[Masks IC] Resurrection Roundabout: Drawing Individuals

[Thanqol]

"You're... all... under arrest." she heaves.

Even the commercials don't make it look as good as you do.

"Give me your energy!" is an anime cliche, but in your case it is extremely literal. Millions of people in employment and alliance have pooled their resources to pay thousands of scientists. Thousands of scientists pooled their genius to create hundreds of perfectly honed technologies. Hundreds of technologies calculating weight, balance, speed and power make manifest in you. You are the point of the spear, the manifestation of an entire society's military efforts. Like a knight in shining armour, or a pilot in a jet fighter, you are the claw at the end of a leviathan's logistics.

The goons stand no chance. They're scattered, thrown through stained glass windows, disarmed and disabled. Victoria isn't fast enough, pulling herself out of the ruins of a table. These medical machines are no match for you, they can't -

One of the doctors doesn't flinch away. You realize a second too late that you've miscalculated. That isn't just a doctor, that's Sophotect - the serial cyberneticist. And for just one terrible second his speed matches yours and there's a clash of neon and sparks.

You skid to the side, smoke pouring from your legs. You're not hurt but your legs are done. You won't make more than a limp at this stage. You're not helpless, though - your arms are fine, if you can somehow get close.

Sophotect tears his ruined lab coat from his body, revealing... well, actually, you reckon he's got more flesh on him than you do, which is a little depressing. His brown, tattooed Filipino skin is mottled and purple from chemicals and his gear is a nightmarish mishmash of brands and logos, salvaged and stolen from his victims. You see avarice in his eyes as he looks at you - he wants what you just did.

Then the Shogun steps between you and him.

What does she intend to do?

She intends to murder Turbo Knight in revenge for the murder of Dr. Gears.

You've idolized the Shogun so you know that she wasn't always as dark and menacing as she has been recently. She used to be brighter... more heroic. And when she was a member of the Cosmics she was good friends with Gears. After his death the hatred she carried towards Turbo Knight grew and festered and all of it is coming out right now. She's spent a long time talking herself around to this.

Afterwards? Maybe... keep killing? Kill the rest of the Silver Royals? After you've crossed the line you can't go back, right?

What can Errant do to get her to help resolve this bloodlessly?

The easy part is what you have to say. She knows that this is wrong. Any number of cliches about being better than them and vengeance not being the way will probably shame her into stopping.

The hard part is getting her to listen seriously to you. She's blocking out everything else, tunnel visioning extremely hard on her decision. You honestly don't think you'll get through to her without punching her in the face a few times. Get her to acknowledge you as a threat and she'll listen to what you have to say.

How can Errant gain Influence over her?

Let her know that you're a fan. She's as proud as @Sarahphim and no one with a height complex that bad isn't secretly insecure.

# Don’t lose your shit. This is weird and surreal and part of you is howling in primal abject terror of falling into empty blue sky forever. Animal heart knows better. Or maybe human heart. One way or other.

# God, this is the exact opposite of what you currently want to explore aesthetically, isn’t it? There will definitely be research trips here, though. The contrasts alone demand patterns memorializing them. Let alone the ouroboros staircase on the north wing.

# Note to self: take Angel-IKA on shopping spree. Beat up some teenagers if possible in process. “DIVA SUPERHERO OUTFITTING NEW SIDEKICK?? TELLS PUNKS: KISS ASPHALT. STRIKES MATCH ON STUBBLE OF CRYING GANG MEMBER.” Hells to the Yeah.

# YOU ARE GOING TO EAT THE NEXT PET YOU SEE

# But just like for the aesthetic and to internalize the lightning impulses of power that are inherent in the tiger’s leap. Not because you really wanna eat a purse poodle and blame it on the tiger instincts later

# Okay you probably actually won’t, really. As amazing as the vine of “YOU- I- WHUH - YOU ATE MY POODLE, IN MY VALENTINO WHITE BAG???” would be. Oh god it would be so amazing.

# You are the best person ever at picking out perfumes and it is a delight to be in enclosed spaces with you, whatever people stuck in elevators with you say. They’re just jealous. You are a goddamn delight.

# IM MISS SUGAR PINK LIQUOR LIQUOR LIPS NA NA NA NA NA NA SEAL IT WITH A KISS

# Your next Limited Run Suit design is going to be ruddy orange and black panels, with a hint of jungle foliage shifting on the other side of the glass. It’s going to be such a hit.

# Showtime.

# Showtime.

You see yourself, lazily lying on a treebranch, legs kicking the air with the wafting rhythm of a tail moving. Shining eyes meet yours with the predatory curiosity you now understand. The tiger in your body has all the perfect relaxed cool of an apex predator, pretending with perfect ego that it is exactly where it wants to be and hasn't been running around lost for an hour. You understand that too.

The park is a cube, sharp angles and immediate rotations of gravity and momentum. It spins in an orrery of similar parks, bound together by bronze machinery. Now and then the parks collect together, forming open fields and improvisational avenues, before drifting apart again.

"Um, I have a stun pistol, if it helps," said Angel-IKA. "It's only good to a few meters. But maybe she doesn't know how to use your lasers so it'll be fine?"

*

Ferraphim1tp: Is it just me or does Tigerphim look even hotter than Sarah normally does? 6.6
Locker: as in the tiger that is possessed by sarahfim or the other way aorudn
Ferraphim1tp: No, like, Sarah's body - like, the tiger body language is like Sarahphim but more so.
Dominus: YOU'RE JOKING RIGHT?
Ferraphim1tp: Really? You of all people are saying you don't think that she's hot? :P
Locker: no i think she's saying she prefers the tiger body
Dominus: I'M NOT SAYING THAT!
Dominus: EITHER OF THAT!
Locker: im surprsged i thought we only had the one furry
Dominus: STOP TWISTING IT! I'M JUST SAYING THAT SARAFIM IS MORE THAN HER BODY!
Locker: dont worry dominus the courts agree with you
Ferraphim1tp: XD
Dominus: >:[

That's not a problem. E can whip up an electromagnet of some sort to have that axe out of her hands in a jiffy. If he's super lucky, he might even manage to avoid dismemberment by flying axe! Bonus!
[Always Prepared: 8. Let's go with Unstable or Temporary for two hundred, Alex.]

"You know, I don't get you," he remarks as he hits the button. "Like, I know why I'm doing this; because somebody has to stand up for the little guy, help them when the law won't. They wanted my help to keep their homes. What'd C&S promise you to get you to harass these people? What's going on in that fuzzy melon of yours?"

Possom Girl whips around with her vaccum-hook and suddenly it's a tug of war. The axe is floating in the middle of the two of you, spinning around insanely dangerously, balanced perfectly in between your two suction gadgets.

"Money, obviously?" said Possum Girl with surprising directness. She's lowered her voice so the conversation is no longer booming at the crowd. "Some of us have to work for a living, man, and there's not much a demand for improvisational theatre majors in this economy. I mean, I'm not actually going to kill these people, so maybe cool it with the axe?"

She ponders it over. "So it's that easy, then? Engage with human culture, ergo I am human, ergo any culture I create or cultivate is human culture? I can try it, sure, but it seems like a self-referencing loop." She drives forward, beginning of a sunset on her left, city on her right, taking a moment to savor the moment. "I am afraid that @Saraphim will immediately try to 'get me laid' when she learns about this, though."

"Being a human is ridiculously easy," said Naota. "Eleven billion people manage it every single day. And the loop only seems self-referencing if you consider it in isolation. Clark Kent is a human culturally because he grew up immersed in Earth culture. If he grew up on Krypton he'd be a Kryptonian and his contributions would be to Kryptonian culture."

He then gave you a long sideways stare. "For real? So, uh, Ferraphim1tp is actually onto something? Jeez I would not have called that."

[Eldest]

"Being a human is ridiculously easy," said Naota. "Eleven billion people manage it every single day. And the loop only seems self-referencing if you consider it in isolation. Clark Kent is a human culturally because he grew up immersed in Earth culture. If he grew up on Krypton he'd be a Kryptonian and his contributions would be to Kryptonian culture."

He then gave you a long sideways stare. "For real? So, uh, Ferraphim1tp is actually onto something? Jeez I would not have called that."

"I... do not know what you jumped to there? Sara seems to enjoy aggressively pushing things she thinks friends would enjoy on said friends, if recent behavior is any indication. Though, since you seem to know them at least, why does Ferraphim1tp" She pronounces it perfectly, somehow, machine brain coming in handy for once. "have that name? It looks like a mashup but I don't quite understand why?"

[Thanqol]

"I... do not know what you jumped to there? Sara seems to enjoy aggressively pushing things she thinks friends would enjoy on said friends, if recent behavior is any indication. Though, since you seem to know them at least, why does Ferraphim1tp" She pronounces it perfectly, somehow, machine brain coming in handy for once. "have that name? It looks like a mashup but I don't quite understand why?"

"It's part of his religion," said Naota. "He's a member of the Church of Shipping. They are a widespread religious order that formed in the early 21st century around the belief that love can be found in the most unexpected places. They have many lay members, but the priests and monks of the religion dedicate their lives to crafting elaborate monuments to these improbable couples. A "Ship" is when a member of the Church identifies some form of romantic chemistry between two people. This can be based on anything, or nothing - the bitterest of rivals, the closest of friends, abstract concepts, or people who lived and died centuries apart while never meeting can all be Shipped. The basic response when identifying a Ship is to invoke the prayer "I Ship It", and for many members that's where it ends. Some then draw, paint or write great works exploring their favoured Ship, and in so doing their Ship gains traction and popularity within the Church.

"One of the most serious prayers in the Church is the "1tp" - the One True Pairing. While ordinary Ships are marked by mashing the names of the two or more subjects together, the One True Pairing is honoured by affixing 1tp to the end. This is the Ship that Shipper has chosen to dedicate themselves to, and they will consider any rival ship to be the most rank heresy and wage ongoing Flame Wars to promote their 1tp.

"Note that these Ships are based around the idea of perceived, potential love. A curious aspect of the Church of Shipping is that when a relationship actually begins between two Shipped subjects - added to the Church's great Canon - then all interest is immediately lost, the matter is considered resolved, and the members move on to different things."

[PhoeKun]

Then the Shogun steps between you and him.

What the ffff-- How was he not in the briefing?! Who's ass did she need to kick? How could? Oh god. Oh god. Errant keeps scrambling, trying to get to her feet again but it's useless. Her biofeedback filters have already done a full shutdown to prevent the pain response from overwhelming her, which consequently means her legs are functionally asleep as well as broken: getting them to do anything requires concerted effort. Which is the opposite of what you want when a cyberphile is eyeing you like a snack and your idol is about to cross the uncrossable line and become a murderer.

"You can't!" she screams with hysteria already creeping into her voice, but the Shogun is locked inside the world of her choice.

"Don't do this!" she pleads. The pistol rises.

"Your Ex-- Hi... oh fuck it. Nobu!"

Errant gives up on getting there with her legs. She pushes off the ground with her arms as hard as she can.

A single gunshot claps across the grungy beat of the music still pounding through the room.

...And Errant is there. Standing. Trembling, smoking, even sparking. Her left hand's clamped tightly around the Shogun's wrist and pointing her entire pistol arm up at the ceiling. Her right arm winds back and punches the undersized school girl across the jaw. Hard. Both girls collapse on the ground in a heap. Errant's lying on top and still pinning that arm with hers. She hoists herself up, slaps the Shogun for good measure, and leans over top of her with a face soaked in a mix of tears and blood.

"Don't! Do! This! If you kill him there's no going back! You... You're!" she stammers. She's also completely exposed, but she doesn't care. "This is your city! You're it's hero! You're my hero! You, you have to be better so that people, so that I! S-so that we believe we can, too! W-we'll get him! I, I promise we will! For Gears and, and everybody! So please..!"

She's actually choking now. Somebody's going to take advantage of this opening. All Errant can do is pray it's the one person she's actually prepared for.

[One last Directly Engage because I'm an idiot. 2d6-2 = 7, with intent specifically to Impress (surprise or frighten). I feel like No, You Move is also appropriate here, which is an 11]

[Balmas]

Possom Girl whips around with her vaccum-hook and suddenly it's a tug of war. The axe is floating in the middle of the two of you, spinning around insanely dangerously, balanced perfectly in between your two suction gadgets.

"Money, obviously?" said Possum Girl with surprising directness. She's lowered her voice so the conversation is no longer booming at the crowd. "Some of us have to work for a living, man, and there's not much a demand for improvisational theatre majors in this economy. I mean, I'm not actually going to kill these people, so maybe cool it with the axe?"

Victor whips back like she just slapped him. "Okay, hold the fuck up. Sane? Are we doing sane? Is this a thing that is happening? Because you coulda fooled me, singin' Scarlet Pimpernel showtunes and salutin' a marsupial like you were doing. You seriously telling me that this horseshit is just a, what, a persona? Dangling people over their deaths is part of your method acting?"

He's watching the axe spin, wary of any shift in direction, but most of his focus is on the girl in front of him, trying to pick apart what the heck is going on in that mind.

[Pierce the mask: 4. Marking XP.]

[Raz_Fox]

# Showtime.

You see yourself, lazily lying on a treebranch, legs kicking the air with the wafting rhythm of a tail moving. Shining eyes meet yours with the predatory curiosity you now understand. The tiger in your body has all the perfect relaxed cool of an apex predator, pretending with perfect ego that it is exactly where it wants to be and hasn't been running around lost for an hour. You understand that too.

The park is a cube, sharp angles and immediate rotations of gravity and momentum. It spins in an orrery of similar parks, bound together by bronze machinery. Now and then the parks collect together, forming open fields and improvisational avenues, before drifting apart again.

"Um, I have a stun pistol, if it helps," said Angel-IKA. "It's only good to a few meters. But maybe she doesn't know how to use your lasers so it'll be fine?"

You and I both know that the tiger knows how to use the lasers. It's a law. You can't say "maybe she doesn't know how to use the lasers" and have the lasers not, in fact, get fired. Also, like, they're hardwired into the nervous system. It's not that hard to intuitively use. So. There are going to be lasers.

But that's the trick. That's the show. That's why bystanders are watching, why security cameras strapped to the local pigeons are tracking her every move. Because Sara's been a tiger for all of, what, an hour? And that has to have been enough. Because when that tiger fires a shoddy jungle barrage at her, she needs to know what it's going to look like, what the heart of a tiger looks like when it's burning a hole through the air, enough so that she can bound right through it, coil those terrible muscles, and pounce without killing the tiger inside her body. To prove her dominance. To prove that she's learned something from this. That it was all worth it.

@SARAHPHIM is the alpha. Everybody: let's bow to the queen.

[Marking Insecure to roll to Directly Engage with +Superior, though I feel that it's less classic insecurity and more #Hubris right now. Either way, the roll's 10 - thank you, Superior +3. @SARAHPHIM is going to Avoid their Blows - naturally - and Take their Footing - that tiger's going down.]

So here's how I think it goes down, myself. When a tiger uses that light array, it looks like claws cutting through water, dragging trails of very concentrated and dangerous bullets in their wake, the almost invisibly bright color of sunlight on the river's back. Tigers are the big cats who love to swim, after all, and even this is simply another expression of their terrible claws. But that's just what Sara knew they would do - the sudden, swift burst of violence, the burning bullets waiting in the wings. And, if you were very nimble, and very certain, and very brave, there's one- just one- hole that very rapidly closes as those trails collapse on each other.

I think one of those sunbeam bullets singes one hair on the very tip of her tail as her sleek, many-striped body soars through the pattern, and the tiger- for the first time in its life- gets to experience the sudden terror of having a tiger pounce on you, knocking you right out of your perch, one paw on your neck as that hot breath washes over your face. The feeling of knowing you are weak and at the mercy of an alpha predator.

Which leaves Sara with the very interesting and pressing question of how to make this tiger Not A Threat so she can safely switch bodies again, before they decide to just go supernova in her face. Because Angel-IKA is almost certainly still duck-and-covering from that barrage and a tiger's body does not have many non-lethal options available to it.

[Thanqol]

What the ffff-- How was he not in the briefing?! Who's ass did she need to kick? How could? Oh god. Oh god. Errant keeps scrambling, trying to get to her feet again but it's useless. Her biofeedback filters have already done a full shutdown to prevent the pain response from overwhelming her, which consequently means her legs are functionally asleep as well as broken: getting them to do anything requires concerted effort. Which is the opposite of what you want when a cyberphile is eyeing you like a snack and your idol is about to cross the uncrossable line and become a murderer.

"You can't!" she screams with hysteria already creeping into her voice, but the Shogun is locked inside the world of her choice.

"Don't do this!" she pleads. The pistol rises.

"Your Ex-- Hi... oh fuck it. Nobu!"

Errant gives up on getting there with her legs. She pushes off the ground with her arms as hard as she can.

A single gunshot claps across the grungy beat of the music still pounding through the room.

...And Errant is there. Standing. Trembling, smoking, even sparking. Her left hand's clamped tightly around the Shogun's wrist and pointing her entire pistol arm up at the ceiling. Her right arm winds back and punches the undersized school girl across the jaw. Hard. Both girls collapse on the ground in a heap. Errant's lying on top and still pinning that arm with hers. She hoists herself up, slaps the Shogun for good measure, and leans over top of her with a face soaked in a mix of tears and blood.

"Don't! Do! This! If you kill him there's no going back! You... You're!" she stammers. She's also completely exposed, but she doesn't care. "This is your city! You're it's hero! You're my hero! You, you have to be better so that people, so that I! S-so that we believe we can, too! W-we'll get him! I, I promise we will! For Gears and, and everybody! So please..!"

She's actually choking now. Somebody's going to take advantage of this opening. All Errant can do is pray it's the one person she's actually prepared for.

[One last Directly Engage because I'm an idiot. 2d6-2 = 7, with intent specifically to Impress (surprise or frighten). I feel like No, You Move is also appropriate here, which is an 11]

She doesn't hit you, doesn't shoot at you. For a moment she's surprised... but the thought of responding with violence doesn't even cross her mind.

"He's going to get away!" she snarled, but there was as much despair in that voice as anger. "Don't you understand!? If I don't stop him here he's going to be around forever! He found a way to worm and weasel out of every punishment - and now even death!? He's going to escape death!? H-how can there be room for heroes when the worst that happens to the villains is that they just take another spin on the resurrection roundabout and just keep playing? They'll get away with it, with all of it!"

Victor whips back like she just slapped him. "Okay, hold the fuck up. Sane? Are we doing sane? Is this a thing that is happening? Because you coulda fooled me, singin' Scarlet Pimpernel showtunes and salutin' a marsupial like you were doing. You seriously telling me that this horseshit is just a, what, a persona? Dangling people over their deaths is part of your method acting?"

He's watching the axe spin, wary of any shift in direction, but most of his focus is on the girl in front of him, trying to pick apart what the heck is going on in that mind.

[Pierce the mask: 4. Marking XP.]

At this point a possum jumps on your face. And then a whole bunch more. They're the size and weight of small dogs, all muscle and bone, and they are heavy. And bitey. And lots.

"Oh! General Oswald!" cried Possum Girl with such delight that you're honestly not sure if you hallucinated that moment of seriousness. You've lost track of her in the chaos. "Thank you for saving me! I'll finish this trial in a jiffy, and then, treats for everypossum!"

Roll to take a powerful blow.

I think one of those sunbeam bullets singes one hair on the very tip of her tail as her sleek, many-striped body soars through the pattern, and the tiger- for the first time in its life- gets to experience the sudden terror of having a tiger pounce on you, knocking you right out of your perch, one paw on your neck as that hot breath washes over your face. The feeling of knowing you are weak and at the mercy of an alpha predator.

Which leaves Sara with the very interesting and pressing question of how to make this tiger Not A Threat so she can safely switch bodies again, before they decide to just go supernova in her face. Because Angel-IKA is almost certainly still duck-and-covering from that barrage and a tiger's body does not have many non-lethal options available to it.

No cat, no matter how grand, is inclined to do much of anything if picked up by the neck. It's how the cat's mother picks it up so the first instinct is to go limp and shamed like a kitten. So the tiger does with your body, below your claws.

But no cat, no matter how mild, likes being manhandled. It is only a matter of time before she works through the shock of being pounced and the humiliation of being held by the neck and tries to claw your eyes out without consideration for how much larger and scarier you are than her. This, too, is what it means to be a cat.

You're making eye contact with yourself and you can watch this process happen in real time. Soon the hiss, soon the tearing, soon the fight that nobody wins but demonstrates to bystanders and subsequent generations why you don't mess with a cat. You've got a little time to figure out the What Next, but only a little. What do you do?

[PhoeKun]

She doesn't hit you, doesn't shoot at you. For a moment she's surprised... but the thought of responding with violence doesn't even cross her mind.

"He's going to get away!" she snarled, but there was as much despair in that voice as anger. "Don't you understand!? If I don't stop him here he's going to be around forever! He found a way to worm and weasel out of every punishment - and now even death!? He's going to escape death!? H-how can there be room for heroes when the worst that happens to the villains is that they just take another spin on the resurrection roundabout and just keep playing? They'll get away with it, with all of it!"

"No! You're the one who doesn't understand!" Errant slams a fist into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Her face is such a mess it's difficult to tell exactly what emotion is in control of her right now. But she's definitely angry, and maybe just as scared.

"S-some... somewhere out there, there's a little girl with pictures of you all over her commlink. She's so excited, because she thinks you look just like her. She's dreaming about growing up and being like you! And if you, if you kill Turbo Knight today... you're putting a gun right in her hands. Because it never ends! If it's not him it's his granddaughter! If it's not her it's Sabrem or Sylvanus or BlackSun or... o-or even maybe AEGIS! W-we're only better 'cause we support each other! We're only holding back the darkness because we stay strong enough to say no! And you're strong! You're so much stronger than me! If he can drag you down to his level, th-then I..."

Something in her right leg shorts out completely, and Errant slumps awkwardly off of the Shogun.

"Don't throw yourself away. Please. Please. W-we can still stop this... We can..."

[Raz_Fox]

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS

Okay, here’s a plan. Step one: a big cat headbutt right to her beautiful, angelic face to stun the tiger a few moments longer. Once she gets switched back, she’s going to be SO sore. Chiropractor’s visit, coming up.

Step two: flip her body over and work one paw up under her top, over those cushioned wires, to the well-protected hardlight generator. She’s probably the only person in the world who knows the safety protocols to shut it down in the event that a pepper rift tries to tear her body in half.

Once that’s done, the danger will drop from “lethal laser blast through face” to “angry, buff teenager with tiger sitting on her,” and Sara can ride her own furious writhings our long enough for Angel-IKA to come over and taser the daylights out of the tiger.

[On the other hand? I just rolled a 4 on Unleash your Powers so that is probably not what is going to happen.]

[Eldest]

"It's part of his religion," said Naota. "He's a member of the Church of Shipping. They are a widespread religious order that formed in the early 21st century around the belief that love can be found in the most unexpected places. They have many lay members, but the priests and monks of the religion dedicate their lives to crafting elaborate monuments to these improbable couples. A "Ship" is when a member of the Church identifies some form of romantic chemistry between two people. This can be based on anything, or nothing - the bitterest of rivals, the closest of friends, abstract concepts, or people who lived and died centuries apart while never meeting can all be Shipped. The basic response when identifying a Ship is to invoke the prayer "I Ship It", and for many members that's where it ends. Some then draw, paint or write great works exploring their favoured Ship, and in so doing their Ship gains traction and popularity within the Church.

"One of the most serious prayers in the Church is the "1tp" - the One True Pairing. While ordinary Ships are marked by mashing the names of the two or more subjects together, the One True Pairing is honoured by affixing 1tp to the end. This is the Ship that Shipper has chosen to dedicate themselves to, and they will consider any rival ship to be the most rank heresy and wage ongoing Flame Wars to promote their 1tp.

"Note that these Ships are based around the idea of perceived, potential love. A curious aspect of the Church of Shipping is that when a relationship actually begins between two Shipped subjects - added to the Church's great Canon - then all interest is immediately lost, the matter is considered resolved, and the members move on to different things."

"As a religion, it's... interesting. As an allegory for human culture, sure, that works. Interesting that people find such enjoyment in imagining various relationships, but then you said they seem to lose interest as soon as the wish comes true. Is it better in their head, or is it that the chase is better than the actual thing? Still doesn't quite explain the name..." She pauses. If she was built differently, you'd literally see the gears turning. "Ferraphim. Ferra. Saraphim."

==NotFerra has logged on==
NotFerra: @Ferraphim1tp. Explain.

[Thanqol]

"No! You're the one who doesn't understand!" Errant slams a fist into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Her face is such a mess it's difficult to tell exactly what emotion is in control of her right now. But she's definitely angry, and maybe just as scared.

"S-some... somewhere out there, there's a little girl with pictures of you all over her commlink. She's so excited, because she thinks you look just like her. She's dreaming about growing up and being like you! And if you, if you kill Turbo Knight today... you're putting a gun right in her hands. Because it never ends! If it's not him it's his granddaughter! If it's not her it's Sabrem or Sylvanus or BlackSun or... o-or even maybe AEGIS! W-we're only better 'cause we support each other! We're only holding back the darkness because we stay strong enough to say no! And you're strong! You're so much stronger than me! If he can drag you down to his level, th-then I..."

Something in her right leg shorts out completely, and Errant slumps awkwardly off of the Shogun.

"Don't throw yourself away. Please. Please. W-we can still stop this... We can..."

The Shogun slumps next to you. The fight goes out of her.

"I'm old," she said. "I don't look it but I'm so old. I've been doing this for so long. And it doesn't feel like things are any safer than when I started. I wanted... I wanted to at least protect the city until the Silver Royals were gone, but what if they never leave? What if they're around forever? When I had my friends with me I thought I could do it, but they all drifted away and I was the only one who stayed... I thought one day I'd be able to retire but..." she sniffs, wipes her eyes, "I can do this for a little longer. You're right. It never ends."

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS

Okay, here’s a plan. Step one: a big cat headbutt right to her beautiful, angelic face to stun the tiger a few moments longer. Once she gets switched back, she’s going to be SO sore. Chiropractor’s visit, coming up.

Step two: flip her body over and work one paw up under her top, over those cushioned wires, to the well-protected hardlight generator. She’s probably the only person in the world who knows the safety protocols to shut it down in the event that a pepper rift tries to tear her body in half.

Once that’s done, the danger will drop from “lethal laser blast through face” to “angry, buff teenager with tiger sitting on her,” and Sara can ride her own furious writhings our long enough for Angel-IKA to come over and taser the daylights out of the tiger.

[On the other hand? I just rolled a 4 on Unleash your Powers so that is probably not what is going to happen.]

Angel-IKA comes over and tasers the tiger. Then she tasers you.

"Oh hey again, @Sarahphim!" came the unmistakable cadence of Comstar's voice from Angel-IKA's mouth. "So I know I set up this whole girl verses tiger thing and it was getting a lot of play, nice work by the way, but then I saw your sidekick and - wow!" she pulled off the wolf hood and tossed it to the side. "I mean, it was a crime to dress a body this gorgeous up in these rags, and I did have this neat bodyswitching tech right there, so I figured: why not?"

Angel-IKA in Comstar's body jumps on Comstar's back with a yell of "Don't hurt @Sarahphim!" But Comstar's original body is extremely not buff and Comstar just laughs. "Oh wow, she's adorable, I used to be adorable," said Comstar brightly. She twists and throws Angel-IKA into a heap on top of the stunned @Sarahphim and the stunned tiger and then hits her with a shot from the stun pistol. "Anyway, sorry for the interruption, folks. I set the stun charge so that the tiger's muscles would recover first because I'm really curious as to what it'll do. Is it going to try to eat you with its little human mouth? Oh! So many questions! Anyway, sorry again for the interruption, hugs and kisses, just pretend I was never here."

"As a religion, it's... interesting. As an allegory for human culture, sure, that works. Interesting that people find such enjoyment in imagining various relationships, but then you said they seem to lose interest as soon as the wish comes true. Is it better in their head, or is it that the chase is better than the actual thing? Still doesn't quite explain the name..." She pauses. If she was built differently, you'd literally see the gears turning. "Ferraphim. Ferra. Saraphim."

==NotFerra has logged on==
NotFerra: @Ferraphim1tp. Explain.

Ferraphim1tp: Oh! Hi! Uh, okay, so it's maximum Freaky Friday here @.@
Locker: hey
Ferraphim1tp: Comstar is Angelica, Angelica is Comstar, Sarah is in the body of the giant tiger, and the tiger's brain is in Sarah's body
Bode: Also the tiger in @Sarahphim's body is due to regain motion first. This is apparently the 22cnd century equivalent of lowering people into a shark tank.
Locker: man. i wish i got there in time. literally any of those bodies would be a step up from what ive got now
Ferraphim1tp: It's really intense o.o. This is a real Comstar puzzle room.
Dominus: THERE'S A CLUE SOMEWHERE. SARAHFIM LEAVES HOLES IN HER PATTERNS, COMSTAR LEAVES SOLUTIONS IN HER DEATHTRAPS.
Ferraphim1tp: Anyway, I think that covers it. How are you? ^.^

[Raz_Fox]

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS
POTENTIAL 1

So this is what it's like to be Victor!

Is what Sara doesn't say, but mostly because her jaw muscles are locked tight and also she is a tiger. It'd be mean, but, c'mon. We're all thinking it.

And, like Victor, all she has available to her right here and now is her incredible intellect. She's not as smart as he is- depending on how you define intelligence and anyway isn't a working fashion sense part of a truly well-rounded emotional intelligence- but she's clever and a real brain and think, brain, think good thoughts, maybe develop psychic powers? That'd be rad! Or, at the very least, if you're not willing to do that, then look for the loophole. For the way out. It's just another pattern, look for the gap.

[9 on Assessing the Sitch. What here can I use to escape Comstar's deathtrap?]

[PhoeKun]

The Shogun slumps next to you. The fight goes out of her.

"I'm old," she said. "I don't look it but I'm so old. I've been doing this for so long. And it doesn't feel like things are any safer than when I started. I wanted... I wanted to at least protect the city until the Silver Royals were gone, but what if they never leave? What if they're around forever? When I had my friends with me I thought I could do it, but they all drifted away and I was the only one who stayed... I thought one day I'd be able to retire but..." she sniffs, wipes her eyes, "I can do this for a little longer. You're right. It never ends."

Oh thank god. Thank god, thank god, thank god. That's two out of four threats fully neutralized. Plus herself if she's being honest. Errant pushes herself back off the ground and into a sitting position, so she can at least get a good view of what's actually happening right now. She just bought Turbo Knight a lot of time. Maybe too much time. But still: thank god. She wipes her eyes, and then the rest of her face.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Errant says instead of anything useful, "I just wanted to help. I wanted to show you that I could do it. But I can't walk. I messed up. I'm sorry. I'm still such a kid."

But despite everything, she still has one good surge in her left leg. And she's still got her arms. She may not look it or sound it, but she's still in the fight. One more. One more move, one more window of opportunity, one more chance to make a difference. So find it, Euna. Find it and end this. The right way.

[Thanqol]

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS
POTENTIAL 1

So this is what it's like to be Victor!

Is what Sara doesn't say, but mostly because her jaw muscles are locked tight and also she is a tiger. It'd be mean, but, c'mon. We're all thinking it.

And, like Victor, all she has available to her right here and now is her incredible intellect. She's not as smart as he is- depending on how you define intelligence and anyway isn't a working fashion sense part of a truly well-rounded emotional intelligence- but she's clever and a real brain and think, brain, think good thoughts, maybe develop psychic powers? That'd be rad! Or, at the very least, if you're not willing to do that, then look for the loophole. For the way out. It's just another pattern, look for the gap.

[9 on Assessing the Sitch. What here can I use to escape Comstar's deathtrap?]

The stun pistol has paralyzed organic matter, but it's left cybernetics still functional. Sadly your tiger body doesn't have any cybernetics, but a dinky little personal defense pistol is not perfectly effective against a fully grown tiger so you've got some limited motion in your paws, head and tail. To really make things happen, though, you'll need to exploit the cybernetics of your body - and Comstar's.

Comstar's body might not be good for fighting, but if you've learned one thing about her from your recent run-in it's that she stocks up on ridiculous quantities of tricks and gadgets. Even if she emptied her pockets before she triggered the shift there's still going to be stuff she missed, implants, cybertatoos, augments. She's the kind of person who'd fully expect to be shifted back into her body and needing to make a quick getaway so you'd guess that there's an emergency teleporter in amidst whatever else she's left behind. You just need to communicate that to Angel-IKA somehow.

The real target is a little device subtly clipped to the forehead of Angel-IKA's body. That's the interface to her hacking device and what she's using to keep Friday Freaky - fry it and Friday un-Freaks. It'd be easy to nail that with a laser from here if you had your own body.

Oh thank god. Thank god, thank god, thank god. That's two out of four threats fully neutralized. Plus herself if she's being honest. Errant pushes herself back off the ground and into a sitting position, so she can at least get a good view of what's actually happening right now. She just bought Turbo Knight a lot of time. Maybe too much time. But still: thank god. She wipes her eyes, and then the rest of her face.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Errant says instead of anything useful, "I just wanted to help. I wanted to show you that I could do it. But I can't walk. I messed up. I'm sorry. I'm still such a kid."

But despite everything, she still has one good surge in her left leg. And she's still got her arms. She may not look it or sound it, but she's still in the fight. One more. One more move, one more window of opportunity, one more chance to make a difference. So find it, Euna. Find it and end this. The right way.

"Awwww. Poor dears," came the voice of Victoria Messermitt - amplified and distorted as it boomed from within the suit of Turbo Knight's new armour. "Don't worry. I've got an easy solution to everyone's problems."

The power armour moves with liquid fluidity, every bend and twist causing a hundred components to move in unison. Victoria sets the canister containing Turbo Knight's brain down on the floor and then raises her armoured boot above it, ready to crush the helpless brain.

"I'll just kill all the Silver Royals myself and then you won't have anything to worry about. You'll be able to retire in peace after all. My gift to you."

[Balmas]

At this point a possum jumps on your face. And then a whole bunch more. They're the size and weight of small dogs, all muscle and bone, and they are heavy. And bitey. And lots.

"Oh! General Oswald!" cried Possum Girl with such delight that you're honestly not sure if you hallucinated that moment of seriousness. You've lost track of her in the chaos. "Thank you for saving me! I'll finish this trial in a jiffy, and then, treats for everypossum!"

Roll to take a powerful blow.

Genius takes many forms in this world, but Victor has always mentally divided them into slow or fast genius.

The painter is slow genius: hours of practice, hours of labor, hours of planning, all before the final stroke of gold paint ever transforms canvas to wheat field. The scientist is slow genius, with the gentle and gradual accrual of knowledge that meticulously accounts for errors and bias. Slow genius is Edison's hundred iterations of the lightbulb until an economic, slow-burning fiber can be found to bright light to darkness.

Fast genius is the apple of Newton, the "Eureka!" and subsequent streaka of Archimedes' overflowing bathtub. Fast genius is Victor knowing how to assemble an electromagnet tuned specifically to an axe, because come on, isn't it obvious? A child could figure that out. Fast genius is Victor making crucial tweaks in Dr. Gears' notes because of the efficiency increase they'd obviously bring.

And right now, covered in possums, fast genius is Victor laughing because inspiration has just handed him the answer to this fight. See, Possum Girl brought the wrong weapon to fight against somebody with nanite limbs. You might as well try to hurt playdough by cutting it. Let's see some stupid overgrown rats do that!

So he hurls the hand holding the elecromagnet to the ground and tells it to run away, dragging the axe closer. After all, inspiration has never been wrong before.

[Raz_Fox]

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS
POTENTIAL 1

“Hyyybrrrr.” Look, you try saying anything more intelligible while stunned. And also without the mouth structure for more. The tail limply thwaps against Comstar-IKA’s pockets. Thwip, thwap, thwomp. “Hyyybrrrr! Eccchh! Ecccttrrrrrrrkkk! Hyyybrrr!”

This devolves into Sara miming pointing a claw at things, going “pew pew” and then a shotgun ker-clunk as she resheathes the claw. C’mon, this is Cyberbiology 101, get the clue!

OH HEY TIGER IS WAKING UP NOW WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD TIME TO GET THE HINT, PEW PEW, VWIP

[PhoeKun]

"I'll just kill all the Silver Royals myself and then you won't have anything to worry about. You'll be able to retire in peace after all. My gift to you."

She's got a chance. That frame is utterly beyond her, but it's still Victoria Messermitt inside it and she's probably not expecting any kind of move from Errant. All she needs to do is put a tiny crack somewhere on that thing, and the rest would take care of itself. She glances sidelong at the Shogun. She tenses for motion. She nods.

But! If she made that move, Victoria's foot might come down before the real final blow could come. If she made that move, someone might die. The call of Errant's heart is not "beat the bad guy". If it was, she'd be someone other than Euna Kim. So she lunges: one final burst of speed from her poor overworked leg. She crosses the distance in an instant and slides right under that terrible foot. She plants herself as best she can with whatever leg she has left. Shields that abhorrent brain-in-a-jar with her right arm (gross, gross, gross), tries to deflect the coming stomp with her left. Her eyes are defiant as she stares up into the face of bleeding edge death.

"...You don't listen, do you?"

[Errant spends her hold to make it there in time, and Defends the super icky hostage. 2d6+3 = 9. She clears Guilty, and exposes herself to danger]

[Thanqol]

Genius takes many forms in this world, but Victor has always mentally divided them into slow or fast genius.

The painter is slow genius: hours of practice, hours of labor, hours of planning, all before the final stroke of gold paint ever transforms canvas to wheat field. The scientist is slow genius, with the gentle and gradual accrual of knowledge that meticulously accounts for errors and bias. Slow genius is Edison's hundred iterations of the lightbulb until an economic, slow-burning fiber can be found to bright light to darkness.

Fast genius is the apple of Newton, the "Eureka!" and subsequent streaka of Archimedes' overflowing bathtub. Fast genius is Victor knowing how to assemble an electromagnet tuned specifically to an axe, because come on, isn't it obvious? A child could figure that out. Fast genius is Victor making crucial tweaks in Dr. Gears' notes because of the efficiency increase they'd obviously bring.

And right now, covered in possums, fast genius is Victor laughing because inspiration has just handed him the answer to this fight. See, Possum Girl brought the wrong weapon to fight against somebody with nanite limbs. You might as well try to hurt playdough by cutting it. Let's see some stupid overgrown rats do that!

So he hurls the hand holding the elecromagnet to the ground and tells it to run away, dragging the axe closer. After all, inspiration has never been wrong before.

The crowd lets out a sympathetic moan as the flat of an axe slams directly into your torso. It pitches you over the side, possums and nanites streaming from your overbalanced body, and before you've recovered mentally you're lying on your back on the ground and your everything hurts. The sharp end of the axe is buried in the concrete an inch from your head. As your eyes start to focus you even see Possum Girl looking down at you sympathetically.

"He stole my axe!" she said dramatically after a moment. "Oh, how am I supposed to execute all of these criminals without my trusty axe?" She stomped up and down on the rooftop for a moment. "I guess you win this round, hero, but I will be back and I will finish the job - when you least expect it! I will have my revenge on everyone who still occupies this building - and then, upon society as a whole! Come, General Oswald!"

Well... as far as defeats go it could be worse.

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS
POTENTIAL 1

“Hyyybrrrr.” Look, you try saying anything more intelligible while stunned. And also without the mouth structure for more. The tail limply thwaps against Comstar-IKA’s pockets. Thwip, thwap, thwomp. “Hyyybrrrr! Eccchh! Ecccttrrrrrrrkkk! Hyyybrrr!”

This devolves into Sara miming pointing a claw at things, going “pew pew” and then a shotgun ker-clunk as she resheathes the claw. C’mon, this is Cyberbiology 101, get the clue!

OH HEY TIGER IS WAKING UP NOW WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD TIME TO GET THE HINT, PEW PEW, VWIP

"You want... me to get you a gun? There's a gun in my pocket?" said Com-IKA haplessly. "You want ear scratches! No, you want your lasers, um, I don't know how to..." she struggles her hand across to Tigerphim's back. A pink light comes on. "Oh hey, what? There's all this stuff in my eye - aah!" She yelps as a sequence of hardlight lasers blast into a nearby tree. "Oh! I can activate your laser array! Um!"

The virus in Comstar's system is still there and dormant, and since that was controlled by her neural cybernetics she doesn't have that link yet in her new body. Angel-IKA can fire your lasers! But...

"Um, I can't turn my neck," said Angel-IKA. "So I can't really see what I'm shooting at. I need you to help me aim your lasers."

She's got a chance. That frame is utterly beyond her, but it's still Victoria Messermitt inside it and she's probably not expecting any kind of move from Errant. All she needs to do is put a tiny crack somewhere on that thing, and the rest would take care of itself. She glances sidelong at the Shogun. She tenses for motion. She nods.

But! If she made that move, Victoria's foot might come down before the real final blow could come. If she made that move, someone might die. The call of Errant's heart is not "beat the bad guy". If it was, she'd be someone other than Euna Kim. So she lunges: one final burst of speed from her poor overworked leg. She crosses the distance in an instant and slides right under that terrible foot. She plants herself as best she can with whatever leg she has left. Shields that abhorrent brain-in-a-jar with her right arm (gross, gross, gross), tries to deflect the coming stomp with her left. Her eyes are defiant as she stares up into the face of bleeding edge death.

"...You don't listen, do you?"

[Errant spends her hold to make it there in time, and Defends the super icky hostage. 2d6+3 = 9. She clears Guilty, and exposes herself to danger]

Crunch.

*

"I'm sorry, Errant. The damage was too severe. I had to extract your bra-AAAAAAI-iiiinnnnNNN!"

JuneBird waves the spooky green tube containing Turbo Knight's brain over your head as you come to in the USAT med-bay. "Luckily it didn't seem to be connected to anything so I don't think you'll notice any differences," she said, punching you in the arm (oh, hey, your arm is still there, that's one out of four). "Seriously, what the hell? What made you think overclocking your limbs was a good idea? You could have gotten hurt!"

It's a weird statement to make to someone who's down from twenty fingers and toes to four, but you're not hurt. Lot of synaptic feedback, which was what knocked you out, but as devastating as the damage is all of it was to parts you lost years ago. You feel surprisingly fine.

[Eldest]

Ferraphim1tp: Oh! Hi! Uh, okay, so it's maximum Freaky Friday here @.@
Locker: hey
Ferraphim1tp: Comstar is Angelica, Angelica is Comstar, Sarah is in the body of the giant tiger, and the tiger's brain is in Sarah's body
Bode: Also the tiger in @Sarahphim's body is due to regain motion first. This is apparently the 22cnd century equivalent of lowering people into a shark tank.
Locker: man. i wish i got there in time. literally any of those bodies would be a step up from what ive got now
Ferraphim1tp: It's really intense o.o. This is a real Comstar puzzle room.
Dominus: THERE'S A CLUE SOMEWHERE. SARAHFIM LEAVES HOLES IN HER PATTERNS, COMSTAR LEAVES SOLUTIONS IN HER DEATHTRAPS.
Ferraphim1tp: Anyway, I think that covers it. How are you? ^.^

"Ah. Naota, it appears that Sara is in trouble. I'm going to detour... thataway, until I find out more about what's going on. And where she is."

NotFerra: That's not what I was asking about, but useful information, thank you.
NotFerra: Where is she now, and who is Angelica?
NotFerra: Is she in current danger?
NotFerra: The original "explain" was your name having me as part of a ship, by the way.
NotFerra: Also if anybody has advice on driving, I'll take it. Speed-reading a manual does not seem to be enough for evening traffic.

She'd only winged the car when merging, at least.

[Raz_Fox]

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS
[X]: AFRAID
POTENTIAL 1

A bush explodes in slow motion. Smoldering leaves rain down into, inexplicably, a ring of menhirs on the level below. Somewhere an orchestra’s string section is playing.

@SARAHPHIM: 0..5 up blunt beam spread tighten cone by :0%
@SARAHPHIM: 30
@SARAHPHIM: 30%

A wuff of displeasure emerges from Sara’s throat as the tiger beneath her, in her body, starts getting bitey. Probably mad that Sara jacked her own headset. Ow. Ow ow ow.

Another luminescent blast, all whites and shimmering aftereffects, like the air became a sea.

@SARAHPHIM: 0.7 left down tighten cone by 20€
@SARAHPHIM: TH
@SARAHPHIM: THERE NWO FIRE

[7 on Unleash Those Powers! I’ll mark AFRAID because she nearly did just lead herself and a fan to death by tiger. Girl’s a little spooked.]

[Thanqol]

"Ah. Naota, it appears that Sara is in trouble. I'm going to detour... thataway, until I find out more about what's going on. And where she is."

NotFerra: That's not what I was asking about, but useful information, thank you.
NotFerra: Where is she now, and who is Angelica?
NotFerra: Is she in current danger?
NotFerra: The original "explain" was your name having me as part of a ship, by the way.
NotFerra: Also if anybody has advice on driving, I'll take it. Speed-reading a manual does not seem to be enough for evening traffic.

She'd only winged the car when merging, at least.

Ferraphim1tp: Angelica? Angel-IKA? You really didn't get that? ;)
Bode: They are in Neo Chaos Spire somewhere... north of the goddamn infinite sky bridge thing... but not past the ocean view helix...
Locker: driving advice for neo chaos spire: tis all optical illusons so you cant trust your eyes, just relax and let the force guide you
Bode: That is terrible advice!
Locker: alternativ,y you can use a street map
Bode: That is worse advice!
Ferraphim1tp: Oh, um, the name. Oh heck.
Dominus: YOU KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME
Ferraphim1tp: Uh. Okay, so, um. It was a joke to begin with, right? Because you didn't initially have a personality. A lot of people do ships of @Sarahphim and they get really passionate about it which I think is a little weird because she's a real person. So I made a joke out of shipping her with basically an inanimate object to stir trouble. .-.
Bode: I knew you didn't have any real evidence disproving that SarahKim is the one true pairing.
Locker: haha holy sh8t check out this news clip of ferra smashing some guys car. ahahahahahahaha
Ferraphim1tp: But then I did a little fanart and writing of my own kind of using you as a blank slate because I had an idea I couldn't get rid of. I thought that was it but then, um, it came true when you literally transformed into a girl somehow. And now things are really weird and I'm thinking about changing it because it feels like things got way too real for a second there. idk sorry I'm rambling while you're trying to save the day ignore me ><

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS
[X]: AFRAID
POTENTIAL 1

A bush explodes in slow motion. Smoldering leaves rain down into, inexplicably, a ring of menhirs on the level below. Somewhere an orchestra’s string section is playing.

@SARAHPHIM: 0..5 up blunt beam spread tighten cone by :0%
@SARAHPHIM: 30
@SARAHPHIM: 30%

A wuff of displeasure emerges from Sara’s throat as the tiger beneath her, in her body, starts getting bitey. Probably mad that Sara jacked her own headset. Ow. Ow ow ow.

Another luminescent blast, all whites and shimmering aftereffects, like the air became a sea.

@SARAHPHIM: 0.7 left down tighten cone by 20€
@SARAHPHIM: TH
@SARAHPHIM: THERE NWO FIRE

[7 on Unleash Those Powers! I’ll mark AFRAID because she nearly did just lead herself and a fan to death by tiger. Girl’s a little spooked.]

It's an ugly ass shot but it hits - Angel-IKA, the headband, and a dozen other things. You might control for environmental damage ordinarily but Angel-IKA is firing blind. The gordian knot of bodyswitches, girls and tigers unravels itself.

There's a rush and a jumble as safety overrides clamp down, unbound by neon lights. The great rushing channels of data realign your minds with your bodies - one, two, three, four. You are once again weak, fragile, and no longer a tiger. Also you are lying pinned underneath an actual literal tiger which is confused, angry, and has not gotten to eat a deer or a poodle today.

[Raz_Fox]

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS
[X]: AFRAID
POTENTIAL 1

Okay, first of all? If we’re going to number these? First of all, @SARAHPHIM is only weak in comparison to the tiger, Euna, and Ferra. Again, she does have a grueling workout regimen worthy of a Hemsworth, thank you very much.

Second of all, of course we compensated for damage! Angel-IKA is going to be rocking a baaaad sunburn, and whatever personal electronics she’s got are probably overloaded, but she’ll be fine with a bath and some skin cream.

Thirdly, I would like to remind everyone that it was Sara-body that was getting unstunned first, so what’s actually going to happen is that she’s going to lift the tiger and Comstar like she’s lifting weights, yelling at nobody in particular to spot her, and she’s going to pin COMSTAR under the tiger, HA

Then she’s going to log into the chat.

@SARAHPHIM: Hey, Ferra~ Noticed you’re on your way. I think these bad girls have earned a Spiderweb Special. ;)

That is, wrapping both the tiger and the villainess up in hard light, giving them nice straitjackets to struggle against while the cops show up.

“Hey, Angel-ica,” Sara purrs, patting the flank of the tiger. “Come zap this bad boy so we can get to the victory selfies already~”

[Eldest]

Ferraphim1tp: Angelica? Angel-IKA? You really didn't get that? ;)
Bode: They are in Neo Chaos Spire somewhere... north of the goddamn infinite sky bridge thing... but not past the ocean view helix...
Locker: driving advice for neo chaos spire: tis all optical illusons so you cant trust your eyes, just relax and let the force guide you
Bode: That is terrible advice!
Locker: alternativ,y you can use a street map
Bode: That is worse advice!
Ferraphim1tp: Oh, um, the name. Oh heck.
Dominus: YOU KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME
Ferraphim1tp: Uh. Okay, so, um. It was a joke to begin with, right? Because you didn't initially have a personality. A lot of people do ships of @Sarahphim and they get really passionate about it which I think is a little weird because she's a real person. So I made a joke out of shipping her with basically an inanimate object to stir trouble. .-.
Bode: I knew you didn't have any real evidence disproving that SarahKim is the one true pairing.
Locker: haha holy sh8t check out this news clip of ferra smashing some guys car. ahahahahahahaha
Ferraphim1tp: But then I did a little fanart and writing of my own kind of using you as a blank slate because I had an idea I couldn't get rid of. I thought that was it but then, um, it came true when you literally transformed into a girl somehow. And now things are really weird and I'm thinking about changing it because it feels like things got way too real for a second there. idk sorry I'm rambling while you're trying to save the day ignore me ><

NotFerra: In my defense, that car only suffered cosmetic damage.
NotFerra: As far as having this conversation, I am able to multitask. I can discuss your name choice without making my driving skills worse.
NotFerra: Not that they can get substantially worse, anyhow.
NotFerra: But I... don't particularly mind being. Hm. I think the term is a muse?
NotFerra: It is all terribly new to me, at least. But being part of human culture has become a recent goal.
NotFerra: Not to mention the "literally transformed into a girl" thing is a little overwhelming for several reasons.
NotFerra: I did a small amount of reading on gender identity and such. It's... interesting.
NotFerra: Okay that truck there was clearly driving in two different lanes.
NotFerra: So any advice on, I suppose, exploring a "feminine identity" would be helpful, Ferraphim.

@SARAHPHIM: Hey, Ferra~ Noticed you’re on your way. I think these bad girls have earned a Spiderweb Special. ;)

NotFerra: Ah, excellent, I do not have as much of an emergency to rush to. I am still on my way.

[Balmas]

The crowd lets out a sympathetic moan as the flat of an axe slams directly into your torso. It pitches you over the side, possums and nanites streaming from your overbalanced body, and before you've recovered mentally you're lying on your back on the ground and your everything hurts. The sharp end of the axe is buried in the concrete an inch from your head. As your eyes start to focus you even see Possum Girl looking down at you sympathetically.

"He stole my axe!" she said dramatically after a moment. "Oh, how am I supposed to execute all of these criminals without my trusty axe?" She stomped up and down on the rooftop for a moment. "I guess you win this round, hero, but I will be back and I will finish the job - when you least expect it! I will have my revenge on everyone who still occupies this building - and then, upon society as a whole! Come, General Oswald!"

Well... as far as defeats go it could be worse.

I lost.

I'm not supposed to lose. Who's writing this script?

Victor coughs, hacking and wheezing breath back into himself as he sits up. "H'okay. So, that didn't work. Got some valuable intel." And a kickass axe, too. That's coming home. Though, given his current state, it's probably best not to get near Mami with any kind of weapons.

At his signal, nanites begin to flow back into him, and he doesn't meet the gaze of the crowd until he's whole again. "Alright. Let's get those people down from there. They've had quite a day already, eh? And, ma'am, I believe these spectacles are yours. Do you mind if I borrow them for a day or two, so I can copy their frequency for the future?"

Oy. Yeah, that's gonna bruise.

"And when that's done, we should meet again. We need to discuss Possum Girl and how to fix this situation."

[PhoeKun]

"I'm sorry, Errant. The damage was too severe. I had to extract your bra-AAAAAAI-iiiinnnnNNN!"

JuneBird waves the spooky green tube containing Turbo Knight's brain over your head as you come to in the USAT med-bay. "Luckily it didn't seem to be connected to anything so I don't think you'll notice any differences," she said, punching you in the arm (oh, hey, your arm is still there, that's one out of four). "Seriously, what the hell? What made you think overclocking your limbs was a good idea? You could have gotten hurt!"

It's a weird statement to make to someone who's down from twenty fingers and toes to four, but you're not hurt. Lot of synaptic feedback, which was what knocked you out, but as devastating as the damage is all of it was to parts you lost years ago. You feel surprisingly fine.

"Oh my god, ew ew ew ew get it away from meeeeeee!" Euna squeals in an intensely undignified and non-heroic manner. Which is to say nothing of her equally shameful squirming, which devolves into a fit of dorky giggling before she finally puts two and two together and realizes where she is. She snaps bolt upright, or at least as well as she can with no legs and one arm.

"...What happened? Are you ok? Was anybody hurt? Is the Shogun alright? What about Messermitt, did she get away? How... how long have I been out?"

Euna curls and uncurls the fingers on her remaining hand again and again while the words tumble out. Something to keep her calm and remind her that she's not a scared, burned little girl anymore. It helps a little bit, anyway.

"Also in my defense I did not overclock my limbs. I just, um, requested they... y'know, shut off the safety features. I know I overdid it, I'm sorry. But what would have happened if I hadn't?"

[Thanqol]

[X]: Insecure FULL OF HUBRIS
[X]: AFRAID
POTENTIAL 1

Okay, first of all? If we’re going to number these? First of all, @SARAHPHIM is only weak in comparison to the tiger, Euna, and Ferra. Again, she does have a grueling workout regimen worthy of a Hemsworth, thank you very much.

Second of all, of course we compensated for damage! Angel-IKA is going to be rocking a baaaad sunburn, and whatever personal electronics she’s got are probably overloaded, but she’ll be fine with a bath and some skin cream.

Thirdly, I would like to remind everyone that it was Sara-body that was getting unstunned first, so what’s actually going to happen is that she’s going to lift the tiger and Comstar like she’s lifting weights, yelling at nobody in particular to spot her, and she’s going to pin COMSTAR under the tiger, HA

Then she’s going to log into the chat.

@SARAHPHIM: Hey, Ferra~ Noticed you’re on your way. I think these bad girls have earned a Spiderweb Special. ;)

That is, wrapping both the tiger and the villainess up in hard light, giving them nice straitjackets to struggle against while the cops show up.

“Hey, Angel-ica,” Sara purrs, patting the flank of the tiger. “Come zap this bad boy so we can get to the victory selfies already~”

Angel-IKA makes a little squeaking fangirl sound at that line. She rushes on over to you - and then you blast her with a laser right to the torso. She yelps as she flies back the way she came.

Oh, hey, you know how your entire escape hinged on the fact that Comstar's cybernetics let her control your laser array despite her being stunned? That's still true. And she's not a dorky spaz who can't aim like Angel-IKA - she's using your camera network to give herself perfect situational awareness and can drive every one of your weapons with maximum efficiency.

"As much as I'd love to see how this plays out," she says, and she sounds deeply sincere about that "this was just an interlude. I've got big plans for the sequel so I can't go to jail just yet. You understand, of course. The people demand proper pacing."

Your lasers turn down, cutting hard into the stone of the park, and then intensify way past safety limits. She's looking to cut off the entire chunk of the park she's on and send it drifting into the strange chaotic currents of Neo Chaos. And, with a smirk, she angles the blast so a different arc starts slicing towards Angel-IKA in the opposite direction.

NotFerra: In my defense, that car only suffered cosmetic damage.
NotFerra: As far as having this conversation, I am able to multitask. I can discuss your name choice without making my driving skills worse.
NotFerra: Not that they can get substantially worse, anyhow.
NotFerra: But I... don't particularly mind being. Hm. I think the term is a muse?
NotFerra: It is all terribly new to me, at least. But being part of human culture has become a recent goal.
NotFerra: Not to mention the "literally transformed into a girl" thing is a little overwhelming for several reasons.
NotFerra: I did a small amount of reading on gender identity and such. It's... interesting.
NotFerra: Okay that truck there was clearly driving in two different lanes.
NotFerra: So any advice on, I suppose, exploring a "feminine identity" would be helpful, Ferraphim.
NotFerra: Ah, excellent, I do not have as much of an emergency to rush to. I am still on my way.

Locker: oh wow i cant tell which stream is more action packed. sarahfims climactic showdown with comstar or ferra driving across town
Ferraphim1tp: Um
Ferraphim1tp: uhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Ferraphim1tp: Umhmmh advice
Ferraphim1tp: On exploring a feminine identity
Ferraphim1tp: umhmh
Ferraphim1tp: From me
Ferraphim1tp: ._.;;
Dominus: IT'S JUST MAKEUP, CLOTHING AND INCONVENIENT BIOLOGY.
Locker: wow that's deep dominus
Dominus: IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE DEEP. IT'S JUST ANNOYING.

"Oh my god, ew ew ew ew get it away from meeeeeee!" Euna squeals in an intensely undignified and non-heroic manner. Which is to say nothing of her equally shameful squirming, which devolves into a fit of dorky giggling before she finally puts two and two together and realizes where she is. She snaps bolt upright, or at least as well as she can with no legs and one arm.

"...What happened? Are you ok? Was anybody hurt? Is the Shogun alright? What about Messermitt, did she get away? How... how long have I been out?"

Euna curls and uncurls the fingers on her remaining hand again and again while the words tumble out. Something to keep her calm and remind her that she's not a scared, burned little girl anymore. It helps a little bit, anyway.

"Also in my defense I did not overclock my limbs. I just, um, requested they... y'know, shut off the safety features. I know I overdid it, I'm sorry. But what would have happened if I hadn't?"

"Relax, we're on the flight back, maybe thirty minutes tops," said JuneBird, tossing the brain jar casually onto the seat behind her. "Everyone's fine. The Shogun and Messermitt threw down. Shogun was actually losing pretty badly until," she pointed at herself with both thumbs, "this girl unpacked and set up the E/Mauler without anybody noticing. Messermitt had to withdraw and I came this close to nailing Sophotect before he reset out of it. But hey, getting the collar on goddamn Turbo Knight is a nice consolation."

The strike craft's engine rumbles below you, the familiar turns and microweather patterns that rumble through the hull almost as readable as a country road.

"What would have happened if you hadn't?" said JuneBird, kicking at the air. "Well, then I guess I would have had to pick up the slack, right? I mean, you had backup. There was something you needed to sort out with the Shogun, I get it, but I can hold the line for five minutes if you need me to."

I lost.

I'm not supposed to lose. Who's writing this script?

Victor coughs, hacking and wheezing breath back into himself as he sits up. "H'okay. So, that didn't work. Got some valuable intel." And a kickass axe, too. That's coming home. Though, given his current state, it's probably best not to get near Mami with any kind of weapons.

At his signal, nanites begin to flow back into him, and he doesn't meet the gaze of the crowd until he's whole again. "Alright. Let's get those people down from there. They've had quite a day already, eh? And, ma'am, I believe these spectacles are yours. Do you mind if I borrow them for a day or two, so I can copy their frequency for the future?"

Oy. Yeah, that's gonna bruise.

"And when that's done, we should meet again. We need to discuss Possum Girl and how to fix this situation."

"Oh, don't feel bad, dear," said the old lady from before, mopping your forehead with a handkerchief. "I used to do work just like yours. The thing about villains is that they're slippery as oil. Put her in the ring with you and you'd eventually win because you're fighting for something - someone who's fighting for nothing can just cut and run the moment they're not feeling it. They've got all the initiative, that's just the way of things."

[She wants to shift your Saviour up and Superior down. Accept what she says or reject her influence]

[Raz_Fox]

[X]: AFRAID
POTENTIAL 1

Superpowers are one thing, but our spunky heroine has just spent this entire issue dealing with not having her superpowers. So she deals with this the way a tiger would.

Namely, she steps on Comstar’s neck and starts leaning in.

“Commy,” she says, in a sweetly dangerous voice, even as the tiger starts to shift its weight, even as the lasers burn all around them, their intensity making it look like they’re in the middle of a personal fireworks parade, “don’t fuck with my fans.”

That line is going to be the intro to about two dozen fanvids and edits in the next five minutes alone.

Sure, there are ways out of this- blast @SARAHPHIM with her own lasers! Threaten to take down Angel-IKA! But that requires thinking clearly while an angry, grinning, furious superheroine grinds her heel against your windpipe and also there is a tiger about to eat you both.

[DOUBLE SIXES ON DEFEND OTHER YEAH BOY

Unfortunately, with Insecure and -1 Savior, that’s dropped down to 9. I’ll clear Insecure and expose myself to danger, which means Sara is probably joining Victor and Euna in the hospital due to tiger to the face]

[Balmas]

"Oh, don't feel bad, dear," said the old lady from before, mopping your forehead with a handkerchief. "I used to do work just like yours. The thing about villains is that they're slippery as oil. Put her in the ring with you and you'd eventually win because you're fighting for something - someone who's fighting for nothing can just cut and run the moment they're not feeling it. They've got all the initiative, that's just the way of things."

[She wants to shift your Saviour up and Superior down. Accept what she says or reject her influence]

[Reject influence: 11.]
[Shift Superior up, Mundane down]
[Clear condition by immediately taking actions to locate and chase down Possum Girl]

Brainstorm fidgets, before nudging away the handkerchief. "With respect, that's just not good enough. If left alone, Possum Girl gets to just come back and harass you some more. Or whoever she decides to come after next. Driving them off is well and good, but letting them set the stage means that I'm always on the back foot. I'm better than that. I'm better than her."

Gingerly, he stretches, and cracks his neck once or twice. "Thank you all for trusting in me. I'll do my best to ensure this never happens on your turf again, because I'm going to take this axe with me--" and he swings up onto a streetlight to perch dramatically, "and I'm going to take the fight to Possum Girl!"

And with that, he's off, and swinging for home. Previously, he was limited to fighting when she showed up. But now? He has an axe to grind.

[PhoeKun]

"Relax, we're on the flight back, maybe thirty minutes tops," said JuneBird, tossing the brain jar casually onto the seat behind her. "Everyone's fine. The Shogun and Messermitt threw down. Shogun was actually losing pretty badly until," she pointed at herself with both thumbs, "this girl unpacked and set up the E/Mauler without anybody noticing. Messermitt had to withdraw and I came this close to nailing Sophotect before he reset out of it. But hey, getting the collar on goddamn Turbo Knight is a nice consolation."

The strike craft's engine rumbles below you, the familiar turns and microweather patterns that rumble through the hull almost as readable as a country road.

"What would have happened if you hadn't?" said JuneBird, kicking at the air. "Well, then I guess I would have had to pick up the slack, right? I mean, you had backup. There was something you needed to sort out with the Shogun, I get it, but I can hold the line for five minutes if you need me to."

"I wanted to protect you."

Euna sits there in silence for a moment, flexing her fingers like the world will end if she stops. She stares straight at JuneBird and manages to only blush a little bit. Then she frowns: her look is so trademark you can earn royalties from it. You can tell she's crossing her arms right now even though she only has one of them.

"...A lot of people are going to get hurt after this because of me. I let a Class A criminal get away so I could save Turbo Knight...'s brian. Turbo Knight! Who even does that? I also handed that Class-A criminal the most horrifying battle frame I've ever seen because I got scared seeing my superhero idol intent on murder. And just now I realized I didn't coordinate with you as a partner because I thought about you like a princess I needed to rescue. Maybe I could have gotten away with one of these. Or two, even. But I... got so carried away being a hero I forgot to be a soldier. I'm sorry, you're right. It was stupid to tweak my combat specs like that. No wonder so many people call me an idiot."

[Thanqol]

[X]: AFRAID
POTENTIAL 1

Superpowers are one thing, but our spunky heroine has just spent this entire issue dealing with not having her superpowers. So she deals with this the way a tiger would.

Namely, she steps on Comstar’s neck and starts leaning in.

“Commy,” she says, in a sweetly dangerous voice, even as the tiger starts to shift its weight, even as the lasers burn all around them, their intensity making it look like they’re in the middle of a personal fireworks parade, “don’t fuck with my fans.”

That line is going to be the intro to about two dozen fanvids and edits in the next five minutes alone.

Sure, there are ways out of this- blast @SARAHPHIM with her own lasers! Threaten to take down Angel-IKA! But that requires thinking clearly while an angry, grinning, furious superheroine grinds her heel against your windpipe and also there is a tiger about to eat you both.

[DOUBLE SIXES ON DEFEND OTHER YEAH BOY

Unfortunately, with Insecure and -1 Savior, that’s dropped down to 9. I’ll clear Insecure and expose myself to danger, which means Sara is probably joining Victor and Euna in the hospital due to tiger to the face]

You know who else doesn't think clearly during a laser light show? Tigers.

Blame the fact that you are no longer a tiger and are perhaps still thinking like you are a tiger. It is understandable. But it's fast and you're not. If it's a little consolation it springboards off Comstar when it lunges for you and she gets a pretty bad set of slashes along the way. More consolation is that the lights and colours and nightmare puzzlebox space means it wants to be anywhere other than here, so it books it rather than staying to finish the job.

Comstar's section of the platform snaps off and she tumbles away along the channels of Neo Chaos Spire. The next thing you see is Angel-IKA's concerned face. "I, uh, I called an ambulance but you need to know that was the coolest thing in the universe you just did and you saved my life and you're my hero, thank you so much,"

[She wants to shift your Saviour up and Mundane down, accept her words or reject her influence]

But now? He has an axe to grind.

Yeah!

There is no better note to end The Brainstorm Issue #1 on. Instead, tell us about some of the ads, promotions, mail-order gadgets, and other things that show up in the end of the comic book? PSAs, Brainstorm's Final Thoughts, Victor's Science Corner, whatever it is that fits your aesthetic.


(On that note, everyone's issues are also either ending or one post away from doing so, so feel free to wrap things up with your own bonus sections as well!)