"I have little intention of doing so-unless I need to. However, given the media storm they've taken in the last 24 hours. Any offensive needs a final push." gesturing at Nissa. "The Golden Spokesgal of the organization would be a premire target to make fall. Just saying, be aware. I intend to check up on my health, rest. and preferably take a few days.. That-and this. is a considerable amount to proccess."
Slapping his fist into his own hand "Theo too if he goes, be sure to take some cameras. If the timing aligns-Could always see if Gentry is up to it. Assuming someone's done proper background on her."
"I'll go. First I'll pull a 'Clark Kent' and wear some clothes over my uniform. Don't want walk in with my di<k swinging. This time."
The godling gets up and leaves to get ready.
"I think I help the most by staying out of sight," Charles states.
"Our mere appearance might well serve the opposing propagandists' purpose, given their skill at editing."
"I'll go. First I'll pull a 'Clark Kent' and wear some clothes over my uniform. Don't want walk in with my di<k swinging. This time."
The godling gets up and leaves to get ready.
With every town having hundreds of independent reporters and small media companies providing news for the AIs to purchase and distribute, pay by the hour studios are common. SuperHeroNews is one of a dozen newsfeeds with a sign in the lobby. Hundreds of independents probably also rent space here. The woman at the front desk probably barely knows who is who in SuperHeroNews. When she sees Theo walk in, she gives a practiced smile and says, "Welcome to Studio 17B, can I help you?"
Nissa gets a quick ride to the Old North Church. It's been cleaned up, but some areas are still marked off with harmless yellow laser beams that act like 'police / caution' tape used to in the movies Nissa enjoys.
Tasha Gentry is standing on the corner waiting nervously.
When she sees Theo walk in, she gives a practiced smile and says, "Welcome to Studio 17B, can I help you?"
The handsome tall man smiles. "Thank you. I'm here for The First Responders press conference."
Nissa steps out of the car and approaches Tasha.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long, Tasha.” Seeing the reporter looks nervous, Nissa sits beside her and says in a reassuring tone, “You’re job’s to report the truth. Mine’s to protect government secrets.
“Lucky for you, the government can’t cover up what’s in plain site.”
Nissa transforms into her fairy form.
“Oh, and if you want to ask personal stuff about my powers, that’s fair game.”
Her body reverts to humanish, and she Nissa is again clothed in a sundress literally made of sunshine
“So, I trust you’re already recording? I had the driver stop on the other side of the street so you could fire up the drones while I’m walking.” Her eyes meet Tasha’s. She’ll face the camera and give the intro as soon as Tasha tells her where to look.
Charles, true to their word, stay in Boston Theoretical and out of sight of the public.
This is at least partly because they spend the next several hours having a psych evaluation. As soon as the examiner realizes each head now has something of a personality of its own Charles can almost see him salivating, and soon enough they're subjected to a huge battery of questions and tests. The examiner seems almost reluctant to come to a conclusion, but eventually gives his subjects a clean bill of mental health.
After the grueling psychologist session, Charles are both tired and hungry again. But even after a filling meal their hunger doesn't go away. Actually it's more of a... craving. A specific one.
Sniffing at the air, he sorts through the scents for the one that smells *right*, and follows that one. Surprisingly he ends up, not in the kitchen or mess hall, but one of the labs. The scent leads him to a small bin with some flakes of metal. Metal that smells... delicious. Cautiously he licks a few flakes up, finding they taste as good as they smell.
Charles winces. "Are we *really* eating metal now?"
"I suppose it's not so surprising, given what all is part of us already"
After a second lick he knows he's had enough of this, but the craving hasn't disappeared. Instead the scent leads him onwards to a different bin with a different material.
This pattern repeats a few more times before the last of the cravings leave, which is good because it's then his medical team catches up to him and insists on another checkup after he just *ate a half-dozen different types of industrial materials*. In spite of assuring them it's fine they insist on monitoring him overnight.
But really? They feel good. Great, even.
Tasha Gentry is standing on the corner waiting nervously.
Zellgato had fully intended to stay in, wrestle with his own psychological issues with the last 48 hours; and indeed how little he'd fully accepted the world traveling as real compared to a dream... but the shock of messing with his own time helped him realize he was not taking things real enough.
But. Duty calls. While Theo was walking into a potential beehive-it was in theory be publically known ans fairly safe. Nissa however had a clandestine meeting. Something since they caught up on the news was bothering him. They were using the news to strike at BT; but it was weak. They seemed like they should be good at public manipulation but it felt more like a preamble or a teaser. It likely wasn't related to anything here-after all it was a spontaeous occasion... but still.
Zellgato followed along but departed earlier. Instead setting up somewhere high once again with his scope. He isnt one for an interview- but he'll try and keep an eye out in case his paranoia was legitmite and not just mental fatigue.
w/ biohack boost.
When she sees Theo walk in, she gives a practiced smile and says, "Welcome to Studio 17B, can I help you?"The handsome tall man smiles. "Thank you. I'm here for The First Responders press conference."
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20 + 15
The woman looks Theo up and down and then asks, "What feed are you with, honey? I have to write it down."
Nissa steps out of the car and approaches Tasha.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long, Tasha.” Seeing the reporter looks nervous, Nissa sits beside her and says in a reassuring tone, “You’re job’s to report the truth. Mine’s to protect government secrets.
“Lucky for you, the government can’t cover up what’s in plain site.”
Nissa transforms into her fairy form.
“Oh, and if you want to ask personal stuff about my powers, that’s fair game.”
Her body reverts to humanish, and she Nissa is again clothed in a sundress literally made of sunshine
“So, I trust you’re already recording? I had the driver stop on the other side of the street so you could fire up the drones while I’m walking.” Her eyes meet Tasha’s. She’ll face the camera and give the intro as soon as Tasha tells her where to look.
Tasha looks excited, but tries to maintain her composure, "I'll just need you to verbally sign these. Standard fake news prevention forms."
Once Nissa has done that, Tasha records a quick self-introduction with Nissa in the background and, then, turns to Nissa, saying, "We're hear with the Subatomic Bombshell, Miss Van Donk. Thank you for agreeing to talk to us, Nissa."
Whereever Charles is when he begins to recover, he sees screens with the First Responders press conference unless he shuts them off.
From Zellgato's perch, he cannot see any dangers. Ms. Rosewood, the witch who owns the flowershop & new age gift store across from the Old North Church is still in the shop, puttering about, but she's never been anything but helpful to the party.
Nissa loves the camera almost as much as it loves her.
“Hey, peeps! I’m alive, despite rumors saying the contrary. Thank you for the montage of bikini shots to commemorate my short life, but I’ll be celebrating my 21st birthday in a couple days.
“Y’know… if I’m not off chasing demons into portals.” She turns to Tasha. “Odd, isn’t it? I fought the demons here—not alone. My entire team was in the fray.
“Then we followed the demons. And then I don’t believe you had to worry about them anymore.
“And I never ask the public to thank me. None on our team do. It’s our job to use our powers to protect.” She faces the camera. “But I get it.
“You saw Angel, impaled on the steeple. You saw some of the demons. The weakest ones, but… they were enough. You want answers.
“Tasha? Please… I’ll tell you what I can, and I swear to Sarenrae, everything I say will be the truth.” She notes, “Just start at the shallow end of the question pool. I really don’t wanna bore your audience saying ‘it’s classified’ every ten seconds.”
Henri knows he is out of his depth in all the subterfuge and fake news and news-news that the others are talking about. And he wasn't there, anyway, so he wouldn't know what was true and what wasn't.
But someone had mentioned the labs and how they would love to talk to a speedster, so he decided he would see if he could find some of that experimental technology...
[dice=Supermodel]d20+15+1
Nissa loves the camera almost as much as it loves her.“Hey, peeps! I’m alive, despite rumors saying the contrary. Thank you for the montage of bikini shots to commemorate my short life, but I’ll be celebrating my 21st birthday in a couple days.
[b]21? No wonder she's hyper and impetuously hopeful. Eh, good for her."
The woman looks Theo up and down and then asks, "What feed are you with, honey? I have to write it down."When she sees Theo walk in, she gives a practiced smile and says, "Welcome to Studio 17B, can I help you?"The handsome tall man smiles. "Thank you. I'm here for The First Responders press conference."
"Boston Theoretical."
The woman looks Theo up and down and then asks, "What feed are you with, honey? I have to write it down."When she sees Theo walk in, she gives a practiced smile and says, "Welcome to Studio 17B, can I help you?"The handsome tall man smiles. "Thank you. I'm here for The First Responders press conference.""Boston Theoretical."
[dice=Bluff]1d20 + 1
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20 + 15
The woman behind the desk gets a skeptical look and turns her display pad towards Theo. There's a picture of Nissa, Zellgato, and Charles and a headline asking, "What's Happening at Boston Theoretical? Is Boston Theoretical Building Superheroes?"
"Sorry, honey, but I'm going to have to call them and let them know you're here," she says, flicking a finger at a screen and activating a call with the studio. The face of some guy in a suit appears on the screen.
"Their manager," the woman explains to Theo letting him explain why he's here.
Whereever Charles is when he begins to recover, he sees screens with the First Responders press conference unless he shuts them off.
Grumbling to themselves, Charles settles in to watch, as little as they like the idea. Best to know what they're up against.
Henri knows he is out of his depth in all the subterfuge and fake news and news-news that the others are talking about. And he wasn't there, anyway, so he wouldn't know what was true and what wasn't.
But someone had mentioned the labs and how they would love to talk to a speedster, so he decided he would see if he could find some of that experimental technology...
There are a number of labs in the basement of Boston Theoretical. Kai is in charge of one of them. They do a lot of the engineering.
The medical research area looks into the biology of all of the team, not just Charles, but Charles genetics provide the most astounding avenues for research.
One lab is closed and dark and looks like it has been for a while. The name on the door says Dr. Moore and, if Henri peers inside, he will make out a large library of fiction novels and some old fashioned chalkboards covered in mathematical equations and scrawled mentions of character arcs, entry points, and plot entanglements.
Upon remembering that Kai, a familiar face from his exfil from his home world?/time?, heads there to say hello. ”Someone jokingly said the engineers would go nuts experimenting with a speedster. I thought I would come see if it is true. I love checking out new gear and if we could squeeze more speed out of this, I’m in.”
Kai, excited, orders a robot to bring a chest down from a high shelf. The chest is labelled "Make fast go faster". Kai opens it and takes out a winged helmet, "Some of the crew have a sense of humor," they explain. "Now, how about this!"
“Odd, isn’t it? I fought the demons here—not alone. My entire team was in the fray.
“Then we followed the demons. And then I don’t believe you had to worry about them anymore.
"Who's Seranwrap?"
"You say that you and your team fought the demons. Are you aware that First Responders are taking some of the credit? Some of their fans in the infosphere have said that after a demon slipped past you, you and your team disappeared leaving them to clean up your mess. Is there any truth in that?"
"When you say you went through a portal, where did it lead?"
"What would you say to the First Responders if you could address them right now?"
Kai, excited, orders a robot to bring a chest down from a high shelf. The chest is labelled "Make fast go faster". Kai opens it and takes out a winged helmet, "Some of the crew have a sense of humor," they explain. "Now, how about this!"
"Who's Seranwrap?"
Nissa laughs. “Saren-RAE… y’know, the sun goddess. I was worshipping her when I got my powers. Well, technically I said a prayer while sunbathing, dozed off, and woke up like this.” She shifts to her glowing fairy form…
"You say that you and your team fought the demons. Are you aware that First Responders are taking some of the credit? Some of their fans in the infosphere have said that after a demon slipped past you, you and your team disappeared leaving them to clean up your mess. Is there any truth in that?"
She reverts to humanish form to respond. “The truth is that we fought the weak demons here, and more powerful ones elsewhere. I’m not aware of demons slipping by. It’s possible. With all the drones about that night, surely the First Responders are seen directly engaging the enemy. I’ve asked Ron, our tech guy, to compile footage so it’s obvious who fought what.”
"When you say you went through a portal, where did it lead?"
“Another world that was already being terrorized by the demons. Angel is from that world. I saw a civilian die, but my teammates and I saved others. We went into the demon’s fortress, an obelisk, and we destroyed it.
“I can’t go into detail on the world itself, but you saw my teammates and I enter a portal and we were literally nowhere on this Earth for a couple days. So… yes, there is life on other planets.”
She smiles at Tasha. Then, to the camera: “You heard it here first. Remember the name Tasha Gentry when the day comes that another camera inevitably captures a glimpse of the other side. I can’t reveal classified information, but I won’t cover up what the world has seen with its own eyes.
“Tasha, when there is something on camera to talk about, you’re the only reporter I’ll talk to.”
Nissa will later explain to L.C. that her promise has a dual purpose:
1. By insisting only Tasha gets to talk to Nissa about filmed evidence of another world, this buys time. Nissa’s sure a drone will see into a portal within a year.
2. By telling Tasha she’ll get the story when there is one, she’s less likely to ask follow-ups that will lead to boring ‘it’s classified’ replies.
"What would you say to the First Responders if you could address them right now?"
“Patriot, teaming up with serial killers is unheroic and un-American. Flora, Fauna, you are remorseless murderers. A one-week century in jail doesn’t change that. If it did, you’d have expressed a deeper regret than overdue books at the virtual library.”
Theo panics and tries to hide among the chaos of the front desk.
Kai, excited, orders a robot to bring a chest down from a high shelf. The chest is labelled "Make fast go faster". Kai opens it and takes out a winged helmet, "Some of the crew have a sense of humor," they explain. "Now, how about this!"
"Here's one project, but it seems a little suicidal to me," Kai says pulling out a pair of tiny devices that look like they could be fit over boots. After a pause, Kai grins and asks, "Want to try them on?"
Theo panics and tries to hide among the chaos of the front desk.
[dice=Stealth]1d20 + 12
"Wait right there!" shouts a voice Theo thinks he recognizes, but barely. Turning, he sees the First Responder known as The Patriot, "Theo! So great to see you here, buddy! You've gotta come in and see our press conference. It's going to be amazing! Big surprise at the end."
Unless Theo slips away, he soon has a heavily muscled armed draped around his shoulders as the Patriot guides him back towards the studio where the press conference is being filmed.
Tasha nods and back-channels--saying things like 'you don't say!' and 'That's amazing!' as Nissa answers her questions.
“Patriot, teaming up with serial killers is unheroic and un-American. Flora, Fauna, you are remorseless murderers. A one-week century in jail doesn’t change that. If it did, you’d have expressed a deeper regret than overdue books at the virtual library.”
"So, Nissa, you don't believe in the Rapid Rehabilitation program?" asks Tasha suspiciously, "Guess we know which political party you're aligned with!"
An AI changes the banner under Tasha's live feed. It now reads, "Is Nissa a Democratic Republican or a Republican Democrat? Let's ask!"
Nissa replies, “Neither.
“In fact, Sarenrae is the goddess of redemption. I would gladly celebrate a criminal changing their ways. But the purpose of the rapid redemption program is to save teens from going down a dark path before they reach the point of no return.
“The program is not designed for spree killers. And I have dealt with sociopaths before. One moment they’re flirting with a nurse, and in a flash, a nurse and doctor are brutally murdered over a whispered comment. But since we’re on the record…”
Nissa faces the camera.
“Flora, Fauna, prove me wrong. Never kill again. Never again tie a woman to a chair and leave her to be ravaged by assassin vines. Never again remove a man’s fingers so you can use his prints to open a door. Devote your remaining years to saving lives instead of ending them, and eighty years from now, if you don’t slip up once, I’ll admit I was wrong.
“But if either twin takes a single life, know that I won’t care which political party says I-told-you-so. It’s the loss of innocent life that concerns me. The possibility of redemption should never cost a life.”
To Tasha, she adds, “Next question please.”
Her demeanor is pleasant and respectful. Nissa believes all people in power should face tough questions from reporters. Tasha is being tough, and Nissa is glad of it.
"Wait right there!" shouts a voice Theo thinks he recognizes, but barely. Turning, he sees the First Responder known as The Patriot, "Theo! So great to see you here, buddy! You've gotta come in and see our press conference. It's going to be amazing! Big surprise at the end."
Theo going roll with it.
"Patroit! Thank you!" Theo takes the patriotic hero hands and shakes it. "As you can tell by my clothes, I wanted to attend low-key. Didn't want upstage what you had going on, just because my team returned. Nice job taking care of things this side of the portal."
"Here's one project, but it seems a little suicidal to me," Kai says pulling out a pair of tiny devices that look like they could be fit over boots. After a pause, Kai grins and asks, "Want to try them on?"
Henri grins, already finding a chair so he can see how these things will interface with his zoomgear. ”You don’t know me yet, or you wouldn’t even have asked. Or maybe you do and you knew the word suicidal would pique my interest. Let’s see what we’ve got.”
Zellgato starts to become bored and his mind wanders as he starts to zone out while watching. Opting to turn on some random radio station as he just sits and watches. Pondering his life.
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"Wait right there!" shouts a voice Theo thinks he recognizes, but barely. Turning, he sees the First Responder known as The Patriot, "Theo! So great to see you here, buddy! You've gotta come in and see our press conference. It's going to be amazing! Big surprise at the end."Theo going roll with it.
"Patroit! Thank you!" Theo takes the patriotic hero hands and shakes it. "As you can tell by my clothes, I wanted to attend low-key. Didn't want upstage what you had going on, just because my team returned. Nice job taking care of things this side of the portal."
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20 + 15
The Patriot manhandles Theo into the studio. Reporters from SuperHeroNews are physically present in the room, but dozens of other journalists are virtually present. Their faces and logos bob and weave around the walls of the room as they chat with each other and jockey for positions closer to the stage.
Easily Ignorable Girl is sitting near one of the walls, unnoticed. "Hi Theo," she says. The Patriot doesn't hear her.
The rest of the First Responders are sitting on stage. There are two empty chairs. While digital nameplates introduce The Patriot, Plantwoman, and Animal Boy, the two empty chairs have question marks.
Zellgato tunes into a random radio station.
Charles watches the newsfeeds.
Henri fits the strange devices Kai gave him over his footwear and finds they adapt to the size of his feet quite well. Digital screens quietly play the newsfeed within view of Kai's lab.
Over all of the devices, the big news story is the same.
To Tasha, she adds, “Next question please.”
Tasha pauses and looks surprised at some text displayed on the inside of her glasses. She turns to Nissa and asks, "Nissa, I'm getting reports that Theo has joined the First Responders. Do you have any comment?"
“No, he didn’t.”
She likes the flat answer as-is, but elaborates, “Things are not always as they seem, Tasha. The news feeds can turn rumor into fact. Just like my untimely death the other day. We know that wasn’t true. Yet no one is held accountable for the grief that brought to my parents, my three very dear sisters, my friends and… well, imagine if I had a spouse. She’d be hurt most of all.”
Nissa’s use of the gender pronoun is not a slip. It is intended.
Easily Ignorable Girl is sitting near one of the walls, unnoticed. "Hi Theo," she says. The Patriot doesn't hear her.
Theo, pleasantly surprised he can both see and remember EIG walks over and sits next to her.
"EIG! Good to see you! How are you!"
Easily Ignorable Girl is sitting near one of the walls, unnoticed. "Hi Theo," she says. The Patriot doesn't hear her.Theo, pleasantly surprised he can both see and remember EIG walks over and sits next to her.
"EIG! Good to see you! How are you!"
"Lonely. Abandoned. Imagine how you'd feel if all your friends jumped through a portal and didn't even invite you. Just left you standing there in the middle of a battlefield!" mopes EIG convincingly. Then, she smiles a bit, "So, I've been following these guys around the last couple days. We've gotta tal-"
"Theo," calls The Patriot, "What's wrong? You okay, bud? Listen, I gotta get up there, but stick around. Join us for beers after at the Pig's Ear!"
"He stops to look at his reflection even more than you do," says EIG as the Patriot sprints towards the stage. As if on cue, he stops and checks his hair. She continues, "We'll talk after, okay? You'll need to see this show first, before I can explain."
“No, he didn’t.”
She likes the flat answer as-is, but elaborates, “Things are not always as they seem, Tasha. The news feeds can turn rumor into fact. Just like my untimely death the other day. We know that wasn’t true. Yet no one is held accountable for the grief that brought to my parents, my three very dear sisters, my friends and… well, imagine if I had a spouse. She’d be hurt most of all.”
Nissa’s use of the gender pronoun is not a slip. It is intended.
"So, let's talk about demons," says Tasha, sensing that the Theo avenue wasn't going to drive eyeballs to her feed when everyone else was talking about it. "Those among my viewers who believe in demons, aliens, and cryptoids are often called lunatics or conspiracy theorists. You've told us that demons do exist! How long has the government known this? Does President Wallace know?"
Theo smiles and waves at The Patroit, then goes back to his conversation.
"EIG! Babe! It's not like that. Sadly, part of that is your powers."
The godling sighs. "Life got much more busy once I got mixed up with B.T. If it matters at all, I've been trying to ask you on a date forever, but some damn stupid invasion or dimension excursion keeps stopping that train of thought."
Theo smiles and waves at The Patroit, then goes back to his conversation.
"EIG! Babe! It's not like that. Sadly, part of that is your powers."
The godling sighs. "Life got much more busy once I got mixed up with B.T. If it matters at all, I've been trying to ask you on a date forever, but some damn stupid invasion or dimension excursion keeps stopping that train of thought." [dice=Diplomacy]1d20 + 15
"You know I'm 17, right?" asks EIG a little surprised. "Don't worry. I think not really seeing me has to do with my powers as well."
At B.T., Charles and Henri can see video clips of the First Responders taking the stage switching out with video clips from Nissa's interview. They're still talking about Theo, but the big question everyone is asking now is,
"You know I'm 17, right?" asks EIG a little surprised.
"What?! 17's legal in Mass, right?"
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"You know I'm 17, right?" asks EIG a little surprised."What?! 17's legal in Mass, right?"
EIG rolls her eyeballs.
Cameras turn towards Theo. Luckily they don't notice EIG and no context is provided for his words. He is in hostile territory though and has been caught on video rambling bizarrely.
Zellgato, on his perch from the roof, sees someone slip into the alley that runs behind Rosewood's Flowers and Gifts. The person looked furtive.
Nissa replies, “Technically, I told you aliens exist. Demons too, but these particular demons could have been created by aliens. There was something very weird about the peeing-dog-demon I fought here in Boston. It acted like something out of a twentieth century cartoon.
“Anyway, I would give you the boring ‘it’s classified,’ but I think it’s obvious if you know, we know. But I don’t know how long. An agent told me of a spacecraft crashing in 1938, but further investigation determined he was talking about Baby Superman.
“I can’t tell you what President Wallace knows. I’m still the new girl, so no privileged info for me, and I’ve always been a truth-to-power type so they probably wouldn’t even tell me the president’s middle name.” Something Marie Wallace.
Zellgato texts Nissa a simple message.
CONSIDER A WALK N TALK. MAYBE SHOW HER THE MOLD IF ITS STILL THERE? GONNA CHECK A SHOP BRB
With his text sent Zellgato hooks his line and slides down to ground level before disconnecting and stashing it. Glancing around wondering how weird that is here.
He sets into a trot towards the alley. He does not think much of the agitated person. Maybe a homeless maybe someone taking a route home.
But.
He was bored. So he'll take a peek. Following up but trying to avoid being too loud.
Henri fits the strange devices Kai gave him over his footwear and finds they adapt to the size of his feet quite well. Digital screens quietly play the newsfeed within view of Kai's lab.
Henri glances at the newsfeeds. "I'm really not clear on the whole First Responders thing. Heroes have press conferences? This world is so different." Snapping the second piece in place, he admires how they seem to meld right in. "I have no idea how they can possibly fit so well. I was sure my zoomgear was unique on my world. When I thought my world was the world."
"What do they do? How do I turn them on? Do you have a track or some place I can test them?"