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I'm about to ask LJ and GG about their meal when Maximus bursts in. For a moment I'm awash in his commanding presence (it's one of Herman's powers. I don't actually like the guy, let alone respect him, but when he walks in to the room he's immediately the most alpha to ever alpha an alpha. He claims to be the bearer of an ancestral enchantment for the generation's one chosen protector but I think he's just a neck beard red pill-er who kidnapped an 8th dimensional imp and wished his way out of his parent's basement. We're all lucky his powers only work on men or else he'd almost certainly be a super villain with a name like "harem master" or "the leathal lethario" or "stud.")
I sputter out a response Yes sir...he's an instrumental member of our team. Without him we'd be gearing up for a special mayoral election. Why do you ask, Mr. Maximus, sir?
I hate the way I talk when he's around! I don't even call my dad sir.
Solmira's eye twitches. For her own sanity, she would just assume she was trying to ensure her understanding was clear before addressing anything else. "Close enough. I should reiterate more explicitly, however - Wellspring did not force this upon me. He had asked me if I consented to this before he acted. I had simply been rendered incapable of disagreeing at the time - something which was not apparent to him, and something I am unsure as to how it occurred, given that he is not a telepath to the best of my awareness. I can only assume myself more affected than I thought."
As she mentally progresses onto Genevieve, the anger dims, leaving regret for now. She continues to draw blood with her thumbnail. "I am fully aware that the girl is troubled, because of that incident. While I lack the detail, her history is similar, and yet different to mine. I can simply be sure that she is not finding her time here pleasant." She lifts her other arm, drawing attention to the cuff that adorns it. "She is not mentally capable of handling what she is receiving, properly. Are you aware of that? Was she ever offered use of the technology I wear now, or access to someone who could show her how she might control her intake? If not...why? For her sake, if not others."
Michael checks the message. "No thanks, think I'll head back. Sounds like something's up," he gestures at one of the smaller monitors, where a low-level alert from the Institute was reported.
Hyla gets a quick reply not long after: On my way. A few minutes after Michael sets out, he sends a message to Ricardo. I heard something happened with Solmira. Know anything? You OK?
When his comms chirp in his ear, Sorrel uses a towel to get his hands and the comms device dry before checking it. He’ll sometimes mute passive comms, like when high-profile villains are mentioned and he has to check out for a bit, but he’ll always leave on his DM notifications. I think she is dealing with some emerging psionics. Stuff like that gets messy quick. She’s with Dr. Coolridge now. Scolding himself for shirking his duties, Sorrel checks the wire around his ear and stuffs the device into his hoodie pocket. Turnabout's backdoor protocols get him back on the encrypted line.
When the knock comes at the door, Sorrel’s mouth immediately goes dry. His roommate he could handle, but Roy was normal-looking--phenotypical, as Dahlia would say--and therefore couldn’t understand. You are the one calling attention to your anatomy. For most, a centaur without pants is as natural as Donald Duck. They do not think twice about it. Dahlia’s words gave as little comfort then as they do now. Quickly, Sorrel pulls a tasseled throw off the beanbag chair he sleeps on and unfurls it over his head. “Un’ momento- just a sec.” Sorrel has to stretch and twist to get the thing centered on his cervid back. It didn’t cover anything useful, but it helped him feel a little more clothed.
Fidgeting with the corners of the throw, Sorrel positions himself mostly behind the door and opens it, leaning on it as casually as he can. The door is braced between his foreleg and shoulder. “Hey, Slam. Eh, you're looking good- better, I should say.” He tries to blink through the vocabulary mistake. Remembering to smile, Sorrel can feel how much of his face has to move, and the knot in his throat chokes off anything else he wanted to say. He stuffs his hands into his hoodie instead. The sweater is from before TITAN, and despite the years Sorrel is swimming in it.
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Tox muses over the information, and starts diving deep into potential problems and not immediately apparant details.
"A few questions...but I have a basic plan outline. First, Can Shrike move through solid objects, and if not what happens? Does she get hurt or is she practically invincible? Also, how reliable is Arne's precog ability? How far ahead can we peek?"
"While we could go for shock and awe, I want to give these guys an out, something to show them that they can change still. Also, it doesn't look the best for us if we leave the scene with a dozen beat up gang members. Sure they're gang members, but the media will spin that into a nightmare and your job is going to be that much harder. The point is no lasting damage. Bruises can heal, a broken leg is going to be expensive as hell for them to pay, which they'll have to go back to crime for."
"I'll start by dosing the lookouts and any immediate with some special poison, nothing harmful, it'll just make them really tired and hopefully sluggish enough to take out. We'll move in quickly, support staying behind of course. Horus, I think we can count on you to keep anyone back that looks dangerous. Machery will have full run in ruining the dangerous elements and equipment. I'll be keeping folks downed as much as possible. We secure the contraband, and put the fear of god in them. Then leave."
Well, He was recently spotted in the company of the criminal group, The BlockBusters. Maximus informs you
Gryphalcon finally got a bead on them? GG asks, momentarily distracted from a technical sketch she was making on a napkin.
H has managed to capture footage of them while their guard was down. their precog stll makes tracking them difficult. Maximus replies. But we have caught them attempting to recruit both Tox, and a recent arrivl, a tinker by the name of Bulwark.
what do you do?
Restrains are only capable of nullifying active use powers, I'm afraind. They would have no effect upon Ms. Drake's abilties. She offers you tea again, now that you've (apparently) calmed down some. You say she is unable to handle her powers? how much of her situation do you know?
You reach the institute quickly, and relatively eventlessly. once you're there, though, you find a minor scene. a few people are setting up what looks to be bradcast and reception equipment, while another few nascent heroes examine the situation.
Tunabout, We have issues. Hyla says, catching you by surprise Solmira is, like, a runaway, and apparently her people are comming for her now cause her freaky mind powers made a beacon. It's kinda hard to understand her through the window vibrations. and she's... you need to talk to her yourself
what do you do?
Yeah I wanted to tel you that, in an hour, Hyla and I were gonna go to Bulwark. if you have a spare suit, or can get a uick patch on that one, we still want you to come with.
he hold up his hands before you can say anything
Because, you're a hero, Sorrel, and Heroes shouldn't stay cooped up in their rooms cause stuff went wrong, they should get back up, and do better.
Counter proposal Machery says, smirkin Insead of that wimpy s&#~, I knock out the front windows, scare the everloing crap out of them, Horus holds the exits while shrike dives in, and you swarm them with thousands of bugs, and Arn helps us gather up the cash when they've all got the fear of me put in em.
Gotta disagree there, Mach. New guy's plan gives us a better fear to police ratio. Shrike says
exactly Horus says
And shrike can't go through solid objects, her power stops her before her body his them... though if she has a cane or knife in position... Arne says and, if im buzzed, but still mostly functional, I have a couple seconds, enough to avoid most stuff, plus I can get gists, like, in your plan, unless we trigger the alarms, the heroes won't be here for hours, whereas with Mach's, they'll be here in 10.
I think we'll use your plan. But, one addition, if you could scout the place using your bugs, would you direct Shrike and Arne to their weapons cache, so we can take it out before it becomes an issue?
"Only enough to say that she has been suffering from a sensory overload ever since she has acquired her powers, and is only finding her problems exacerbated by having to know and experience the suffering of those with troubled minds." She accepts the tea...though it did seem to be a little cold. She wasn't sure if the doctor would say the same. "I have little more detail than that, both that I know and to share. Anything else, you would have to get from the Drake herself."
"Her history is a separate matter, in any case. It is more important that she have a more refined means of controlling her information reception if possible, to remove that felt need for her infamous outlashes." Solmira quirks an eyebrow. A trickle of golden blood runs down her face from where her thumbnail had dug into it. "Though it is still difficult to believe that the necessity of such a thing was not considered. I hope there was not truly such oversight, deliberate or not."
I give a little shrug Blockbusters, huh? Never heard of them...
I give GG a little nudge and quietly say. You barely touched your dinner. You ok?
There’s a sharp intake of breath when Sorrel realizes the meeting is still on. Slam and Hyla were still trying to recruit the machinist, and they still wanted his help. His eyes flick to the sandwich on his desk. Sorrel was part of a team, a team with a vested interest in his well-being, but Roy and Lucy weren’t trying to recruit him, they just needed his help. In a way, he owed it to Slam for the afternoon’s incident, owed it to the machinist as an outsider, and owed it to Hyla as a fellow phenodivergent. -plus it had been a rough day, and he needed to feel like a hero.
He would need to put on a suit, which meant dragging out the mark six. Sorrel had gone through quite a few suits since he got to TITAN, and the six was the costume made when he and Tox were shoehorned into trying to break out as a duo. It had turned out the two of them needed a bit more supervision.
The six was also the suit with the hood.
“Give me a minute to suit up and eat something, and I’ll be right out.” It was going to take more than a minute. “The subway, right? I can meet you there if you want to go get Hyla.”
It was generally easier to get into the suits than to get out of them. That was one of their primary design requirements. The mark six was mostly black, and the green accents were more of a chartreuse, accentuating the toxic theme. The armor was also thicker and heavier, and the suit had built-in rubber cleats, but the most striking difference was the hood, designed to look like a gas mask. Sorrel would get dressed while the sandwich cooked, and eat on his way to where the others were planning to meet.
I'm fine, there was food at our team meeting earlier She says
Maximus, meanwhile, clears his throat, clearly miffed at being ignored/dismissed. he takes out his phone, and presses a button, saying Access blockbuster Image files. Gryphalcon and GG managed to get voice recognition onto their computers 10 years ago, and no one has apparently told Maximus that this technology is no longer impressive.
the first picture is of a man in a purple longcoat, with a purple domino mask made up to look lie two eye of horus. Zachary wells, AKA Horus, their ringleader. He's from our fair city, grew up on the east end Read: the part where crack is easier to get than food. He's been a menace for 6 years now. He's a powerful telekinetic, on par with The one you took down this morning, but a lot smarter about how he uses it.
It's a shame he turned to crime, because he could have earned a spot as a Paragon GG adds
But the real dnager he poses. Lady justice cuts in Is that he is charismatic, and naturally gathers people to him. He's also very adept at justifying his crimes. "those guys i maimed, they were criminal thugs. Those cops we put in the hospital, dirty. That guy we stole from, a slumlord preying on the people. he might even believe those things himself.
Maximus swipes his screen, and shows the next picture, a person with long, multicoloured hair, heavy makeup, and at least half a dozen piercings, with an electric guitar on their back. Chinen Nariaki, AKA Machery. he creates shockwaves with hsi guitar. one of his concerts in Kyoto turned into a riot, and he attacked the officers who came to suppress it. 2 died in the hospital, and 8 more were left unable to perform their jobs. The he fled here, and joined up with Horus.
Another swipe. A figure, shorter than the last two, all clad in black, with strips of fabric going down it, their ragged edges evocative of fathers., and a knife in her hand Emily Veronese, a 12 year old runaway before Horus found her. 4 years later, and she dresses in black, goes by shrike, and is Horus' enforcer, with dozens of A&B's under her belt.
No murders, though. Gadget girl cuts in.
That we know of. he swipes again, showing the guy from the sewers. Arne Solande, no know alias, though we think the name he uses is not his birth name. He is their precog, and the one we know the least about, though those who have met him have said he is foreign, likely from northern europe.
a final swipe reveals a girl in a jean-jacket, with red hair and silver around her eyes and down her cheeks. and Audrey Clarke, AKA Armoury. augmented with nanotechnology against her will by the super scientist group The red diamonds, she escaped, and fell in with the blockbusters, becoming Horus' right hand and paramour. she has't been seen in 4 months, and is presumed dead.
Now, do you understand Why I am a little concerned that one of your teammates, one with an already questionable methodology, is meeting with them? Maximus asks.
"Thanks, Lucy. I'm glad you let me know. A runaway, with psi and angry relatives?" Guess Mirror was right, there was something she wasn't telling us. Michael sighs. "Who's she in there with? Doc Wellspring?"
While they wait for Solmira to emerge, Michael looks over at the broadcast booth being set up. Better check on that. If something's gone badly, the last thing she'll want is more attention drawn to it. He asks one of the techs (or whoever's in charge of them, if possible) what they're doing.
Before the presentation starts, I say to GG Me too. Where did you guys go? I'm sooooo tired of The Lair.
Once he kicks in, I watch the members of this other team, especially when I recognize my sewer friend. This doesn't sound good but...if someone made a presentation on Tox it'd say the same thing and I know a lot of those are lies. Still, I can't speak out against Maximus.
Yes, of course. Very serious. I'll talk to him, tell him these guys are bad news...
Tox was starting to like Arne. Precog's were useful as hell if they didn't overlap with another precog.
"I've been doing this for a while, so trust me when I say you want the 'official' good guys on your side. If you do some good with minimal damage, they usually look the other way. You start going out of your way to cause too much harm, you'll be on top of their s@@@ list. Folks do not like people thinking they're 'approving' our activities. We can get in and out, get the job done, and do some good."
Tox also agrees to the weapons cache issue. It wouldn't be good if someone panicked and started shooting. He sent out his bugs and started feeling around, trying his best to find it. If successful, he places some there in barrels in each one, so he could track if one got seperated.
"Alright, we ready?"
I am afraid that power suppressants are still in their infancy, and for more complex powers, there are no safe options to do so. not that this fact stops some individuals from suppressing their abilities with dangerous substances. Dr. Coolridge says
Do you feel better? You seem much calmer. Dhalia says, offering you the key to your restraints. But I would like to continue meeting with you. when is your schedule open?
Awesome. that costume looks badass, very anti-hero. Slam says. let's go get Hyla![/b] Slam says
You two meet up with Hyla, also in costume, and you reach the subway stop, and on with (relatively) little issue.
How do we want to approach this guy? Hyla asks You've done this before, Sorrel. how do we talk someone into being a part of the team?
Yeah, I thought you were the one to get to help. She's with doctor Coolridge Hyla says, before he comm chirps. Gotta go, talking to a mechanist. I hope he joins, it would really help Slams idea get off the ground.
The tech turns to you. We're trying to track a ultratemporal signal from its source to its destination, and then run their communications through a universal translator program, and make contact. In layman's terms, an E.T. phoned home, and we're trying to hit redial. he turns back to his work.
Oh, it's this lovely place called the bent Gasket, cool steampunk themeing. Gadget girl says
One of Quentin's teammates is working with villains? Lucy says, loud enough to be heard all around the table. your dad looks at you quizzically, what do you do?
Three guards in lalaland before you are spotted, but guard number 4 was more on the ball (and also partially behind the fire escape). he reaches for his radio, about to raise the alarm, what do you do?
I blanch as everyone looks to us. Their methods are deplorable, make no doubt, but they're clearly not villains. They're just misguided. If there's anyone I'd expect to be a good influence on them, it's Tox. He's...he's not what people say.
His hood pulled up over his nose, Sorrel finishes off his sandwich and breaks into his second bag of corn puffs. The sandwich was a miracle of nostalgia and marinara sauce, but Sorrel had a grazer's stomach. "You just have to see through to what he needs, and show him that TITAN can provide it. Resources, protection, acceptance, assistance, mentoring... one way or another, TITAN can make life easier for the Neo-abled. The first thing they'll ask is what strings are attached. Some are scared TITAN will keep too close an eye, or demand that they put themselves in danger, but there's a lot more to TITAN than fighting villains, and mostly the capes are happy enough knowing we aren't robbing banks. We just need to stress that he doesn't have to make any decisions now. We're not coming to kidnap him. Talk about what TITAN has done for you. That's what I'll do." The good things, at least.
Underground, in such a tight tunnel of concrete, Sorrel was getting chatty to ward off the claustrophobia. There were reasons he didn't take the subway often, and it wasn't the smell. Soon it would be over, and Sorrel would be back out in the open air. -still in this godawful suit, but outside, at least.
"Good luck" Michael tells Hyla as she heads off. The tech gets a nod and a "Thank you." That sounds okay...maybe.
Michael paces a little as he waits for Solmira to emerge. How should I...? Wish I knew a little more about what went down. She probably won't want to talk about it, though, not after talking through it with Dahlia, and whoever else. Casual, then. Once Solmira comes out, Michael approaches her with a wave and a smile. "There you are! I need a break. Vic, down at the park, has this new cardamom-vanilla cotton candy that's absolutely fabulous; care to join me? My treat!"
"...then I would hope someone could at least provide guidance." Solmira sighs. "I suppose I had better let this lie for now, though. Moving on...truthfully, Ms. Coolridge, I do not particularly feel better. I am no more calm than before. I am merely maintaining a greater level of self-control than before."
Solmira looks at the key with uncertainty. She was...wary. Worried about what she might visit on others with the restraints removed. In the end, she takes the key, and with a certain level of worry she removes the restraints. As they come off, she can feel her mind extend out again, reaching to others and barely touching across their minds. She felt the minds presence...but no more than that, skimming across the bare surfaces of them. A small mercy.
With unsteady hands, she hands over the restraints and their key. She makes an effort to hold back the mental reaching as she speaks again, making a concerted effort not to accidentally interact with Doctor Coolridge's mind. "...apart from my meetings with Wellspring, I have little planned that you might worry about interrupting. Just inform me in advance." With that, Solmira finishes her tea, and leaves.
When Michael sees Solmira exit the room, her teeth are gritted, and her expression is melancholy. Upon noticing his approach, she hastily wipes off the golden blood on her cheek, though a little more wells up from where her nail left its mark. She looks like she's about to brush him off for a moment...but it passes quickly. "Allow me to change first, at least. I've not had the opportunity. I shall not be long."
Nodding half-heartedly to Michael, Solmira heads for her room. She wasn't so distracted as to think he did not seek information from her...but her thoughts lied elsewhere.
Cotton candy...what is that? A confectionary, it sounds like? Why is it named as such? What does it taste like? How do the people of this planet have so many ideas for foodstuffs...and why am I considering that? There won't be much point in knowing such things soon. It will simply give me more to miss from here. There's no point in indulging this.
...it does not matter either way, I suppose. More to the point...that means there's no reason not to. He's pretending that there's no issue here. Maybe I can do so as well...
Tox doesn't miss a beat. A spider was waiting on his arm and immediately bitees down, causing him to drop the radio. It was one of his few special blends too, and soon the wooziness pounding in the guard's head, gives way to a nice long nap.
"I've got the guards positions. Let's do this nice and clean."
Tox relays his info, and get's ready to jump into action.
Michael waits around for Solmira. Once she's ready, he tries to keep up some small talk as they head out of the institute. One they're outside, he asks "Can I get a lift?" and holds out a hand, hoping to borrow Solmira's flight for the trip. (Flight really is the best.)
As they're walking away from Vic's stand, Michael gets serious for a minute. "I just want to say one thing. I'm glad you're part of my team. It's obvious to anyone you've got the strength, and the determination, to be a really good cape. You deserve a shot at it, and if anyone's going to get in your way... I'll help you, if you want it. Just let me know."
Maybe he's right. GG says We wouldn't suffer for a few more good guys, the way things are now
But they aren't good guys. They are thugs, two of them are murderers. We don't need their help. Maximus says
I don't know... if Quentin thinks that he could convince them to temper themselves... I mean, there's us, Phoen-x, like half of the interceptors, Mirror kinda, atlas and Cryo. 16 of us altogether, with an estimated 30-50 active villains, and 20-30 undeclared. we do need more people
Not them. I won't compromise my principals just to get a few punks on board. he turns o you, his aura cranked up as high as it can go Tell your friend to make better choices, and tell him that I want a report on anything he knows about the blockbusters on Gryphalcon's desk by tomorrow afternoon.
what do you do?
You leave the subway (thank god), and find yourself on the docks. it isn't dark yet, but you still notice that people are moving quickly when they notice a trio of superheroes (or villains).
A dozen people move into your way, most of them armed (two with guns). Quicksilver controls this neighborhood... Leave. the leader says, brandishing a knife. Slam and Hyla seem to be getting into fighting stances, what do you do?
With the guards down, Shrike and Arne join you on the catwalk. Shrike breaks the lock on one of the windows, throwing it open. meanwhile, horus opens the front door, and sends the two guards behind it flying into the wall.
What do you do?
Tox moves in quickly, his hands primed with venom that would knock out those he injected. He would join up with Shrike as he felt Horus could take care of himself.
We can disagree that we need their help, but...they definitely need ours. They need guidance and...
I feel the wash of his aura over me, but I grit my teeth and try to push an honest feeling through.
Straining under the pressure to cowtow, I croak out. I'll do my best. Not all of us can rape people's minds to get them to obey. Do you remember what it's like to convince someone with words, or have your social skills completely atrophied...Herman?.
Eyeing the guns, Sorrel raises his hands, not that the gesture means much these days. He gives Slam and Hyla a quick glance, hoping they’ll take the hint and back off. There’s a crack of static, as the hood’s speaker relays his voice through its thick rubber. “Not here to start nothin’ with, ah, Quicksilver? I know a few quicks. Quickman, Kid Quickman- although I call him Quickie. Never good to leave a man walking in someone else’s shadow, yeah? Everyone deserves to be their own man. Now, I know the costumes are a bit much. Believe me, I’d wear something else if I could, but-” The centaur gestures at his hind end. “Not a lot of pants fit. I’m Sorrel, the Green Guardian- Not to be confused with the Guardian Mirror. That’s Why I usually just go by Sorrel.” As he continues to ramble, Sorrel scans the line of people to see what he can tell about their organization. Were they a gang, random thugs, or just the local residents of… the docks? This was really Turnabout’s forte. Sorrel wished he’d brought his team. He hadn’t trained with Slam or Hyla, and they weren’t likely to coordinate well if things here went south.
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Solmira returns in one of her more extravagant outfits, a carefully put together affair of red and gold, finished up with the scarf she normally only wears during cape business. It's normally in rising sun or bright daylight colours when it's seen, but right now, the stretch of sunlight wrapped around her neck bears setting sun colours.
From there, things seem normal on the outside - talking and interacting in similar manners to how she normally does on the few occasions she can be convinced to hang out with someone - but her behaviour is more outgoing than usual. She's more engaged and responsive in conversation, and she makes less biting comments than usual. She still makes them often enough, but they don't have the same edge to them as they normally do. She's even openly agreeable about the flight, as if it was a gesture she'd make for anyone.
She's overall dramatically less abrasive, and right up until Michael makes his statement, she acts like this is how it's always been. But hearing Michael's praises and his offer of help?
She freezes. Her eyes flare from the sudden emotion, and briefly, a feeling of regret stirs in people nearby.
Then, it passes. The only sign anything happened is the flickering of her eyes, brief, intense light fading back to a dim glow. "Thank you. It means more than you'd think to hear that. I'll let you know if you can help me at any time. You can start by showing me what else I've missed out on here." She has another mouthful of cotton candy, relishing the taste and the texture. "I cannot believe I've not tried this before now. The sheer variety in the cuisine of this planet is beyond what I could have ever imagined."
Lios continues to act like she's enjoying herself...and really, she was. But with her knowledge of the future hanging in her mind, her attempts at acting like there was nothing to worry about rang hollow.
You slip in the window after the two blockbusters, and are in a room with about a dozen guns, though, from the sounds below, this is not the extent of the weaponry in the building. Two of these guns seem to be designed for hyper-durable neo-abled, one that uses adhesive, fast hardening liquid to trap them, and another that seems to rely on the "Just hit really hard" philosophy, functionally a railgun.
4 people are pounding on the door, as Arne tries to brace it. Most of their cash is on the other side of the warehouse, on the second floor. Arne says . Figure you can get these guys off our backs?
Maximus grits his teeth, and glares at you, but his aura decreases Careful with that word, kid. It gets people into trouble, whether you mean it to or not he stands I only came to talk to Quentin about this issue. he says, striding out. Gadget girl mouth Thank god to you.
We need to head out too, soon. LJ says You two, get up in troubles face and punch it, and stay safe
As you try to keep everyone calm, and defuse the situation, Hyla and Slam leap into action. 5 of your assailants fall to the ground, hit hard by Slam's gravity attack., and Hyla tackles one of the gunmen. 3 more of the men saa nearby building, as Slam reorient's their gravity.
then a shot rings out, all along the street. Hyla and the gunman disentangle, Hyla dripping blue-purple blood, and trying to retreat to the alley nearby, slam moving to put himself between the assailants, and Hyla. You notice the gunman isn't trying to take another shot, but actually seems rather in shock. what do you do?
I give Gadget Girl a hesitant nod, a little shy from her graditude.
When the two ladies make there way out and Lady Justice gives her words of wisdom.
We will, Auntie. I'm glad I got to spend some time together tonight. It's been too long.
Once they leave I box up what I didn't finish and thank my dad for dinner. Thanks for putting this together. Is...is everything ok? I'm always glad to see you but grand gestures aren't really your thing. If something big is going down, Lucy and I can help. We're ready.
Tox picks up the adhesive gun, looking it over.
"This might be useful," he murmurs. He tosses it Shrike and points at Arne. He holds onto the one that seems to pack much more of an oomph.
Tox primes the gun and points it at Arne, or more accurately, the door Arne is holding closed. He gestures for Shrike to do the same.
When he signals for Arne to let them through, he'll let Shrike shoot first, only shooting if they get past the door frame.
This wasn't how to be a hero. Someone was going to get hurt. Why didn't they understand that people could get hurt from playing hero like this? It's not like it is in the movies. This was because he hesitated. This was because he didn't prepare Slam and Hyla beforehand. This was on him. "Deja de Pelear!" Before he even reached out to draw on his power, it filled him.
The wave of regret in the passers-by is followed by a wave of surprise/confusion, as it takes Michael a few moments to realize what happened, and a few more to get his mimicry under control.
"You got it. Earth's finest treats, with yours truly as your culinary guide.". He offers an exaggerated bow. "We'll have to see if we can get the team to go for a Paragon Alliance from Krem's Creamery... tomorrow. Gotta have an empty stomach before you order that."
He pauses briefly to consider whether to ask the next question. "What kinds of food do your people eat?"
Solmira pauses a moment, as if remembering something. "To be truthful, most dishes at home are rather simplistic. Meat and vegetables, pies and stews...and so forth. Desserts were not so much a thing as they are here - you might have fruit after a meal, but otherwise, you would be hard pressed to find anything other than more savoury dishes, all of them derived from basic recipes going back a great many years. You could cross to the other side of the planet, and still find food being served just like that of your home." A sad smile forms. "Though, I suppose that's not surprising, given the Envoy's influence and the way every node is so deeply connected to the rest." A sense of isolation comes and goes in a flash. "Developments in how best to assure proper nourishment spread easily, allowing other nodes more time for more...important, pursuits."
"You're assured wholesome food, wherever you go. And for that matter, before I came here, the only thought as to what I ate was whether it would meet my needs. But now, seeing all the ways that you've not only developed food to meet your needs, but also painstakingly strived to make foodstuffs that were a joy in themselves? To create these things simply because you thought them a worthwhile pursuit, to fit every palate, craving, and insane desire?" She smiles, more honestly. "It's as if I reclaimed something dear I never knew was missing. Even outside these delights I never knew, there's a beautiful culture surrounding...all of this. Even cooking has been made an art-form. It's an expression I would have never thought possible. It's...something I could never know back home." She falls silent. Her eyes dim.
After a moment, they brighten back to their usual soft glow, occasionally flickering from the anger she's suppressing in favour of her indulgence. She waves it off. "Not that that's important. I'm here right now. That's what's important here." She nods to herself. "Enough of that for now. As much as I'm finding I have something of a...sweet tooth? I think that's it... I'm eager to try something a bit different. My knowledge is limited, but there are certain foods you call 'spicy', on this planet? I'm hoping to try some. I've found that Earth's sense for what is considered a warm meal is rather...lacking, in my case, as far as temperature goes."
Do I really need a reason for us to have a nice family dinner? your dad asks, smiling. He and Lucy look at eachother, before lucy challenges him to a race, and they speed off
Want a ride back to the institute. Gadget girl calls after you, pointing to her hovercraft, The Sleipnir.
Plants erupt from every possible surface black vines, with wicked. 10 cm spikes. they lash out everywhere, tearing into your assailants, blocking off the entire road, and flining people about (or worse, trapping them in place. Whne everything is settled, you don;t know which is worse, that you've just maimed (or worse) 7 or 8 people, or that it didn't stop the gunman, just changed his target. [ooc]Insecure or guilty, your choice)
you see Cryonova overhead, flying toward the scene fast as she can, but is she coming to stop them, or you?
shrike catches 3 of them i the fast hardening foam, and catches the 4th by the wrist, and sends him to the ground with two well placed blows.
across the catwalk, you can see below you that Horusis holding his own, but pretty swarmed, and that Machery seems to be in a firefight, one he isn't reall equiped for, because his weapon also destroys any cover he finds what do you do?
As you walk through the park, you begin to notice a chill. you aren't the only ones, either, a few people are leaving, talking to each other about how it isn't supposed to be cold in mid-September. it seems to be stronger in the norther part of the park, near the heights (an affluent neighborhood). what do you do?
Oh man...it's hard enough to keep my cool around Gadget Girl with enough other people to keep me distracted. Being alone in a car with her...there's a 100% chance I'll say or do something embarrassing.
On the other hand, it's a loooooong walk back to the institute. And showing up in Sleipnir would earn me some cred with the A-team.
Yeah, thank you.
I buckle in to the hovercraft and settle in.
It's unusual to get to spend any time one on one with Gadget Girl...normally we just see each other at Dad's events or especially devastating global events where its all hands on deck. I hesitantly try to start a conversation.
I'd love to try to find out what makes her tick, but I know that our age difference makes this an impossible crush. Instead, I take this opportunity to find out more about what she and Dad talked about earlier in the day.
"Spicy, huh? We'll have to go get some Thai food sometime. Enough heat to make you cry, but still some really good flavor underneath that." Definitely still something bothering her. "Really, something hot sounds good right now " Michael adds, before his eyes notice that there's actually frost forming on the ground. That is definitely not normal. "Something's up, we should take a look" he says. He pulls out one of Mirror's drones and sends it to investigate as he trots towards the colder area of the park.
When you turn the conversation toward the eavesdropped conversation, she starts getting reticent. Listen, you shouldn't worry too much about the... situations. Your dad and the rest of us are gonna be pretty busy. dealing with a couple world-classers. kinda hoping you, Mirrors kid, and the choir can handle the small fry.. The Sleipnir's comms squawk to life.
We have a fight in a warehouse over on 29th. Gryphalcon's voice comes from the comms, obviously he is on console today. Can you intervene, or should I send Max?
You think you're up for it? Gadget girl asks.
You send the drone into the nascent snowstorm, as the chill creeps forward over the park and heights. deeper in the storm, right where you would bet the centre is, you see a figure, a little over 5 feet tall, with white hair, now rather discheveled, wearing a silver bodysuit. Ava Staiger, AKA Snowflake. What do you do?
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Oh, I'm always up...for...uh...justice CRAP! I was doing so well not to embarrass myself. My clothes are a molecular weave that change when I vibrate at the right frequency. With a quick buzz I'm in my suit. I pull out my goggles from my jacket pocket.
Lets do this thing! Ugh why am I even alive and allowed to talk to humans?
How could he have let things come to this? Sorrel makes a passifying gesture with his hands, but the mother doesn't banish plants, only make them grow. Where was Slam? Where was Hyla? Not two hours out of one kettle, and Sorrel's injuring innocents.
Sorrel's on comms immediately Turnabout? Things have gone south here. I need some backup. He lists off the address. Multiple injured... most by me... things just escalated so quick. Th-three guns, I think. Cryonova is incoming.
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Clearing Hopeless requires you to seek the easiest and quickest way to relieve your feelings. Most likely, that means making stupid decisions in pursuit of stupid fun. It could be anything from finding some cheap booze and getting drunk to making out with the wrong person
I hear the message on the com. He was asking for Turnabout, and this warehouse thing sounds fun but...Sorrel needs help...other people are hurt too. It'll suck canceling my team up with Gadget Girl but...maybe there's a way I can still look cool.
I've watched a lot of Gadget Girl footage. I know the workings of Slepnir almost as well as she does. And I know what the red switch does. I rest my hand on it.
Aylin, thanks so much for inviting me along, but one of my teammates is in crisis. I'm sure you'll read about it in the papers. Good luck at the warehouse. I'll let myself out...
I tug the red lever, the one that opens a chute in the bottom of Slepnir so she can throw him on autopilot and drop down into one of those 3-point landings that she loves so much.
Of course...she has a jet pack. As soon as I'm falling, I start kicking my legs, letting my wind manipulation cushion me and glide me towards Sorrel.
As I glide down I click on my com.
Sorrel, this is...ugh...Kid Quickman. I'm inbound in five minutes.
Not wanting him to resort to reckless behavior, Tox rushes to assist Machery.
Bits of asphalt and sidewalk are turned up, and thick ropes of bramble and nettle choke the sidewalk and bend street signs. A parking meter is disengorging its coin on the dock. Bodies are tangled in the clinging foliage, and Sorrel kneels in the center of an unnatural clearing. He's in last season's suit, the one that never really fit him well. He's looking up at the sky, watching Cryonova approach.
"Thanks, Quentin. Sorrel, we'll be there as soon as we can - just found Snowflake causing an early winter up here by the park. Anyone heard from Tox?"
Off comms, Michael asks Solmira, " It's Snowflake. Not sure how useful my mimicry will be against her. Thoughts on how we should approach? "
As they discuss, Michael sends the drone around, trying to get a better idea what Snowflake might be trying to achieve with her sudden snowstorm.
You catch the gunmen by surprise, and knock 3 of them out with a bit of poison, a little bradycardia and blood pressure spike to send them to sleep. The fourth fires a shot, very nearly clipping you, before Machery is able to catch him in a shockwave. does this near death leave you Afraid for your life, or Insecure in your own capabilities?
Slam is standing over Hyla's injured form, trying to keep a car between them and the lone remaining gunman. Hyla, for her part, is trying to stauch the bloodflow
Then Cryonova lands, surrounded by a vague white-blue swirl, indicating that she is fully charged up, and capable of freezing everyone in a half block radius. Quentin, call Vitas and Kite. tell them someone has been shot. Gravity warper, get the girl over here. She suddenly raises her voice to shouting Everyone else, I'm going to count to ten, and when I get there, the weapons are all going to be in a pile, the vines are going to be gone, and everyone is going to have their hands up. Am I clear! what do you do?
there is a definite civilian population on the edge of her area of effect, and one house in particular seems to be getting the brunt of the ice and snow.
Snowflake left the institute, with certificates of both ability proficiency, and mental health (the two things most teams require for membership), but didn't join any of the teams (maybe by choice, maybe by virtue of being 14), and kinda disappeared for the past few years. It wouldn't be massively difficult for you two to get to her, her power is concentrated forward.
1.) The easy answer is Snowflake. More specifically, it is the fact that her power takes time to get going, but she's already active.
2.) You remember her being pretty rational. you might well be able to talk her down. failing that, she has limited resistance powers, you could probably take her.
3.) She will have limited sunlight, and it will be tricky to fly. her most effective powers will be density control or mental attacks.
This. Is. A mess. Snowflake was kicking s!++ up here, things were just going wrong in general with Ricardo...
Was it really so much to hope she wouldn't have to deal with this f$!$ing b~!!~!*@ right now? Was it really so much to ask for?
Blazing eyes peer into the snowstorm. A pressing sense of anger and indignation pervades the area, feeling this time as if coming from an outside mind rather than from within the minds of those perceiving it. "Michael? You wouldn't happen to have a piece of technology you wouldn't mind being rendered inert on your person, would you?"
The request would sound perfectly civil if not for the fact Solmira severely wanted to take out some of her stresses on Snowflake.
I land on the other side of the vines just as Cryonova arrives. She's in a semi-reasonable mood, at least.
My friend...he's the one who made the vines. I'm not sure he can put them down. Let me go in there. I can descelate. Please.