Week 0 - part 1
[X] Explore the city
Crossville is a large city and has been around for around thirty years. Originally starting life as a small village, it was thanks to a mistake in road planning that resulted in two large highways that intersected each other right in the middle of the then small village. Not wanting to deal with the trouble of relocating the village, it was left alone. The villagers took advantage of the fact that their small community now had hundreds, thousands of people driving through the city and began setting up shops and motels to bring in money to the village. The village quickly grew in size and before long it had become a city.
Crossville as a city is divided into four main areas by the two massive intersecting highways that made it the city it is today. Each area can be divided into smaller districts and at the centre of the city where the highway intersect is the CBD, the financial and economic center of Crossville is located. It is also where the Guardian Branch HQ is located.
The north area is where the majority of the middle-class residential districts are located along with a number of schools for primary and secondary education as well as a few hospitals and shopping districts.
The east area is where the rest of the middle-class residential district can be found along with the high-class residential districts as well. It is also where most of the city's art, music, and literature buildings can be found.
The south area is a strange mix of low class residential, industrial, commercial and agricultural districts. It is also where much of the cities parklands and nature zones can be found. It also hosts the highest concentration of non-humans in the city, mainly beastfolks, extra-terrestrials, and spirits.
The west area is where most of the city's industry is located along. It is also where a lot of companies have their research facilities and the likes located. It is also unfortunately where the slums are located as well.
There are roughly twenty different districts in Crossville and you going to have to know which district is which if you going to be a superhero here.
For now, you're just exploring the city to familiarise yourself with the people and various locations that will be good to know in an emergency.
Exploration Roll: 35 (Minor Setback)
Unfortunately, unlike Moondew Valley, the people here are very aware of who you are and what you've done. It's hard to enjoy sightseeing when you have people calling you names, laughing at you, and constantly interrupting your sightseeing plans. Worse, it appears that word's out that you're in Crossville. Nothing official yet, only various social networking sites have started telling the world that you're in Crossville in your hero suit.
The comments on facebook and twitter are disheartening. No one seems to think that you're a proper hero anymore and that you being in Crossville has been taken as you being reassigned to a position out of the way from proper heroes. You do note that Snow has been doing damage control so all that has happened is the public's opinion of you having dropped further.
Eh, what else is new.
[Reputation suffers five points of damage. Reputation is now: -55 (Dude you suck!)]
Stealth Roll: 95+30: 125: Critical Roll: 23+25: 48
However, you refused to let your less-than-stellar reputation ruin your day so when you headed out the next day, you went in disguise. With your head bandaged up like a mummy and a scarf masking your snout as well as you wearing a sharp looking sit provided by Snow, nobody looks at you twice. People in this day and age are too use to strange looking people and you're barely a blip on the weirdness sensor in your getup.
On that note, you might have done a too good of a job with you disguise because during the week, while checking out the museum for any objects of suspicion, some guy bumped into you on purpose, slipping you an envelope and disappearing before you could ask what the heck was that all about.
The envelope contained a letter detailing a negotiation between someone called Mister M and his associates about the weapon shipments that Snow detected were coming into Crossville. Score! Looks like you just got a massive lead on that problem.
On that note, Snow informed you that some guy in a similar getup as you had been caught in a car accident that day. Well, talk about lucky breaks.
[Lead on Illegal Weapon Shipment Found. Illegal Weapon Shipment Investigation available next week.]
[X] Search for Ninjas
Perception: People Roll: 92+20: 112: Critical Success: 92+12: 104: Second Critical Success: 93+4: 97
Deciding to look into the ninja situation, you were met with almost immediate success. Shortly after the incident at the museum, you noticed that several people had been following you around. Disguised as various pedestrians, workers, and a dog in one case, your powerful sense picked up something was off about all of them.
Deciding to nip this situation in the bud, you made a show of stroking the dog's head affectionately. Whoever was pretending to be a dog was doing so almost perfectly but your instincts told you that what you were petting was no dog. Then, without warning, you picked up the dog and ran off with it. Despite being ninjas, you easily threw them off despite the fake dog struggling in your grasp.
Once you determined that they were gone, you headed back to base where you threw the dog into containment. Energy tendrils quickly lock the dog in midair, unable to move anything except their mouth. Snow simply watches from the sideline, waiting for something to happen. The former assassin didn't hesitate to open up containment just for a dog, believing you completely that the dog was, in fact, a ninja.
"Grrrrr!" The ninja disguised as a dog growls at you and you respect that they refuse to break character despite the situation they are now in. However, you aren't having none of that.
"I already know you're not a dog. So stop being one." You request curtly. The dog simply continues growling and snapping at you for a few minutes but eventually it stop and lets out a sigh.
"Well, I must admit, this is quite embarrassing." The dog mutters in resignation before exploding in a cloud of smoke. Ventilation quickly clears the smoke and you find a middle-aged man wearing a black outfit trapped in a tangle of glowing rope. "You are far more skill than your reputation says." Then he smirks. "But not nearly skilled enough."
Suddenly he explodes into smoke again, and you see a log in his place. However, in that moment, Snow moves.
"FREEZE!"
"GAH! COLD!"
Turning around, you find the ninja trapped in a block of ice with only his head free. Snow whistles innocently as she leaves the room with you and the ninja staring after her.
"…If this was a mission of great importance, I would be asking for you to assist me in seppuku." The ninja says with a hint of awe in his voice. "However, the mission that I have been given was not a critical one and all that has been hurt is my clan's pride."
"Is that so?" You're still trying to process how the ninja managed to escape the energy bindings that were capable of holding a B class Brute only to end up being caught by Snow almost immediately.
"Indeed. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kai and I am a member of the Zerozaki Clan. We mean you no harm, Jackrabbit-san. This I assure you. Now could you kindly break me free from this ice? It is awfully cold."
About ten minutes and a cup of hot cocoa later, you are seated in the command centre across Kai with Snow watching to make sure he doesn't try any funny business.
"Okay, so talk. Why were the Zerozaki clan following me?"
"Simple. Information is power as you must have heard numerous time and when the Guardians set up shop in our city, we the Zerozaki must know what new player has arrived."
"Meaning us, me and Snow."
"That is correct. While we are already quite informed on Esd – "
"Snow. It's Snow or Miss Snow." Your friend interrupts. She has long since abandoned her old name and she does not hesitate in punishing anyone who uses it.
"Apologies, Miss Snow. In any case, we knew quite a bit about Miss Snow but we only had outdated information about you, Jackrabbit-san. Considering that you have been absent from the superhero scene for several month, especially after your appearance on James Rogans Talk-show, we decided to rectify that."
"So you decided to follow me around as a dog."
"Yes though as you can see, you easily penetrated our disguises. For that, I praise your observation skills. Not many can see through our deception so easily."
"Right, right. So what does the Zerozaki want?"
"I shall be frank. One of our members is capable of divining future events and what they have predicted unsettles my entire clan. We hoped that once we have finished investigating you and the future members of your branch, we would be in a better position to negotiate an exchange of resources and services."
"Is that so?"
"It is so."
"So what now?"
"Give me one moment" Kai took out a smartphone from…somewhere and started texting. As you wait for Kai, Snow goes off to make some tea. After a couple of minutes, Kai puts away the phone and pulls out a scroll. At the same time, your Guardian COMP starts vibrating.
What was it now?
Kai stops what he's doing when you raise a hand as you check the message on your COMP. A holographic screen appears in front of you and boxes start showing up. Urgh, you can barely understand what half of these boxes are saying so you just close them all and open up the inbox. One of these days you'll have to learn how to use these things properly.
Huh, it looks like the Guardian just confirmed that a new hero will be joining your branch. Well, ain't that nice? Since it's only you and Snow at the moment, having more manpower will be a great help to future endeavours. According to the information that the Guardians have given you, the new hero is called Blossom who as expected has plant-based powers. Turning off your COMP, you return your attention back to Kai. Motioning him to continue, Kai opens up the scroll and lay it spread out across the floor.
"Kai, what the hell are you doing?" You ask as you look at what's on the scroll. A large kanji in ink that you don't recognise and squiggly lines going out from it plus more kanji that you can't read on the left and right sides of the scroll.
"Summoning." Kai bites his thumb and slams it into the middle of the scroll. Blood spreads out from where he presses against the paper and before you can do anything, smoke fills your vision.
"Wh-Wha-What's going on!?" You hear something cry out. Female, unfamiliar, an unknown. You punch at the smoke, blowing it away with the wind thrown by your fist. You then find yourself staring at a girl in her early teen…in her underwear looking very confused and embarrassed. Kai stares at the girl for a few moments before face-palming. The sound of palm meeting face catches the girl's attention and she turns around and upon seeing Kai, kneels with her head down. "M-Master Kai! I –"
"Misaki, you were told to be on stand-by in case this happened." Kai sullenly states, not a hint of amusement in his tone. "Why are you in your underwear?"
"I-I was putting on my clothes after taking a bath, Master Kai," Misaki explains shakily. Her quickened pulse and the slight hitch in her voice says she's lying.
"Hmmph, you lie but that doesn't matter now. As of today, you shall be part of Crossville Guardians."
"What." Did you hear him correctly? Did the ninja just say that this girl was to be part of the Guardians?!
"Master Kai? I-I don't understand."
"And you do not need to. All you must know is that to help further our influence in Crossville, you are to become an exemplary heroine. Your codename shall be Blossom."
….How the hell did this Zerozaki Clan get the guardians to register a brand new hero in a few minutes!?
"W-What!? But I haven't even finished my training, Master Kai!" Misaki protests with tears starting to well up at the corners of her eyes.
"Consider this part of your training then. Now go find something to wear." Kai says, dismissing his apparent student who hesitates but eventually bows before leaving the command centre to presumably find some clothes. Kai lets out a weary sigh before turning to you. "I apologise for that. Most of our other students are much more disciplined. I hope you do not hold this incident against her."
"Wait! Hold on a second! Just what the fuck was that!? How the flipping hell did you get the Guardians to register her so fucking fast?!"
"Oh, that? We've been preparing for this for a little while now. Unfortunately, the one who was meant to originally take the mission is currently unable to do so thus why Misaki is here due to the fact that her particular skill set, lacking as it is at this time, is the only one that matches what we have registered beforehand. And no, I will not explain why we have done so. The clan will be sending Misaki's possession over tomorrow. I hope that you will take care of her and help her become stronger, Jackrabbit-san."
"Now hold up just a second here, I haven't – "
"Until we meet again!" Kai throws down a smoke bomb and fills the room with white smoke. You lunge at him but he's already gone, leaving you with a wet-behind-the-ears ninja hero in training.
Shit.
"Tea's ready and oh, did he leave already? Ninja are just so rude!" And Snow comes in carrying a tray of tea and biscuit. "I suppose that's more for us then?"
"Excuse, do you have any spare clothes that I can – GAH! COLD!"
"JJ…Why is there a half-naked teenage girl walking around the base?"
God, you hate ninjas.
[Found the Zerozaki Ninja Clan. Zerozaki Clan is friendly and wishes to help. New Hero Blossom Recruited/Ninja Trainee forced upon you]
Training results coming tomorrow