locked on Xiua’s face.

“If it were you, I’d do the same, Xiua. This doesn’t have to be you versus them! Xiua!” He shouts as the redhead launches himself off the balcony.

“Xiua!!” Tsunami shouts as he storms towards the edge as well, growling under his breath as he squints through the rain. Though he knows and rationalizes the redhead has enough tools at his disposal to safely get down the building, it still gives him a split second of electric fear, something he really does not enjoy experiencing.

This isn’t exactly how he’d like to part from Xiua. But he forces himself to focus on the thought that the redhead is being unreasonable. In his mind, at least. He can’t fix that right now. As much as he’d like to, it isn’t a priority either, given everything else. The infuriating maze of ‘relationships’ can be puzzled out another time. A renewed uptick of controlled panic in his veins reminds him of what’s at stake he needs to do. Turning away from the edge, Max takes off at a dead sprint. He’s got some ground to cover for sure, and time is of the essence.

[Hans Free]

The Lion
Conditions: 2, Hopeless (-2 on unleash), Guilty (-2 on provoke or assess)
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

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• Freak: +1
• Danger: 0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: -1
• Mundane: +2

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X]Words of the past: When you seek the guidance of one of your elders or a member of your legacy, tell them a problem you face, and ask them a question about the problem. They will answer it honestly, and tell you what to do. Take +1 ongoing if you listen. If you go your own way, mark potential.
• [X]Never give up, never surrender: When you take a powerful blow from someone with far greater power than you, use this move instead of the basic move. Roll + Savior. On a hit, you stand strong and choose one. On a 7-9, mark a condition.

We zip down the edge of the balcony, down the Wukong building and back into the

Balcony Garden

It's a spacious greenhouse with a fancy zen-bridge and river and the works, designed both to mask the highly-sterilized nature of the place -- one-part garden of weaponized super-fruit, one-part liquid cooling system for the supercomputers deep in the archives, as the rivers are vented along the walls to discreetly pump water through an elaborate system of tunnels and plumbing to function as a building wide, redundant cooling system for the Immortal Peach Orchard's mass of information. But details like that aren't what Mosi's focus is on.

Under a shattered glass porticolo in the center of the room, resting on the bridge is Polaris, panting and trying to catch his breath. Across the room, Mosi glances back behind himself to see the ledge he nearly walked over. He sighs, relieved to not be the one falling off a building this time -- though it occurs to him that possibility may, unfortunately, still be in the cards for him today. After all, in front of him is a villain he is only tangentially familiar with, but even he knows that this member of the Rogue's Constellations has particularly powerful energy blasts. Also he can fly. But then why did he fall through the ceiling in such a free-fall? What’s he playing at? Against all odds, it is GZ's words that echo in the back of the Lion’s mind as a voice of reason.

"This is some pretty heavy **** we're about to walk into."

Mosi hesitates in stepping forward. Part of the panel flashes back, a square popping up "years ago." to the Rock, a familiar sight. A younger Mosi on the ground, the spectre of Benghani standing above, ready to pounce -- sandy black claws of SHADOW formed from his elaborate tattoos -- as he parallels the position Mosi is in now in the Garden Balcony.

Our Lion breaks into a dead sprint, low to the ground, his hand efficiently shooting behind his back. He quickdraws the full spear out before reaching Polaris and -- in an instant -- Mosi has the blade-that-will-not-cut pointed directly at the villain's throat; standing over him. And again the panel flashes back, this time only to "a day prior." To Lightbringer standing over Coyote, her hand bubbling with energy. And the skid mark.

"I'll just have to save them from themselves, even if they end up despising me for it." The Lion hears his own words back now, disembodied and distant from him. He steps back, shaking out obvious fear and guilt. This was a dangerous villain, and Mosi couldn’t hesitate to act; unless... unless he couldn't be trusted to act. And with the things that have been ratting around in the shadows of his mind, a wave of hesitation strikes him. Quick action was always one of his few strengths. Right? Mosi made choices and he lived with them. And now he was face with a new choice, but somehow, he was unable to act. Should he… should he strike? Preemptively? That's what he did to Coyote and look how that turned out--

"Would you have protected Lightbringer, if she had been lax?" Mami's words run laps around his head and suddenly Mosi feels an intense pressure of desperation and fear. It would be so easy to strike now, while Polaris is vulnerable--

"DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!DO IT!DOIT!DOIT!DOIT!DOIT!DOIT!DOIT!DOIT!DOIT! YOUCAN'TLETHIMATTACKYOU!!!"

Mosi yanks the spear back, a little afraid, not just of Polaris but of himself. So he buries the fear and the desperation and the beating of long-ceased wardrums that beat in the back of his mind by wrapping it all up under a smile full of empathy for Polaris. He reaches an earnest hand out to the man, to help him to his feet. “Sekmet! That was... That was quite the fall you took there. Are you all right, Friend?” He glances up to the ceiling, trailing a path down with his eyes, which have TURNED to BLACK and GOLD. Energy crackling and exploding down into waterfalls of SAND down past his helm, onto his perfect cheekbones and dripping down his neck...

The Lion sniffles and wipes at his eyes, laughing at himself, assuming that he is crying. He keeps a reassuring smile on his face as he meets Polaris's eyes, if he'll meet Mosi's. “I… know who you are; I-I don’t want to hurt you, so don’t make me. Give up, and you can walk away from... whatever this is without taking a trip to the Chill. Or… Or… something worse. Please, I-- I really don’t want that!” He shakes his head, thinking of everything in the last couple days, bookended by Tsunami's words. He swings his hand out again for Polaris to take.

"You’re no tyrant, Mosi. We just need to be the examples we wanted to see… have a little faith. Don’t surrender yourself."

Whether Polaris takes Mosi's hand or not, we pan down to see that the black sand has wrapped itself into two “tattoo” like bands that intersect and tangle around each of Mosi’s arms. Around his outstretched and open right hand, a CLAW of hardened black sand energy begins to manifest -- ready to protect the free hand he offers out from possible retribution. The same energy reaches down to his left wrist but is stymied and repelled by the steady but unfamiliar GLOW of the Spear of the Hunter.

We turn pages to a Oner of the Lion, showing the exiled prince of Imam in chiaroscuro, symbolizing him: a stark divide of opposites. A push-pull between Light-in-Shadow or Shadow-in-Light; His one arm wrapped in DARKNESS and offered out to the villain, the other holding the now blindingly RADIANT Spear -- still cocked and aimed at Polaris. Behind is the skyline of San Fran, framed small and distant in the open doors behind Mosi. Lightbringer's words flash across the top.

"A boy prince, who with one hand attempts to open a door but with the other slams it closed."

[Razade]

Pool: 4



Moonshadow, Sunburst, Ground Zero, Ronin, Tiger Shark, The Huntsman: The Archives


Several large crossbow bolts clear the distance, smattering against Ronin's glowing shield with sharp pangs even as Ground Zero charges the line. Tiger Shark only has a few moments to react, bringing her sharp bladed arms up but not quickly enough as she's sent skittering across the ground. She's far more nimble than your first fight made her appear as she springs to her feet, panting. "Get the other, this one's mine Huntsman. I wasn't wearing my suit the last time we fought, Villain. You'll regret standing in my way." The fins on her suit begin to glow an azure hue before she's back in your face, powerful lances of water pummeling into you. Oddly they're stronger than the last time and even if they don't break through your armor yet, they don't seem likely to let up. To make matters worse, the blasts are tall and long, what doesn't crash into you cuts into the floors and ceilings and what ever's behind you. What do you do?


The Huntsman is quick to take the cue as the panels shoot back to him, another few shots down the hallway to remind the other three heroes he's got them in his sight. It provides him enough time to remove something from his own suit, tossing it in front of the shield. The thrown object appears...carved...some totem of a great cat or other feline like beast, before it shatters. The darkness around you seems to grow ever closer as predatory red glowing eyes begin to open, followed by several ominously shaped shadow creatures that draw in around and behind your shield.


The Lion, Polaris: Greenhouse Balcony

Polaris looks up, half crouched, eyes knitting in honest surprise and confusion. "Thanks, friend. Are you really crying? That's lame." His voice clicks through the mouth piece, reverb covering his actual voice as he reaches for your hand. It's a tense moment even as you address the massive elephant in the room and call him out. "That's quite kind of you, but misguided. You can't hurt me." His hand glows a bight violet and the panels show The Lion from an over shoulder view. The next panel shows the violet light rising, the following almost consumed by it and the third just a block of violet light. The panels then pan out to show Polaris standing behind a truly impressive energy blast. When it clears, The Lion is off his feet and in the air.

"I'll hand it to the Ninja...he must've known you were down here. Could have just told me instead of dropping me through a roof. It's nothing personal, Lion, but the Warlords want you gone. I can't just walk away when I have orders. Especially when you're not with the rest of your team." The villain actually laughs, offering you a noncommittal shrug. "Looks like we have to fight. You could save me the trouble and just stab yourself a few times with that spear of yours and then fling yourself off the building."

Looks like a super fight. What do you do?

Tsunami, Miss Wu: Elsewhere in Monkey Island

You don't get far, Tsunami, once you're back indoors before the familiar click of heels is fast upon you. Miss Wu rounds a bend, nearly crashing into you in your own pursuit. "I've found you." she says in that almost too calm voice, especially considering the alarms that suddenly blare into life through hallways. She reaches a hand for your shoulder, while her voice is calm her eyes are panicked. "The Archives, hurry. I must help the rest of the staff. Do not let them escape. There is no telling what they've come for. Swiftly." With that she's gone, clacking down the hall. You have your destination. What do you do?

[Comissar]

Sunburst
Conditions: Guilty, Hopeless, Angry, Afraid, Insecure
Potential: 4/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +1
• Freak: +2
• Savior: +0
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Burn and Flares

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Held Burn

1

Shielding

You call up a fast protective field to stop a danger. Spend 1 burn to defend someone else from an immediate threat, rolling +Freak instead of +Saviour.

Moat

Spend 1 burn to create a barrier that will hold back threats as long as you keep your attention on it. The GM may call for you to spend another burn if the barrier is threatened by particularly powerful enemies.

Reality Storm

You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling +Freak instead of +Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another burn.

Snatch

Spend 1 burn to use your powers to seize any one object up to the size of a person from someone within view.

Sunburst's eyes widen as GZ races out from behind Ronin's protective field. She yells out a shocked "KAI!" as he leaves the team to rush ahead. Her focus is quickly pulled back, however, as shadowy beasts surround the trio. The panels shift to her perspective. Ronin standing protectively ahead of her, her shield creating the barest shimmer in the air. Moonshadow similarly ready to fight, watching the approaching beasts warily. And then looming beyond them, creatures straight from a nightmare. Red eyes leering hungrily, half-open maws revealing indistinct, shadowy teeth.

Her heart pounding, Sunburst's face is a mask of near panic. Struggling to know what to do, she latches on to Ronin's words. Keep it tight!

Throwing her arms out wide, Sunburst whites out, visible only as the suggestion of a person as a sphere of light engulfs her. She contains it, however. Only discrete beams escaping her personal dome. The beams blaze outward, creating starkly contrasted areas of light and shadow. She maintains the display as long as she dares. A close up on her eyes, only just visible through the light of her sphere, shows her assessing how her assault was working. A second panel shows her eyes widen in alarm, a third showing her entire face bearing a look of horror as her light show abruptly ceases. The panels switch back to the shadow beasts, now significantly larger and their shadows more pronounced, one of them impossibly appearing to siphon up a lingering shadow from her assault.

Sunburst claps her hands to her mouth and gives a horrified "Oi leai, ou te matua faanoanoa lava!*"


*Translator's note - "Oh no, I'm so sorry!"

Spoiler: OoC

Show

As rolled in the discord, missed on a direct engage using reality storm resulting in the shadow beasts growing in power. Lanuola has spent two burn to avoid collateral damage, though.

[Captain Jak]

Ronin
Conditions:
Potential: 2/5
Gadget: 1

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +0
• Danger: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X] I'll Show Them: When you defend someone who doesn’t believe in you, you can always take Influence over them, even on a miss.
• [X]All The Best Stuff: You’ve compiled access to caches of equipment and weaponry other supers have hidden in the city. When you access a cache, say whose cache it is. If it’s a hero’s, roll + Savior. If it’s a villain’s, roll + Danger. On a hit, you find a tool or intel useful to your situation; the GM will detail. On a 7-9, you leave evidence that you’ve been here. On a miss, you tripped an alarm and they’re coming; prepare to explain yourself.
• [X] Always Prepared: When you have a chance to restock your supplies, hold up to 2-gadgets. When you unleash your powers by producing a brand new minor invention or gadget from your supply, spend 1-gadget and roll + Superior. When you reach 0-gadgets, mark a condition.

A series of sequential panels show each miniature ballistae bolt as it spends its energy uselessly against the expanded shield, and a small inset panel in each shows the meter for the Kinetic Lance jumping higher with each impact. When Ronin's face is shown her eyes are lit up with glee – there's a certain satisfaction that comes from thwarting your enemy's attack and using that energy against them. It's been a standard feature of many martial arts for centuries; she's just given it a modern tech upgrade.

FIELD IS CHANNELLING ENERGY AT SEVENTY NINE PERCENT EFFICIENCY, Chisei prints across her HUD. I'M BEGINNING TO DETECT INSTABILITIES IN THE FIELD MATRIX, HOWEVER. CONTINUED IMPACTS WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE DESTABILIZATION AND COLLAPSE.

”Good enough for a first field test, though. I'll take it,” she replies considering her options. The KL has plenty of power now, but if she misses she'll likely wreck something important, which just wouldn't fly here. They certainly have the numerical advantage, so they could—

The numerical advantage abruptly vanishes as the Huntsman tosses out a toy that allows reinforcements to come at them from angles to get around her shield. Fast thinking on the fly, and she has to admire his tactical ability to shift on the fly.

All right. Can't just stay here, can't risk loosing shots that could do damage. That makes the tactical situation simple.

”Take the shadows!” she instructs the sisters, fairly confident that Sunburst's light will make short work of such creatures even as the glow begins to brighten behind her. ”I'll support Zero!” Even though she can't actually feel them doing so, knowing that the muscles of her legs are actually working as her brain commands as she charges down the middle of the archive is a heady experience for a paraplegic, no matter how many times she does it.

If ranged attacks are out, the only thing to do is to close that range and deal with the Huntsman up close and personal. He likes his bow so much? She'll see how he does in hand-to-hand. Her own gauntleted hand closes on the hilt of the Sword of Doom, preparing her Iai strike. Her focus narrows, her mind stilling as it too prepares.

”Ready to deactivate the shield module at my command!” she instructs Chisei as she charges. For up close and personal, she was going to need her standard, close-fitting and all-around kinetic shielding in place. ”Now!” she yells, and her sword sweeps out of its scabbard in a glittering, mono-edged arc as she closes to range with her opponent.

Spoiler: CRUNCH

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Directly Engage the Huntsman with Sword of Doom: 2d6 = 8 For exchange of blows, will take his big bow away from him.

[Catastrophic_B]

Ground Zero
Conditions: ANGRY!
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

Freak: +0
Danger: +3
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane:+0

Spoiler: Moves

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In a China Shop: When you directly engage a threat, you can cause significant collateral damage to your environment to choose an additional option, even on a miss.
Physics? What physics: When you unleash your powers to barrel through an insurmountable barrier, roll + Danger instead of + Freak.
-Defender: When you leap to defend your love or rival in battle, roll + Danger instead of + Savior to defend them.

Sending his opponent skittering across the ground was a satisfying experience, but Gz is quick to note the greater agility she shows as she gets back. 'Looks like this fight might be a little interesting after all' he thinks to himself, wondering if she was holding back a bit back at the River Market. Then she goes and runs her mouth about how she wasn't wearing her suit last time, as though she expects it to make all the difference, and GZ feels his excitement fade.

The two charge towards each other as Sunburst floods the place with enough light to make it bright as day. GZ feels the impacts of the water lances, and they feel stronger, more focused than what she was doing at the river, but not strong enough to hurt him. However they are a risk to Wukong's archives, so something should probably be done about that.

As he closes in, he doesn't go for another punch. Instead he reaches out and grabs her wrists.

"Did you honestly think a wardrobe change is going to help you?" GZ asks incredulously. "Take it from a model; clothes don't change who you are, they merely bring out what you already are. And you, are weak!"

And with just a thought, an intense pressure envelops her forearms, buckling the fins as they lose their glow. But GZ doesn't release his hold, or the pressure.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Rolled +Danger to Directly Engage a Threat. Rolled a 10. Exchanging blows and choosing two options. Going with impress, surprise or frighten, and take something from them. Taking away the power boosting aspects of Tiger Shark's suit. And for a condition for not choosing resist or avoid, I'm going with angry. How dare Tiger Shark bring a supersuit to a bare-knuckle brawl!