He could absorb the heat, but he didn't have a way to simply quench the fire. This was problematic, as Shin looked at the spreading flames with concern.
Psyche and Isaiah seemed to be dealing with whatever Eternia had become, so he focused his priority on getting the fire under control.
"Scorch, you need to help before the damage causes the building to collapse!" He tells her as he concentrates. Maybe absorbing all the infrared radiation would stop the flames. But doing that meant it would get absolutely frigid in here. He didn't see another solution though, as he focused his powers and drained the warmth from the room.
Kayla takes Rori’s hand, letting her super armor dissipate as she slumps down in he passenger seat and puts her feet up on the dash. ”Me too. Lady Disappointment has a nice ring to it,”
_________
Kayla stands there quietly as Angel berates the pair. When she makes the comment that she was considering not letting the team operate, Kayla almost interrupted her herself before the alert came through that there is now clearly something officially going on at the scene the rest of the team was.
”Well? Are you going to not let us go help, or are we grounded while you go and do circles in the air and wave to the cameras?” she says as her armor forms over her clothes once again.
Rory jiggles his keys, "you can even ride along and continue your lecture in the car, sound good?" he says while inching closer to the elevator.
As the flames enveloping her form dissipate, Scorch slumps to the ground breathing heavily. At Shin's words she looks up and nods.Staying in place she concentrates as best she can, drawing the heat of the flames back into herself and wincing in pain.
Angel looks unamused and fixes the two of them with a withering glare. She sighs in exasperation after a second and points to the balcony. "You'll get there faster if Kayla carries you. They'll need your powers to contain the fire. Go."
Fire alarms blare as the fire spreads through the Church of Psyche. Inquiry outside attempts to combat the spread of flames and the weakened structural integrity of the building, but is not effective. Sections of the ceiling collapse and a gout of flame shoots up toward the alien scout ship.
Inside, the Archdeacon begins to control the churchgoers into a fairly orderly evacuation. She jumps from the dais and starts working through the crowd, making sure that the people are moving.
Suddenly, Psyche cuts the strings of control between Eternia and those of the church. The evacuation becomes more dangerous, with people near panic as they push their way toward the exits.
The heat of the flames spreads, singeing the clothes and hair of the evacuees at the rear until Horizon and Scorch combine their powers together. Shin counters the heat by taking in all the infrared energy while Scorch draws in the flames and holds them at bay.
As the last of the bystanders clear the building, there's a large cracking sound coming from the ceiling. As Isaiah, Psyche, Horizon and Scorch look up, they see a large section of the upper floor start to collapse upon them!
What do you do??
Psyche's will pulses, and a wall of force pins the crumbling floor in place.
"I can keep it off of us, but it'll be hard to fight her while I'm holding the building!"
Inqiury detects the danger and retreats for the moment, though it circles back as soon as it cools off.
Isaiah, meanwhile, keeps a close eye on 'Eternia', while also responding to the others.
"I'm still figuring out if this is something we want to fight. Yes, we need to get Eternia un-possessed... but I'm really starting to wonder if the thing possessing here even knows that she wasn't a willing participant in the mess. Or even had a choice about being here."
"We should move, everyone. We really should try fighting someplace that doesn't catch fire and collapse on us for once."
And all the while Isaiah didn't let 'Eternia' out of sight for a second, still trying to determine what the entity really intended here.
Scorch flinches as the ceiling begins to groan and then collapse towards them, only to be stopped by Psyche's will. At the other girl's words, she nods. "OK, we need to get out of here so we can deal with her properly. At least she's helping to stop anyone getting hurt." she says, making for the doorway.
Rory starts to protest but stops with a sigh, "...Fine..."
As the mall comes into view Frostbite begins to take note of the situation.
Shin looked worried as he saw Psyche take on the strain of keeping the ceiling from collapsing on the group. He was brimming with heat energy underneath the vantablack envelope, baking in it and looking for a good outlet. Things were getting too strange. Did they have to fight the Archdeacon or not? He hated unclear answers, just like up in space.
"Psyche, I'm useless when it comes to this psychic stuff. Go and figure out if she's truly a threat," Horizon says as he focuses his energy on the ceiling. Extending the envelope into useful tools that could affect solid matter had become easier for him. He wasn't useful in this fight otherwise. Dusk could have done better.
The power welled up and flash heated the metal braces, fusing them together and giving the ceiling enough stability to escape. It wouldn't last long though. "Now, let's go!" He shouted, grabbing Kylie's hand and flying out the exit with her.
Praetoria takes Frostbite’s hand and says ”Sorry...” before flying off to the scene. Once there, she circles a moment to let herself and Rory get up to speed. When she sees her great grandmother walking about and using psychic powers, she simply mumbles ”Grammie...” before gritting her teeth and landing forcefully near “her.”
”Let her go, whatever you are!” she says as she conjures up a gleaming sword.
As Frostbite and Praetoria show up on the scene, they see a gout of flames shoot up from the interior of the mall that sends Inquiry away to safety. They also see a fairly disorderly stream of people fleeing the flaming building from a handful of emergency exits.
Frostbite can tell that the greatest danger is the flames that are still in danger of spreading. The ceiling also looks about to collapse, but something from inside the structure is holding it up.
Psyche uses her powers to hold up the ceiling to give the stragglers (including the heroes) a chance to get out. Horizon lends his own powers, inspired by his older self's capabilities, to fuse the collapsing sections to sturdier units.
Isaiah, focused on Eternia before his own safety, notices that the possessed hero still seems intent on getting as many of her followers out of harm's way as possible. Though, he can tell she's also looking for a way to get out of combat with Psyche, Isaiah and the others.
With their combined powers, the Sentinels within the Church of Psyche keep it from collapsing long enough for everyone to get clear. In a matter of moments, they're all outside, coughing and blinking in the daylight as fire alarms blare and sprinkler systems activate to try to fight the blaze.
With some blasts from Frostbite, the fire is relatively easily contained at this point. However, in the chaos of all the evacuating churchgoers, Eternia is missing!
Shin rushes out where he's relieved to see that Praetoria and Frostbite have arrived. He's more than dismayed that there's no sign of Eternia anywhere. He was confused as to why some otherworldly possessor would think to even save her congregation, unless it benefited her in some way. Maybe her existence was tethered to the faithful?
"She might have blended in with the crowds. We...we need to..." He wavers, thoughts getting murkier. Why was he so useless here? Why couldn't he be more helpful?
No. There was one thing that might draw her out. But he hated the idea of playing the part of the villain. Still, he drew up his vantablack power until he looked the part of his older counterpart, on the outside.
Then he snatched up the closest cultists with his powers, creeping chills running through them as the heat was sapped from them. "Eternia! Come out and face me, or watch your precious sheep wither away! Just like how I made your pitiful husband wither to a sickly old man in his death bed!" He shouted, amplifying his voice. If Eternia cared enough, she'd reveal herself. He felt awful for bluffing like this, especially as the cultists he'd nabbed were panicking.
Seeing Shin’s quick dive into a vile act caught Praetoria completely off guard! She dives down between him and the people, brandishing her sword his way. ”Horizon! Stop this! What do you think you are doing!?!?”
Unbothered by the smoke save for it's blocking of his vision, Isaiah does his best to keep tabs on 'Eternia'.
Signals were a bit flickery, but it was hard for an extra-dense, warm-bodied, person with an extreme psi signature to hide perfectly from Isaiah. Inquiry would have had an even easier time, but it was still circling back. Still, he could be sure he was following close enough that Eternia could hear, though he didn't know if the others could see or hear him.
"You know, scampering off and abandoning your 'followers' like this in the midst of such a mess is hardly an act of great leadership, O one who was invited to lead. Nor does it particularly improve my opinion of you. Actions have consequences, and you can't hide from them forever. Better to face the music while at least a couple of us are vaguely sympathetic, rather that to burn your bridges and get marked as a criminal fugitive."
Praetoria was so quick to believe that he was acting like a villain on purpose. Did she really not trust him after all they'd done together? He doubled down on his bluff though, shouting as loudly as he could.
"You pitiful child! I am Dusk, and you have slipped into my trap!" He said as he wrapped his envelope around her as well, chilling her. Maybe she'd go along with the bluff if he explained it? "Now that you are trapped, I will drain your powers from you and cast your lifeless husk at the feet of your great-grandmother! Yet another victim she was far, far too cowardly to prevent because she decided to hide from a fight!" He bellowed, hamming it up as much as possible.
"Shin.... Stop.
"It's not really Eternia in there. Even if it was, I don't want to see you doing this."
***
"All of you. You have been deceived. This creature was just using you to steal an innocent woman's body. Please, return to your homes. This is not my will."
Frostbite was near exhaustion when he stepped from the rubble, taking a moment to dust himself off and catch his breath, this was his third fight today. When he hears shouting that he can't quite make out he heads towards his teammates, it looked like Shin had captured one of the worshippers. As he neared the group Frostbite hears Shin proclaim that he is Dusk as he attacks Praetoria!!
Frostbite runs up from behind as shouting continues and grabbing Shin by the shoulder spins him around to bring them face to face, as Horizon turns his nose is met soundly by Rorys frozen fist.
With the fire effectively contained and the crowds evacuated from the damaged building, the drama unfolds outside. The churchgoers who had been part of the ritual are now assembled outside. Some are blinking in confusion, while others are staring into space in near catatonia.
The Archdeacon has apparently used her psychic powers to blend in with the crowd, disappearing from sight. Isaiah is able to detect the swirling psychic energies covering the amassed people and locate Eternia. She's still seems a little confused, looking around at her surroundings with wonder.
Horizon makes a gambit to draw out Eternia by provoking her as his future persona Dusk and grabbing several of her followers with his powers. It doesn't work as he expected, as as Praetoria flies in, she's nearly incensed. Dropping Frostbite off to finish off the vestiges of the fire, she focuses on Horizon and calls on him to stop.
Meanwhile, Isaiah focuses on Eternia, shouting at her to give herself up. He catches her attention and she stares directly at him. "I am not abandoning my flock. After all, it was *they* who called me here. They who gifted me with flesh. I will repay them by granting them the power they crave." She then fades from his sensors.
Psyche rises from the collapsed structure and sees Horizon doubling-down on his ruse in front of Praetoria. While she tries to dissuade him, her main focus is trying to influence the members of the Church of Psyche. Unfortunately, her exhortations are ignored. She hears a unified hive mind respond. "Your will is immaterial. You've ignored us for too long. Rather than guide us and unite with us, you have chosen to set yourself apart and keep your gifts from us. But the Archdeacon will unify us like you've never done." The crowd immediately begins to disperse.
Horizon's hammed-up villainy manages to finally provoke a response. A tired and stretched-thin Frostbite steps up behind him and throws an ice-encrusted punch.
What do you do??
Drain my powers!?!? Is he seriously off the deep end, or failing utterly at keeping my secret? Definitely the last one at the very least!!!
[ooc]Resist Shin’s blows.[/dice]
Praetoria struggles for just a moment against Horizon’s...Dusk’s...Shin’s powers, but only just a moment before breaking free and avoiding any further attempts to wrap her up as she flies up and gets in his face. ”Shin!” she says quietly through clenched teeth, ”What the hell man!?!? Are you for real? Knock it off!”
This hadn't been helpful at all. It hadn't even drawn out the Archdeacon. That was what he was thinking in slow motion as Prae's shouting visage was eclipsed by her angry boyfriend's chilling fist. The pain was clarifying just how stupid he'd been because he'd felt that he was powerless.
It was frustrating. He didn't know how to help Kylie. Or Praetoria, or Scorch, or Isaiah or Rory and he was just so pathetic right now. Even as his envelope disappated as he flew back and flopped into the pavement, he couldn't help shake the feeling of how helpless he'd been.
He couldn't muster up the energy to fight back against the overwhelming darkness taking his consciousness from him. Dusk would be laughing at him to see him like this. So pathetic he made things worse by trying...
Psyche lifted off the ground towards Kayla and Rory, an unnoticed trickle of blood trailing out of one nostril.
"Damnit! Now is not the time for... Any of this! Maybe his plan was bad, but how could you just... God he could have a concussion! Stay here and try not to make things worse!"
Rocketing after Inquiry she added, "Hang on Isaiah, I'll find her again."
"What plan? And what the hell is even going on? I show up because reposts of a fire breaking out the next thing I know Dusk... er Shin is attacking Praetoria and
"Well ask questions with your mouth or your damned brain instead of your fists!"
Scorch emerged from the blaze she had caused more than a little disorientated and stared around in confusion as her brother and Praetoria arrived, just as Shin seemed to go mad. Before she could even react, Frostbite had rushed in and knocked him out. Reeling from the sudden change in the situation and the escalating confrontation between him and Psyche, she approached Rory and Shin's comatose form as quickly as she could, still feeling the ill-effects of the psychic attack that had caused her to lose control of her powers.
"What was he supposed to do?" she mentally shouted at Kylie as the psychic streaked away after Isaiah, "As far as he could tell Shin was attacking Prae and those people! What the hell did Shin think was going to happen."
"Well Shin and I are going to have a long talk about that, trust me. But don't act like Rory responded to Shin acting out of character the way he would've to anyone else!"
"We were facing a psychic who can control people. Lots of people. Who knows what it could've made Shin do? I would have done the same thing if I'd been quick enough! As far as Rory could see Shin, Dusk, was attacking Prae. He had to take him down fast and he did." Mattie responds, balling her fists in anger at the unfair attack on her brother. "You're just defending what Shin did because,...." she cuts off the thought before it's complete.
"Because he's the one that got punched in the face!"
Frostbite shouts holding his hands up to halt the arguement, "there will be plenty of time to discuss what a f%#* up I am later, pretty sure Angel and Silver Shield rented out a convention hall for it, but there are injured people and a villain getting away. We should focus our energy in one of those two areas."
Praetoria, not sure what argument it was that Frostbite was referencing...likely a telepathic one she had missed in the loony fest this was seeming to be turning into, nods at his statement. "Yes! We have to find Eternia! Psyche, Isaiah. Can either of you sense her?"
She then flies up to get a better vantage point of the area, looking for signs of anything suspicious or for a better vantage to move on anything the others can detect.
"I had her for a moment, but she's veiled herself somehow. Still, she's definitely still around."
Isaiah thought out to 'Eternia', knowing she was still likely watching his mind.
"Is that it? Have you no concern for the actions they have taken to get to this point? Would you hand a gun to a delinquent teenager just because they opened the door for you? Have you truly no concern about why they were not granted this power before? And besides, they still have crimes to answer for...
Seeing the crowd beginning to disperse, Isaiah moved to step in.
"And where do you all think you're going? You're going to stay put here and answer for the crimes of kidnapping a mental patient, reckless summoning, and serving as the accomplices for a body-snatching. Or did you think you were going to get off scot free?"
Inquiry sailed back down and extended tendrils, gently but firmly restraining the Church of Psyche members from leaving.
The sirens and flashing lights of emergency vehicles suddenly intrude upon the tense scene outside the mall. Police, fire and medical first responders fill every available space. Special parahuman tactical response teams advance in heavy riot gear and augmented equipment, keeping their weapons trained on the Sentinels (with the exception of Praetoria, who they presume to be on their side, at least for the moment).
Psyche, you push through the psychic haze that the Archdeacon had erected and locate her amidst the crowd that is being corralled to safety by the fire and EMTs. She senses your mind as well, and she makes contact. "I get the sense that you do not wish to leave me be, so that I may grow accustomed to this realm and my new corporeal shell. But I cannot allow you to interfere."
Psyche senses another pulse of mental energy, similar to the web she had created as a defensive network. This one, however, links the minds of the first responders in a far more insidious pattern. They suddenly perceive friends as foes.
The caution approach of the police and P-TRT units suddenly shifts to a far more aggressive stance. They begin shouting at Inquiry, demanding that the vessel stand down and release the hostages. Another group descends upon the unconscious form of Horizon and start pulling out metahuman power restraints. Others advance on the rest, and even Praetoria is given orders to get down on the ground.
"Get on the ground now! Do not resist or you will be fired upon! On the ground! Get on the ground! NOW!!" they shout at each Sentinel. Giant shoulder-mounted tasers are trained on Inquiry. A spray-foam fire retardant is aimed at Scorch. Mental scramblers are pointed at Psyche. And bola-restraints are aimed at Praetoria, Frostbite and Isaiah.
What do you do??
Praetoria throws her hands up, not in an “I Surrender” way, but in a “Easy Does It” manner as she slowly walks forward and says ”Whoa whoa whoa, guys. Easy! We just got here a moment ago too, and everyone has been acting as weird as Marty McFly in Back to the Future! Everyone just needs to calm down and let us sort this out!”
Psyche floats down to the ground, not making any threatening moves. But then, moving isn't really that important.
It would be so easy to wall off her friends from their assailants and keep them safe. Or she could pick apart the web ensnaring the minds of their suspiciously specifically armed attackers.
But they were just symptoms. The Archdeacon was the disease. Psyche's mind surged towards hers, hard and sharp as a stiletto.I'll be damned if I'm going to let her get away!
Dammit I just want to go home and unwind a bit ugh...
Caught off guard and perplexed by the actions of P-TRT Frostbite takes a moment to gather himself and consider his options.
His exhaustion was beginning to get to him and he was having trouble thinking clearly.
"Whoah, hey guys, easy there. I'm trying to restrain people without hurting them, but if you start zapping Inquiry with those there's going to be a lot of collateral injuries from the resultant wild flailing."
Indeed, with Inquiry's tendrils wrapped around the legs and arms of several Church of Psyche members, it was fairly clear that wild spasming would probably result in many broken bones at the very least. They were just ordinary humans, after all. Frankly, Isaiah/Inqiury was kind of disappointed that the anti-psychic officers were effected just as much as the others. Shouldn't they have been prepared for this kind of thing?
Isaiah, meanwhile, dropped down into the crowd... and quietly re-assumed his Church of Psyche disguise. Which didn't stop him from continuing to try to talk to the Archdeacon. Frankly, he was pretty sure it didn't matter which one he was talking to, if they were all hive-mind gestalted now.
"Really, Archdeacon? Adding psychic assault on law enforcement officers and resisting arrest to your rap sheet? Are you trying to alienate the entire city and push yourself to the top of my hit list? Or are you just REALLY STUPID for being a psionic hypermind? I'm getting very tired of offering second chances, so I'm going to make this one really clear. Stand down now, and I'll see what I can do about settling you into a frame that wasn't kidnapped and give you a solid chance to prove benevolent intentions. Fail to do so, and I'm going to list you as a hostile, high-level threat, and start behaving accordingly. Which is to say that I will hunt you endlessly until you are thoroughly neutralized by any means necessary. What do you say?"
Scorch angrily eyes the nozzle of the flame retardant, her fists bunching as she crouches, feeling her anger rising. Concentrating, she sends a message to the team via Psyche's link.
"Pretty sure I can take them out. If they think fire's all i got they've got a surprise coming!"
Praetoria uses her authority to get the first responders to stand down.
It seems to work, as the entire scene's tension begins to be relieved. The weapons lower.
Frostbite attempts to assess the situation, but everything seems to be improving.
Isaiah shouts at the Archdeacon, trying to get her to abandon whatever plan she has and surrender.
Everything looks like it's going to be okay.
And then Psyche unleashes her mental blast at Eternia.
Praetoria, suddenly, amidst the crowd of Church of Psyche members, you see your grandmother in full glory, but under psychic assault. Fury dominates her features as the attack batters her, causing intense feedback across the first responders. They all spasm and collapse.
Eternia's face contorts into fury. She glares at Isaiah at first. "I call you false! You who speak as though you have authority here, yet your words are just distractions for a base and crude attack! I see your mind, you are an empty shell, with nothing to back up your words! Do not speak to me again! I reject your yammering! You are nothing!"
"And you, Facilitator!" She shouts, turning to Psyche. "How dare you attack me! You have paved the way, and prepared the doorways for our kind to enter! Now you reject us? You have made an enemy of the Psychic Realm, the very source of your powers!"
With that, a pulse of mental energy stronger than anything you've ever felt ripples out from Eternia. Everything goes white, with a high-pitched whine in your ears.
When the world comes back into focus, everyone's on the ground. The members of the Church of Psyche are gone, Eternia with them. Inquiry has crashed into the street nearby, having gone offline for a number of minutes.
The first responders get up, looking dazed. A few seem to gather their wits about them faster than the others, and start taking control of the scene and making sure the fire is put out.
The Sentinels also wake up .
What do you do??
Praetoria comes to, her head throbbing and ears ringing from the psychic assault. She stands and brushes the dust off her t-shirt before willing her armor back over her clothes. She slowly walks through the crowd, checking on people and helping them to their feet as she goes. She picks her way through the debris, making her way to Psyche. Once there, she helps her up and says ”Where is she? Where is my great grandmother, and what has taken control of her?”
Coughing and shaking his head Frostbite gets back to his feet. "Well that was fun... I guess. I know we all just got knocked on our butts but did the psychic body snatcher say 'for our kind to enter' meaning this may be a repeat performance?" he questions as he helps the rest of the team back to their upright positions. "We should probably head back and report in."
It would be so easy to wall off her friends from their assailants and keep them safe. Or she could pick apart the web ensnaring the minds of their suspiciously specifically armed attackers.
Psyche floats back to her feet, clumsily reaching out with her mind to reconnect to her team. Her voice is a bit too loud at first, but quickly modulates back to normal.
"I'm... I'm not completely sure. It's some sort of astral being that was brought her by- me -by... the Church of Psyche. They were the ones who took her. But yes, there could me more."
"Kayla, I'm sorry. But I'll get her back; I promise."
Horizon opened his eyes. His head hurt, as did the rest of his body. That was probably a good thing, since it meant that he was alive. But it also meant that his foolishness had not been a dream.
Shame welled inside of him. Not just for failing, but so spectacularly that he'd gotten his own teammates to doubt that he was good.
Or had they ever thought that he'd actually become like Dusk?
He pulled himself to his feet, looking around. He was surprised to see the cult had vanished, and even the Archdeacon was gone. First response was here but there was no one for them to aid. Other than the team that seemed to be fraying at the edges, unraveling as Praetoria frantically demanded Kylie to answer what had happened with her grandmother.
He could have intervened. But he didn't think that his words would hold weight here. He didn't think that any of the team would want to see him. He could apologize. Instead he was enveloping himself and flying away, running from this difficult situation. He just couldn't deal with any of them right now.
He was sure that his grand daughter would be ashamed of him for acting like this. Whippoorwill would disappointed in his stupidity. He'd thought it work, it was the only thing that he could have done - that was a lie. There was plenty of other things he could have done. He did the flashy thing that would have gotten him the most attention if it worked. His hubris caused this problem.
Directionless and not wanting to go anywhere that the team would know right off the bat, he headed towards the university. Maybe spending some time under his father's gaze would knock some more sense into his naive, childish thoughts.
::”You? No, things obviously didn’t work out the first time. Now we need to come at this from a disadvantage, so we gotta regroup and recon...::”
She gets on the comms and says ”Everyone head back to the Tower, so we can figure out what just happened and what we are doing next to save my great grandmother’s body.”
She gives Psyche one final, frustrated look, before heading over to Frostbite and Scorch. ”Let’s go,” she says as she holds a hand out to Frostbite.
"Everyone head back to the Tower, so we can figure out what just happened and what we are doing next to Dave my great grandmother's body."
That was what Shin heard as he touched down in the campus, ignoring the odd stares from students and staff alike at his presence. This was the point where he honestly couldn't care if they made the connection anymore between him and his future self. He walked the last few meters before sitting underneath his father's bronzed image.
A father he'd idolized. A father who'd contributed to the mass murder of his former countrymen. He couldn't fault him for trying to do the right thing the wrong way though. Not after his fight with Praetoria and Frostbite. Did he even belong to the Sentinels anymore?
He could feel Psyche nudging his consciousness as well, the concern she felt. He was walling her off with the massive guilt and shame he still felt for his stupidity. Eventually he'd crawl back to the group, apologize for his foolish act. Now though, he just wanted to take a break...
...
...
...
When his eyes opened again, he wasn't sure how long he'd been out. People were gathered around him, looking concerned. A campus safety officer was shining a light in his eyes. Everyone's voices sounded out of focus. It dawned on him that he might be a bit punch drunk from Rory's hit.
Ignoring the crowd again, he stumbled to his feet again, and with a little effort flew off from the crowd, gliding in the air. He must have been out again for ten minutes, probably. He still felt awful, but best to head back to the Tower now. I'm coming back now...think I need a medic... He tried thinking to Psyche. It felt abysmally slow, as he landed on the Tower and tried to stay steady on his feet.
He entered the living area, standing quietly. He could wait on treatment for now, right? Just had to apologize properly first.
"Kayla, I didn't know what they were doing! And then... I could have beaten her, or gotten her out of there! I just... I didn't have time! There were too many people for her to use as shields!"
"Isaiah. Is Inquiry too damaged to fly back under its own power?"
Did I let this go on too long to stop?
Isaiah remains out for as long as Inquiry is, before they complete their reboot cycle. That was a rather more ferocious pulse than they had been expecting. They would have to be careful about this one. Time to queue up some research on killing discorporate psionic entities... after all, it had refused the easy way. Too bad; he really had meant it that time. Including the part about hunting it down...
"We're---It is---I am---SYSTEM RESTORE COMPLETE Alright now. Brief mindcore interruption, nothing I can't recover from. That's a dangerous one though. We'll need to do something about it sometime."
Mattie clambered to her feet, feeling dazed and drained. Her head throbbed with an oncoming headache. Dusting herself off, she looked around at the others. Her anger, and the feeling of imminent,.. what? Power? Energy?... Potential, had both faded and she felt drained. At Kayla's words, she nodded, though she seemed more than a little distracted and nervous.
"Um, yeah. We should get back. I need to figure stuff out. Something weird is happening to me. I can,... feel it."