-Again, thanks for taking the time to post this at ~4.30am your time.
Most appreciated.
-Penny is having nightmares. Given her control issues, this could go very badly.
We don't even know if all the old Philly Wards parents survived the Nine; I mean, the death toll is less than 1% of the city population, so they're low-risk.
And the PRT would have prioritized their evacuation when shit went south. Still, it's good to confirm.
- Iris being moved to Brockton Bay is interesting, since if he's at the Cradle, it means he's literally hovering in midair several hundred feet over the BB Crater. I trust that after he survived Behemoth at close range, the USAF will know better than to try to nuke him.
If nothing else, his new 4th Endbringer Rep will keep the knowledgeable away from poking the Happy Fun Ball.
-Noting that Prayer's Intimacy towards Iris is significantly more neutral than Taylor's.
And that Saki has no Intimacy towards him.
- Lord Grasp's furnishings are
spectacular.
-Cauldron needs someone to look through Mannequin's brainmeats for timebombs.
And Manton's for insanity. And Saki just showed up with POS submods that need to be tested.
What a coincidence
I guess she's going to get the hard sell.
The world vibrates as one, sounding out a single word that transcends language.
Just going to note that the only other parahuman/person who communicates directly in people's heads is Ziz.
Just so people realize the level of freakout going on here.
The only reason why they aren't throwing everyone into Master/Stranger confinement is because RCB/Alexandria can't afford to be quarantined.
And that it didn't stop the Alchemicals/spirits anyway.
As far as anyone can tell (after a few off-camera checks are made), the terrifying display wasn't even felt outside of the rooms everyone was in - though Dragon seemed especially unsettled that the spirit had frozen her as well. Probably something to do with her rumored health issues that prevent her from being seen outside? Or maybe it messed up all the multi-tasking she was doing?
Oh dear.
Iris, what have you done now? Tell me you didn't crack the Birdcage accidentally on purpose?
You didn't feel like adding even more awful revelations to your day by pressing for a complete answer there, but you're starting to understand why there isn't a public story for that yet.
The rumors must be spectacular, though. And increasingly outlandish, the longer this goes on.
Surprised the PRT and the US govt managed to keep a lid on things this long.
Good chance that Saki might be involved in crafting the public response.
After that decision, the rest of the meeting begins to blur together - to the point where you only realize it's over when Miss Militia presents you with a cup of water…
… and you're in a completely different room, sitting on a couch.
Alloyed Reinforcement of Flesh is obviously not calibrated right, if she's falling asleep after a mere twelve hours or so.
Or she could simply have been bored, which is just as likely.
There's a pause in her typing, then she frowns. "Is a… 'Meat Lover's' alright?"
You nod, still sipping, being careful not to let the growing smile show. Lewd pizza is best pizza. Is there a way you can get Miss Militia to pick up the pizza herself? And record it, of course.
Everyone's going to have to be wary of Saki using innuendo at their expense,now, aren't they?
"Who wanted twenty inches of meat in their face!?" Clockblocker crows, making Miss Militia grumble loudly beside you.
"Psh, you're not even half that," Who laughs, the baseball-themed Ward jeering through her opaque faceplate as she follows in behind Clockblocker with a slap to his armored rear.
Huh.
That is deliberately ambiguous.
Either Aisha's gotten over her crush and is treating him as a really close friend, or she and Dennis have moved beyond making moon eyes at each other in the past week.
To be a fly on the wall for the big brother talk from Brian.....
Xylophone and Mjolnir silently fill in behind the rest, the silent bruiser carrying a large pink box in one hand as he politely closes the door behind him-
Yeah, we should probably do something for Mjolnir.
Nice kid.
Even Penny gives you a wary pat on the shoulder, though the deep circles under her eyes make her look as haggard as you feel.
This is...concerning.
Given Penny's issues, VERY concerning.
It could be the trauma of having been torched by Burnscar that's still giving her nightmares, if we're lucky.
Or it could be something else.
"Bobby's family is taking a vacation to a few national parks,"
Noted the clever evasion of Missy Belle Biron's exact circumstances.
You really are enjoying milking the uncertainty
Or keeping your options open. Possibly both.
I prefer the evil GM milking player distress theory, for the record
Oh, and Bobby's parents survived the Nine. Nice to know.
You freeze. That… ok, that wasn't what you were expecting. It's… good? Yes, good. But… that doesn't explain why Aisha still looks like she's scared of you asking more questions.
The fact that Saki turned to Aisha for answers?
Helps establish Aisha's characterization here.
Nice touch.
"So..." you reluctantly keep her gaze, even though you know where this is headed. "Taylor's trying to... save... her?"
A slight nod, but with a regretful frown. "We no longer can afford waste, but she must prove worth the risk. After, she must save herself."
Interesting choice of words on Prayer's part.
… and then resolves into four figures, each dressed for war in their own ways. The two males favor weaponry, with the first armored efficiently and carrying an ornate, golden, seven-sectioned staff while the other wears practically nothing and hefts an egregiously-oversized hammer of burnished starmetal. The two women share a similar theme; the first is armored like what you'd expect from a fantasy battle-monk, while the second is basically wearing a ballgown and wielding paper fans.
First guy is confusing, since he's probably a Solar(Ori staff)since no First Age MA allows the seven section staff AND armor, and that is an MA weapon.
Guessing he's into Solar Melee charms.
Second guy is definitely a Sid, and is using either Celestial Monkey, Silver-Voiced Nightingale or the SMA Citrine Poxes of Contagion, which all allow the hammer. Or possibly Sid Melee charms.
First lady is an SMA user because she's unarmed, either Solar or Sid; even a Solar Solar Hero Stylist would be packing smashfists or something in the Primordial War, as would a Lunar. Prismatic Arrangement of Creation, Border of Kaleidoscopic Logic, Quicksilver Hand of Dreams and Scarlet-Patterned Battlefield are all no-armor, no weapons.
The second lady is using either Celestial Crane or Dreaming Pearl Courtesan, which both are no-armor and war fans.
No clue as to Exalt type.
"This worked because… spirits… are our function. It is the lens through which we see the world, the drive that bids us rise from lethargy, the meaning behind every action we take, and the wellspring of our contentment. While some may have dreams of more, it is always rooted in the growth of their domain."
You blink, more than a little shocked at how much this sounds like the fragments of shintoism you absorbed through your parents' ambivalence towards religion. You almost feel bad for not having learned more about it - and a little surprised that Taylor didn't mention this in her presentation?
It does, doesn't it?
I foresee Saki getting significantly more religious in the future. And exploring her Japanese heritage.
Gives her a frame of reference for explaining Creation and Autochtonia to other people.
Might not have occurred to Taylor because she wasn't raised Shinto.
Also, you're pretty sure that guy with the hammer is winking at you while eyeing his hammer with a grin and arched eyebrows. By the Law of Lewdness you are forced to nod in approval, and you're pretty sure that must be "Kazin" that Lord Grasp mentioned before.
rofl:
"I am Crushing Grasp, the spirit of a long-lost, long-forgotten Mark III Siege Pagoda, and it is only through dedication to my purpose and the bond between master and familiar that gives me the strength to remain."
The four figures glance at Lord Grasp's representation, growing wistful or chagrined.
And we get a GM statement on where exactly Grasp's material body got to.
Given the reactions of the four figures, I'm betting that one of those Exalts was responsible for the circumstances under which it was lost.
"W-what?! You mean run away-?!"
"Please, Warden," he huffs, throwing up his claws in exasperation. "I never run away. Tactical retreats are another matter, of course…"
All the figures nod in very serious agreement at that.
Thank the Maker!
I was worried that Valor 5 might mean refusing to retreat, and wondering how anyone with Valor 5 survived the Primordial War.
Entirely possible that a final stand of that sort might have been involved in the loss of Grasp's original pagoda body.
… and with a slow, solemn wave, the figures disperse.
"Perhaps we should not repeat our mistakes."
:hugs:
"What is it that you want to do?"
…
You… haven't really ever considered… what you would want to do... by yourself. There are ships and pairings and snacks and boys that you've maybe wanted alongside Sakura, and the last few days have been nothing but trying to figure out what you want to do with Taylor and Prayer…
No, not like that.
Maybe like that?
Okay, I think we have a pretty strong handle on who Saki is.
And it turns out that separation of the Twins might be good for their individual growth, by forcing them to stand on their own and grow in ways they may previously not have.
Tough love on Autobot's part there.
For some reason, he doesn't understand the concept of 'back pains'. There's no way she could have not had to deal with that… right? And how did she do magical kung-fu in a dress with those things?!
Something to experiment with later, maybe. When no-one's looking. Because you have taste.
Yup.
A VERY strong handle on who Saki is.
Careful what you wish for, Saki.
"Ms. Kurosawa," the Mediterranean woman in a trimmed business suit greets you evenly, looking up from the open portfolio she is carrying in her left hand.
"This way, please," she calmly offers, gesturing with her free right hand down the white corridor behind her while snapping the portfolio closed. "We have been waiting."
+1 Style points, Contessa.
Pity you aren't an option for our Assembly.
Taylor obviously isn't here; if she was, she is the person who would be asking Saki over.
Not a stranger doing the parahuman equivalent of waving at the attractive teenager from inside a white van.
So Cauldron is making an independent play for a private audience.
On one hand, I can see why Cauldron would be very motivated to secure the cooperation of a Social Exalt, let alone one who can teleport and shapeshift. They don't even need to be acting in bad faith, though I fully expect them to be willing to exploit any wedge they can see in the Assembly.
On the flip side, I'm pretty certain that Cauldron don't yet understand what Manipulation 7, Socialize 3, (+Quiet Observations 1), Investigations 2(+Body Language 1), Stunt 2 means for a conspiracy that's trying to compartmentalize information.
Going to note that since Saki didn't get any dinner last night?
Contessa might actually try offering breakfast to get Saki to walk through the hole in midair to talk with the
shady people in the white van nice people extending an invitation.
