Masks: A New Generation of Heroes

Game Master Cwethan

Imagine sets her Bluetooth wireless talk-speaker on her ear (primitive, but convenient) and replies to Deputy. "Affirmative, Atoms. We have the same situation. 2 Heavies and a Support. Displaying exo-terrestrial capabilities. Attempts at Communication are negative. Assume hostile."

She sees North Star head outside and follows him. As soon as she's out of the doors her feet leave the ground as she flies up to get more mobility.
I never got a response to my question so I'm just calling it. Alien Ways: +1 Superiority. -1 Mundane.

Tycho seems to be dealing with Strider, so she turns her attention to the other one.
Drawing on the power of her dragon amulet, she sets her Mind bolts from "Eviscerate" to "Perplex and Confound" and unleashes a furious fusillade of Mind Bolts at the being. They explode harmlessly on Knight's armor, but create a flashy distraction.

Her amulet glows slightly dimmer.

[dice=Belong In Two Worlds: Are You Watching Closely?]2d6+3
You get an opportunity. You expose a weakness or flaw. You confuse them for some time.

@Imagine: Abilities are powers like The Outsider's 'Telepathy and Mind blasts'. 'Are You Watching Closely?' is a Playbook Move. Special non-moves that are exclusive to a playbook, things like The Nova's Burns and The Doomed's Doomsigns, are called Extras.

Belong In Two Worlds lets you "receive a useful piece of alien technology that will allow you to use any ability from another playbook once (choose the ability when you spend the hold)". You can't copy the effects of a move, but you can use any ability from another playbook (i.e. not an Outsider Ability). And once you've chosen that ability, it acts like any of your normal powers, so you don't necessarily have to roll a move to use it. You don't have to immediately use the power either, so you could even save it for later.

Whaaaaah??? Oh. Huh. I guess I don't know what words mean. Alright, don't panic don't panic. Same roll, same action, but instead the move is, I'm trying to Provoke Someone into remaining motionless and taking no action. *whew* Alright. Crises averted.

"You guys handle these jerks, I'm after the fog over there." Eldritch will move past the others, ducking and weaving and making his way to follow wherever that mage was going to. Going into the school was a dangerous proposition but he didn't have time to worry about what could happen. He had to focus on the right here, the right now.

Turning a corner, he saw that mist continuing to trek its way through and that blue fire began to surge upon him.

"Hey a+*!~$!! Its rude to just show up and trap a bunch of kids here. How about we have a conversation!" His skin would surge with powers, that arcane and terrible energy rising. A hand pressed into the wall, tracing the sigils of control as he let out a whisper.

"☼︎♏︎✌︎☹︎♓︎⧫︎⍓︎ ✋︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♒︎✌︎❄︎ ✋︎ ︎✌︎︎☜︎ ✋︎❄︎!" The confusing babble would escape his lips before the torrent of flame would surge towards the misty formed mage, crackling with arcane lightning on the inside.

Engage A Thread: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 4) + 2 = 11

I wish avoid their blows and to take away the mage's ability to change their shape.

I can't seem to find this question that I didn't answer Imagine, if you could point it out that would really helpful.

=================Halycon High=====================
Eldritch, Imagine, Tycho, Hashtag

As Tycho unleashes a momentous fist he is surprised as Strider is suddenly three feet away.

"Why would I try to kill what I know isn't there?" she says before an unexpected shockwave of your punch slams into her and sends her flying through the air.

Imagine...Provokes Knight into not taking action??? I'll accept the action to move things along, but I have no idea how'd you do that, so please explain in scene.

Eldritch catches up to the mage and uses his won magical prowess to cast a surge of blue flames that fend off any retaliation from the mage and somehow disrupt its gaseous form, forcing him to return to solidity.

"We cannot fail here.....thousands of lives.....Begone!"

The mage lifts both his hands and releases what looks to look like a bubble. It looks remarkably like the force field outside. Actually....exactly like it. It begins to expand rapidly and will push out you four heroes unless you take action to somehow avoid it. Eldritch, as you are inside the building, you take a Heavy blow unless you figure something out before you're plowed through some walls.

Outside, before the bubble appears and begins to push you out, Strider lands on the ground and, gritting her teeth furiously, dashes back into the fray slamming her fist into North Star, in an attempt to return the favor. AS she is now Angry she uses a bit more force than intended. North Star, take a "Heavy Blow

=================Franklin High=====================
Wingblade, Tectonic, Deputy Atoms, Ghost Dragon,
Tectonic, feel free to jump in when you arrive

Wingblade tightens herself up like a corkscrew and begins to dive faster, and faster. She hits the barrier in almost the same spot and manages to break through before it recovers from Deputy Atom's devastating blow.

Deputy Atoms rushes into the school and as he passes students running the other way, it isn't hard to follow the flow of the river back to the source of the fear. He comes to a stop in front of Panel, Alloy, and the Mage. The mage is currently setting another student down and looks to you. And then it speaks....something that isn't quite English but is understood somehow.

"To break the barrier....you are strong....but we are not looking for strong..."
Color him impressed

The mage seems to consider ghost Dragon's threats and surprisingly answers.

"We seek the Unblossomed, when we find one, we will depart. For now, we will continue to search."

It waves it's hand in the air and the mage seems to ripple before its image loses visibility and seemingly disappears.

Panel and Alloy step up, clearly meeting you to stop you should you try and do something drastic.

Take a Heavy Blow: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10

Well, poop. I am going to take "you lose control of yourself or your powers in a terrible way" to mark my doom track, since it seems appropriate.

"Oh, you foolish child. You hit me so hard that it made me remember you from my...younger days. That was silly." says Tycho in a voice that is similar to but much more cold and calculating than his own.

As his mouth begins to speak, anyone who can see his face sees Tycho's expression is one of fear bordering on panic.

"Let's see how you handle yourself when you can't remember that you have powers."

Okay, so my intent here is that my future self has taken a small amount of control over me, and he is making me use my powers on Strider to, well, forget that she has powers. My thought would be that my next action would be to unleash my powers, specifically my memory modification powers. He intends to replace her powers with memories of constantly being beaten and abused as a child, and never having stood up to any of her abusers.

Unleash my Power: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (2, 6) + 3 = 11

The shock of hitting the barrier reverberated through Wingblade's body. She felt slightly dazed, but opened her eyes in time to see the ground racing toward her.

With a soft gasp, she fans out her wings to catch the air and she swoops up just before she hits the high school's parade field. While climbing back into the air, she hits her communicator. "Wingblade to Ghost Dragon, I'm inside the barrier. Any idea what these guys want?"

She picks out the source of the commotion as she soars over the heads of the students and flies that way.

Panel feels someone politely tap their shoulder. As they turn about, somewhat surprised, someone not-so-politely punches them in the face to take a building of a fair size off its foundations.

Using Punch Everyone to shift Danger up and Savior down (because she's fully unleashing her abilities inside a public school), and then In a China Shop to get an additional result on my Engage roll while causing significant damage to my surroundings.

Directly Engage a Threat: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2) + 4 = 7

Choosing to take away his balance and composure and surprise him.

Imagine unleashes a furious barrage of mind-bullets at Knight, and the armored alien throws up his hands to shield himself, bracing against the barrage and waiting stoically for the attack to pass.

Imagine sees the mage create another expanding bubble and frowns. "Since you are too primitive for mind-speech, I'll try to make this plain. Your interference on this planet is suspended until I can resolve a temporal crises that threatens the whole of the Continuum. Your actions to save a comparative minority need to cease, and your efforts...are forfeit!"

Imagine flies directly at the expanding bubble, as blue-white energy races from her dragon amulet and collects in a shimmering barrier along her extended fist. Channeling the ephemeral energy of her people, she punches the expanding bubble, trying to destabilize it's structural matrix.

Belong In Two Worlds to give me Bull's Super Strength.
Unleash your Powers, taking +1 forward from Assess: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (6, 1) + 1 = 8

Even as she flies to attack the expanding sphere, Imagine begins to doubt herself. If the crises of the aliens is as real as they say, how are their people to be saved? Even if she secures some solution to Lord Borak quickly, how would the invader's people escape death?
By opposing their efforts is she murdering thousands?
Taking a condition:Insecure.

*Whew* Okay. There, how's that?

::Franklin High::

"Wingblade, these guys say they are seeking the 'Unblossomed', whatever that is, and will depart once they find one. Also, the Mage guy can turn invisible. If you and Atoms can keep Panel and Alloy off me, I might be able to do something."

Ghost Dragon closes his eyes, choosing to rely not on phasing, but on something far more mundane, although no less supernatural seeming. The best martial artists are able to use minute changes in air currents to feel the location of someone moving, or to hear the sound of footsteps, and strike, regardless of whether or not they can see them. Taking a deep breath, Ghost Dragon steadies himself, listens and feels, trying to pinpoint the location of the Mage.

Okay, since Martial Arts is one of my powers and I'm trying to use it to expand my senses, I think this an Unleash Your Powers. Of course, once I locate the Mage, I'm going to punch him to take away the invisibility, which would be Directly Engage a Threat, but I think that's next turn.

Unleash Your Powers (Expand Your Senses): 2d6 - 1 ⇒ (5, 6) - 1 = 10

"The 'Unblossomed'?" Wingblade frowns as she thinks. "Is that another word for 'virgin'?"

With her vantage, Wingblade spots Panel and Alloy just in time to see Tectonic arrive and send Panel flying. She lands in front of the metal woman, her bladed wings fanned out menacingly.

"Hi there. I got metal parts too. Before we begin, I have to ask, how do you respond to evisceration? Fatal or not fatal?"

Provoke Someone: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 1) + 2 = 8
I want her to reveal her powers harmlessly and/or expose a weakness.

The mage lifts his hands and sends out another bubble, this time towards him and the others to try and force them out of the barrier. The talk of lives being on the line, of failure not being an option, brings a scowl to Eldritch's face as he rushes towards the portal.

"If you need help, you could've just asked!" His hand lands upon the shield and quickly, his fingers crack to spread those arcane designs begin to pulse and seep through it. The blue fire surrounding him flares to life again as his powers burn bright once more, hoping to tear a hole inside of it. "︎❒︎✌︎︎︎⬧︎ ☞︎□︎❒︎❍︎ ✌︎■︎♎︎ ︎✌︎❄︎☜︎☼︎ ●︎♏︎♋︎&︎⬧︎"

Unleash My Powers: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 5) + 2 = 8

I'll take the effect being temporary and disable, as long as Eldritch is able to get through to the other side.

"If you're not going to play nice though...neither we will!"

His hand land upon the ground, twitching and tracing patterns into it. Those strange symbols spread out and across the floor, disappearing underneath the cracks though. The ground would twitch as the tiles beneath them become ensorcelled, one after another flying up off of the ground and sailing through the air in an avalanche of concrete.

Engage A Threat: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 4) + 2 = 11

The storm of tiles assails against the mage's physical form, who throws up a shield just in time to weather the onslaught before being knocked back outside by a particularly hard hit.

"So...you ready to talk peace with us or do I have to beat you around some more?" Eldritch says with a cocky arrogance in his steps, the diagrams and designs bleeding into the walls and ground around him as he stands at the school's entrance.

I'm looking to impress the mage and also create an opportunity for my allies.

::Franklin High::
Condition(s): Head hurts.

@North Star: Nice post, man. You're super scary Dx Also! I wanted to point out that you haven't removed Angry from your Conditions spoiler (it cleared through Imagine's comfort/support move during the movie night). I believe you're still Insecure though, and if you are, it might clear at the end of the scene due to your "taking foolhardy action without talking to your team" by running outside and attempting to reason with the invaders. You'd have to ask Default.
@Tectonic: Speaking of Conditions, I believe you're still Afraid and Angry, unless I missed Default saying that you can clear them. And I think you made a typo on your move and put "+4" instead of "+3", and even if it wasn't a typo, Labels can't shift beyond +3 or -2 (nothing shifts and you get a condition from the attempt because you become too much of an extreme). So your roll is actually...
3 [2d6] - 2 [Afraid] + 3 [Danger] = 4
This result is a miss, mark potential (I don't know whether you've been keeping track, but you now have 2 potential, as you already gained one way back during the Haxor fight). "In a china shop" can be used even on a miss, so you can still choose one 'directly engage' option. Something to keep in mind though as you make your choice, is that if you choose the "impress, surprise, or frighten the opposition" option, it's the GM's choice of whether they're impressed, surprised, or frightened.
@Ghost Dragon: What you're doing is super cool and an interesting application of martial arts. Love it.

Atoms answers Imagine's message with a quick "10-4" as he makes his way through Franklin High and a river of people. It doesn't take long for him to reach the cause of all this chaos. Before him stands an odd, almost see-through figure and what appears to be two thugs, just like Imagine had said. They were doing something to the students.

"Assume hostile," his mind echoes.

The Deputy might have thrown himself into a fight right then and there, but instead he pauses to hear the Mage speak to him, and the exchange between it and Ghost Dragon. By their own admission, they were looking for something called an Unblossomed (whatever that was). But truth be told, Atoms was paying more attention to the Mage's comment on his strength. No one had ever called him strong before.

He supposed he was a little strong. Not as strong as Eldritch, North Star, or Tectonic though; and certainly not as good a fighter as Ghost Dragon or Wingblade, who both had some sweet moves; and he definitely didn't possess the same level of utility that Hashtag and Imagine had with their powers. Deputy Atoms' only ability was that he couldn't get hurt, and with his head throbbing with pain he was beginning to doubt even that. What was his place on this team again?

Tectonic and Wingblade charged in at that moment, squaring up with Alloy and Panel, and threatening to start a battle that could bring the whole building down around their ears. Worried about the safety of the faculty and students (he knew some of these people, having attended the school in the past), he works quickly to guide the evacuation effort, directing people outside and resorting to protecting them with his body or carrying them if he must.

Defend (+ Savior): 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (5, 3) + 1 = 9
Deputy Atoms takes influence over someone he protects and keeps them safe, but in the process he exposes himself to danger.
@Default: I checked the rulebook and found that it's the player's choice whether they expose themselves or escalate the situation. Obviously, the finality of anything is up to you, since you're running the game :)

On a 7-9, you must expose yourself to danger or escalate the situation— your choice. Exposing yourself to danger leaves the danger up to the GM. It could mean anything from you taking the hit instead of whomever you’re defending, to your actions leaving you in a more vulnerable position. Escalating the situation means you make things more tense, more dangerous, more complicated in general. This is you breaking out your powers to defend someone when a moment before it was just a verbal fight.

I cleared Afraid way back when I stood up to the woman who was complaining about how we didn't do our job good enough, and cleared Angry when I lashed out against River. However, since that's still a miss if I can't put my Danger up, so I'm just going to take away their composure and balance

Hashtag was enjoying the confrontation well enough when suddenly the bubble of expanding force came at him from an angle he wasn't looking out for. A split-second later, and he would have been smashed against the side. Unlike some of his allies, he was just as tough as your average human, so he had to be fast and clever instead. And Vick considered himself superior to anyone in that department.

Are you watching closely?: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (5, 1) + 3 = 9
I'll take confuse them for some time and expose a weakness/flaw.
He twists pulling something cylindrical and metallic from his jacket as he backpedals away from the expanding force. His arm sweeps in front of him twice with a hiss, and with a grin he vanishes, only to reappear on the other side where he repeats the action, but vertically.

As the sphere expands, a red spraypaint "#" can be seen expanding with the surface! Hashtag flips the spraypaint can in the air before catching it and pulling a different color (yellow) can of spraypaint out of his jacket with his other hand.

"Hashtag, ready." his comm unit crackles.

=================Halycon High=====================
Eldritch, Imagine, Tycho, Hashtag

Tycho's darkside comes out, and anyone nearby can see the power flare up as tendrils of energy encircle Strider's head rewriting her past as it slips away from her.

"No! No!" she yells, clutching her head as her eyes stare straight ahead. The tendrils release her and she staggers as she lands.
"No! You did something! I-I can't-These memories aren't real!"
effectively, she knows you did something to her but the fear and panic is still there, plus she lost a good amount of training and control

Your frenzied state is cut short as another bubble appears from the school and pushes you out establishing the same perimeter, but replacing the first barrier Imagine broke.
====================================
Imagine, with a mix of pure strength and her homeworld's technology ripples through the barrier, which eventually dissipates. And suddenly....

"Princess, it is imperitive that you return home at once!

The orders sound familiar, the speaker is your main contact from home.

"The energy signature you've encountered may be the correct form we've been looking for to advance our atmospheric regulators. The kind has ordered that you return immediately for the good of our people.

Before you can reply, the second barrier emerges from the school seeming only pushing out you (as Eldritch and Tycho managed to stay inside).
======================================
Eldritch first action negated through Imagine's earlier action.
The mage looks at you, a desperation in his eyes, not one for himself but for a greater purpose.
"I must.....my people......please...

The mage flares his powers suddenly and blue fires envelope the area. Eldritch's sigils and the blue fire seem to merge and the mage begins to scream. and you feel something....wrong. something is creeping inside your power, something alien and definitely not good.
Roll 2d6 please

===================================
Hashtag has just the skills for the predicament and easily tele-steps that expanding barrier. You even hear a bit of applause, or maybe that was your imagination?

Your thoughts are cut short as Knight gets waaaay to intrusive in your personal space with his sword. You notice that while the blade looks like quality steel, it passes through the ground as if it wasn't there. He stumbles a bit, clearly not as expereinced as his partner Strider was, but he regains his footing and holds his shield out in front of him, polished to a shine.

=================Franklin High=====================
Wingblade, Tectonic, Deputy Atoms, Ghost Dragon,

Alloy grins wryly, and cracks her knuckles which sounds like steel girders snapping loudly.

"Sure," she agrees. "I'll play."
Alloy rushes forward, seemingly possessing enhanced speed, strength and toughness, and lashes out with a punch that could probably flatten a car.

===================================
Tectonic blindsides Panel sending him through the school building itself. He quickly withdraws his panels forming a protective pentagonal ball that seems to protect him as he flies through several walls of the school. You hear screaming from the kids inside, clouds of dust and debris are littered everywhere as chunks of concrete fly through plaster walls.

===================================
Ghost Dragon focuses on the main thing that makes him such a good hero, his humanity. He focuses on the small blips of sensual information he can gather. The salt of his sweat dripping from his face, the sound of kids breathing rapdily in panic, the touch of th air brushing lightly against his skin....

Got him.

Ghost Dragon propels himself forward slamming one fist into the mage's chest sending the mage sputtering backwards, now fully revealed.

====================================
Thank you for the rules checking, because this is a lot of material and I'm still learning myself.
This isn't really a defend move. Its more of a story choice than a mechanical one where you're comabating someone's attack.
Deputy Atoms tries to lead an evacuation effort in hopes that the barrier will drop soon. But the teens and even teachers flinch back from him, and as you approach the step back.
"Go fight!" one teen demands, apprehension of your help in his voice.
"My mother had cancer, I am not letting that....thing, near me." an older female secretary says to her colleague.
She's raising your freak by 1 and your savior down by 1

Eldritch hears the plea from the mage and his face contorts slightly.

"Then dammit, stop fighting and call your people off!" Yet the sigils and the flames begin to wrap together and something wrong begins to creep in. A feeling of wrongness teasing through his form.

"Th...this isn't right. What are you doing?"

2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) = 6

Hashtag takes a sidestep as the Knight comes in to attack him. "Hey man, cool your jets. You could hurt someone with that fish!"

Using my illusion powers to make his sword appear to transform into a fish, causing him to drop it.

Unleash my Powers: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7
Well... I guess it appears to be a SWORDFISH, so he may still try to stab me with it. :p

This happens every single time, dumbass. You think you have control, but you-SHUT UP! Tectonic shakes off her self-doubt and charges towards Panel, arms outstretched.

Directly Engage a Threat, In a China Shop: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (2, 5) + 3 = 10

She begins brutally ripping the panels off of his body, wrenching each plate of alloy off his defensive shell and tossing them casually behind her.

Choosing to frighten him, take away his ability to defend with his panels, and creating an opportunity for everybody else.

Wingblade grins. She was built for fighting. Despite the constant lectures and repeated admonition about restraint and caution, she yearned to cut loose. Alloy didn't seem concerned about her blades and met her challenge, so Wingblade would oblige.

She rushes at her, with a euphoric excitement. She ducks under the first punch thrown, spins around, and launches herself into a corkscrewing turn overhead that swipes her bladed feathers across Alloy's metal surface.

Directly engage a threat (Danger): 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9
One result. I'll go with impress, surprise or frighten the opposition

DM Default, does that count as "Pull off a ridiculous stunt"? If so, I'm gonna mark that drive off.

"I don't know how things work on your planet, but it's rude to walk away in the middle of a conversation here, and I wasn't done talking. Now, why don't you tell me what one of the 'Unblossomed' is, and why it's so important you find one?"

I'm trying to Provoke him into telling me what I want to know.

Provoke Someone: 2d6 + 0 ⇒ (4, 1) + 0 = 5

And a miss. Marking Potential

"Ahh, yess, the bubbler. Not to fret, I will deal with this."

and then Tycho walks slowly back into the school, looking for the being that is creating the bubbles.

::Franklin High::
Condition(s): Insecure and...

Reject their influence: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3
Ouch, this is going to hurt. Interesting rules interaction here though.
First, potential gets marked because of the miss (now 4/5), then I get a condition for the miss.
I'll mark insecure because Atoms was already doubting his abilities in my last post.
Next his labels attempt to shift, +1 Freak and -1 Savior, but they can't because Freak is already maxed out. Though, according to the book, DM Default can now choose to shift a different set of labels instead, which I won't be able to reject.
No matter what other label though, as long as Freak gets shifted up, Atoms marks another condition, and it's DM Default's choice of which.

Deputy Atoms is taken aback by their words. Could he not even do this right? He thought that if he couldn't be human, he could at least still be a deputy. These people though, they didn't treat him like an authority, and they didn't even treat him like a monster.

He could handle it if they were afraid. Atoms' law enforcement training had prepared him to deal with people who were scared of him or terrified by the situation. But they weren't afraid, they were repulsed. They wanted him gone.

"Just—! Get. Out." The Deputy reaches out and pulls the nearest fire alarm. Behind him, Tectonic sends Panel through a wall, Ghost Dragon tackles the Mage, and Wingblade and Alloy get into an all-out brawl. He speaks loud enough to be heard over the carnage and ensuing blare of the alarm. "NOW."

I kind of want to spend a Team to help Wingblade's fight and give her a second option, but I don't want to interfere. And even if I helped Ghost Dragon's provoke, it wouldn't be enough for a success.

=================Halycon High=====================
Eldritch, Imagine, Tycho, Hashtag

Eldritch, you watch as if your infinite power is somehow siphoned into the mage, his skin breaking, every orifice on his body glowing and shooting out sparks of energy. You forced his hand, he couldn't be stopped, but now, he can't stop!

You watch him scream as the cracks start traveling up his arms and across his body as he tries to control a power to large for him to fathom. And......

There's a shockwave that knocks you off your feat. You land hard, and thankfully you can feel your power back inside you, but, some parts of the infinite supply are missing. You don't know how to describe it well, but it feels like small parts of the terrifying but somewhat comforting power is empty.

The mage is "gone," I want you to take an appropriate condition. You can choose, but it has to be something.
============================
Hashtag smirks as he thinks he has this in the bag, thgouh a large pulse of energy (no bubble) from the building slightly distracts him. When he looks back he extremely surprised and off guard to discover his spray paint can has turned into a large fish, and he drops it in suprise.

"My shield will reflect you tricks." Knights shouts as he closes the gap and strikes.
Hashtag take a Heavy Blow
=============================
Tycho you reach the school's entrance and suddenly get hit with a blast of arcane force that throws you from your feet. You open your eyes to come back to your original senses, but gain an appropriate condition as you remember everything you've done while controlled by your future self.

=================Franklin High=====================
Wingblade, Tectonic, Deputy Atoms, Ghost Dragon,

Tectonic goes into controlled wildness and does not let up on her adversary. As fast as the Panel's defense is built, Tectonic's iron strength rips it away. In a panic, clearly thinking he's going to be killed, he propels himself and Tectonic into the air using the panels he'd laid out on the ground. But Tectonic's strength had thrown too many panels away, and the makeshift platform beigins to struggle, Panel's mind state not helping, and after almost reaching the top of the dome, they both begin to fall, Panel screaming as you both race to the earth.
==================================
Wingblade brings out her training and adds a bit of youthful excitement. Each punch is met with a guard, each wing slice hits a rigid steel limb so it glances off. With the improved corkscrew maneuver Alloy has to take a step back as the feather rake across her chest.
"Damn, you're good." Alloy compliments before charging back in. You both exchange more blows, feeling each other out for experience and power level. She throws out a feint which you fall for and knocks you back sending you tumbling into the ground, but not really hurting you. It seems she's enjoying this too.
She's taking Influence over you, as you being to see each other as rivals
=============================
That should work for the drive Ghost Dragon.
The mage seems intent on his mission, no time to discuss the logistics with you. Though, he does place a hand on his head, a light beginning to shine there, and before you can react, he throws it at you.

A vision....happy people like the mage....terror, such deep terror.....an arena......warriors, thieves, kids, heroes, machines.....blood.....so much blood.....shame.....duty....loyalty.....the need to save who you love....

When you come to, the mage is gone, and the feelings that rushed through you still make your blood pump rapidly.
================================
Deputy Atoms thinks to himself, and the peoples reactions. Perhaps he could never be the kind of hero that could be treated normally in public, not without drawing fear from everyone.
Shifting your Danger +1, and Mundane -1

The crumbling sound. Part of the building that Tectonic had damaged, the second floor is starting to cave in. In a few seconds, a massive amount of debris will fall onto a large group of students with the staff that just insulted you, and a separate smaller group of students. You're not sure if you can/want to defend both in time!

::Franklin High::
Condition(s): Insecure

Oh hell, it's like a Telltale game.

The ceiling cracked and Deputy Atoms immediately knew his efforts were too little, too late. "Idiots!" They should've listened to him, but they didn't, and all because he didn't have a badge or a 'gun'. It was all his fault. He didn't train as hard as Shayera and Ty; he didn't take his powers as seriously as Nora and Kenneth; he didn't appreciate life like Kara and Vick.

If...
If only he was as strong as North Star and Eldritch,
If only he kept going to Halcyon High and learned more about his abilities,
If only he stayed at the movie night and charged his communicator,
If only he had taken control of the situation and coordinated the team,
If only he accepted who he was,
If only they trusted him.
But how—!

PIERCE THE MASK (+ Mundane): 2d6 - 2 ⇒ (1, 2) - 2 = 1
how could i get you to trust me?

The Deputy looks at the students and teachers across from him in the eyes. There was no time. In that same moment, the floor above them caved in. Debris begins to fall. Atoms breaks into a run. He would save them. He would save them all.

Moment of Truth. Next post.

Eldritch tries to pull back onto that energy, trying to reign in what terrible power coursed through him. Yet it flowed like blood out of him and into the being in front of him, Kenneth's eyes widening as he screamed.

"Stop! Stop! What is it that you're doing!? You can't...take....this!" The shockwave exploded outwards from him and he collapses onto the ground. He breathes in deeply, eyes flickering as he looks around the scene. Flickering tatters of something physical and metaphysical seem to ruffle through the air and he swallows softly for a moment.

"I...I tried to warn you..." He says in a small voice, wrapping his arms around himself. He felt sick, his stomach turning in knots. Something was gone, something was not right. That awful inkling ran through him, where did that terrible power go? What would it do now that it was out?

I will be taking the "Afraid" condition.

There wasn't much time though as he heard the shouting outside, his mind focusing at the task at hand. "My friends are still outside." He thinks, rushing out the door and into the courtyard.

Seeing Knight charging towards Hashtag, he would reach down and begin to start drawing into the ground. "What...what if I can't do it?" The fear pushed into his mind, he could almost hear the following statement to it. "What if you're weak again?"

"No! Hashtag!" Whether the first words were in shout of defiance of his own mind or in fear of his friend's safety, he was not sure. His words were speak as the glyphs shoot through the earth towards them, each one rising upon the ground that began to rise.

"❄︎♒︎♏︎✡︎ ☼︎♓︎⬧︎☜︎ ☹︎♓︎︎☜︎ ︎⚐︎︎☠︎❄︎♋︎♓︎■︎⬧︎"

Going to be doing a defend other action, trying to have a barricade of earth to deflect Knight's attack enough for Hashtag to get out.

Savior: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8

I will add +1 to the Team pool and expose myself to danger.

Hashtag never realized that something like that could exist. So when he sees Knight's sword making a clean attack at him, his mind freezes. Thoughts of teleporting away, hiding behind an illusion... they aren't there when he needs them. Instead, his foot catches on whatever it was Eldritch did to the concrete and he falls flat on his back!

2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7 No +s because I don't have any current conditions

Surprisingly, that stupid movement managed to keep his life intact, the blade slicing open his jacket and shirt, cutting him across the chest superficially. Hashtag scrambles back as the gears in his head grind into motion again.

Ah jesus! I can't handle a dude with a frikkin' sword!
I guess I'll take 2 conditions. Insecure and Afraid.

Will post something in the morning.

==========================
FLASHBACK: TRAINING
==========================
Wingblade gawked at the interior of the Halcyon Megadome, the massive enclosed sports complex currently empty. Whippoorwill cracked a rare smile at the girl's amazement as she led her out to the middle of the field. Several combat drones were arrayed in various positions, eliciting a squeal of joy from Wingblade. Her bladed wings twitched in anticipation.

"Let's get started, shall we?" Whippoorwill said, then hit the controls that activated the drones. Some took flight while others marched along the ground menacingly. Wingblade went airborne as well, flying among the drones and slashing as she went by.

Whippoorwill shouted, "Look up!!" as she hit another button. Wingblade's head snapped up and saw a figure falling from the rafters high above her. An instinct screamed at her to fly after the person and save him, but she had just maneuvered herself into a perfect position to slash three drones at once.

She hesitated, loath to give up her tactical advantage, but ultimately disengaged to chase after the falling figure. She raced to close the distance but the figure -- obviously a dummy once she got closer -- was falling too fast and she missed. The dummy hit the astroturf with a thud.

Wingblade looked back at Whippoorwill, who was shaking her head in disappointment. "Always, always, always go for the save. You'll get more chances to fight but they," she points to the broken form on the ground, "only get one to live."

====================
FRANKLIN HIGH, PRESENT
====================

Wingblade moves as soon as the scream hit her ears. Whippoorwill's training after that first day at the stadium had ingrained in her an instinctual response, and she was in the air before she knew it.

"Be right back!" she shouts to Alloy as her eyes search the air in the direction of the scream and pick out Tectonic and the other guy. Realizing that Tec could probably survive the impact in her rocky form, she angles herself at the man with the metal panels.

Defend (savior): 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (6, 5) + 1 = 12

Wingblade streaks across the space between her and Panel. She dives under him, spins upside-down to keep him away from her blades, and catches him. Then she loops down in an inverted dive toward the ground and splays her wings out to slow her descent. She drops the guy near Tectonic's crater unceremoniously. "You should really surrender," she suggests. Taking influence over Panel.

Then she flies back to Alloy. "Now, where were we?"

Okay, then I am crossing out that drive and marking potential. Gives me 4/5.

The vision fills Ghost Dragon's mind - he feels the raw emotions, overwhelming him. What is this? What is happening? He feels his heart race and his breathing get heavy. Just like that, the vision is gone. He finds himself on his hands and knees, breathing heavy eyes wide. What just happened? He looks up at the mage, about to demand he tell him what that was, and sees nothing. "No, no, no, no!" Ghost Dragon shouts as he punches the wall where the mage had been standing.

I have to find him before he kidnaps anyone and takes them back to...whatever that was. Looking about to see if he could find the mage, he finally noticed the holes in the wall from Tectonic and Panel's fight. Groaning, he looks about for them, and then sees Tectonic and Panel falling from the sky. Dangit, Nora, couldn't you keep the destruction a bit more contained? He races towards where they're falling, hoping to lessen the impact of their fall by grabbing them and phasing them safely.

Defend Someone: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 2) + 2 = 6

And a miss. Marking Potential. 5/5

Tectonic gives a nod to Wingblade as she executes a perfect three-point landing, cracking the ground further. Without missing a beat, she begins forming a rocky prison around Panel.

Unleash my Powers: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

Since Ghost Dragon is adding to my roll...

Although Ghost Dragon is unable to keep hold of his powers long enough to completely stop their fall, it doesn't look like either Panel or Tectonic need it. The young heroine is, at this point, used to the strange feeling of pseudo-existence, the alien is startled enough that Nora can form a cage around him without him interfering.

Despite the intensity of the fight, Tectonic is barely breathing hard. Her proud smirk at utterly besting such a foe slowly fades away as the destruction that she's caused registers, then disappears completely once she sees the sadistic choice that Atoms has to make.

"NO!" Tectonic begins sprinting to the location, but her legs won't reach it in time...

Marking Guilty as my condition.

Standing up from the blast, Tycho doesn't even bother dusting himself off. He instead runs back to Strider. "My god! I am so sorry. I want you to know that I didn't...I would never...Well, actually, a future me..." at this point he opens and closes his mouth several times; he is clearly in shock. he then starts speaking really quickly, so fast that it starts to blur together "I don't knowhow tostop mefrombecomingthatthingandI'vetriedtokeepitlockedup,butit'salltooeasytojustgiveintothepower,e venjustalittle.Iwasn'tconcentratingenoughandhegotoutandhurtyouandIdon'tknow whathedidandIshouldprobablyjustfindsomewaytogetridofmypowers,evenifitmeansm ydeath..."

I figure guilty is the correct condition.

Seeing Tectonic doesn't need help avoiding hurting herself in the fall, he turns his attention to Panel. Hoping to ensure Panel doesn't escape the tomb, he puts on a burst of speed, rushing forward and grabbing Panel in an arm bar to prevent him from moving. Once the tomb is complete, he says, "See ya," and phases out through the wall.

Spending 1 from the Team Pool to give Tectonic +1.

At Tectonic's cry, he turns and sees what's happening. Oh, no. He starts running towards the area, already knowing he's going to be too late.

Tectonic's shout of "No!" draws Wingblade's attention, and she risks a glance at her. That glance becomes a double-take as she sees the school building begin to collapse. Then the muffled cried of those trapped inside reach her ears.

"Uh oh," she stammers, as she turns her back on Alloy and takes flight again to lend whatever assistance she can.

=================Halycon High=====================
Eldritch, Tycho, Hashtag

Eldritch throws out a glyph that thankfully trips Hashtag out of the way just in time before Knight's sword can strike. Unfortunately, you're so focused on protecting Hashtag without losing control, you don't see the whirring body of speed moving towards you and slamming into you. You take a Heavy Blow as Strider trips over you and slams into the school, leaving an imprint in the stone and falling to the ground unconscious.

Hashtag is just happy to be alive, but seeing a sword pass through where his body was moments before rocks him to his core. Knight looks up, sensing that the mage is gone. He approaches Strider holding his sword and shield, knocking Tycho out of the way.

"We're falling back," he says to the still unconscious Strider as the bubble falls and Knight swings his sowrd causing another rift to open. They step inside and dissapear.

"Combat" over

=================Franklin High=====================
Wingblade, Tectonic, Deputy Atoms, Ghost Dragon,

Deputy, I leave it to you.

Wingblade saves Panel from a sudden disagreement with the Earth, and through Ghost Dragon and Tectonic's quick work, they construct a containment unit for their adversary.

Tectonic realizes the damage she's done, and struggles to reach the situation in time before anyone get's hurt. Her cries act as a beacon, drawing the present teammates in to realize what's about to happen.

Condition(s): Insecure

::MOMENT OF TRUTH::

Ghost Dragon, Tectonic, and Wingblade look just in time to see Atoms run in as debris collapses around him and both groups of people.

Then a bright flash,
brighter than the sun,
brighter than anything they've ever seen.

It’s so easy to forget that you’re not your body, and you’re not the voice in your head—you’re both.

One year ago, Deputy Explorer Shaun Adams died. Up until now, Deputy Atoms hadn't accepted that, and the proof was in his name. He clung to his old title as 'Deputy Adams'. He clung to humanity and to the past.

But now Shaun Adams was dead. Deputy Atoms was gone. He could never be the kind of hero that could be treated normally in public. No one would ever trust him. And if he couldn't be human, if he couldn't be a deputy or a hero, then he would have to...

Be the monster, and save them anyway.

The people of Halcyon City called him Aither at the beginning, but that was just a codename for an atomic freak show. "AtomiCop" was thought up on the spot so he wouldn't accused of breaking a law; a human law. But no more would he continue to be subject to such whims. No more... no more...

He stands in the center and whispers, though to who or what, is not immediately apparent.

Smash down walls, and speak softly.

"I don't need to eat." He holds out his arms.

It starts out small. An idea. A spark.

"I don't need to sleep." Power gathers in his hands.

A bright flash, brighter than the sun, brighter than anything they've ever seen.

"And I don't need you making decisions for me." The floodgates open.

A rumbling roar across the tiled halls, followed by a seismic explosion.

"Today, I choose to become a monster."

Because when you embrace it, you can do anything.

Everyone but Atoms is blinded, thrown to the ground, and sent sliding across the floor. When it's all over and the light passes, everyone opens their eyes to see that the debris has evaporated. Everything else though, the people, the building, are all totally unharmed and unafflicted. Except for Atoms.

The former deputy stands in the middle of it all, an incandescent blue figure. On his chest is a red circled dot, emanating constant—but harmless—streams of similarly colored lightning that seems to claw at the air around him. His Theta Suit is gone, dissolved, and his mere presence is enough to create static on the team's communicators. Outside, even the dome fluctuates unstably, and Alloy, Panel, and the Mage too are hit by this immense energy field, shaking their translucent forms to the core.

Atoms turns on his heels and walks towards his fallen friends, leaving black footprints with each step. He seems bigger, stronger, more confident than ever, but in the same vein, also more terrifying. For the first time since the team came together, they can see his facial features and his flame-like hair. He doesn't seem happy initially, but then he smiles. His headache has gone away.

"I'd offer to help you guys get up, but I think that might be a bad idea."

Of course, putting on a display like this is sure to rile up those who see only the monster when they look at you…

Ghost Dragon covers his eyes as the light blinds him, and feels...something...apply pressure to his chest, throwng him back and knocking him down. Once the light passes, he blinks his eyes, trying to clear the spots from them as he shakes his head. Once he's able to focus and see, he looks up, and stares, slack jawed, at the the tableau before him. Atoms, unsuited, giving off red lightning from the mark on his chest where Eldritch had hit him. The collapsing debris is gone, and, looking over, the faculty, staff, and students who had been in the room look alright.

As the Deputy walks over and makes his comment, Ghost Dragon says, "Yeah, I guess it might be." He slowly stands up, not sure what to make of his new change. He seems more...confident...in himself. He just hopes that his friend doesn't take any negative flack for his choice.

Since I'm at 5 Potential, I'm going to use it to "Take a move from another playbook" and grab the Janus's Mild-Mannered move. I think it's appropriate for my character.

Cool choice. So that move, on a miss says, "one of your civilian obligations rears its ugly head". What does that look like for Ghost Dragon? If you had to pick 3 obligations from the Janus playbook, what would they be?

Wingblade instinctively covers her face with her wings when the light grows too bright and she crashes to the ground hard, coming to a rolling stop by smashing blindly into a bike rack. When the brilliance fades, she cautiously extricates herself from the tangle of bicycles and mopeds and stands up. She pops her dislocated shoulder back into its socket and cracks her neck while testing out her arm's range of movement. Then she looks around.

She sees the big blue glowing form of Atoms and blinks hard several times. She takes a few steps back, then circles around him to make a quick survey of the damage to the school. Seeing that the students and faculty are unharmed, she looks back at Atoms in bewilderment.

"Ah, nice job, I guess?" she says tentatively, knowing the guy wasn't really the most stable. Being turned into living energy but still going around pretending to be a junior cop was pretty strange in her eyes. But she certainly wasn't going to say anything, considering she was the reason he was like that to begin with.

Her training begins to assert itself; her mentor's voice telling her to take control of the situation. One hostile was down and contained, the other two were still possible threats. Ghost Dragon seemed okay, but Tectonic might be distracted by the building nearly collapsing. And Atoms was out of his containment suit, so she needed to play it safe.

As much as she wanted to go back and continue her fight with Alloy, the mage was likely the leader. Dealing with him would end the threat.

Atoms, Tec, Ghost, with me," she says as she moves toward the Mage.

"Time to surrender," she tells him. "We're taking you in. The Unblossomed can wait."
Provoke Someone (Superior): 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 6) + 2 = 9

Tectonic manages to keep her feet in the wake of the massive burst of energy that Atoms unleashes, if only because she literally rooted her feet to the ground. She ignores Wingblade's orders and walks up to Atoms, dropping the tough-girl act for a moment. "Hey, man, you okay?" she asks, genuine concern in her voice. With her left hand, she casually lifts a block of rock and launches it at Alloy.

Directly Engage a Threat: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (1, 2) + 3 = 6

Miss. Marking Potential 4/5.

Condition(s): Insecure

Atoms appreciates his teammate's concern. It makes him feel like he's worth something, that he's part of the team. Then Wingblade comes in and ruins it by adding in another one of her 'I guess's. He scowls at her when she turns around and orders them to follow. Then the former deputy follows up Tectonic's rock throw with surprising speed and strength, punching Alloy in the face. Needless to say, he doesn't obey Wingblade's command.

Spending the last point of Team to help Tectonic's Direct Engage. Brings her result up to 7, a success. I recommend choosing 'taking something from them' to take away Alloy's ability to fight, or at least her ability to stand/remain conscious.

"Well, I thought I was doing okay," responds Atoms. "She drives me right up the wall when she treats me like that. It makes me feel like I'm worthless. But maybe I am worthless." With a sigh, he asks Ghost Dragon and Tectonic a serious question. "After all, I'm not even human anymore, am I?"
@Tectonic Atoms is sharing a vulnerability/weakness with you, and has asked whether you think he's losing or gaining humanity. If you say losing, he marks a condition and he marks potential. If you say gaining, he clears a condition.
@Ghost Dragon You aren't the target of the team move, but you hear all this too and can respond. If you do, you might shift Atoms' labels because you have influence over him.

I'll chose to reassure Atoms and take away Alloy's ability to fight.

Tectonic scowls. "If you can still cry, you're human. If you can still laugh, you're human. If you're having an existential crisis, you're human, no matter if you're made of pure... whatever it is you're made out of or if you have metal wings."

Hashtag grumbles as he pulls himself up to his feet. Brushing off his pants, he shakes his head and pulls out a smoke, lighting it up. "That's right. Run!" he mutters, trying to marshal his courage.

He takes a drag from his cigarette and thinks. Where'd they go? Back home? Too easy...

He looks at Eldritch and glowers. "I'll be back." he says before disappearing with a CRACK.

============Franklin High==============

The mage looks at you all, young heroes. He is holding the hand of a young girl, her long blonde hair in a mess, but she seems unharmed. In fact, she seems to be shaking.

At Wingblade's command of surrender, the mage turns to face you.

"What would you know of sacrifice, of committing terrible deeds to save the ones you love." he manages in the fluid words he has been able to use since you've met him.

And just like that, he throws open a portal behind him and he and the girl are sucked in.

Gone.

Alloy is hurrying to the mage's side before the portal closes, but Tectonic manages to snag her using chunks of earth to hold her down. But before she is completely restrained, Alloy manages enough strength to throw a chunk of earth back at Tectonic, who takes a Heavy Blow.

Eventually she is restrained.

==============================================

Feel free to talk out the aftermath of the fight. And REMEMBER CONDITONS

Condition(s): None

Atoms listens to Tectonic. He nods a little bit, but he still seems so disheartened.

When the rock comes her way, Atoms does his best to intercept it. However, as he's somewhat lost in thought, he isn't able to move fast enough to do so.

DEFEND (+ Savior): 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (1, 2) + 1 = 4
Marking potential.

I had no idea the mage had someone -- I don't know if it's too late to try to save her, but in case I'm allowed to make the attempt...

"Sacrifice--? NO!!" Wingblade leaps at the mage to try to get the girl from him, slashing her wings at his hand holding her and being willing to sever it if necessary.
Defend (savior): 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (1, 6) + 1 = 8

"Plus, you still care about saving people. It's when you stop caring about other people that you become less than human." Atoms was normally much more focused than this. It was a bit discomforting to see him like this.

He looks at the mage and suddenly shouts, "No, don't you do it!" He sprints at the mage, looking to tackle him to the ground, but he steps through the portal before Ghost Dragon gets there, and Ghost Dragon merely grabs air.

DM, do I know who the girl he grabbed is?

Take a Powerful Blow: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (5, 6) + 1 = 12

The one situation where rolling high is bad... sigh...

Despite her best attempts to steel herself against the barrage, Tectonic flies backward hitting a wall. She had thought the fight over. She had thought it was done. She had thought it was okay to let down her shield.

Blood spatters a pillar as she slumps to the ground. Tectonic's still breathing, if barely.

Removing myself from the situation.

Technically. no one had any idea where the mage had gone after he got away from ghost dragon. But you wrote a narrative, so I went along with it. That said, can't really stop someone who already dissapeared.

Winglbade makes a violent motion to stop the mage at all costs, but before she even reaches them, they are gone. Ghost Dragon is similarly late.

Ghost Dragon does indeed know the girl who was taken. Her name is Alexis, she was a somewhat active student on the basketball team and decent grades. You also know she has a somewhat rough home life, though she doesn't talk about it much.

Wingblade paws at the ground where the mage and the girl had disappeared. She looks around desperately, muttering in disbelief and barely-restrained panic. I failed! I failed!

She barely registers that there's still a bit of cleanup going on behind her as Alloy is subdued, but not before taking Tectonic out. Serves her right; going and demolishing half the school and giving this guy the chance to-- NO! It's my fault, I didn't focus on the objective. I forgot what we were fighting for. I should have focused on the magic...

"Magic!" Wingblade shouts and activates her communicator. "Eldritch!!! Eldritch we need you here at Franklin High! There was a mage, we need you to find him! Follow him! He took someone!"

Still nearly panicking, Wingblade manages to realize they've got prisoners. Not sure about Alloy, she looks over to the trapped Panel and sprints over to him. Sliding next to his face, she slaps him a few times to get him awake if he's still out.

"Where were you taking them?" she screams. "Where'd they go? Where? Where? Talk!!!"

Is this Provoking Someone? I want him to talk
Superior, plus influence: 2d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1, 1) + 2 + 1 = 5

Ugh, first fail. Marking potential, but what a time to flub.