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Holding Out For A Hero: An Original Superhero Quest

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zxzx24 said:
Hopefully those people had "act of super" insurance.

Or just regular insurance.
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Bold of you to assume that insurance haven't gone the way of the dinosaurs in this world. :lol

In all seriousness, "Act of Super" is a thing, but it's fucking expensive.
Valkur said:
And Michalee Warman will surely have a thing or two to say about Metahuman villains and out of control vigilantees.
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Of course.

While technically, Profligate didn't have superpowers, he would still fall under being a "Supercriminal" since he had advanced technology. e.g. the armor.

Also, it's spelled Michael.
Valkur said:
1. How much do we know of Jetstream again? Is he a registered Hero? FBI? Local Police?

2. How angry do people get about vigilantees usually?
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1. Jetstream is a licensed hero. She's a speedster who has a reputation for being a jerk at the best of times, but effective in the field. She works with the local police, though she's part of a different branch of law enforcement, like all licensed heroes.

2. That depends on whether or not they're saved by Vigilantes and from person to person.

If the Vigilantes generally save people, keep collateral damage to a minimum, and generally are good at what they do, they're liked enough that their trials end in a hung jury, or they're just plain found not guilty. Even if it's obvious that they killed that building full of mobsters then ran down the street naked shouting "I did it!"

Which, coincidentally, is what a Vigilante I mentioned earlier in the quest is being charged with, minus the nude part.

Basically, it's a polarizing issue, and you'd find just as many people who hate Vigilantes as like them, and even more that are neutral.

Also, having your car blown up is just as likely to make you hate them as being saved from medical experimentation would make you like them.
Adhoc vote count started by Agent 99 on Jan 28, 2019 at 6:13 PM, finished with 1476 posts and 11 votes.
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Adhoc vote count started by Agent 99 on Jan 28, 2019 at 6:23 PM, finished with 1476 posts and 11 votes.
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zxzx24 said:
Seems like there would be tremendous demand however.
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Supply and Demand doesn't work if the product in question costs more to produce than those demanding it can afford to pay. Superhero insurance would probably function like super-expensive medical treatments do today. Everyone would want it, but only a tiny percentage of the population could afford it, with the rest having to do without.
 
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ARTICLE: 9-5-2015 One Dead, Several Injured After Attempted Bank Robbery
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    • www.hartfordpulse.com/news/crime/one-dead-several-injured-in-attempted-robbery

    One Dead, Several Injured After Attempted Bank Robbery

    At 9:30 this morning, a group of armed men entered the Greenwood credit Union, in an attempt to steal from the safety deposit boxes located in the bank's safe. One of the men was identified as the villain known as Reservist, a mercenary responsible for, among other things, the attack downtown who left dozens dead or wounded.

    After murdering the security guard, the apparent leader, a man in powered armor referring to himself as Profligate as well as two of Reservist's duplicates took the bank manager hostage in order to use him to open the vault door while the other two restrained the bank customers and employees. While reports are still coming in, at the time of writing, the manager is in the hospital in stable condition and the customers and employees are unharmed or are suffering minor injuries.

    After bypassing vault's security measures, the Vigilante known as Vigil arrived on the scene in an attempt to stop them. After sealing the vault with both himself and Vigil inside, Profligate, held off Vigil while Reservist's two other duplicates emptied the safety deposit boxes of an unknown amount of cash. Afterwards, explosives were detonated in the ceiling of the bank and attempted to escape via a helicopter that was reported stolen several weeks prior. However, the helicopter crashed back into the parking lot in what police are saying is a possible mechanical failure but will have more information after their examination.

    After the crash, Profligate attempted to escape with the loot, but was foiled by Vigil, as well as another Vigilante, Majra who arrived at the scene shortly after the crash. Both Vigilantes departed shortly afterwards, and Profligate was taken into custody by Jetstream. The stolen goods were returned to the bank.

    Police have not released the identity of Profligate, who remains in Police Custody awaiting trial.
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    • Several Hours Later...

    Charles Garrick, who was about to be known as Profligate, had been dragged out of the prison hospital bed he had just been laying in and brought into an private room in order to speak to his lawyer. He had a scowl on his face. Not just because the painkillers had worn off and his head was killing him. Not just because he had failed to get away when things were going so well.

    His lawyer had just taken a seat across from him, someone that Charles knew well. His name was Samuel Emmerson, man in his late 40's with salt and pepper hair and a slight stubble that he shaved before court appearances. He said that it was for luck, though Garrick never believed in that sort of thing. Still, Emmerson was a great lawyer, who helped his friends and family with legal services through... less than legal means.

    "Mister Garrick" Samuel started as he opened his briefcase. "I just want to ask you, before we go any further, what the hell were you thinking? 14 destroyed cars, The helicopter?-"

    "That wasn't my fault" Charles said. "It was the Vigilante who thought it would be a good idea to kill my pilot when we were still over the parking lot. If it wasn't for that, no one would've gotten hurt."

    Samuel rubbed his temples. "Even if that were true, which I'm not sure I can even convince one juror of that you don't deserve to go to jail. Especially since your... associate still killed that security guard. Even if you didn't-" Emmerson put a hand up, a clear sign for everyone to be quiet. And to people who knew him, they would be. Emmerson was thinking of a way to get out of the situation.

    "Look, I'll try and stack the jury with some sympathetic people, we can shift some of the blame on Kully" He said. "He was the one who killed the guard, and he was the pilot when the helicopter crashed. He was the one who took the money from the vault. But you were there. They had to pry you out of the suit. I can't exactly make that go away."

    "I'm fine with selling out Kully" Charles said. Reservist may have been a good soldier, and about as loyal as a mercenary could get, but if it was a choice between the two of them, then he'd choose himself any day. "It's too bad. I kinda liked him"

    "Well, I can't exactly work miracles" Emmerson said straightening his glasses. "I can bring down your sentence, but... but..." Emmerson put his hand up again and closed his eyes. His brow furrowed as he concentrated. After a few more seconds, he opened his eyes.

    "There is a case that might just help us," Emmerson said. "1951. A group of thugs would kidnap people, dress them up as the leader of their gang, and then rob places where they worked. Stores, offices, factories and the like. They kidnap a guy named Jack and tried to use him to rob a...some sort of plant, I don't know But then Jack was shot by a Vigilante and arrested. The lawyer argued that Jack was a hostage, since the criminals could kill him at any time. Plus, Jack was the only one there without a gun. Anyway, John was set free, and the verdict set a precedent that, hopefully, we can use today..."

    Emmerson smiled. It was a smile that a shark might make when it sees bleeding prey. "Yes... yes that might work. We'll need to see what that is in that suit, but depending on what's in it, I could get some experts to testify that this was a kill switch just in case you turned on Kully."

    "Great" Charles said, clapping. "Well, that's it then. We go through this trial, I get found not guilty, and I'm out in a couple of weeks"

    "Not quite" Emmerson said. "This trial could take months, years even. And if you're found guilty, we could appeal, but that will take even longer. I could try to get it pushed up the docket, but I wouldn't count on leaving anytime soon. Besides, I still need to prepare your defense, go over any question that the prosecution will ask you and what your answers will be"
     
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    Sounds like no reoccuring villian for us this round. Just as well! We've already a few entries in our Rouge gallery we've yet to win against even once.
     
    Radio Free Hartford

    "Welcome back ladies and gentleman to Radio Free Hartford. The Radio of the working men and women of this city.

    We go back to the hot news of a robbery of the Green Credit Union today where the Vigilante Majra and new coming Vigilante named Vigil came on the scene.

    The robbers killed a security guard at the bank and forced a bank manager to open the vault. The Vigil then seemed to have come out of nowhere and put an unintentional dent in there operation by taking out some guys and freeing the Bank manager. But not before having the literal roof blown off the top of Credit Union as a helicopter had gotten involved. The Robbers mounted the helicopter and flew away before losing control and coming down on some cars. A total of 14 cars were damaged but luckily no one else got hurt. Police are still investigation the crash of the helicopter so details may be still be incoming.

    The main robber seemed to be a power suited villain who fled the crashed helicopter and flee'd towards a Kroger where he was apprehended by Vigil. Vigil tackled the robber as they tried to fire off a laser weapon from there arm that missed. What followed was a good old beat down that would make a Marine blush. Majra came in later to help put a *ribbon on the robber. The hero Jetstream made the scene later to formally put the robber in downtown and the SWAT team have secured the building.

    The Green Credit Union has also put out a statement thanking the Police, Jetstream, Majra, and our mysterious new Vigilante to there twitter. A tweet that was later taken down as citizens in the community called the tweet irresponsible and lacking scope of the situation. The twitter account has apologized and said that they were going to be open tomorrow as per usual.

    Police are said to be looking to put the robber in for association to commit murder, disrupting interstate commerce, and vandalism. More charges may be incoming and the robber is looking at possibly 25 years in jail. The public around Hartford has been chiming in with calls for a speedy prosecution and demanding a step up in efforts by the police to fight meta human crime.

    City Councilor Julio Ortega Shaw is calling for an emergency community meeting next month to discuss crime.

    "Our community is under attack constantly by the meta human threat. We need to coordinate more at the community level and we need to look for more resources where possible to fight off the threat of another attack."

    When asked what other resources he would like Shaw said "We need more firepower in the hands our policeman and I would consider a temporary tax to those ends.".

    In other news, Local superstar magician James Hephew is opening up his magicians entertainment company starting this spring. The former Hero is now going into the world of entertaining children and blowing the minds of adults. Keep in tune for a chance to win tickets for his next show."

    *Ribbon - Slang meant to be tying someone up. Usually a hero to a villain or sometimes a villain doing the tying up.
     
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    I'm trying to feel bad for that guy who died.

    It's not working super well

    Also glad to see we fucked whatever evil plan this was royally.
     
    LonelyWolf999 said:
    Ah, the American legal system. Managing to punish the criminals by being so clunky and byzantine it takes years to game the system.
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    Sam Emmerson would say that the rates he charges throughout the process is punishment enough for any crime.
    Zaealix said:
    Sounds like no reoccuring villian for us this round. Just as well! We've already a few entries in our Rouge gallery we've yet to win against even once.
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    Don't worry, you'll get the chance later.
    zxzx24 said:
    I'm trying to feel bad for that guy who died.

    It's not working super well
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    Well, he literally had no line of dialogue. He wasn't even named and his death was a throwaway sentence. Hell, I had forgotten that the guy died until I reread the earlier scenes.

    Anyway, I have one more omake and we'll be back on this ride.
     
    Agent 99 said:
    Well, he literally had no line of dialogue. He wasn't even named and his death was a throwaway sentence. Hell, I had forgotten that the guy died until I reread the earlier scenes.
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    I'd totally forgotten about that too. It was just kind of weird, honestly. The bank robbers were portrayed as professional, seasoned criminals who've been through this rodeo several times. So why would they casually murder the guard for no real reason?

    To be fair, duplicator guy tossed a live grenade at a bunch of civilians, so he's pretty clearly doesn't have much regard for life or collateral damage. I can see his power giving him the impression he can avoid any real consequences for what he does.
     
    Gloria Haddocks, publicly known as Jetstream rode up the elevator of the Center 3 Apartment Building, which was on the outside, a run down and condemned tenement. However, it was one of the many secret bases for the city's licensed heroes. Jetstream was a tall, slender woman with black hair that she died blonde, and brown eyes. Her suit was a tight blue with yellow stripes with armored padding, and built-in goggles and a mask that covered her mouth but could be pulled down so she could talk without being muffled. She was slumped on the elevator floor as it ascended, hoping that she could get some rest. She had lost the energy to stand hours ago. Momentum was the only reason she made it to Southlake even made it back.

    With a soft *ding* the elevator doors opened into the Commons Room of the Center 3. A place where Capes could rest, relax, get something to eat, and generally take a load off. Her teammate, and one third of the remaining Heroes still operating in the city Emmitt Carter, also known as Corporal Steel, was slumped in a recliner, practically melting into it. He was a black man with several tattoos from his time in the army on his arms. His shaved head showed some burn scars from a suit malfunction a week ago. He looked up and saw Gloria and nodded.

    "Rough job?" He asked as Gloria walked towards a couch. In faster than the time it took for him to blink, she then vaulted over it, and splayed out onto it, her legs dangling off the side. It was then that Emmitt noticed that the soles of Gloria's boots were falling off the boots. In fact, the soles were almost melted.

    "Good news, a Vigilante took care of it before I got there" Gloria said. "Bad news,I don't think I'm gonna make it, Emmitt..." Gloria said, though her voice was muffled by a seat cushion. "I think I'm dying"

    "Well, if you're dying, I call dibs the Boppo Pops you have in the fridge" Emmitt said as he leaned into his chair.

    "Ugh... vultures. And on my own team too. I can't believe you guys" Gloria said in a faux horrified manner. "Where's the loyalty? The decency?"

    "Well, our fearless leader is fucking gone. I suppose that without his guidance, it turns out we're just a bunch of degenerates" He said, jokingly.

    Gloria tried to laugh but it just came out as a groan. "Well, I can't wait to put in for some time off this Saturday. Then you and Sanaz can deal with fire breathing drunks, invisible murderers or... techno-luddites or whatever you have to fight that day."

    "Saturday?" Emmitt asked. "You mean the 5th?" He looked up at Gloria, who merely grunted a confirmation.

    "But... that's today"

    "What"

    "Yeah... today's Saturday."

    For a while there was silence, the only sound being the AC that was keeping the people inside from boiling in the Hartford heat. "Do you think I can get tomorrow off instead?" She asked, hopeful.

    "No chance. Remember? They're having a funeral for Zender tomorrow." Emmitt said, referring to one of the officers who died in the terrorist attack several weeks prior. Officer Zender was the last officer who needed to have their funeral. "So one of us has to go. Solidarity and security and all that. Plus, with one of us there and half the team either hurt or out of town, it's all hands on deck then"

    Gloria simply continued to lay on the couch, not saying a word. "Emmitt, do you think you could just tell people that I'm dead and that I'll be back to work next week?"

    "I don't think that's gonna work" Emmitt said chuckling. But then, an alarm went off signaling an emergency.

    "Well, I can't tell people you're dead, but I'll handle this" Emmitt said as he pried himself up from his chair. Gloria simply gave a thumbs up before falling asleep.
     
    LonelyWolf999 said:
    I'd totally forgotten about that too. It was just kind of weird, honestly. The bank robbers were portrayed as professional, seasoned criminals who've been through this rodeo several times. So why would they casually murder the guard for no real reason?

    To be fair, duplicator guy tossed a live grenade at a bunch of civilians, so he's pretty clearly doesn't have much regard for life or collateral damage. I can see his power giving him the impression he can avoid any real consequences for what he does.
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    Pretty much.

    The "real" him is several miles away. His duplicates don't leave behind DNA evidence and if they get hurt, he can either make more or casually drive away, leaving the guy who hired him to sort things out. And he doesn't care much about collateral damage. So he took the faster, though not the most well thought out course of action.

    Were Profligate doing this alone, he would likely have let the guard shoot his bulletproof armor, then disarm him. Mostly because seeing the look on the guy's face would be funnier than killing him.
     
    Agent 99 said:
    Pretty much.

    The "real" him is several miles away. His duplicates don't leave behind DNA evidence and if they get hurt, he can either make more or casually drive away, leaving the guy who hired him to sort things out. And he doesn't care much about collateral damage. So he took the faster, though not the most well thought out course of action.

    Were Profligate doing this alone, he would likely have let the guard shoot his bulletproof armor, then disarm him. Mostly because seeing the look on the guy's face would be funnier than killing him.
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    Idea for an omake...

    I like to imagine that Reservists is just walking to his home putting his mask on the table and kicking back in his reclyner and watching the news. He's got his six-pack of beer with him and then turns on the news. Seeing his buddy get roughed gives him a 'woudn't want to be that guy' dialogue going with no one in particular. Followed by Profilgate throwing Reservists under the buss. Spitting the beer out of his mouth and flabbergasted he decides it's time to call his own favors.

    A certain prison gang to get rid of snitches. The Brotherhood.

    Snitches get stitches and all that. And Profilgate doesn't have his suit now so he's probably going to get roughed up and if lucky survive only to be put in solitary confinement for his own safety.
     
    Valkur said:
    Idea for an omake...

    I like to imagine that Reservists is just walking to his home putting his mask on the table and kicking back in his reclyner and watching the news. He's got his six-pack of beer with him and then turns on the news. Seeing his buddy get roughed gives him a 'woudn't want to be that guy' dialogue going with no one in particular. Followed by Profilgate throwing Reservists under the buss. Spitting the beer out of his mouth and flabbergasted he decides it's time to call his own favors.

    A certain prison gang to get rid of snitches. The Brotherhood.

    Snitches get stitches and all that. And Profilgate doesn't have his suit now so he's probably going to get roughed up and if lucky survive only to be put in solitary confinement for his own safety.
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    On one hand, (SPOILER} has a lot more money and a lot more influence, who could easily protest Profligate.

    On the other hand, what Profligate did wasn't authorized, and brought unnecessary heat. And worst of all, he failed to bring back [CENSORED]. So (SPOILER} is just as likely to leave him to his fate.
     
    Agent 99 said:
    On one hand, (SPOILER} has a lot more money and a lot more influence, who could easily protest Profligate.

    On the other hand, what Profligate did wasn't authorized, and brought unnecessary heat. And worst of all, he failed to bring back [CENSORED]. So (SPOILER} is just as likely to leave him to his fate.
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    Any chance of getting profligate to flip on (spoiler)?
     
    Barondoctor said:
    Any chance of getting profligate to flip on (spoiler)?
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    He's reckless not suicidal.

    Given everything I suspect that the backer far outclasses him


    So breakdown what could we have done better?

    As far as I can tell the two take aways are

    • Continue improving with magic
      • We're going to be a favorite invite for the vigilantes if we can get our healing as reliable
    • Weaponry for heavily armored opponents
    Anything else?
     
    Storyteller said:
    He's reckless not suicidal.

    Given everything I suspect that the backer far outclasses him


    So breakdown what could we have done better?

    As far as I can tell the two take aways are

    • Continue improving with magic
      • We're going to be a favorite invite for the vigilantes if we can get our healing as reliable
    • Weaponry for heavily armored opponents
    Anything else?
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    I'd like to argue that if we can have a new spell: It should be summoning a magical horse mount with wings (Pegasus?). That way we don't need our motorcycle and can fly if need be. Also when on that mount we summon a magical jousting spear/stick thing that we can use.
     
    Day of Rest
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    • Adrian Northwest was sitting in the living room of your home, watching a TV show about obscure museum artifacts. It wasn't his thing, but it was noise. Gwen was in the next room doing her homework and you were...

    Well, doing what you do.

    He understood why you were doing it. He really did. Both you and him had nearly died at least once before, and there was no way that he was going to raise his daughter in a place like this without doing something to keep her safe. Even if that something was helping to keep Sonya's bike tuned up while she fought crime.

    But... he still worried. Worried that one day, you wouldn't come home.

    "Dad!"

    Adrian turns around and sees Gwen walking up to him, a magazine under her arm. The mop of brown hair that you had combed earlier that day was already starting to get tangled, and the hair clip is starting to come loose.

    "What is it, cupcake?" Adrian asked as Gwen climbs up on the couch. "Do you need help with something?"

    "Yeah, are you in this issue?" Gwen asks and holds up a magazine, it was an old copy of Popular Mechanics from a few weeks back. Adrian had meant to recycle it, but he had never gotten around to it.

    Adrian chuckled. "I don't think that I'll be in that magazine anytime soon." He said.

    "But you're a mechanic, right?" Gwen asked.

    "Of course" Adrian said.

    "And you're nice. So you should be popular So you should be in this magazine somewhere, right?"

    Adrian chuckled. "Not as much as you'd think, Cupcake. Especially when people see how much repairs cost. Besides, that's not what Popular Mechanics is about"

    "Oooooh." Gwen says as she puts the magazine on her lap. "So, what is it about anyway?"

    ------------------------------------------

    "And what's this one?"

    "That's a Ford Gauntlet. It's similar to the Mitsubishi Lancer, but it has slightly worse MPG, but it can take a hel- er heck of a beating" Adrian said as he pointed to the 4 door sports car on the page of the magazine.

    Adrian and Gwen had been spending the past several minutes looking through several articles in Popular mechanics. There were articles about a new Missile Defense System, China lobbying to lessen the UN restrictions on Artificial Intelligence development, and about a fancy axe that was being introduced to the market. But what really caught Gwen's attention were the articles about cars.

    The article they were both looking at was about the upcoming 2016 Ford Gauntlet, "The last word in civilian vehicular protection" according to the writer. The red car displayed on the page in a large glossy photo had a roll cage, a thick body and doors that protested against small arms and even explosives, allegedly. The article even mentioned how a in a crash test, the Gauntlet collided with several cars, the median used on highways, and ran into a wall, and still managed to keep driving.

    "Wow..." Gwen said as she looked at the car, practically salivating. "It looks so cool... I bet it can go really fast."

    Adrian chuckled as Gwen looked at the car. "Well, it really does, but if you really want to feel the speed, I mean feel it, then a motorcycle is the way to go."

    At that time, Adrian hears the garage door open, and looks up at the hallway. In his heart of hearts, he knows it's you.

    As then, he sees you coming down the hallway leading to the garage. Hair disheveled, holding the place where you were shot with a laser. You give them both a warm smile.

    "So how are my two favorite people doing" You ask. Before Adrian can say anything, Gwen is out of the couch, bounding towards you clutching a magazine.

    "Mom! Mom! Can we get a Gauntlet? It's fast and it's tough! Just like you!" Gwen asks, pointing at the Gauntlet. She was probably looking at the car, but your eyes are immediately drawn to the price tag. It has quite a few 0's in it. Which would be fine, if there weren't those pesky non-zero numbers in front of it.

    "Um... I don't think we can afford it right now..." You say.

    -------------------------------------------------
    September 6th, 2015

    It's around 6:00 in the morning when you wake up. The cut on your shoulder is unnoticeable, though it still hurts when you put pressure on the wound. The laser wound, however, doesn't hurt at all. As you roll out of bed, you see that Adrian's already up. The light to your bathroom is on and you hear the shower running. For a moment, you're wondering why he's up so early until you remember that it's the first Sunday of the month. Adrian is a Christian, but he only goes on the first Sunday of the month, as well as Christmas and Easter.

    Your mother used to joke that Adrian was a heathen for not going to church on Sunday. At first, Adrian took it as an insult, but after he found out she also joked about how your father should get into preaching so he could be a televangelist, and that she hadn't set foot in a church in 20 years, he found out that it was just her sense of humor. As for yourself...

    [] I go to church more often than Adrian. Granted I've been... lapsing since I became a Vigilante, but I've been planning on going back this Sunday.
    [] I only go to church every other Sunday.
    [] I go to church... sometimes... not often.
    [] I'm a Christian I don't go to church at all.
    - [] (Optional) Write in a reason
    [] I'm an Atheist, so I don't go to Church. But Adrian still believes and he wants to go so I respect that.
    [] I have a different religion from Adrian, so I don't go to his Church.
    - [] Write in Sonya's religion.
    [] Write in.
    ​
     
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