Pretty much what I expected you to do when you confirmed I could set up my plan like that. Obviously Tim doesn't build everything instantly, it takes time, so it works. As does him doing the mutagenics tests before Missy's serum, or alongside it.
Magical Girl Escalation Taylor (Worm/Nanoha)
- Thread starter Silently Watches
- Start date
- Location
- NY, NY
I may be an outlier, since I haven't been at all involved with the voting or the discussion, but I'm not at all attached to this being a quest.
If you're happier writing this as a non-quest story (and incidentally, that gets us chapter fixes faster
), I'm good with that...But if you prefer this as a quest, that's fine, I'll try to be a better participant.
Thanks for this entertainment!
If I'm not mistaken, Klarwind is actually a chain/lash thing, the rings are its storage form, but when you see her actively use it as a focus its a weighted chain. Its just that Shamal was vastly more useful in a support role than combat, so she never needed to use it as a weapon.
Silently Watches
Professional Stalker
- Location
- Right behind you
The benefit of having it be a quest is that I can offload a lot of the decision making to the players, which makes my life easier.I may be an outlier, since I haven't been at all involved with the voting or the discussion, but I'm not at all attached to this being a quest.
If you're happier writing this as a non-quest story (and incidentally, that gets us chapter fixes faster
But if you prefer this as a quest, that's fine, I'll try to be a better participant.
Thanks for this entertainment!
Also, I like writing stuff where I can/have to make things up almost on the spot. Unlike Eternal Fantasy, where I had everything planned out before I started and have gotten very, very bored writing it....Maybe in the games, but my memory of her using Klarwind as a "weapon" is deploying or (in my mind, more likely) projecting strings like piano wire to tie people up or create her portal thing that she used to jam her hand into people's Linker Cores from behind.
Well, SOMEBODY needed to do all the support casting and her team is 100% muscleheads who burn through cartridges at lightning speed(which we know Shamal charges them, so her MP is probably constantly low just keeping up with Vita's expenditure).
Hmm...actually, it could be a garotte couldn't it?
- Location
- Canada
GO FORTH YOUNG AUTHOR AND DECLARE YOUR KINGDOM!
The plan is less Kayleigh's device, and more Kayleigh overall.
The Device itself and her spell list isn't going to be huge, mostly utility. Her combat abilities are meant to come from having guns made by Firely/Tim, and then magic bullets with various effects. Stun, fire, ice, stasis, etc. Whatever tinker/magic bullshit we can feed into them, basically.
She'll almost certainly end up with a flight harness of some kind too, since she can't fly under her own power as a D rank mage.
I imagine there's going to be a bunch of votes/squabbles over her exact spell list later, but there were a number of plans.
Was one made back on page 974, and there's a few starting from there on.
- Location
- Georgia
@Silently Watches Can we add a capacity to guns Tim makes to provide something similar to a smartlink system from Shadowrun? Those provide a targeting reticle and stability assist to improve gun accuracy. That seems a beneficial thing to add for Kayleigh.
We've held extensive discussions on the benefits and cultural impacts of gene sculpting with mutagens. If this weren't a quest, we'd already have more TGs who could be taught how to make their own mutagens, letting us start a very lucrative side business. As things stand, we won't be able to get anywhere near that level of mass production capability within the frame of the quest, plus I believe SW said that the mutagens have to be tailored to the person, rather than being tailored to the desired mutation.
If SW lets us retcon giving a Template to Lacey, we could have Laura and Standstill have the remaining two Templates, letting us get the full spell list from all of them. What we do with them needs to wait for seeing Laura and Kayleigh's coming update, but we can't build enough Devices to make a Template that fast anyway, unless we want to go back in the coffin for three days and give up on getting another Template for six more weeks.
Their intelligence is clearly accessible at all times. Canon only shows simple spells being cast with Devices in their offline mode, and there are a number of spells that clearly use the deployed version as a part of the spell's framework, so I suspect that more complex spells do require the active mode.
We've held extensive discussions on the benefits and cultural impacts of gene sculpting with mutagens. If this weren't a quest, we'd already have more TGs who could be taught how to make their own mutagens, letting us start a very lucrative side business. As things stand, we won't be able to get anywhere near that level of mass production capability within the frame of the quest, plus I believe SW said that the mutagens have to be tailored to the person, rather than being tailored to the desired mutation.
I don't know what to vote for anyone anymore, with Silently Watches having pre-done ideas before we confirmed it an option for ourselves
If SW lets us retcon giving a Template to Lacey, we could have Laura and Standstill have the remaining two Templates, letting us get the full spell list from all of them. What we do with them needs to wait for seeing Laura and Kayleigh's coming update, but we can't build enough Devices to make a Template that fast anyway, unless we want to go back in the coffin for three days and give up on getting another Template for six more weeks.
Their intelligence is clearly accessible at all times. Canon only shows simple spells being cast with Devices in their offline mode, and there are a number of spells that clearly use the deployed version as a part of the spell's framework, so I suspect that more complex spells do require the active mode.
Before we can even think of giving Laura a Device or Template, she needs to cut ties with Winter Hill and her (shitty) father.
Silently Watches
Professional Stalker
- Location
- Right behind you
I had to look up just what that was, but at least from what I understand, it should be possible. I don't know that I'd allow it to be an internal component, but an attachment like a modern laser sight? That'd be doable. It would have to link with something to display the information, though that could be a Device or an eyepiece or a prosthetic eye.
This is a valid concern. You aren't the only one who thinks Laura needs to cut ties with WH, and a couple of the characters agree too. I'm proofreading 14.4 now, so once I'm done and the vote has run its course, you'll see what I mean.
Silently Watches
Professional Stalker
- Location
- Right behind you
I don't see a vote in your name in the tally, so if you voted, something about the format is borked. In terms of making a difference... uh, let's just say you're part of the majority.
I didn't vote (I do follow, I just generally *don't* feel strongly either way, I've read you since I first started the Black Queen stories.) Though I was leaning *slighlty* to the Plan more Mages, though you implied it won. Heh. Hopefully it did, if not, oh, well. You're still a good writer.
- Location
- Georgia
To give her a template, we already have to wait a week and a half, at least as of the chapter's date, as PS says ten days. If we give Standstill a Template and make it from sacrificed Devices, that's two more weeks before we could possibly give her a Template, time enough for her to learn about magic and that she has options she didn't know about, and come to an informed decision about what she wants to do. If we do Standstill's first, we could even introduce her to two people who have knowingly and willingly traded their parahuman powers for magic.
The reason I've been trying to respond to everybody I see saying to give Laura a regular device is that that is an irrevocable decision. We can't give her a Device to tide her over until we have a Template available. That we're only going to be allowed to make one or two more Templates for the near future means we really need to apply those two Templates to the only two candidates we currently have for Mages to join our team. Missy doesn't count because SW has Device plans for her(or possibly Unison Device plans).
I'd like Kayleigh to have the TG Template purely because of a mental image of her working on her own rifles*, but giving her a GB who she can work with to service her gear without relying on Tim to do that for her accomplishes the goal without the substantial investment that giving her a Template would require.
*And other assorted goodies. The image is... substantial? complicated? Something like that.
My thought was a telepathic connection or connecting her guns to her Device. It wouldn't make much of a difference in game mechanics, as you're not worrying about those piddling little differences for the most part, but I'm all about the flavor text
*shrugs* Standstill *wants* out, and a device for a C mage isn't great, she'd benefit from one. We don't know Laura's core yet, templates *go down* in value, for stronger cores. Remember, Devices (spc ID's, mind you) come *preloaded* with spells as it is. And can teach their mages.
A or so mages, *don't* get as huge of a benefit from Templates as you think. Epoch going "Nope." *made perfect sense*.
Kay may not *want* one, because SHE doesn't want a cape stick stuck up her fourth point of contact like her *three* cape friends.
So, until we know what Laura's rank is, it's moot. But one point to consider. Her f***koff *perfect* Synch with the ex-Ziz, the Cassie. Unison devices are *win*, because Cassie *will* learn the spells, and teach Laura. Options, people. if Laura has a A or so core, she's better off with Cassie, in a way than anything else. But... we shall see, we shall see. Plus, I think Lexy and Legend would *jump* on a templated Standstill to be PRT/Protectorate 'liason' to CW and company, for several reasons. Lexy has already made it *clear* that CW is *her* protege, and Legend's quite aware of her power, and Lexy's interest. Add in what she's done for Philly (aka Project Pentagram), well.
A or so mages, *don't* get as huge of a benefit from Templates as you think. Epoch going "Nope." *made perfect sense*.
Kay may not *want* one, because SHE doesn't want a cape stick stuck up her fourth point of contact like her *three* cape friends.
So, until we know what Laura's rank is, it's moot. But one point to consider. Her f***koff *perfect* Synch with the ex-Ziz, the Cassie. Unison devices are *win*, because Cassie *will* learn the spells, and teach Laura. Options, people. if Laura has a A or so core, she's better off with Cassie, in a way than anything else. But... we shall see, we shall see. Plus, I think Lexy and Legend would *jump* on a templated Standstill to be PRT/Protectorate 'liason' to CW and company, for several reasons. Lexy has already made it *clear* that CW is *her* protege, and Legend's quite aware of her power, and Lexy's interest. Add in what she's done for Philly (aka Project Pentagram), well.
The thing is if we do this right Laura is going to be well on her way to cutting ties with WH.
She wants to be heroic. She wants to help people. But her shitty father and Winter Hill has hammered it into her so she'd internalize it that she's useless in a fight unless heavily supported. That her power is weak (when its pretty damn strong if she's got the right mind set). She has reason to fear retaliation if she splits off from them.
But... the situation's changed. If we can offer her power thats almost as good as Taylor, a group of allies and friends that can cover her back (and crush Winter Hill in a fight if we were so inclined to) proven by murdering the Fallen attack even though we were outnumbered heavily. Cutting ties with WH is going to be rather attractive.
And to add on top of that, the days of villains in her home city is dated. Unless she thinks Winter Hill and the other groups in the city can withstand fighting a organized group of two dozen 'capes' of Samantha's level. Pretty soon Winter Hill and the others will be quite too busy surviving or rebranding themselves to quit villainy due to the superiority of force of the Protectorate/PRT in the city to even try to bother her.
Eh, since we are planning on going after the Fallen Laura's going to need a device or some sort or a template because without one she'll only be protected from Masters and Strangers when she's unisoned with Cassiel.
Hell, her being a part of the force that put down the Fallen for good is also a very good way of establishing herself as a power not to fuck with.
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Silently Watches
Professional Stalker
- Location
- Right behind you
No, she won't. Cassiel's spells are locked in, and the only one she could teach Laura is telekinesis.
Laura and Cassiel can stay in Unison for just shy of ten minutes at a time.
Silently Watches
Professional Stalker
- Location
- Right behind you
Vote closed. Uh, looks like Plan More Mages wins.
Realign 14.4
Silently Watches
Professional Stalker
- Location
- Right behind you
[] Explore somewhere on Earth Bet. A location must be included. You may bring 1-3 other characters with you.
-[] Kayleigh drags you and Laura out to a gun range because apparently not knowing the difference between a revolver and semi-automatic is a sin. Fortunately Samantha came so you aren't the worst one there.
-[] While you are out you make sure to scan both of them for Linker Cores and give them the magic explanation.
Realign 14.4
Friday, August 5
Dropping quietly to the ground, you glance around to make sure no one is nearby to see either your flight or the flash of light as your Barrier Jacket vanishes to be replaced by your normal clothes. Samantha is right behind you and rearranges her clothes, though thanks to the illusion generator around her neck, she looks no different afterwards. "This is the right place, yeah?"
You have never been to this building, but Kayleigh found it easy to give you the address. You suppose that makes sense as you look up at the sign. Of course Kayleigh would want to hang out at a gun range. "Should be. Otherwise we're going to get some very strange looks." The idea of people looking at you like you're something odd reminds you once again of what is going on in Vancouver, and you ask, "Do you think Tim's plan is going to work?"
"What, making Missy help out with his mutagen experiments so she can see firsthand what the gerbils go through?" She shrugs. "I don't think it will change her mind about wanting one, but it is probably the best way for her to understand just what she's risking. If she goes through that and decides she still wants it, that's about as informed a consent as she could possibly give."
Hurrying to the front door before the angry storm clouds can open up and dump far too much water on your head, the two of you step inside. Just inside the building is a hallway with coat hooks and rubber mats on the floor, still set out for shooters coming in to practice during the snowy winter months, and beyond that is another door leading to the range proper. You open the inner door to find Kayleigh giving you a too-bright smile…
…and Laura standing behind her, looking at anything but you.
"Oh good," Kayleigh says, "you're here. I, uh, invited you out for a couple of reasons, actually. Number one is to go shooting, obviously, but number two is so you and Laura can quit talking yourselves out of talking and just kiss and make up."
Talking yourself out of talking? Somehow, you don't think that is a random guess at your behavior, so you turn to Kayleigh's most probable co-conspirator. "You told her about me not calling, didn't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Samantha says in a bland voice.
"Uh-huh." She smiles beatifically at you, and you can only sigh. Blasted Guardian Beasts trying to be helpful. "But I suppose this works. I do owe you an apology, Laura. I made some serious accusations about you, and then you went and proved every one of them wrong. Fighting with powers you are familiar with is a risk. Fighting with powers you've never practiced before? That takes even more courage."
Laura finally looks up at you. "You don't have to apologize. You were totally right. If it weren't for… you know who finding me and giving me a kick in the pants, I don't know if I would have gone out to help on my own."
"Hold up," Kayleigh says as she turns around to stare hard at Laura. "You told me you hung back and didn't need to get involved after all."
"I didn't want to worry you?" Laura mutters.
Kayleigh scowls and reaches out to flick the tip of the cape's nose. "No. Bad."
You grin slightly at the byplay and then wider just to further tweak Laura's nose when she notices. "So… We done then?"
"Are we done?" Kayleigh looks back at you in confusion. "Why would we be done? We still have the actual shooting to get to. You especially need some education in guns."
"Me especially?"
Kayleigh sighs and lays one hand on your shoulder. "Taylor, honey, you apparently don't know the difference between a revolver and a semi-automatic. That's basic common sense stuff. I'm not saying you need to become an expert on firearm trivia or anything, but it is my duty as your friend to make sure you at least know enough that you're not a danger to yourself."
A certain raccoon woman can't muffle what sounds suspiciously like a snigger.
You glance around to make sure that the four of you are still alone. "If I want to shoot someone, you do realize that I'm not going to reach for a gun, right?"
"And what will you do if you find yourself in a situation like last weekend except you can't risk using your other skills?" Kayleigh shrugs. "It's like my grandpa used to say. Better to have a skill and never need it than to need it and never have learned it. Besides, with the way you normally do your work, i wouldn't be surprised if you found out that you enjoy it."
"Sounds like you girls have a plan. Taylor, I'll see you back home—"
"Oh no you don't." You cross your arms and glare at Samantha. "You were part of organizing this whole thing. You get to hang around and participate."
Samantha's face blanches, and for good reason. You remember Firefly asking her to test out a laser rifle and the debacle that became. A menace, wasn't that how the Gear described her afterwards?
"The more the merrier," Kayleigh says, either unaware of Samantha's panic or perhaps taking some sort of amusement out of it. You have discovered firsthand how perceptive she can be when she wants, and that makes you wonder how much of her cheerful obliviousness is a facade. Or maybe she's just selectively smart. You honestly have no idea. "Now, I have to warn you. Because you are first time shooters, you need to go through a basic gun safety course before you can go out on the range." She checks her watch. "And how convenient. There's one that's supposed to start in just a few minutes."
"You planned this," you accuse.
"Planned this?" she asks in a suspiciously innocent voice. "Sometimes things just come together all on their own." She grins, ruining any pretense of ignorance. "Although I will admit I thought it would take longer for you two to apologize, otherwise the timing would have been perfect."
"Shoot me," Samantha begs half an hour later as the two of you leave the classroom. "They'll give you a gun. Just use that."
"It wasn't that bad," you tell her, although you both know your defense is a weak one. The class was not bad, exactly, though it was boring. You are not sure whether that is because you don't expect to be a regular shooter, because if things really go south you have a Barrier Jacket to protect you, or because the guy who gave the lecture was way too interested in the intricacies of gun safety.
Yes, you get it. Don't point the gun anywhere you wouldn't want a bullet going. You understood it the first time he said it. The next ten times were just overkill.
"Let's get everyone started," the instructor says to the entire class. "Everyone grab a lane on this end. I need to be able to supervise and make sure everything is going fine—"
"These two are with me, Sean," Kayleigh says, laying her hands on your and Samantha's shoulders. You blink and look around. Where in the world did she come from?
He frowns for a moment before shrugging. "Okay. It's a little irregular, but if you're keeping an eye on them, that'll make things easier."
"Cool. Come on, let's come down here."
"For him being all gung-ho about gun safety, letting us run off with someone random seems a little lax," Samantha says once you are out of earshot with the other girls.
Laura coughs lightly and looks at Kayleigh, who blushes. "Ah. Yeah. About that. I'm actually not someone random. I do a lot of shooting here between practicing on the rifle range outside and occasionally some fun time with pistols in here."
"And…" the brunette with blue bangs prompts.
"…And Mom told me I was sixteen and it was time to get a summer job, so I took a small arms instructor course and started working here." The blush glows an even brighter red. "I actually spent the summer teaching the same class you just took."
It is rare to catch her so embarrassed, and you cannot help but smile. "I guess we're in good hands then, aren't we?"
"Just get some safety glasses and ear protection. I'll grab a couple of guns for you," she says, not looking at you but sending a glare at Laura who has started snickering.
After fitting some goggles over your glasses, you set a pair of bulky plastic earmuffs on the counter in one of the cubicles. Stretching out in front of you is a long lane with a stereotypical law enforcement style target at the other end, human silhouette and all. Kayleigh comes back with a couple of matte black guns in her hands and gives you one along with several replacement magazines. It sits heavier in your hands than you would have expected. "I figured we'd get you started with something basic, a Glock 19. It fires 9 millimeter bullets, which has a pretty weak recoil all things considered. I think it was the first semi-auto I ever fired," she adds thoughtfully, "and it's definitely a good one to start with."
She gives the other gun and magazines to Samantha and then stands there with her arms crossed. You suppose that is as good of proof as anything else that she actually wants to watch you shoot. Sliding one of the magazines into the gun with a click, you point it downrange.
"Taylor. Ear protection."
Oh. Right.
By the time you have emptied the first magazine, you think you can appreciate why Kayleigh finds this to be so much fun, even if you personally have no inclination of taking it up as a major hobby. The gun is too noisy for you, and after spending months throwing around fireballs that can dance elaborately on their way to your target, being stuck with straight lines feels incredibly restrictive. There is still the satisfaction of landing a shot exactly where you want it, though, and while you have to think about each step in the process, for somebody who knows everything by muscle memory, it could be a zen experience.
You look at the holes in the target and sigh. Most of them are at least in center mass, but there are several that are nowhere close to where you wanted them to be. You thought your aim was better than that—
Another hole appears in the white background of the target, and with an empty gun in your hands, there is no way that came from you.
Movement to the side turns out to be Kayleigh tapping Samantha on the shoulder. You pull off your earmuffs in time to hear her say, "You do know you're supposed to be shooting at your own target, right?"
"I, uh, was trying to."
Kayleigh blinks several times and looks at Samantha's target. Looking at it yourself, you notice that it is absolutely pristine. "Oh," the blonde says after a moment to process that. "Maybe we should get you a lane with no one on either side so you don't interfere with their shooting?"
"Or maybe I should just stop."
"…That would be for the best, yeah."
You shake your head at that. "Anything you need to tell me, Professor Stevens?"
"More practice, less sass."
You laugh at that, joined by the other girl. Setting the gun down on the bench, you find yourself wondering, "What were you shooting while we were stuck in class?"
She vanishes behind the small wall between the lanes and pops back out with a very familiar gun in her hands. "It's been a while since I last fired a revolver, so it felt right to use your present. Plus, shooting .45 is always an experience. With my tiny hands," she says, wiggling the finger of one of the hands in question, "it feels like I'm wrestling a cannon every time I pull the trigger. It's not easy, but lots and lots of fun."
If she had been forced to use that gun in self-defense against the Fallen, you have a feeling she would have found it much less fun. Pushing what-ifs that never happened and can never happen again out of your mind, you focus on reality. She's safe and happy. If she wants to use a gun that has likely murdered nobody knows how many people to get some target practice in, you will do your best not to damage her innocence.
A series of bangs a short distance away stops, and Laura comes into sight as well. "Did you bring any extra rounds?"
"You can have mine/Samantha's," Samantha and Kayleigh say simultaneously.
"O…kay?" She looks back and forth between the two before deciding that she doesn't want to know after all. Moving her attention to you, she frowns. "Taylor. Any chance we can talk? Away from prying ears?" she adds with a look at the rest of the novice shooters.
"Took you this long to work up the nerve to ask?" you ask her teasingly. She looks away, but not before you see the frown that appears on her face. You did not mean to hit whatever exposed nerve you clearly danced on top of. "Sorry. I didn't… Sorry. Kayleigh, you work here. Anywhere we can talk?"
"I think I know just the place."
'Just the place' turns out to be the outdoor portion of the range, the part she uses for her riflery practice. No one is out here, and the pouring rain that is the most likely explanation for it being empty also creates a nice screen to prevent anyone from listening in. "I suppose you want to talk about what happened at the resort," you say, figuring being upfront will be the best way to open what you expect is going to be a complicated conversation. "What happened after we had our argument when you met Cassiel?"
"You do know what she is," Laura says with a voice of relief. "I assumed at the time that you did, but when I looked back at it, some of the things she said made me worry."
"Who's Cassiel?" Kayleigh asks.
Ah. You had not thought of this complication. After finding out that Laura had a Linker Core, you had planned to talk to her about magic, but you had not thought about how it would mean that Kayleigh would also find out. Still, if you are going to reveal it to one, you might as well do it to two, and better to jump right into the deep end than wade in and waste time. "Cassiel's a fairy."
She shakes her head. "Ha ha. I'm serious."
"So am I. She really is a fairy. Nine inches tall and magic."
"Magic? Really?" Kayleigh looks at you and Laura. "Magic and fairies? Is this a cape thing? Because if it is, it's my first time hearing about it."
"I hadn't heard about it until Saturday." Laura looks back at you expectantly, joined by Kayleigh with her own puppy dog eyes added on.
«You did plan to tell her,» Samantha reminds you.
«I know that!» You close your eyes and shake your head. This is not the first, nor the second, nor the third time you have told other people about magic. Somebody would think that you have gotten used to this. "Yes, magic is real. Everything you have seen me do, from flying around to throwing fireballs to teleporting place to place, is magic. I'm not a Tinker or anything. I just have the ability to use magic and Perfect Storm"—you touch the pendant hanging from your neck—"to help out with all the math."
"Math?" Kayleigh asks in weak voice.
That's right, math is very much not her best subject. "There's a lot of math involved in magic. Spells? They're just programs that work on the real world instead of in a computer. That's what Devices like Storm are for. They're supercomputers that assist in running the programs.
"The reason I'm bringing it is that you have magic too, Laura. You wouldn't have been able to Unison with Cassiel if you didn't."
Laura opens her mouth and immediately shuts it. This repeats a few times before she decides what she wants to say and how she wants to say it. "Assuming magic is real and you're not just a Tinker who's lost her mind or something… How did you know you had it? Is it something like if your magic is useful, it pops out and says 'hey, I can make you a super-cape' and if it's not, you never know you have it?"
"I didn't know I had magic until I found Perfect Storm. It's a long story," you tell them before they can react to the found comment. "Everything I can do, I learned to do with his help, and so have other people."
"Huh," Kayleigh says, looking at your necklace with new respect. "So you can teach other people to use magic?"
"If they have it, yeah. Like I said, I've taught a few people." For a moment, you consider passing along a warning about the PRT's new mages, but only for a moment. You like Laura, and you wonder about her heroic leanings, but right now she is still a villain and would be obligated to pass along what she finds out about the PRT to the rest of Winter Hill. They for sure do not need to know about the good guys' new advantage.
"Sounds like a lot of work to replace what comes naturally to capes," Laura says, blissfully unaware of the threats coming after her and the rest of her natural capes.
You open your mouth to shoot back at her dismissal, but strangely it is Kayleigh who beats you to it. "Or maybe it's the perfect way to get you out of Winter Hill. You're miserable," she continues, talking over Laura's denial. "You've been miserable since you got those damn powers. You hate that you're the only who cares about the people you claim to be protecting. You hate that you can't do more to do some good. You can pretend you're this stone cold bitch who doesn't give a shit about anyone else, but I remember when we were little and you cried because you didn't have any change to put in that Salvation Army kettle one Christmas. You want to help people, you want to do something good with your powers, and it breaks my heart that every time I see you put on that fucking costume I have to watch you kill off a little more of yourself."
Kayleigh grabbed Laura's hand during her impassioned plea, but the older girl looks down at the ground and tries to pull away. Not that she tries that hard, you notice. "It doesn't matter. What's done is done. I'm part of Winter Hill, and that's just the way it is."
"We both know the only reason you joined Winter Hill in the first place is because you didn't have any other choice. Now maybe you do!"
You wave your hand to get their attention. "What do you mean, you didn't have any other choice?"
Kayleigh blanches, but thankfully Laura is willing and able to explain. "Winter Hill doesn't allow any other capes in their territory. They even fight off the Protectorate when they try to muscle in. I live in the middle of their turf, so it was either I join up, my family has to up and leave, or the next time they saw me, things would get… ugly. My powers aren't all that strong. Any one of our other capes can and has kicked my ass. So yeah, I joined up. I would have to be stupid not to."
"Is there any way you can test her to find out how much magic she has?" Kayleigh asks.
"I can," you tell her with a nod. Internally, you are still reeling at the outburst the other girl let loose and everything you learned as a result. It certainly explains all the heroic tendencies you observed from Cailleach before, and maybe in its own way why she was so scared of doing anything at the resort that could out her as Cailleach. It has nothing at all to do with capes threatening Winter Hill through her. It's because she is afraid of what her own allies would do to her. She is trapped in a terrible situation with no way out, so she has buckled down and is just trying to get through it one day at a time.
Just like you were doing to try to survive at Winslow.
"Storm, staff please." Your necklace vanishes to reconstruct itself as your staff. Pointing it at Laura, you can't help but see that she is watching it with undisguised caution. "I'm going to scan you. You won't feel a thing."
Laura looks over at Kayleigh and finds only a silent plea to let you do your thing. "Okay, okay. Just get it over with."
Blue lines sweep over the girl, and the four of you watch the digital scan be deconstructed layer by layer to reveal the glittering spark in her chest that you already know she possesses. «Mistress,» Perfect Storm says, the telepathy catching you by surprise, «unexpected result. Mage still part of enemy organization. Does Mistress wish for mage to hear true result?»
You glance at the head of the staff quickly enough that the other girls should not notice anything amiss. «From what they just told me, I'd like to get Laura out of Winter Hill. I can't convince her to trust me more than them if I'm lying to her.»
«Understood.» Switching back to audible speech, your Device announces, "Linker Core detected. Estimated rank: AAA. Thermoelectric spectrum consistent with Ice Mana Conversion Affinity."
"Someone willing to explain any of that to me?" Laura drawls. "Like what the hell a 'triple-A' rank means? Do I have to go around picking up stranded people to recharge or something?"
"AAA rank highest rank of Linker Core capacity. Found in top 2% of mages."
Laura's mouth drops open slightly at that news. You decide to answer the next unspoken question. "A mana conversion affinity is a trait your magic has that will give some of your spells a certain 'element'." You conjure a single Flare Shooter. "Like mine. I have a Flare Mana Conversion Affinity. Makes me really good with anything related to fire."
Kayleigh smiles before sidling up to Laura and bumping her with her hip. "I'm sorry I said you were pretending to be an ice queen."
"Shut up."
The other girl laughs at her expense. "Now I'm kind of curious about me. Do you think you can scan me, too?"
"I can, but…" Your mind goes to Missy and how disappointed she was when she found out she did not have a Linker Core. "It's rare to have one. Our best estimates is that it's only in five percent of the population. One in twenty. Chances are you won't have magic."
Kayleigh waves your warning off. "Then I don't have something I never heard about until today. No big deal. I'm just curious."
It is hard to argue against that way of thinking, and now that she knows the probabilities, it probably is better if you just scan her and find out for sure one way or the other. A second scan takes only a few seconds, and you wait for the results to be processed and show her that she does not have any magic.
"Linker Core detected. Estimated rank: D."
Or maybe you'll be proven wrong.
"If AAA is the highest rank, I'm guessing D's pretty low," Kayleigh says. A moment later, she shrugs. "At least it isn't an F. If I found out I earned an F in life, that might be a little distressing. A D is still passing."
"As your grades proved again and again," Laura mutters, earning a pout from Kayleigh. "How do we have magic, anyway? Is it random or genetic or what?"
"It is genetic," you confirm, "but it's entirely maternal. Mother to child. Men can have magic, no question about that, but they can't pass it on."
"Thank god," Laura says in a whisper.
"Oh, oh, oh!" Kayleigh adds excitedly, all but drowning Laura out. "If it's maternal, then Aunt Emma has to have magic too, because she's my mom's sister! But that also means Herman has magic." The eager light in her eyes dies. "Shoot. That would have been fun to hold over his head."
"You don't have to tell him, you know," Samantha tells her.
"True enough. Hey, are there any movies or TV shows that are close to right about magic?" she asks. "If we're going to be the witch squad, I want to make sure I'm acting the part."
"Compiling list," Perfect Storm says before you can even fully ask yourself what she wants. "Transmitting to Kayleigh's communication device."
Sure enough, a few seconds later her phone dings. She pulls it out and looks at it, her eyes growing wide. "Oh. That's, uh, several. I guess I'll see you at school on Monday, Taylor. I have a lot of homework to do."
Laura's character entry updated.
Kayleigh added to Magical Potentiates.
I have done so much research into different guns the last few chapters, and I don't even own or want one!
Question that has nothing directly to do with the characters in the chapter. It's been suggested that since I am restricting templates for the near future and Lacey has essentially ignored her Infinite Enhancement template except to heal, we redo her design to make her a normal Device mage and "refund" her template so we can give it to someone else who's actually willing to play combat support.
If we do this, Lacey will go back to being a C-rank mage, still with her current Boost Device. She WILL keep four spells from her current list: Cover (her invisibility spell), Strike Boost, and Physical Heal she has either been seen or been mentioned to use in-story. Her last spell, Guardian Beast, was LancerisDead's reward. She will start with 0 XP in the bank but will benefit from the same passive XP gain all Device mages are getting, so she won't have to get into fights in order to learn more healing spells and might actually grow.
[ ] Keep Lacey as a template mage
[ ] Make Lacey a regular mage
-[] Kayleigh drags you and Laura out to a gun range because apparently not knowing the difference between a revolver and semi-automatic is a sin. Fortunately Samantha came so you aren't the worst one there.
-[] While you are out you make sure to scan both of them for Linker Cores and give them the magic explanation.
Realign 14.4
Friday, August 5
Dropping quietly to the ground, you glance around to make sure no one is nearby to see either your flight or the flash of light as your Barrier Jacket vanishes to be replaced by your normal clothes. Samantha is right behind you and rearranges her clothes, though thanks to the illusion generator around her neck, she looks no different afterwards. "This is the right place, yeah?"
You have never been to this building, but Kayleigh found it easy to give you the address. You suppose that makes sense as you look up at the sign. Of course Kayleigh would want to hang out at a gun range. "Should be. Otherwise we're going to get some very strange looks." The idea of people looking at you like you're something odd reminds you once again of what is going on in Vancouver, and you ask, "Do you think Tim's plan is going to work?"
"What, making Missy help out with his mutagen experiments so she can see firsthand what the gerbils go through?" She shrugs. "I don't think it will change her mind about wanting one, but it is probably the best way for her to understand just what she's risking. If she goes through that and decides she still wants it, that's about as informed a consent as she could possibly give."
Hurrying to the front door before the angry storm clouds can open up and dump far too much water on your head, the two of you step inside. Just inside the building is a hallway with coat hooks and rubber mats on the floor, still set out for shooters coming in to practice during the snowy winter months, and beyond that is another door leading to the range proper. You open the inner door to find Kayleigh giving you a too-bright smile…
…and Laura standing behind her, looking at anything but you.
"Oh good," Kayleigh says, "you're here. I, uh, invited you out for a couple of reasons, actually. Number one is to go shooting, obviously, but number two is so you and Laura can quit talking yourselves out of talking and just kiss and make up."
Talking yourself out of talking? Somehow, you don't think that is a random guess at your behavior, so you turn to Kayleigh's most probable co-conspirator. "You told her about me not calling, didn't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Samantha says in a bland voice.
"Uh-huh." She smiles beatifically at you, and you can only sigh. Blasted Guardian Beasts trying to be helpful. "But I suppose this works. I do owe you an apology, Laura. I made some serious accusations about you, and then you went and proved every one of them wrong. Fighting with powers you are familiar with is a risk. Fighting with powers you've never practiced before? That takes even more courage."
Laura finally looks up at you. "You don't have to apologize. You were totally right. If it weren't for… you know who finding me and giving me a kick in the pants, I don't know if I would have gone out to help on my own."
"Hold up," Kayleigh says as she turns around to stare hard at Laura. "You told me you hung back and didn't need to get involved after all."
"I didn't want to worry you?" Laura mutters.
Kayleigh scowls and reaches out to flick the tip of the cape's nose. "No. Bad."
You grin slightly at the byplay and then wider just to further tweak Laura's nose when she notices. "So… We done then?"
"Are we done?" Kayleigh looks back at you in confusion. "Why would we be done? We still have the actual shooting to get to. You especially need some education in guns."
"Me especially?"
Kayleigh sighs and lays one hand on your shoulder. "Taylor, honey, you apparently don't know the difference between a revolver and a semi-automatic. That's basic common sense stuff. I'm not saying you need to become an expert on firearm trivia or anything, but it is my duty as your friend to make sure you at least know enough that you're not a danger to yourself."
A certain raccoon woman can't muffle what sounds suspiciously like a snigger.
You glance around to make sure that the four of you are still alone. "If I want to shoot someone, you do realize that I'm not going to reach for a gun, right?"
"And what will you do if you find yourself in a situation like last weekend except you can't risk using your other skills?" Kayleigh shrugs. "It's like my grandpa used to say. Better to have a skill and never need it than to need it and never have learned it. Besides, with the way you normally do your work, i wouldn't be surprised if you found out that you enjoy it."
"Sounds like you girls have a plan. Taylor, I'll see you back home—"
"Oh no you don't." You cross your arms and glare at Samantha. "You were part of organizing this whole thing. You get to hang around and participate."
Samantha's face blanches, and for good reason. You remember Firefly asking her to test out a laser rifle and the debacle that became. A menace, wasn't that how the Gear described her afterwards?
"The more the merrier," Kayleigh says, either unaware of Samantha's panic or perhaps taking some sort of amusement out of it. You have discovered firsthand how perceptive she can be when she wants, and that makes you wonder how much of her cheerful obliviousness is a facade. Or maybe she's just selectively smart. You honestly have no idea. "Now, I have to warn you. Because you are first time shooters, you need to go through a basic gun safety course before you can go out on the range." She checks her watch. "And how convenient. There's one that's supposed to start in just a few minutes."
"You planned this," you accuse.
"Planned this?" she asks in a suspiciously innocent voice. "Sometimes things just come together all on their own." She grins, ruining any pretense of ignorance. "Although I will admit I thought it would take longer for you two to apologize, otherwise the timing would have been perfect."
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Shoot me," Samantha begs half an hour later as the two of you leave the classroom. "They'll give you a gun. Just use that."
"It wasn't that bad," you tell her, although you both know your defense is a weak one. The class was not bad, exactly, though it was boring. You are not sure whether that is because you don't expect to be a regular shooter, because if things really go south you have a Barrier Jacket to protect you, or because the guy who gave the lecture was way too interested in the intricacies of gun safety.
Yes, you get it. Don't point the gun anywhere you wouldn't want a bullet going. You understood it the first time he said it. The next ten times were just overkill.
"Let's get everyone started," the instructor says to the entire class. "Everyone grab a lane on this end. I need to be able to supervise and make sure everything is going fine—"
"These two are with me, Sean," Kayleigh says, laying her hands on your and Samantha's shoulders. You blink and look around. Where in the world did she come from?
He frowns for a moment before shrugging. "Okay. It's a little irregular, but if you're keeping an eye on them, that'll make things easier."
"Cool. Come on, let's come down here."
"For him being all gung-ho about gun safety, letting us run off with someone random seems a little lax," Samantha says once you are out of earshot with the other girls.
Laura coughs lightly and looks at Kayleigh, who blushes. "Ah. Yeah. About that. I'm actually not someone random. I do a lot of shooting here between practicing on the rifle range outside and occasionally some fun time with pistols in here."
"And…" the brunette with blue bangs prompts.
"…And Mom told me I was sixteen and it was time to get a summer job, so I took a small arms instructor course and started working here." The blush glows an even brighter red. "I actually spent the summer teaching the same class you just took."
It is rare to catch her so embarrassed, and you cannot help but smile. "I guess we're in good hands then, aren't we?"
"Just get some safety glasses and ear protection. I'll grab a couple of guns for you," she says, not looking at you but sending a glare at Laura who has started snickering.
After fitting some goggles over your glasses, you set a pair of bulky plastic earmuffs on the counter in one of the cubicles. Stretching out in front of you is a long lane with a stereotypical law enforcement style target at the other end, human silhouette and all. Kayleigh comes back with a couple of matte black guns in her hands and gives you one along with several replacement magazines. It sits heavier in your hands than you would have expected. "I figured we'd get you started with something basic, a Glock 19. It fires 9 millimeter bullets, which has a pretty weak recoil all things considered. I think it was the first semi-auto I ever fired," she adds thoughtfully, "and it's definitely a good one to start with."
She gives the other gun and magazines to Samantha and then stands there with her arms crossed. You suppose that is as good of proof as anything else that she actually wants to watch you shoot. Sliding one of the magazines into the gun with a click, you point it downrange.
"Taylor. Ear protection."
Oh. Right.
By the time you have emptied the first magazine, you think you can appreciate why Kayleigh finds this to be so much fun, even if you personally have no inclination of taking it up as a major hobby. The gun is too noisy for you, and after spending months throwing around fireballs that can dance elaborately on their way to your target, being stuck with straight lines feels incredibly restrictive. There is still the satisfaction of landing a shot exactly where you want it, though, and while you have to think about each step in the process, for somebody who knows everything by muscle memory, it could be a zen experience.
You look at the holes in the target and sigh. Most of them are at least in center mass, but there are several that are nowhere close to where you wanted them to be. You thought your aim was better than that—
Another hole appears in the white background of the target, and with an empty gun in your hands, there is no way that came from you.
Movement to the side turns out to be Kayleigh tapping Samantha on the shoulder. You pull off your earmuffs in time to hear her say, "You do know you're supposed to be shooting at your own target, right?"
"I, uh, was trying to."
Kayleigh blinks several times and looks at Samantha's target. Looking at it yourself, you notice that it is absolutely pristine. "Oh," the blonde says after a moment to process that. "Maybe we should get you a lane with no one on either side so you don't interfere with their shooting?"
"Or maybe I should just stop."
"…That would be for the best, yeah."
You shake your head at that. "Anything you need to tell me, Professor Stevens?"
"More practice, less sass."
You laugh at that, joined by the other girl. Setting the gun down on the bench, you find yourself wondering, "What were you shooting while we were stuck in class?"
She vanishes behind the small wall between the lanes and pops back out with a very familiar gun in her hands. "It's been a while since I last fired a revolver, so it felt right to use your present. Plus, shooting .45 is always an experience. With my tiny hands," she says, wiggling the finger of one of the hands in question, "it feels like I'm wrestling a cannon every time I pull the trigger. It's not easy, but lots and lots of fun."
If she had been forced to use that gun in self-defense against the Fallen, you have a feeling she would have found it much less fun. Pushing what-ifs that never happened and can never happen again out of your mind, you focus on reality. She's safe and happy. If she wants to use a gun that has likely murdered nobody knows how many people to get some target practice in, you will do your best not to damage her innocence.
A series of bangs a short distance away stops, and Laura comes into sight as well. "Did you bring any extra rounds?"
"You can have mine/Samantha's," Samantha and Kayleigh say simultaneously.
"O…kay?" She looks back and forth between the two before deciding that she doesn't want to know after all. Moving her attention to you, she frowns. "Taylor. Any chance we can talk? Away from prying ears?" she adds with a look at the rest of the novice shooters.
"Took you this long to work up the nerve to ask?" you ask her teasingly. She looks away, but not before you see the frown that appears on her face. You did not mean to hit whatever exposed nerve you clearly danced on top of. "Sorry. I didn't… Sorry. Kayleigh, you work here. Anywhere we can talk?"
"I think I know just the place."
'Just the place' turns out to be the outdoor portion of the range, the part she uses for her riflery practice. No one is out here, and the pouring rain that is the most likely explanation for it being empty also creates a nice screen to prevent anyone from listening in. "I suppose you want to talk about what happened at the resort," you say, figuring being upfront will be the best way to open what you expect is going to be a complicated conversation. "What happened after we had our argument when you met Cassiel?"
"You do know what she is," Laura says with a voice of relief. "I assumed at the time that you did, but when I looked back at it, some of the things she said made me worry."
"Who's Cassiel?" Kayleigh asks.
Ah. You had not thought of this complication. After finding out that Laura had a Linker Core, you had planned to talk to her about magic, but you had not thought about how it would mean that Kayleigh would also find out. Still, if you are going to reveal it to one, you might as well do it to two, and better to jump right into the deep end than wade in and waste time. "Cassiel's a fairy."
She shakes her head. "Ha ha. I'm serious."
"So am I. She really is a fairy. Nine inches tall and magic."
"Magic? Really?" Kayleigh looks at you and Laura. "Magic and fairies? Is this a cape thing? Because if it is, it's my first time hearing about it."
"I hadn't heard about it until Saturday." Laura looks back at you expectantly, joined by Kayleigh with her own puppy dog eyes added on.
«You did plan to tell her,» Samantha reminds you.
«I know that!» You close your eyes and shake your head. This is not the first, nor the second, nor the third time you have told other people about magic. Somebody would think that you have gotten used to this. "Yes, magic is real. Everything you have seen me do, from flying around to throwing fireballs to teleporting place to place, is magic. I'm not a Tinker or anything. I just have the ability to use magic and Perfect Storm"—you touch the pendant hanging from your neck—"to help out with all the math."
"Math?" Kayleigh asks in weak voice.
That's right, math is very much not her best subject. "There's a lot of math involved in magic. Spells? They're just programs that work on the real world instead of in a computer. That's what Devices like Storm are for. They're supercomputers that assist in running the programs.
"The reason I'm bringing it is that you have magic too, Laura. You wouldn't have been able to Unison with Cassiel if you didn't."
Laura opens her mouth and immediately shuts it. This repeats a few times before she decides what she wants to say and how she wants to say it. "Assuming magic is real and you're not just a Tinker who's lost her mind or something… How did you know you had it? Is it something like if your magic is useful, it pops out and says 'hey, I can make you a super-cape' and if it's not, you never know you have it?"
"I didn't know I had magic until I found Perfect Storm. It's a long story," you tell them before they can react to the found comment. "Everything I can do, I learned to do with his help, and so have other people."
"Huh," Kayleigh says, looking at your necklace with new respect. "So you can teach other people to use magic?"
"If they have it, yeah. Like I said, I've taught a few people." For a moment, you consider passing along a warning about the PRT's new mages, but only for a moment. You like Laura, and you wonder about her heroic leanings, but right now she is still a villain and would be obligated to pass along what she finds out about the PRT to the rest of Winter Hill. They for sure do not need to know about the good guys' new advantage.
"Sounds like a lot of work to replace what comes naturally to capes," Laura says, blissfully unaware of the threats coming after her and the rest of her natural capes.
You open your mouth to shoot back at her dismissal, but strangely it is Kayleigh who beats you to it. "Or maybe it's the perfect way to get you out of Winter Hill. You're miserable," she continues, talking over Laura's denial. "You've been miserable since you got those damn powers. You hate that you're the only who cares about the people you claim to be protecting. You hate that you can't do more to do some good. You can pretend you're this stone cold bitch who doesn't give a shit about anyone else, but I remember when we were little and you cried because you didn't have any change to put in that Salvation Army kettle one Christmas. You want to help people, you want to do something good with your powers, and it breaks my heart that every time I see you put on that fucking costume I have to watch you kill off a little more of yourself."
Kayleigh grabbed Laura's hand during her impassioned plea, but the older girl looks down at the ground and tries to pull away. Not that she tries that hard, you notice. "It doesn't matter. What's done is done. I'm part of Winter Hill, and that's just the way it is."
"We both know the only reason you joined Winter Hill in the first place is because you didn't have any other choice. Now maybe you do!"
You wave your hand to get their attention. "What do you mean, you didn't have any other choice?"
Kayleigh blanches, but thankfully Laura is willing and able to explain. "Winter Hill doesn't allow any other capes in their territory. They even fight off the Protectorate when they try to muscle in. I live in the middle of their turf, so it was either I join up, my family has to up and leave, or the next time they saw me, things would get… ugly. My powers aren't all that strong. Any one of our other capes can and has kicked my ass. So yeah, I joined up. I would have to be stupid not to."
"Is there any way you can test her to find out how much magic she has?" Kayleigh asks.
"I can," you tell her with a nod. Internally, you are still reeling at the outburst the other girl let loose and everything you learned as a result. It certainly explains all the heroic tendencies you observed from Cailleach before, and maybe in its own way why she was so scared of doing anything at the resort that could out her as Cailleach. It has nothing at all to do with capes threatening Winter Hill through her. It's because she is afraid of what her own allies would do to her. She is trapped in a terrible situation with no way out, so she has buckled down and is just trying to get through it one day at a time.
Just like you were doing to try to survive at Winslow.
"Storm, staff please." Your necklace vanishes to reconstruct itself as your staff. Pointing it at Laura, you can't help but see that she is watching it with undisguised caution. "I'm going to scan you. You won't feel a thing."
Laura looks over at Kayleigh and finds only a silent plea to let you do your thing. "Okay, okay. Just get it over with."
Blue lines sweep over the girl, and the four of you watch the digital scan be deconstructed layer by layer to reveal the glittering spark in her chest that you already know she possesses. «Mistress,» Perfect Storm says, the telepathy catching you by surprise, «unexpected result. Mage still part of enemy organization. Does Mistress wish for mage to hear true result?»
You glance at the head of the staff quickly enough that the other girls should not notice anything amiss. «From what they just told me, I'd like to get Laura out of Winter Hill. I can't convince her to trust me more than them if I'm lying to her.»
«Understood.» Switching back to audible speech, your Device announces, "Linker Core detected. Estimated rank: AAA. Thermoelectric spectrum consistent with Ice Mana Conversion Affinity."
"Someone willing to explain any of that to me?" Laura drawls. "Like what the hell a 'triple-A' rank means? Do I have to go around picking up stranded people to recharge or something?"
"AAA rank highest rank of Linker Core capacity. Found in top 2% of mages."
Laura's mouth drops open slightly at that news. You decide to answer the next unspoken question. "A mana conversion affinity is a trait your magic has that will give some of your spells a certain 'element'." You conjure a single Flare Shooter. "Like mine. I have a Flare Mana Conversion Affinity. Makes me really good with anything related to fire."
Kayleigh smiles before sidling up to Laura and bumping her with her hip. "I'm sorry I said you were pretending to be an ice queen."
"Shut up."
The other girl laughs at her expense. "Now I'm kind of curious about me. Do you think you can scan me, too?"
"I can, but…" Your mind goes to Missy and how disappointed she was when she found out she did not have a Linker Core. "It's rare to have one. Our best estimates is that it's only in five percent of the population. One in twenty. Chances are you won't have magic."
Kayleigh waves your warning off. "Then I don't have something I never heard about until today. No big deal. I'm just curious."
It is hard to argue against that way of thinking, and now that she knows the probabilities, it probably is better if you just scan her and find out for sure one way or the other. A second scan takes only a few seconds, and you wait for the results to be processed and show her that she does not have any magic.
"Linker Core detected. Estimated rank: D."
Or maybe you'll be proven wrong.
"If AAA is the highest rank, I'm guessing D's pretty low," Kayleigh says. A moment later, she shrugs. "At least it isn't an F. If I found out I earned an F in life, that might be a little distressing. A D is still passing."
"As your grades proved again and again," Laura mutters, earning a pout from Kayleigh. "How do we have magic, anyway? Is it random or genetic or what?"
"It is genetic," you confirm, "but it's entirely maternal. Mother to child. Men can have magic, no question about that, but they can't pass it on."
"Thank god," Laura says in a whisper.
"Oh, oh, oh!" Kayleigh adds excitedly, all but drowning Laura out. "If it's maternal, then Aunt Emma has to have magic too, because she's my mom's sister! But that also means Herman has magic." The eager light in her eyes dies. "Shoot. That would have been fun to hold over his head."
"You don't have to tell him, you know," Samantha tells her.
"True enough. Hey, are there any movies or TV shows that are close to right about magic?" she asks. "If we're going to be the witch squad, I want to make sure I'm acting the part."
"Compiling list," Perfect Storm says before you can even fully ask yourself what she wants. "Transmitting to Kayleigh's communication device."
Sure enough, a few seconds later her phone dings. She pulls it out and looks at it, her eyes growing wide. "Oh. That's, uh, several. I guess I'll see you at school on Monday, Taylor. I have a lot of homework to do."
Laura's character entry updated.
Kayleigh added to Magical Potentiates.
I have done so much research into different guns the last few chapters, and I don't even own or want one!
Question that has nothing directly to do with the characters in the chapter. It's been suggested that since I am restricting templates for the near future and Lacey has essentially ignored her Infinite Enhancement template except to heal, we redo her design to make her a normal Device mage and "refund" her template so we can give it to someone else who's actually willing to play combat support.
If we do this, Lacey will go back to being a C-rank mage, still with her current Boost Device. She WILL keep four spells from her current list: Cover (her invisibility spell), Strike Boost, and Physical Heal she has either been seen or been mentioned to use in-story. Her last spell, Guardian Beast, was LancerisDead's reward. She will start with 0 XP in the bank but will benefit from the same passive XP gain all Device mages are getting, so she won't have to get into fights in order to learn more healing spells and might actually grow.
[ ] Keep Lacey as a template mage
[ ] Make Lacey a regular mage
Last edited:
Doctor_Hayden
Plant-Katto
- Location
- Morioh, 1999
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Hm, so mark that down as one *more* Device we need to build...
[X] Make Lacey a regular mage
[X] Make Lacey a regular mage