Goblin Queen [Worm/Exalted] [Crosspost]

[South]

Taylor totally has peripheral mote pools! They're called minions. Enough Raksha do this that they even have standard titles for some of them- Lorekeepers, Handlers. Unshaped have Emanations. Basically, if a Raksha has extra Heart Graces, they're as good as Peripheral Pools.

Other than that, Raksha have easy access to perpetual mote machines. Mannikin creation is cheap, and you can turn around and dissolve them for motes.

 

[earthboy]

I totally want Taylor to develop a Tinker-tech peripheral mote storage device.

When she uses it, her caste mark shows up glowing on her forehead (it's a trollface).

When she really uses it, her anima banner swirls around her (it's a swarm of bugs which is emulated by being an actual swarm of bugs).

 

[Biigoh]

​

Teaser~


We fought on, trading blows and witty quips that cut sharper than our blades as we used our mutual history against each other; such as the fact that Emma use to wet her bed constantly when younger to counter the horrible truth that I had been frightened by cartoon ponies and unicorns.

 

[Ganurath]

...And Regent's recording everything being said for later use.

 

[Biigoh]

...And Regent's recording everything being said for later use.

Click to shrink...

Alec "Naturally. This is prime material."

 

[Biigoh]

​

We fought on, trading blows and witty quips that cut sharper than our blades as we used our mutual history against each other; such as the fact that Emma used to wet her bed constantly when younger to counter the horrible truth that I had been frightened by cartoon ponies and unicorns.

I suspected that Alec was enjoying this, the entertainment of my and Emma's sordid histories coming up as we tore into each other. He did seem the kind to take delight in the suffering of others. Even if he denied it. Of course, with our airing of the dirty bits of our past like this before Lisa, it was a mutual disaster for both Emma and me.

At least, the one person watching the fight that wouldn't take advantage of our cutting words was Glory Girl, who seemed to be sighing and shaking her head.

Still, the glare that Emma gave me as I revealed that she hadn't really stopped wetting her bed until... well, it was a fierce glare as the crystals around her glared brighter and crackled with lightning dragons. Said glare was enough to make me draw back just a tad. Just a tad, mind. It might have been a bit too much to reveal, certainly Emma thought so as she ground out my name. "Rooose!"

"But Reddd, I was shocked. I had gotten you a lovely pony pajamas and then the next morning," I tsked almost innocently, with a look that said that butter couldn't surely melt in my mouth with a side order of would these adorkable eyes lie to you? I shook my head. "Imagine how I felt when we woke up and... well, I'm sure that you won't have such accidents with the Weaver Clothier outfit you got, right?"

As I spoke, I gathered my will and enforced it upon reality as I slashed with both my blades. Fast enough and fierce enough that the very air was rend in the passage of the slashes, and the vacuum from the slashes flew at Emma.

Alas, despite my attempts at striking her while stabbing into her psychological weak points, Emma proved that with sufficient rage, one could do anything. Like showing her displeasure and interposing her weapon to deflect my shaping enhanced attack into an empty container on one side the lot. Empty but for the fifteen spiders and twenty-six ants in it, thankfully none of the insects were harmed even if there was now a gapping X in the side of said shipping container.

I had to shake my head as she seemed to have worked out what I had been doing; avoiding essence usage unless it was necessary, simple but elegant defenses were always a good thing, multiple attacks to wear away at an opponent's defenses, and only use the massive charm enhanced attack when the opponent couldn't avoid it. And the most key tactic? Using the environment as part of the prop in a fight.

"Quit while you're ahead, I'll never lose to you," The low growl in her voice spoke of the unbridled passion in her heart and mind. "I might have done things that I regret. I might even have wanted us to-.... But what you did to... Shadow Stalker and Glitter Girl, I'll never forgive you. But more than that, I am not weak and I stopped wetting my bed a long time ago!"

"Hooooh." The look from me at her statement of not being a bed wetter for some time said just how much of this statement was factual.

The look of outrage on Emma's face as she came in with a stupidly fast side swing had me moving my blade to lock her great sword. A dead lock, I could more sense than see how her aura was wearing away at my swords. And it didn't help the way I had been parrying her fierce attacks.

Her elemental aura tore away at me, and ground away at the concrete at our feet. The dandelion that had sprung up between the cracks in the ground were utterly annihilated by the fury of Emma's crystals. My snarl as I ground and push my blades against her sword was mirrored by her own snarl.

The force that was focused between Emma and I was sufficient to crack the concrete used here in the lot. The metaphysical weight of our narratives, of our mutual attempts to overwhelm the other acting much like actual weight as a the cracks slowly formed a crater around us. The respiration of essence by the two of us was all the stronger for our attempts to overwhelm the other.

This was a classical scene, a test of strength. Which was why I wasn't prepared for what Emma did. A single detail missed was all it took, as she shifted to the side just so... before kicking straight up between out swords. The impact from the heel of her boot was enough to slam my head back and up.

She didn't seem to have had any training in fighting unarmed, thus I was completely caught by surprise as my body launched ever slightly upwards, the grip that I had on my swords loosened enough that I dropped them.

This was all that Emma needed to continue her attack as she flipped about in mid-air, before slamming her boots into me with far more force than what anyone could expect from her. Certainly, I wasn't expecting to be kicked hard enough that when I slammed into a shipping container, my body imprinted itself there.

Given that my weapons were by Emma, was it any surprised that I charged her with a punch. Only to run into her counterattack.

"There's nothing you can do! Now taste justice!" Certainly Emma seemed to get into the spirit of the fight as she retaliated.

There was no escape, slash after slash glided across my body. Essence fueling the supernatural and impossible speed that Emma moved and fought with.

Crimson lines showed the paths of her slashes.

I couldn't escape such a focused attack. I couldn't parry such an array of attacks, to defend against a single slash was to open myself up to the follow up.

This was it. I had no escape. My defensive bulwark of charms were penetrated, worse, her charms ensured that I would be diced up into itty bitty bits. Truly, I was doomed.

Naturally, I cheated. It was an act of desperation on par with what she had done earlier. Precious motes of essence were spent, more than that, I sacrificed a gossamer token. One of the charms that had been loaned to me allowed me to perfectly avoid harm from a single attack.

The forceful slashes by Emma were perfectly executed, and on another day might even have killed someone. Certainly, she killed Rose Knight, who exploded into an small cloud of rose petals and butterflies.

I had, by this time, recovered my swords while shrouded in glamour and essence. It was only natural that I repositioned myself behind Emma before lunging forwards, my blades ready to scissor Emma's neck between them; to hold her life hostage and thus claim the win.

"Oops, sorry about that. Looks like you just killed a decoy." With such an advantage, I had to smile as I spoke up. "It's all over, Red!"

There was a single sublime moment, where I knew I had her before her essence flared once more. I could only look on in surprise as I stumbled forwards with no Emma to rest my blades against.

"Yeah, for you." Emma's voice was low and menacing as she spoke from behind me. That was when I knew I had lost. Really, the back and forth could only result in someone making a fatal mistake. And here and now, that was me as she used a charm to dodge me and more... another charm to counterattack. One which denied me the opportunity to escape.

Her motion was smooth and swift like lightning. And her blade was... sharp. Very sharp. I could only blink as the breeze from her attack blew my hair upwards before she walked around me as if unconcerned.

The reason showed themselves soon enough as my arms fell off. Both of them.

"My arms!" My scream was only natural, right? My scream of absolute denial and shock as blood gushed from where I had been cut. "I can't fight without them. You... you bitch!"

"That's why I cut them off," Emma said as she stood before me with a smirk. "Besides, I heard that you can survive losing an arm or two. You're like a cockroach that way."

I sulked and forced the blood to stop gushing out. That was one of the benefits of being able to use essence, the ability to stop one's blood from going all over the place. Not that Emma had worked that one out, given the slight scrapes and cuts here and there on her body still bled. "You're no fun. And there's nothing wrong with cockroaches, they're perfectly good and useful as part of the eco system."

Still, I smiled. "Besides, all I need to do is just have someone hold my arms to the stumps and they'll heal pretty quick."

Which was where Emma proved she was still a bitch, and a sore winner as she stomped on my arms and allowed her elemental essence to destroy them.

"...." I could only look at her boots in horror before lifting my gaze to look at her in the eyes before speaking. "You monster. Fine, you win."

"Besides, I recall Shadow Stalker telling me that you boasted you could regrow your limbs, you'll survive, right?" That smirk directed at me was almost enough to get me to continue the fight with her. That overly smug smirk.

"Tch, I'll make sure to cover the cost of your Weaver Clothier outfit," I sighed and looked away from her. "But tell me... Red. Are you happy with this?"

"Hmmm?" There was a questioning look from Emma at me.

Given the fast and furious nature of our fight, it wasn't surprising that our audience weren't about to jump in. Not with the way we were free with our attacks.

Still, now that there was a lull, it appeared that the wounds inflicted on me was enough to make some of them pale.

"Does this satisfy you?" I looked at her as one of my goblins brought out the chalice brought not that long ago from a certain shady merchant. "Does this make you forgive whatever I did to offend you enough to turn away from me, to do what you have been doing since that summer."

It might seem counterintuitive to drink wine created in a magic chalice, but it was an idea that worked as I found my wounds sealing shut and my arms reforming as I drank the wine deeply.

It was rich in flavor and texture, sweet and smokey citrous. The taste sang of all the wonders and joys of summer bottled up with cool nights beneath an open sky as the stars and moon danced above.

Here, Emma had to pause as she thought about my question as I flexed my healed arms.

Eventually, she gave me her answer. In some ways, it was one that I had expected. In others, it was something that I didn't wish for.

- - -
Goblin Queen | Extinction are an ending of sorts.
Worm / Exalted
- - -​

Writer's notes : Does anyone want a listing of Emma charm usage?

 

[Biigoh]

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O O O​

Topic: Tale of a Mean Girl
In: Boards ► Creative Writing
God Empress Rose (Original Poster) (Member) (Awesomest Write-tan)
Posted on Feb 24, 2011:

So, I've recently found out that you could do creative writing here, so I thought I might try my hand at a little something to wet my toes.

Please feel free to provide C&C. I don't mind things like "you suck" as long as you give reasons why or how I could suck less.

Yours,
God Empress Rose

- - -

Once upon a time, there was a mean girl.

You could tell she was mean because she had red hair and liked to use her beauty to make people agree with her. More than that, she liked to bully a harmless girl with words, and things like trapping her in small enclosed spaces.

You could tell this is one of those stories because one day, that harmless girl made new friends. Very special friends who helped her escape from a disgusting place.

You see, that mean girl, with her friends had built a trap for the harmless girl. A cage filled with disgusting things that they pushed the harmless girl into.

It was in there that the harmless girl became something that wasn't harmless.

In fact, that harmless girl became anything BUT harmless as she attained that fabled state that some might call an RPG Final Boss. She had new friends, and she had nigh infinite potential.

That was when she started her revenge.

Oh, she didn't want to kill the mean girl. That was pointless, they were friends once upon a time, long ago. No, she would do something worse to that mean girl.

She broke herself to hone her powers, to achieve her potential.

She smiled and bowed her head as the mean girl continued to speak to her with mean words, and did things to push her down ever further.

She forged wonders beyond human conception.

More, she never forgot her revenge.

She would eclipse that mean girl. She would reduce that mean girl into just another faceless girl in society.

There was a plan, of course, there always was. Become famous, wealthy, and powerful. The details were, as always, vague and would change, but the end goal stayed the same.

- - -

To Be Continued

(Showing Page 69 of 69)

► Black-Eldjötunn
Replied on May 9, 2011:

This story oddly reminds me of something or rather... God Empress Rose, I must ask this, are you from Brockton Bay?

► Mechanical Messiah
Replied on May 9, 2011:

...

Damnit! Black-Eldjötunn, don't necro long dead threads. Look at the post dates before you reply.

Also, asking someone a question like that is very much against the rules.

► XxVoid CowboyxX
Replied on May 9, 2011:

Oh goddammit, a necro! Even if, yes, that story is kind of familiar.

► GstringGirl
Replied on May 9, 2011:

Come on guys, she's a newbie. There's no need to chew her head off.

► Black-Eldjötunn
Replied on May 9, 2011:

Oh come on, the last post wasn't THAT long ago. I didn't see you guys chewing off the head of All Seeing Eyes.

But even, so I'll be careful in the future.

► God Empress Rose
Replied on May 9, 2011:

Black-Eldjötunn, I am from Brockton Bay. It's listed in my profile.

► Xiao-Long [Moderator]
Replied on May 9, 2011:

I'm locking down this thread until God Empress Rose wants it unlocked.

Also, Black-Eldjötunn, given that you only registered yesterday, I will be lenient and not give you an infraction or warning. In the future, please make sure to check the last post date in threads before replying.

The rest of you, there are report buttons. There is no need to reply in a thread that was necro'ed.

[First] [Prev] [69] [Next] [Last] [Unread]

O O O​

Topic: The Adventures of Emily Barnabes
In: Boards ► Creative Writing
God Empress Rose (Original Poster) (Member) (Awesomest Write-tan)
Posted on May 08, 2011:

Due to some recent events, I was inspired to try out something different... tell me what you think? Completely new continuity. It's not a Rose Knight story.

In any event, I call this story The Adventures of Emily Barnabes, Part 1, Emily vs the Sky Bandit.

Emily sighed as she closed her hand and the locket it held. Her wavy red hair waved in the wind as she got up from where she had been sitting in front of a pair of graves.

There was a look of resolution in her eyes as she looked out across the barren land that had once been her home. The dreaded bandit Rose had flown over it in her mobile citadel and destroyed it and the nearby town of Port-town, a small town that was one a large river and which served as a trade center.

She had cried. She had refused to accept the truth, but in the end all she could do was accept reality. And that reality was, she needed to stop Rose before it was too late. To prevent more deaths like her wife and daughter.

She got on her horse, shadow feet. It had once belonged to her wife when she was younger and rowdy troublemaker.

No more tears, she vowed.

With that she rode into the plains after the maurders.

Many days and cold nights later, she came upon a city... it was here that dismay fall upon her, she could see how large it was and how well defended it had been. Well... before it had been gutted like a fish.

And she continued on, always hunting down the crimson fortress that terrorized the world.

Eventually, she reached the harbor town of Brock. It was here that she discovered thay the bandit Rose had ventured across the seas and was even now ravaging foreign nations.

It was at Brocktonne that Emily made friends. Good ones who agreed that bandit Rose was a menace that had to be stopped.

One of who was Hotrod, a tinker whose specialty was vehicles. She held a grude for her creation being destroyed by Rose in an attack. It was she who suggested building a new ship to take on the bandit Rose's flying fortress when it returned. And it would return.

With that, hard work and guts happened. Jet turbines were constructed and added to the ship. It was at Old Man Defiant's suggestions, that the ship was streamlined and only had a pair of canons up top, the rest of it was sealed. The munitions were provided courtesy of the shady foreign chemist Fire Blossom.

It was Professor Top who suggested an alternative form for the ship, noting how dangerous it would be to assault the Sky Bandit's flying fortress from below where her Under Bandits laired and rappelled down from to loot the cities and towns attacked.

And yet, even as they worked away on the ship that would bring peace to the world, they kept an eye and ear out on the wireless, and the news that was announced there. Of the unyielding rampage of the bandit Rose. And more importantly, of the route she was taking.

It was relief that filled the hearts of those who had slaved away when the SS Dragon was ready to set sail for the bandit Rose was but a few hours away from the harbor town of Brock.

With a clear sky, and a strong wing blowing inland, the SS Dragon took to the seas with Captain Super and Old Man Defiant manning the ship from inside while Emily and Hotrod enjoyed the sunshine and wind on top.

With a band of clouds and fog surrounding it, the crimson flying fortress was easy to spot. With its curved ring hull and towers rising from the rear.

With a roar of thunder, the SS Dragon fired upon the flying citadel. To little effect as not even the brilliant explosives of the shady chemist was enough to do more than dent the hull.

That was when the flying fortress returned fire!

With the sea exploding around them, it was all that Emily and Hotrod could do to avoid being thrown off the sides of the ship.

With a desperate curse, Captain Super and Old Man Defiant looked at each other with manly determination before pushing forward the shift clutch all the way.

Wings unfurled from the side as the SS Dragon was pushed down by the slashes of the waves before ascending into the heavens above as the jet engines pushed it forwards and up.

And straight into a wall of shots from the citadel.

Eventually, even with the horrible shooting, chance dictated that even the SS Dragon would be hit. And so it was.

With fire exploding everywhere, SS Dragon plunged down towards the sea.

"Go! We'll live, but you're the world's only hope, Ems," Hotrod's smile was bittersweet as she clutched her side where a growing redness on her blouse indicated that she might not survive this.

With a grimace, Emily leapt from the SS Dragon, her powers transforming her body from flesh to stone even as she landed. With a little bit more concentration, she pulled a stone broadsword out of chest and watched as it ignited in flames.

"Oooh! Someone dares to challenge me, this is rare," The words that rang out. The wavy brown hair that flapped in the wind. That tall skinny frame in a white blouse and dark trousers.

Emily could see the face of her friend from long ago in the Sky Bandit, but all grown up and twisted. "Rose... Taylor?!? It can't be."

"I haven't heard that name in a long time, Emily. Yes... Emily. Little Emily. Hows the little girlfriend of yours?" The confident smirk on the bandit's face was filled with mockery. This wasn't her friend of long ago, not any more. Whatever had twisted her had made her into something... different and wrong.

"Sophita is my wife, and you killed her!" With that, Emily charged the bandit who snapped her finger to the side as she stood up.

A mousy and shy woman who seemed familiar to Emily inched up on her knees submissively to present a stone daikatana to the bandit. "Hahahaha... so hot blooded, Emily. You'll do fine as one of my Under Bandits like Naddie here."

With that, Rose leaped forward... and stone blades met and sparks jumped.

To be cont.

What do you think? Cool, huh?

- God Empress Rose

(Showing Page 20 of 20)

► Black-Eldjötunn
Replied on May 9, 2011:

....

Emily Barnabes married to Sophita.

Yeah, I can see it.

► Shadow Stalker (Verified Cape)
Replied on May 9, 2011:
I still say that writing stories with real places obviously substituted in and possibly real people shouldn't be kosher.

- Shadow Stalker
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men

► All Seeing Eyes
Replied on May 9, 2011:

I hate you, GER. I hate you so much. I swear I will develop psychic powers to hurt you for your quality of writing.

[First] [Prev] [20] [Next] [Last] [Unread]

O O O​

Topic: What is Weaver Clothier?
In: Boards ► Places ► America ► Brockton Bay
Vista (Orignal Poster) (Verified Cape)
Posted on April 29, 2011:
Anyone know who or what Weaver Clothiers is?

I received a hand written letter addressed to me with a tagline of "Costumes for capes by capes. Discretion assured", with a website link and e-mail on it.

Looks kind of suspicious.

It kind of showed up at my room in the PRT building, last night. None of the security systems were tripped, and the cameras didn't catch anyone breaking or entering. I've confirmed with the other Wards that they've also received identical letters.

I know that Brandish got a business card from that Rose Knight for Weaver Clothier. But this is still kind of well... disconcerting.

The PRT building is, unfortunately, in lock down mode as Armsmaster and the security team here are working on determining how the letters got in. Master Stranger Protocols and all that.

(Showing Page 99 of 99)

► Weaver (Verified Cape)
Replied on May 6, 2011:
Thank you for the orders. The costumes and garments will be worked on posthaste. Please be sure to tell your friends and peers about Weaver Clothier.

- Weaver
Costumes for capes, by capes

► Vista (Orignal Poster) (Verified Cape)
Replied on May 6, 2011:
Well... after some thinking and talking with the others, I've decided to forgive Weaver for causing the Master Stranger Protocols with the way she delivered the letters. Also, I've placed an order for a spare costume. And if it passes Armsmaster's inspection, I think that the Wards uniforms might get upgraded.

► Shadow Stalker (Verified Cape)
Replied on May 6, 2011:
One of my non-cape friends has also placed an order for a dress. We'll see how it goes.

- Shadow Stalker
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men

► Vista (Orignal Poster) (Verified Cape)
Replied on May 8, 2011:
...

Well, I got my costume along with some extra samples for Armsmaster to test. But so far, it's as advertised. The costume is definitely bullet and knife proof at a minimum. Armsmaster is going for destructive testing of the samples, we'll see how durable they are.

► Weaver (Verified Cape)
Replied on May 9, 2011:
Thank you and you're welcome. I hope you'll spread word about Weaver Clothier. If the online venture is successful enough, we will look into an actual store.

- Weaver
Costumes for capes, by capes

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O O O​

♦ Private Messages from Black-Eldjötunn:
Black-Eldjötunn: Taylor? Is that you? It's Marianna.
God_Empress_Rose: ... I'll talk to you later?

O O O​

♦ Private Messages from Miss-Fortune (Verified Cape):
Miss-Fortune: Taylor, you really should stop teasing your girlfriend.
God_Empress_Rose: Yes, mom.
Miss-Fortune: Also, good luck with your first online orders.

O O O​

♦ Private Messages from Nemo:
Nemo: Well played, just try not to get killed by "Sarah", Goblin Queen. Wouldn't want you to end up like Jareth.

O O O​

- - -​

Goblin Queen | Extinction Trumps Necromancy​

Worm / Exalted​

- - -​

It has been two days since that fight, and to my surprise, Emma seemed to have given up her antagonism towards me. Perhaps, the fact that she had fought me without holding back had been something she had needed. There was no sense of her plotting anything towards me.

That or she was busy with other things.

A distinct possibility since she was a cape and she might have been researching the not quite spoken of society that we lived in. In a way, cape society was very much like that of the martial arts societies in those movies that Brian loved. He liked to claim that it was the one good thing that came from an Endbringer attack; the diaspora of japanese and chinese citizens in the wake of Kyushuu had introduced a wave of new entertainment in America. That Hollywood was no longer bound to the big budget movies with little plot. Not with the competition from the asian movie makers who had moved in.

I had the vague suspicion that Brian might just have been an otaku who was good at hiding his nature by being an attractive all american black beef-cake who liked to sound just a tad pretentious when talking about his tastes.

If the glasses he wore when watching his movies on movie night at the Undersiders lair was any indicator, he might even be the dreaded hipster. I'm sure he wouldn't need them to read the subtitles for his movies.

Still, it left me feeling odd.

Things had changed for me, I found myself missing the attention that Emma, Sophia and Madison had focused on me after a fashion. It wasn't pleasant by any means, but in a way they had been something that I had gotten used to.

The insults that parodied social interactions after a fashion. The way that Emma, Sophia and Madison would crowd around me with their sycophants.

True, I had stopped the bullying, but I think it spoke volumes of how I had... gotten used to the bullying. The things that they had done. It was as if I was the frog in the pot of slow boiling water that had been taken out of it.

I had friends now. I had Lisa, Madison, Alec, Brian, Bitch, on top of [____]. More than that, Marianna seemed to be trying to rekindle the friendship we had before winter break.

And yet, I still found myself missing the bullying.

I needed help.

 

[Evillevi]

YAY!!! GER is back.

 

[SwiftRosenthal]

YAY!!! GER is back.

Click to shrink...

We've seen both of those fics before. As I said at SB, the only new content is the thread necro and related PMs.

Also, who the fuck is Nemo?

 

[Anasurimbor]

Also, who the fuck is Nemo?

Click to shrink...

Nemo is Regent.

 

[Mortifer]

Also, who the fuck is Nemo?

Click to shrink...

He's the guy from the Imp Interlude, I think. Tries to copy Taylor's style, Aisha took offence.
Yes, I know his name was Nero. I'm joking.

 

[Starfield]

So, why does Marianna use an username that contains 'Black' in it? I can see the fire giant part, but black for someone in E88? Misdirection?

 

[Biigoh]

So, why does Marianna use an username that contains 'Black' in it? I can see the fire giant part, but black for someone in E88? Misdirection?

Click to shrink...

Surtr IS known as "the swarthy one" or "black" in old Norse. So, Marianna is being kind of stupid on PHO as befits a teenager.

 

[Trilonias]

Ugh, I've forgotten who Miss_Fortune is... As well as a few others, but other posts helped there. Anyways, I like how Taylor understands that she does need help... even if that's not the only help she needs. And Tattletale likes Taylor... but her writing does make her want to strangle her, yeah? I wonder who is putting together Taylor's stories now that it's been brought up how familiar they are. Anyone (besides TT) going to do so?

Ugh, now I've forgotten where in the timeline we be in this story.

 

[Mortifer]

Ugh, I've forgotten who Miss_Fortune is...

Click to shrink...

Taylor's mother, Annette.

Unless I'm mixing my fics up again.

 

[Olive]

Taylor's mother, Annette.

Unless I'm mixing my fics up again.

Click to shrink...

No, that's right. She's basically Imp, but with added brain damage.

 

[Trilonias]

Thanks! And that private message takes up so many meanings now.

 

[Biigoh]

Ugh, I've forgotten who Miss_Fortune is... As well as a few others, but other posts helped there. Anyways, I like how Taylor understands that she does need help... even if that's not the only help she needs. And Tattletale likes Taylor... but her writing does make her want to strangle her, yeah? I wonder who is putting together Taylor's stories now that it's been brought up how familiar they are. Anyone (besides TT) going to do so?

Ugh, now I've forgotten where in the timeline we be in this story.

Click to shrink...

We be at the cutting edge of the story line... tis May 20XX...

And yes, Lisa would strange Taylor for the writing alone or shoot mind bullets at her. Especially since she's being forced to C&C every single one, knowing that Taylor isn't going to actually use said C&C.

Taylor's mother, Annette.

Unless I'm mixing my fics up again.

Click to shrink...

Annette is Miss-Fortune in Goblin Queen.

No, that's right. She's basically Imp, but with added brain damage.

Click to shrink...

And yes... it is so.

Thanks! And that private message takes up so many meanings now.

Click to shrink...

Fuhuhuhuhuhuhu~

 

[pheonix89]

And her power isn't as strong as Imp's ANYWAY - regen seems to trump it, and she certainly can't pull Imp style 'my stranger power trumps your master/stranger power'. See: Imp killing Nice Guy and no-selling Khepri.

 

[Biigoh]

And her power isn't as strong as Imp's ANYWAY - regen seems to trump it, and she certainly can't pull Imp style 'my stranger power trumps your master/stranger power'. See: Imp killing Nice Guy and no-selling Khepri.

Click to shrink...

All she could do is just go and turn off her " prevent brain damage" settings on her power.

 

[Biigoh]

Teaser~

"I have lost?" The knight clad in crimson and viridian laughed and gestured to the sky above. The madness in her laughter was obvious to those who heard it. "Tis to laugh! The dawn of your doom comes. Look to the east."

 

[earthboy]

"Tis to laugh! The dawn of your doom comes. Look to the east."

Click to shrink...

Rose: "It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid since she is envious.
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off!"

Emma: "I will not cast it off, you made it and I'm gonna wear it."

Madison: "Red and green mean jealous lover, so the rumors were true after all!"

Sophia: "She who writes for fools is always sure of a large audience."

 

[Ganurath]

...Red and green means ABB, now that I think about it. That's particularly awkward for Emma, isn't it?

 

[Biigoh]

For those curious about the charm that was loaned to Taylor by [____] and which allowed her to perfectly dodge Emma's attack.

And yes, this IS a custom charm. :3

You can tell by how broken it is...

Flight of the Unseen Shadow (Dreaming)
Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Way 5, Essence 4;
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Echo, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Rejection of Direction
The raksha is fleet of feet, swift as a shadow. None may touch it. Those who would strike at the raksha with shaping attacks find that the raksha are no longer there to be struck. Some might even suggest that the raksha was perhaps never there, and what had been attacked was but an illusion.

This charm allows the raksha to perfectly dodge an attack, and move up to (Raksha's Essence + Way grace) Waypoints away.

Flight of the Unseen Shadow (Waking)
Cost: 3m, 0+g; Mins: Way 5, Essence 4;
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Echo, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Rejection of Direction
The world is a dream, and the raksha but a shadowy figure within said dream. Is it any wonder then, that the raksha can never be touched? After all, they are never where they seem to be.

When used to enhance a dodge against an attack, the raksha vanishes into a display of his element or thematics. A flower themed knight might vanish into an exploding cloud of flower petals and butterflies. The character may move up to (Way grace x 3) yards away in any direction from where she was.

The raksha may enhance the dodge by spending 1 gossamer, doing so makes the dodge perfect. This Charm can't allow a raksha to dodge undodgeable attacks. The limitations on this perfect defense constitute a special flaw of invulnerability.

 

[Biigoh]

There was a momentary lull in the conversations within the situation room as Piggot walked in, before Armsmaster and Hannah nodded at her.

"What's the situation?" That simple question by the heavyset PRT director had the two senior Protectorate capes look at each other before they released their held breaths with a sigh.

That single moment of silence was telling, before Armsmaster spoke up and gestured at the holographic display in the center of the room. "Approximately thirty minutes ago, we received reports of a cape fight in the Docks. Empire Eighty Eight going after the Undersiders for their part in the capture of Hookwolf, presumably."

At a nod from Armsmaster, Hannah tapped a few keys on the keyboard, the floating video displays changed to show the Empire capes closing in on a building in the Docks; a somewhat run down factory, with gang members standing guard here and there at the various streets. It was clear that they were meant to alert the Empire capes if the Undersiders attempted an escape.

"Miss Militia immediately flagged the ensuring fight for monitoring." Armsmaster said as Hannah forwarded the displays to show the fight with a tap of a key, from the aerial combat captured by the cameras on the PRT and police dirigibles, to game of cat and mouse on the roofs of the warehouse and the neighboring buildings. "This was due to the weather being outright altered across the city, from a clear sky to heavy clouds."

"Ten minutes in, that's where things went wrong." Here the displays showed the teenage villains falling one by one as their newest member watched helpless.

There had been a single moment as she looked on with unspoken emotion, before she gestured with a single hand and a single word. The dirigibles and their cameras hadn't been able to capture her mouth properly, and thus what she said would remain a mystery.

The results... less so.

Darkness swarmed the roof and the Empire capes. The motion of the darkness implied shapes.

Specifically shapes of things that lived.

Things that crawled in the darkness, things that walked and wielded weapons.

Things that swarmed the Empire capes. They fought back, attempted to dislodge the things.

Their powers were potent and useful in combat, but in the end against an endless swarm... futile.

One by one, the Empire capes fell.

"Zoom in on Rune," Piggot's voice was unyielding, tight with an unspoken emotion.

As Armsmaster did so, Hannah looked at the director instead of the video that she had already seen. "It's exactly what you think. The new cape in the Undersiders also has a master ability, generation of creatures."

The teenager was quickly brought down by the creatures, despite her telekinetic power being used to strike at them with the cloud of flying debris around her.

Despite the resolution involved, there wasn't the expected crystal clarity of the creatures. What the cameras could see were that they appeared to be insectile humanoids clad in armor and armed with primative weaponry.

Their motions far too smooth to be controlled, their numbers too many to be coordinated by a single mind. They fought not as a single hive-mind, but as a mob.

"I dispatched Vista because of what Shiva did next, while Armsmaster got the siren going," Hannah spoke up as Armsmaster tapped the keyboard to show why this was a class S scenario. The darkening of the Docks, the reshaping of the very buildings into terrain more suited for a desert. "At present, we have the affected area interdicted by Vista's spatial warps, with the major roads left unblocked."

"I trust there are officers to keep an eye on those exiting?" Piggot's question was spoken with a frown as she examined the fight as the Empire capes brought in further support to take down the single cape.

Hannah nodded. "We had PRT officers dispatched immediately to help the police officers in redirecting the civilians to the main roads, as well as keep an eye on those exiting the Docks."

"More to the point, Dragon is in-bound to provide assistance," Armsmaster spoke up now. "She believes she might be able to talk down that cape. So far, Shiva has yet to attack anyone not involved in the original incident. But that could change, we have the Manta prepped for launch."

"Shiva?" There was a raised eyebrow now from Piggot as she looked at the two senior Protectorate capes.

There was a shrug in reply. "It seemed an appropriate codename for her from the list of S class names."

"Fair enough." Piggot nodded as she kept an idle eye on the video of the continuing fight. "Wait. What is that van doing in there?"

- - -​

"I have lost?" The warrior clad in crimson and viridian armor laughed and gestured to the sky above from where she was pinned to the wrecked Dragon's suit by crossbow bolts, the breaker properties used by Shadow Stalker proving sufficient to pierce Shiva's armor. The madness in her laughter was obvious to those who heard it. "Tis to laugh! The dawn of your doom comes. Look to the east."

One by one, the stars winked out. Their light blocked out.

Hannah's weapon fell out of her hands as she looked up into the eastern night sky. What she saw there staggered her imagination.

Such a thing should be absolutely impossible. It should be beyond even what a parahuman could do. And yet... there it was.

For a false dawn had come to Brockton Bay as the dark sky burned orange crimson, heralding the doom promised by the Shiva. The displacement of the ionized air was enough to push aside the clouds.

"Shiva was the right name for you," Hannah murmured out as she looked at the on-coming doom.

The heat and the pressure of the air was enough to cause cracks to form in the surface of the titanic sphere that had to be larger than the city. As the cracks and portions of surface of the sphere crumbled, Hannah realized just how utterly insane Shiva was.

To create a "smiley" face on something that would annihilate a city and quite possible a portion of the East Coast. The absolut-

It seemed a dream that she woke up to.

There had been no battle between the Empire and the Undersiders. No absolute destruction of Brockton Bay.

No sign of anything having had ever happened. The Undersiders had proven true to their reputation as they slipped the grasp of the white supremacists.

There had been another instance where her memories had splintered in two, one that Hannah hadn't recollected until that night when she had slept.

The interview with Taylor Hebert or Weaver as she called herself, where she had accompanied Calvert to speak with the girl... and had waited outside for the return of the girl's father. That memory too had ended abruptly.

There were those who said she was friendly, personable. But in truth, she had merely learned how to pretend, to smile and accept things without complaining. The things that others complained about, that she was praised for enduring were in the end minor things. They didn't truly merit complains or concern.

Thus, she had been praised for being dutiful, for how hardworking she was, for never giving up or quitting. Against the crystal clear memories of those hours in the forest, they had been nothing.

That absolute clarity in that memory of certain death in the forest if she but took another step forward.

And yet, now she could remember truly dying. Of the fierce heat, of the unspeakable pressure flaying skin from flesh, flesh from bone within a single moment, and which lasted an endless eternity.

But still she lived, drew breath. Ate, drank, and talked. There were those who might consider this a miracle.

Hannah didn't.

She had seen enough in her time in the Wards and as a member of the Protectorate to question miracles.

Naturally, she submitted herself for Master Stranger quarantine, making sure to submit a report of her memories to Armsmaster. Of her concerns regarding Weaver and the possibility that she might have the ability to manipulate time in addition to the other powers she had displayed in those alternate memories.

People were judgmental, this she knew, thus there were things she would never speak of. But there was no black mark for requesting quarantine if one suspects that one might have been affected by a Master or a Stranger. There never was, not in the PRT or Protectorate, not with the dangers that those type of capes held.

At least her vetting of being 'clean' was quick as all she had done was sleep, and there had been no other evidence. Still, it was enough for her to see Piggot.

"I believe it would be a good idea to remove the Undersiders from the villain list, and to ensure that they are slowly courted and given a PR change to heroes, and to eventually recruit them for the Wards or the PRT, ma'am."

There was a look of disbelief from the PRT director at Hannah's request. On the surface of it, such a thing was difficult to justify. Removing a team with known villains from the villain list without justification, without evidence, that did lead to a black mark on any PRT or Protectorate member. "Miss Militia, you're putting me in a difficult position. Sell me on this."

"The problem here isn't that they are or aren't villains. The problem is that they have a new member, one who is easily on Eidolon's level," Hannah said with a sigh as she pulled down her flag-printed scarf from where it covered her mouth to let it hang around her neck. "This is just based on what I remember seeing in that timeline she generated."

"The one where she destroyed the city as a finishing touch?"

"It is so." Hannah nodded in reply to the question. "If Weaver or Shiva isn't real, or at least not part of the Undersiders, which I doubt, we can always reassign them back to the Villains list at a later date if necessary."

"More, I would personally recommend creating a new profile on Weaver in the secured stand alone system." That request got a raised eyebrow from Piggot.

"Is that so?" There was a careful and considering look by the heavyset woman at the cape. "You truly believe that this girl is that big a threat or potential benefit?"

"I do."

- - -​

Goblin Queen | Extinction isn't inevitable​

Worm / Exalted​

- - -​