[Masks-IC] Hard Times in Halcyon City: Chapter 1

[truemane]

SKITTER
Just as Skitter makes it to Angel, he tears a hole in the air and steps into it an vanishes! The ragged hole stays there, rotating slowly, its surface covered in an opaque white mist that gently flows and undulates. It could go anywhere.

There had been a goon sneaking up behind Angel, and just ask Skitter reaches the portal, he does a very strange thing: he snaps straight up, his eyes widening, every muscle in his body taut and tight. And he wraps the chain he's holding around his own neck. And he starts to pull it tight.

Meanwhile, now that she's this close, she can hear panic and yelling and moving around inside the warehouse. And a lot of thumping and pounding on the door and calls for help. This door, of course, is closed by Angel's bent pipe. Dani walks by here several times a week. She knows there are other doors.

But there's that portal...

MOTH, ANGEL AND CLEOPATRA
Cleopatra fires luminescent blue arrows at Santiago. They whip past his head and once, twice, three times he ducks out of the way, smiling and laughing. He throws rings of fire through the air, which are deflected by Cleo's powers.

Determined to show him that she was powerful, that she was competent, that she was more than he thought she was, she concentrates, waits, and hurls one more blue arrow directly at him. This one flies fast and true.

He tries to dodge, but it catches him in the chest, piercing his strange skin (which immediately starts to smoke and cauterizes itself, leaving a large ragged hole of burned flesh). He howls in pain and anger.

"I'll show you who are," he says, his face tight and eyes dancing, "I'll show you who you really are."

And his skin starts to glow from within like an ember. The air around him grows hazy with heat.

And all around, the sounds of motorcycles stop. And the marauders all stand up. And with whatever weapons they have near to hand they prepare to hurt themselves. Chains wrap around necks. Knives and broken bottles poise near necks. Clubs raise above heads.

And all around them all the previously lit fires rage, and the homeless people run.

"Who will you save?" says Santiago, staring directly at Cleopatra. "Who are your true people, Majesty?"

And it is about this point that a hole appears in the air and Angel steps out of it, right next to Cleopatra.

[Quagmire]

Spoiler: Angel

Show

Conditions:

Current labels:
Danger +1 Freak +2 Savior +0 Superior -1 Mundane +1

Potential: 1/5
Doom Track: 2/5

Falling from the air, Angel fumbles a bit before his speed kicks in and he manages to land on his feet. He takes in the situation, fire and hostages and his friend facing off against Santiago. Stepping in front of Cleo, Angel looks his nemesis in the eye. He expected to be shaking with fear at all the people being put in danger, but instead all he feels is disdain. Words start to spill out of his mouth, speaking faster than he can think.

”So you’re back, #######, here to pick a fight again? Well I have a feeling it’s gonna end just like last time. Because behind all this magic and mind violation you’re acting like you always do. Trying to be some sort of terrifying monster, the guy people are afraid to even say the name of. But I see through you now: you talk a big game but you’re terrified of a fair fight.

Even back before this demon stuff you were like this, going after people’s families or having your thugs hold them down for you. Hurting everyone except the people who can fight back.”

Angel keeps walking closer to Santiago, jabbing a finger towards him and raising his voice to the point where he is almost yelling.

”Well it isn’t working. You might shake up some street kids with your ‘Lord Santiago’ routine but we’re superheroes, the real deal. If you were actually gonna fight us you’d take me down instead of threatening your own minions just to pretend you’re still in control. But we both know that would end just like last time we fought but worse cause there’s a team now, so you’re trying to distract us instead. Coward.

Spoiler

Show

I am trying to provoke him into using his power to attack me instead of threatening everyone else. If he is susceptible to these words it’s (2d6-1)[10], if not it’s just yelling.

In the OOC you said that you’re close to done with this threat for now, so I’m not trying to escalate this into an extended fight. If I succeed, my goal is to get him to take a parting shot at me instead of paying attention to the rest of the team and all the people he is threatening.

I am also aware that I just went up to the person my playbook describes as ‘an epic and powerful enemy representing and embodying your doom’ and called him a coward. So I welcome whatever the disastrous consequences are. Cause this is masks and making probably-terrible but in-character decisions is part of the fun.

[JNAProductions]

Skitter cusses under her breath, a constant litany, as she rushes forward towards the goon. Directing her swarm to sting his hands to weaken his grip, she uses her own hands to pull the chain away from his neck. "Come on, don't do this!" she says.

[Kaworu]

"Damn" Cleo swore in her thoughts. Just when she thought she had him - just when her arrow finally landed - Santiago had shown his ugly face. Since he could not engage with her directly, he mind-washed all the other people into hurting themselves. What a damn coward! Was there ever any bigger?

Cleo had dispelled her own bow - it vanished into a thin, blue-ish mist - and hauled herself into the air, to see better the hostages all around her.

It wasn't good. It wasn't good at all.

Biting her lips, she thought fastly. After a few precious seconds, she made her decision. With one hand to her Ankh, she send all her friends a message to hide somewhere and hide fast. Then, she started gestitulating in the air all around her, making esoterical symbols she barery understood. Soon, her voice joined her hands, weaving a spell that she understood only in 50, maybe 60 percents. She tried desperately to fill the missing pieces as well as she could, but... she had little hope of getting this right.

The spells related to mind control and protection weren't her strongest suit.

The magical, blue energy created a cocon all around her, that was buzzing with potency and danger. She hold the mana as long as she could, which was harder and harder with every second. Finally, when she thought she could hold it no longer - when she thought that the wild, pure potential would break her apart - she let it go, in one burst which had engulfed everybody under control of Santiago.

Success or not, she did not know at the very first moment. When casting the spell, she closed her eyes to better focus, and now, she was so, so afraid to open them again...

[Eldest]

Okay, having great hops with massive air time is great sometimes, for when you need to see the big picture. We've got a dude who seems like he's getting controlled or just out of control, controlling everybody else, yelling about some "San Tea Ago" or something, and he's an idiot cuz he don't look up. Doesn't seem like that's just a him problem, a lotta people born and raised on planets don't do that, but enough of the "super community" flies that you'd think they learned. No matter. He's running people like drones, he's trying to waste the drones, and that's rude.

Other cool thing about great hops? You get a fantastic amount of momentum on the downswing.

Moth reaches the apex of their arc and abruptly shifts the parabola, going from about 0.15g to, oh, 2.5. And with all of that force, they land pretty precisely .2 ri to the left of this "San Tea Ago" dude, shockstick landing a beautiful blow at the terminus of the equation. That had to hurt.

Spoiler

Show

Rolled a 9 on directly engaging. I want to impress, surprise, or frighten him: Moth's ego demands it.

[truemane]

A lot of things happen all at once.

Santiago jerks back from Angel's words as though he'd been slapped. Surprise paints his face, and is quickly replaced by anger.

"Coward?" he hisses into the night, "Coward? How dare you speak to me," his voice grows louder, "Last Scion of the House of Chozen and Lord of New Lemuria, like that? You dare? You DARE?"

As he speaks his clothing starts to smoulder. And all around the people he's holding captive start to moan in pain as their skin heats up and starts to blister.

"YOU DARE?"

And a massive whip made of purest flame appears in his hand and with a flick of his hand it comes careening through the darkness toward Angel...

Skitter reaches out to the punk who's choking himself with his own chain. The heat coming off of him is incredible. He does not seem to hear her words. However, when she touches him and forces his hands down, his eyes clear and he looks around, confused and scared.

And then, just then, Cleopatra completes her spell, and a great wind rises from her and sweeps across the lot, listing and swirling and scattering everything it touches. That wind is cold. As cold as a mountain lake in winter, as cold as the scales of Maat that weigh every human heart at death, as cold as death itself.

That wind freezes the skin of every captive, freezes their chains and knives, lowers their body temperature so suddenly, so far, they all collapse, unconscious.

Santiago takes a step forward, about to use his lash on Cloepatra...

When from the sidelines come bounding Moth, he sense the movement from the corner of his eye just enough to turn to see who it is... and get the full force of the grav-assisted shock-stick right in his face.

Lord of New Lemuria or not, his face is made of skin and bone, and filled with blood, just like anyone else. And there's a sharp thud and a crunch and his nose and cheekbone break and he falls to the ground.

He looks up, sees Moth, and his eyes widen in terror. Absolute terror.

"Voidborn!" he says, his voice wavering, "No! Not yet! I need more time!"

And he makes a complex gesture with one hand and his body vanishes in a gout of flame and ash and sparks. The sparks float up, up, and away on the wind. And are gone.

It's over.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Angel: please roll to Take a Powerful Blow. I know it's weird to do it after the scene is over, but do your best to narrate it in.

Skitter: your choice, if you took the dude's hand off his chain BEFORE the heat, all good. If you did it AFTER, you burned yourself, and Mark a Condition and Potential. Your choice.

Let's all do a quick wrap up/reaction (one round, maybe two) and then I'll frame the next scene.

[Eldest]

Moth just about lights up, turning to face Cleo with a bright grin. "Hey! That Sand Tea Ago guy's heard of us Voidborn! Neat!"

[JNAProductions]

Skitter's hold is tight, and she burns herself before the heat dissipates. She yelps in pain, and then Cleo's spell washes over them all.

Once the tumult is dying down, she moves over to where Cleo and Moth are, in time to catch Moth's words. "Santiago," she corrects. "What... What happened here? Why did it happen?"

[Kaworu]

- I do not comprehend either - admitted Cleopatra, landing softly aminds her friends - So much had happened... Santiago, he... seemed to know me? Or at least the, you know, Cleopatra before me. The queen of Egypt. I have so many questions, so little answers... - she thought for a while, and continued - It seems I was able to control my magic this time. I'm glad - she said with a little smile on her face.

- Are you hurt? - she finally asked, looking at her companions.

[Quagmire]

Spoiler: Angel

Show

Conditions:

Current labels:
Danger +1 Freak +2 Savior +0 Superior -1 Mundane +1

Potential: 2/5
Doom Track: 2/5

Angel stares at the sky defiantly, as if to say of course you’re running. His clothes are smudged with soot from Santiago’s fire magic but other than that he is unharmed, though tired.

He answers Skitters question, somewhat frustrated with what happened. ”Well Santiago showed up with his crew to wreck the place, cause he’s an evil bastard. Or maybe it told him to, though I can’t imagine why. But when he had to deal with real opposition like our team, he folded. I don’t know what all that nonsense he was talking about means, but we stopped him so it doesn’t matter.

Then he turns to Cleopatra, with a look of admiration. ”Hey, you did more than just control your powers. Like, I don’t know much about magic, but it looks like you stood up to everything he could throw at you. Sent him running back to wherever he hides when he isn’t out terrorizing people.

[JNAProductions]

Taylor looks at her burnt hand, and just lets her hands lay at her side, not drawing attention to it. "I'm fine-just a little spooked by the whole thing."

[truemane]

The fire rages on. A wind picks up from the harbour and scatters the broken detritus of all these people's meagre lives all across the lot and road. Now that the immediate threat has passed, there is less panic and less screaming, but the crowd is now the slow-shuffling of tired, defeated people looking to see what, if anything survived.

The warehouse doors open and some people come out and others go in.

Just then there is a blinding burst of light just above, in the air, and in its wake a brightly shining orb appears and gently floats to the ground, whereupon it bursts into a shower of sparks, revealing three adult Masks. They are prominent, well-known heroes who have been operating in Halcyon City for years (although they have all been quiet of late).

The leader, a tall, broad, muscled man dressed in tight red and orange spandex (with only a single badge showing a wolf head logo) who goes by Luminary, looks around and turns and says to a willow-thin woman (Frequency), "Start rounding up this crowd before there's more property damage." The woman starts to vibrate, there's a high whine, and she's gone at super speeds to the edges of the crowd.

Luminary looks down at the four young heroes, "I don't know you. Stay here. I have some questions for you." He turns to the final Mask, an older man whose costume is bedecked belts and pouches (and the same wolf-head logo). A bow is slung over his shoulder (he goes by Vigil). "Watch them," Luminary says, and And with that his being turns to solid light and he flies toward the warehouse.

Vigil walks toward them and a large owl flutters out of the dark and lands on his shoulder and makes some low hooting-chattering noises.

"Swoop here says you knew the guy who did this," his voice is gruff, but not unkind. "He also says you did good work. Who are you all?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

That's the end of the combat. Don't forget to keep track of any Potential you may have earned

[JNAProductions]

Skitter looks to Cleo, not saying anything. She doesn't know what to say-worried that anything that comes out of her mouth will make everything worse.

[Kaworu]

Cleo looked at the heroes who appeared out of nowhere. She felt like she should be mad - after all, they were just to late to have any impact on the fight - but she was to exhausted. She still felt the emotions of being able to cause a lot of damages - and guilt that was related to that - to react properly. Instead, she took a few calming breaths telling herself that this time, she did not loose control.

Vigil was kind, though, so this has made her open.

- My name is Cleopatra. I am a sorceress financed by Natla Technologies. My friends and I already took care of things there, but your help is appreciated - she hoped that sounded honest enough, but was too tired to actually be able to tell.

[Quagmire]

Spoiler: Angel

Show

Conditions:

Current labels:
Danger +1 Freak +2 Savior +0 Superior -1 Mundane +1

Potential: 2/5
Doom Track: 2/5

Angel looks a bit annoyed at the wolf-symbol crew swooping in and taking charge right after they were needed, but he was raised to be polite when dealing with adults and authority figures. "Your owl is right, I've got history with the guy behind this. His guys said they knew I'd come here, and he was talking to Cleo like she knew her too."

He scowls at the idea that all this was personal. Then he brushed some soot off his costume and tries to look a bit more presentable when he introduces his team. "I'm Angel, Cleo introduced herself, and the other two are Skitter and Moth. We managed to deal with all the chaos and magic and stuff, but there's still some people hurt here and that warehouse is probably gonna need repairs. So, should we call emergency services or something for all that?"

[Eldest]

Moth cheerfully ignores the predator-emblem dude in orange and red and goes on after him, towards the warehouse. They've got stuff in there, and they'll tell that to anybody who tries to stop them.

Also, these dudes showed up late, didn't bring coffee, and are worried about the property damage. That rubs Moth the wrong way a bit. They like coffee, it's a neat plant-tea-thing. They'll have to make sure to get some for the Dawnseeker to try to replicate, once they make sure that old predator guy isn't breaking their ship!

[truemane]

CLEOPATRA, SKITTER, ANGEL
Just as Moth zips away toward the warehouse, Vigil takes one attempt at grabbing them, misse, and mutters a curse, and speaks into the watch-looking thing on his wrist. "Sir. Incoming. Keep an eye out."

He then turns back to the three remaining.

"That was.... Moth? That just left? They had some strange kit. They from around here?"

And in response to Angel's question, an avuncular smile. "No, no, don't you kids worry. We'll take everything from here." He pauses, leans in, "Listen, not to step on your good work here, we like it when citizens are involved, but you shouldn't be mixing yourselves up in this stuff. You're too young. You're just kids. This is hero work."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

All three of you, Vigil is trying to tell you who are, looking to shift your Superior down and your Mundane up. Either accept or roll to reject. And don't forget to put your acceptance or rejection into the narrative of your response.

MOTH
Moth zips along toward the warehouse. The crowd is starting to disperse a little and the going is pretty easy. As they get close, of course, there are more people in the way.

About fifty feet from the entrance, the blinding ball of light that they had been tracking stops, flickers, vanishes, and then re-appears right in front of Moth with a pop and a sizzle of superheated air and what sounded like the faint strains of distant strings.

Luninary went from solid light to just shiny dude. He held out his hand. "I'm going to have to ask you head to your friends. Please. I don't want to have to insist."

ALL
Just then a collective sigh and sense of excitement spreads through the crowd from the back of the lot (the corner nearest the street) to the front. And almost immediately people start to move there in a single, calm, almost synchronized group.

Further down the crowd stops, and parts, and up the space in the middle walks a man dressed in a white-white suit that seems a cross between an EMT uniform, a hazmat suit, and clergy's vestments. His face is bare and has an expression of supreme serenity. As he passes, the crowd parts before him and a large number of people fall to one knee.

The whisper starts in the darkness but is soon enough all over the lot.

The Healer.

Healer is here.

Everything is going to be okay.

Both Vigil and Luminary glance that way and smile, and visibly relax, and then turn their attention back at the young heroes.

[Quagmire]

Spoiler: Angel

Show

Conditions:

Current labels:
Danger +1 Freak +2 Savior +1 Superior -2 Mundane +1

Potential: 2/3
Doom Track: 2/5

Angel balls up his fists and anger flashes in his eyes, he clearly has to put in effort to keep speaking politely.

With all due respect, Vigil, these people were in danger. Around here, we don’t get that many upscale heroes with matching uniforms. My team might not be experienced, but we’re all this side of the city has.”

He gestures to the area around him, the bloodied people lining up for healing and the physical destruction. ”Do you think the man who did this would have waited for your team to show up before doing worse?”

Spoiler

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Rejecting some influence (2d6)[9]
My 7-9 choice will be shifting superior down and savior up. I think the reply I gave fits that.

[Eldest]

Moth gives him that look that you can really only pull off if you're simultaneously jaded enough to think you've seen it all as a teen and naive enough to think you've seen it all as a teen. "Okay, from the top. You are currently acting as a secondary responder to an incident that we got to first as primary responders, per galactic rules of triage we are in command of the situation until the local authorities arrive, which to be frank? I don't think you are. Second, per the laws of salvage, as first on the scene, again we have rights to any vessel or cargo that can be recovered from this mess, unless I drop the claim, which I am not. Not that I expect to take anything here, but y'know what, cover everything. Finally." And at this Moth jabs a finger towards the warehouse. "I have stuff in there. I don't know you. I want to make sure you're not going to do anything stupid to it."

[JNAProductions]

Skitter's face, invisible under her mask, contorts itself into something halfway between a scowl and a frown. It's not a pretty look-but she doesn't really care. She mutters to Cleo, saying "Don't let me do anything stupid." Her hands are tightly wrapped around her baton-enough to damage an ordinary one.

[Kaworu]

- With all respect - Cleo had said, looking at the man before her - As my friend had said, we handled the situation well enough and we were there first, now waiting for other heroes to act. It was for the best, I do believe. I understand your concerns for our age and please, do not misunderstand, this is touching that you care for us. But I do think that we more than proved that we are competent. So although your concerns for our health and safety are welcomed, I do not think they had a basis in objective facts. Just saying - she explained, this time having no problem with being calm and non-offensive.

She tried to keep her cool, of course, but even thought she knew on a logical level that she was right, her emotions were not aligned with her thoughts. She knew that her superheroing was cool this time more by accident than by her controlled actions. And the very thought of what could go wrong - and had a lot of chances to be that way, really - made her very insecure. What is she really was just a child? What if she had hurt someone this time? What if she could lost to Santiago? Was superheroing really a thing for her?

She bit her lips, trying desperatedly not to think of all the stuff that was going around in her head.

To words of Skitter, she noded slightly, being prepare to use her magic just - a keyword - just if something goes wrong. But, of course, she believed in them and their good behavior.

Spoiler

Show

I'm marking Insecure.

[truemane]

CLEOPATRA, ANGEL
Vigil takes a half-step back and holds his hands up in a placating gesture. You can't see his face, but his body language softens.

"Hey, hey, hey," he says, voice low, "No one's in trouble here. I know you guys did your best, and you were to help when no one else was. But look at all this." He gestures at the fire, the destruction, the general chaos, "We just can't do it this way any more."

He looks at Angel and nods. "You're right. You're right. And that's how it's been for too long. And that's what we're trying is trying to fix."

He roots around in his pouches and pulls out a card and hands it to Angel (or to whomever is closest).

It says:

The Augustus Oberron Young Heroes Program
Training the leaders of tomorrow, today!

Ethics workshops! Legal seminars!
Access to training facilities!
Funding available!

No one should have to do this alone.

And then a phone number, address, and some days and times.

"We're learning how to do this so it's fair for everyone," Vigil says to all three young Masks. "You should come."

MOTH
Luminary looks genuinely taken aback for a moment and then his face, even though it's masked, is clearly more than a little upset. "Galactic rules? Laws of salvage? Look, weirdo, we're not playing Jessie Space Hero here. This is real, this is serious. I am the local authority, and you need to go back to your friends. And. Wait."

A pause.

"Right. Now."

He glows a little as he talks. The light is harsher than before, and flickers a little.

SKITTER
As she watches, fists clenched, the ephemeral white-clad form of the Healer makes his way up through the crowd. They stop and pause and bow as he passes. He reaches out his hands and the people they reach forward, slowly, tentatively, carefully, respectfully, to touch his foot, his finger, his cape, anything, as he passes. And in his wake is a sense of peace and relief. Even though the speedster is officially off running crowd control, Healer is basically calming the entire mob all on his own.

And then he's right up close to Skitter and the others. And from him emanates a wave of peace and serenity. This close to his gail-force presence, it's clear and obvious that whatever worries you have are nothing, that fear is nothing, pain is nothing, and it's clear and obvious that everything is going to be okay.

He looks down at Skitter. He is very tall.

"You have been harmed, little one," he says, his voice is very calm, very soothing, "Please. Allow me to help you. May I?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

If you accept Healer's help (which, in this case, is both the healing touch and the cool peaceful vibes), clear a Condition and mark Potential. If you refuse it (which is refusing both), mark a Condition.

[JNAProductions]

Skitter looks at Healer. Her hands are still white-knuckled around her baton, but she can feel the calming presence of the man in front of her. Is he so bad? Is it worth holding a grudge? Is he really that bad? intrudes into her mind. She reaches for his hand.

If he lets her take it, she yanks him down or herself up, so her masked face is directly against his. The swarm, mostly dispersed by now, buzzes menacingly. "I hate you. You and your lying, smug face. The rest of you?" she says, gesturing wildly to the other professional heroes, "I don't care about. Maybe they're good, maybe they're bad, I dunno! But you are a grotesque little man who deserves nothing! Nothing!"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Marking Angry. Because Skitter be Angry!

[Eldest]

MOTH
Luminary looks genuinely taken aback for a moment and then his face, even though it's masked, is clearly more than a little upset. "Galactic rules? Laws of salvage? Look, weirdo, we're not playing Jessie Space Hero here. This is real, this is serious. I am the local authority, and you need to go back to your friends. And. Wait."

A pause.

"Right. Now."

He glows a little as he talks. The light is harsher than before, and flickers a little.

Moth looks up at the man. And does the worst possible thing and laughs in his face. "You are the local authority? Ma'hon, you are getting worked up cuz somebody's not listening to you the first time when they ain't recognize you on sight. That's a two bit ganger's move, somebody nobody actually cares about would do that. What's that phrase, pull the other one? I ain't gonna stop you from robbing the place, I got a good fight in earlier and you look like you can throw your weight around, but no way I'm buying that you're in charge."

[Kaworu]

Cleo was looking at Skitter, not believing what she had seen.

- Please, stop! - she shouted, casting fastly a magical barrier between Skitter and Healer. It looked similar to the one before, but now, it was just a flat surface between them, without curves - He had helped this people, can't you see?! Why are you so angry? - she asked, not comprehending what was happening. Why was Skitter so furious? He was a good man!

[Quagmire]

Spoiler: Angel

Show

Conditions:

Current labels:
Danger +1 Freak +2 Savior +1 Superior -2 Mundane +1

Potential: 2/3
Doom Track: 2/3

Angel takes the business card and reads it over, a lot less hostile. The expression on his face actually looks a bit thankful, that this team is showing up to help deal with the injuries and destruction and help them avoid it happening again.

I'll take an offer of help, better than telling us we're too young for this. Not sure if it can really help with I'm dealing with, do the ethics courses cover deals with beings that are basically demons? Does the legal aid have a solution for how to deal with someone the law is afraid to go after?” He says that last part with a tone of skepticism, but also hoping that the answer is yes.

But then another situation gets Angel's attention. He gives Cleo a sympathetic look, trusting that she handle whatever is going on with Skitter and wanting to talk more when things calm down. Then he dashes towards the other confrontation going on between one of his team members and an adult hero.

Appearing in a blur, standing between Moth and Luminary, Angel pushes them away from each other. ”I don't know what this is about, but it'd better not turn into another fight.”

Spoiler

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Just inserting myself into this situation :) Also pulling the classic teenager move of "be overly open about having issues to see how an adult reacts" on Vigil.

[truemane]

SKITTER AND CLEOPATRA
When Skitter lashes out at Healer, he recoils and pulls away from her grip and, for a moment, there is something dark and ugly in his eyes and his face. A ripple of unease passes through the crowd like the low cold whine of wind along an empty autumn beach.

And then Cleopatra throws up the shield, and he recovers his demeanour. He looks down at the young woman, eyes kind and face calm. "I thank you for your assistance," he says, "But please relax your powers and be at peace. There is no need to escalate. This little one's feelings are her own, however mysterious, and I honour them. Surely she means me no harm...?"

Healer draws out that last word and his tone rises at the last moment to make it a question. As he does, there is another rumble through the crowd. This one a little quieter, more tense. Ominous.

Meanwhile, Cleopatra is suddenly certain that, indeed, escalation is not warranted here and, perhaps, relaxing might be the best way to go. Surely nothing is to be gained from confrontation?

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Cleopatra, if you calm down and drop your shield, you can mark Potential.

MOTH AND ANGEL
Vigil's answer seems sincere, but practiced. Clearly he has had this conversation before. "I'm offering you help, and I'm saying you're too young for this. That's why I want to help. And as for the legal clinic, Halycon City actually has a robust body of 'Good Samaritan' law that deals with..."

But he is interrupted by Healer taking half his audience, and Luminary taking the other half.

Luminary takes one full step back, both at Moth's sheer effrontery and then by the arrival of Angel. He looks back and forth between the two. Clear anger radiates from him and his light flickers faster. His hands clench and he seems about to step back toward them when a thought occurs to him and he relaxes.

His face loses its anger and tension and resumes its former smug, smarmy smile. His light stops flickering and fades.

"No, no. There's no need for fighting. Any fighting, I promise, it won't be started by me," he says, with an eye-roll in Moth's direction, "And if you have stuff in there, youngster, of course you need to check it out. It's hard being on the streets at your age. But..."

His smile widens.

"...Frequency goes in with you."

No sooner does he say the name than there's a ZOOP and a blur and suddenly the tall thin woman is back. Her costume is black with red piping, and is covered by tightly patterned wiring. Purple crackles of energy appear and travel along them as she stands. She, too, has the wolf emblem, although it's woven into her suit rather than a badge.

"You called boss?" She sees Angel and Moth. "What's this? Who's this?" Her eyes focus on Moth. "Ooh, great tech! Where'd you get all that?"

[Eldest]

MOTH AND ANGEL
Vigil's answer seems sincere, but practiced. Clearly he has had this conversation before. "I'm offering you help, and I'm saying you're too young for this. That's why I want to help. And as for the legal clinic, Halycon City actually has a robust body of 'Good Samaritan' law that deals with..."

But he is interrupted by Healer taking half his audience, and Luminary taking the other half.

Luminary takes one full step back, both at Moth's sheer effrontery and then by the arrival of Angel. He looks back and forth between the two. Clear anger radiates from him and his light flickers faster. His hands clench and he seems about to step back toward them when a thought occurs to him and he relaxes.

His face loses its anger and tension and resumes its former smug, smarmy smile. His light stops flickering and fades.

"No, no. There's no need for fighting. Any fighting, I promise, it won't be started by me," he says, with an eye-roll in Moth's direction, "And if you have stuff in there, youngster, of course you need to check it out. It's hard being on the streets at your age. But..."

His smile widens.

"...Frequency goes in with you."

No sooner does he say the name than there's a ZOOP and a blur and suddenly the tall thin woman is back. Her costume is black with red piping, and is covered by tightly patterned wiring. Purple crackles of energy appear and travel along them as she stands. She, too, has the wolf emblem, although it's woven into her suit rather than a badge.

"You called boss?" She sees Angel and Moth. "What's this? Who's this?" Her eyes focus on Moth. "Ooh, great tech! Where'd you get all that?"

Moth immediately starts preening. Of course their stuff is great, they're awesome.

"I know right? Buncha different places in space, this one's a cool bit that re-oxygenates and scrubs blood of impurities, the sub-skin weave's there for pressure differentials, and this" pulling out a what looks nothing less than a mechanical impression of a severed spine, curled into a three inch across disk, "this is a spacesuit! It's a great bit of Renali kit from their life pods, snagged it when the boarding torpedos went off and never really had a shot at giving it back, not that I really would this thing's amazing and it's from a life pod anyway so it's not exactly super special, works off electrostatic fields as best I can tell, though I've yet to figure out fully how it recharges, I think it's absorbing solar radiation but it's not getting the visible spectrum as best I can tell..."

They take a breath finally and then pause, peering and pointing at the wolfhead on the new lady's suit, then the one on Luminary, visibly making the connection.

"Oh hey you're with Mr. Big Time! Cool, cool, hope he pays good and you get a good cut. Love your suit, is it generating a localized timespace warp or more for just environmental factors?"

Assuming that Mr. Big Time doesn't try to get out of sight or poke at Moth's stuff, they're gonna be happy talking shop with Frequency for a while.

[JNAProductions]

"No. I don't want anyone undeserving to get hurt," Skitter says pointedly. "Do what you will. Help the people. I'm leaving."

She starts moving, turning to get away. As she passes Cleo, she mutters a quick "Sorry," before picking up into a full sprint, moving... Somewhere. Anywhere but here. Dani tastes salt in her mouth, and realizes she's crying as she's running. She's gone from the area in a flash, moving through back alleys and vacant parking lots. She tears her mask off, crumpling the thin material into a pocket, and lets her tears flow freely. Moving aimlessly, she trusts her powers to stop her from running into anything.

Eventually, she slows down. She sits against a wall. 'I'm lost..." she says to no one. She thinks a moment, and laughs-a harsh, bitter sound. "Yeah. Yeah, I am. In a lot more ways than one."

"..."

"I miss you mom. Dad misses you. I bet you'd like the team. They're great-Judy's so smart, and so pretty, and so talented... Angel's funny, and strong, and cares... Moth is... Okay, Moth is weird, but they're good. They're still getting used to this all-but I know you'd like them. I know they all would like you. I just... You could've been here. I could've gone home, and seen two smiling faces-you and dad. If that... That... That monster who calls himself Healer hadn't been too much of a selfish little- Dani descends into a tirade of curses and insults. "He's probably soaking it up right now. Being the big damn hero, for the pretty little cameras. They're all gonna swoon and sigh and say he's the best! But when it's not so glamorous, he's not there. Taking credit for what we do, just..."

She sniffs, and takes a deep, ragged breath. She takes her mask back out, and looks at it. "You never knew Skitter, mom. She's brave... And fast... And does her best to help everyone else. But inside, she's still Dani... And she misses you." Dani puts the mask back on. "But right now, Skitter has to grow up. He's helping people-even if it's for crappy reasons, he's helping people. And that's my job too."

[Quagmire]

Spoiler: Angel

Show

Conditions:

Current labels:
Danger +1 Freak +2 Savior +1 Superior -2 Mundane +1

Potential: 2/3
Doom Track: 2/3

Relieved that there isn't going to be a fight Angel relaxes and gives Luminary a nod, still trying to be polite. He then waits for a pause in Moth and Frequency's conversation where he can ask, You want me to come with, while she checks out the warehouse? Just in case I'm needed?

Angel gives Moth a hopeful look, he doesn't really think Frequency is going to try anything while they investigate the warehouse, but seeing what awesome stuff Moth has in there sounds interesting. When Moth explains the technical details Angel doesn't really understand, but all the space gadgets are still pretty cool to look at.