Time for an update. Sorry it's late. Covid found a way to ruin things without even needing to infect me. Anyway we're not quite back to regular scheduled updates yet, since I'm still going to be doing a fair bit of overtime and stuff *shakes fist at covid*
Chapter 25:
(6th May 2011)
Power testing was more of the same. I cast spells at targets so the scientists can be awed at the results. I only had to cast one Flare and one Ultima each since they didn't want to risk me being exhausted for the later tinker testing. We didn't test any of my Dark Knight powers, since I wanted to repair the battle damage before doing any of that, which the scientists doing the tests agreed was a reasonable request.
As for the medical exam, it was okay. A lot shorter than I expected, but they had a physical activity baseline stuff from the exercise torture session yesterday so today they were just doing the general blood and DNA samples, asking about my diet etcetera, and overall generally making sure I'm a healthy girl. There was a little curiosity about my eye colour, and the fact my hair is now naturally white but I explained it as something that happened after I got my powers.
Best part is it's technically true. Arsemaster and his lie detector might not be in the room at the moment but it's still probably a good idea to get into the habit of telling the truth all the time so he can't trip me up later.
That and misleading people with true statements is fun as hell.
My new tattoo was noted, but thankfully a potion I'd swiped from Lisa on the way out and drank during the car fixed the whole inflamed and still sore skin around the site of my latest bit of kickass tinkertech. I did need to sit through a small lecture from a disapproving doctor lady who thought tattoos at my age were irresponsible of my guardians.
Anyway after the boring medical stuff, I was expecting waaaaay more tinkertech, but I guess the budget didn't allow for it or something, we got to the fun part of my power testing.
Making shit with the PRT supplying all the resources.
I totally wasn't bouncing in anticipation as I was escorted over to one of the Rig's spare tinker workshops for my tinker testing. Not sure why I need to be tested like this, since they already have examples of my tech, but I suppose maybe they wanna see what I can do if I have a 'proper budget' and real access to 'proper resources'.
Joke's on them. I'm rich and have access to all the resources I want thanks to Codi. Except clay of course. I think the whole cloning and sacrifice thing freaked out my family more than they let on so I'm not allowed any more clay to make more Aeons with. [Comfort]
Even better the PRT don't know about my ban on clay which is handy, because I need some for my latest piece of awesomeness.
I entered the lab where Arsemaster was waiting for me, sans power armour and instead wearing a domino mask and PRT issue tracksuit. His left sleeve pinned up where his missing arm was. I ignored the jerk and focused on the lab instead, smiling appreciatively at the racks and racks of components and other items neatly stacked against the walls. And at the tools also neatly placed and ready to be used to make magic.
So this is what government funding looks like.
"So are all PRT workshops like this?" I asked curiously, because damn this was a lot of good stuff and I could probably take over the world in a week or two with this sort of stuff.
"No." Arsemaster replied bluntly and I had to remind myself he was just socially inept instead of being deliberately rude. "We handle all tinker power tests for the entire ENE region. Regular workshops will be equipped with materials and tools specific to that tinker's needs and in line with their tinker budget."
Huh, that makes sense. "Ah alright. So what now?"
"We'll observe while you make some tinkertech. I'll admit curiosity about the kiln and smelter requests."
"I've got something I really, really want to make. Also we?"
"Ah, I requested and was granted permission to observe as well." A Canadian accented voice spoke out from a laptop sitting on a workbench next to Arsemaster, a viodeo chat open and a digital face on screen.
"Oh. Hi Dragon." I commented.
"I take it by the lack of surprise your Thinker power let you know I'd be present."
"Nah. I'm the greatest tinker in the world, so it's only natural you'd want to see what I can do. And you're Ars-Armsmaster's sorta but not quite Canadian girlfriend so it makes sense he'd invite you." I explained.
Damn I'm glad Arsemaster is wearing a domino mask instead of his power armour. It's so much easier to see his flabbergasted facial expressions when you can see more of his face than just beard.
Pity he's such an ass. That beard is really nice. I can see why Dragon likes him.
After some amusing spluttering and denials we got to the matter at hand. I was right in my initial assumption that the PRT wanted to see what I could make when I had access to their resources as opposed to the stuff I'd been using before, which was mostly torn from civilian laptops and stuff. That and they assumed that I didn't know my specialty and wanted to try help nail it down.
Well whatever. I gathered up all the stuff I wanted, slipped into a tinker fugue and got to work.
I came out of the fugue standing in front of the kiln and having apparently just finished setting a timer on a small clock.
"Magpie are you alright?" Dragon asked me.
"Yeah I'm fine. Something wrong?"
"You went immediately into a tinker fugue the moment the finished gathering up materials." Arsemaster added.
"Well yeah. That's how I tinker. I get the parts. Then I fugue. Then I show off my kickass tinkertech." I explained, feeling a little confused at having to how tinkering works to two other tinkers.
"Every time?" Arsemaster asked in a strained voice.
"Well yeah. I can work on stuff after I've made it without going into a fugue state, but I always fugue when I do the real tinkering. Why? Is it a problem."
"If that's the case you are going to be a headache for the PRT and their tinker regulations." Dragon replied with some amusement, and then the the cyberware cinnamon roll explained helped Arsemaster explain to me how the regulations are supposed to work and how I get around them.
See what is supposed to happen is a PRT-controlled tinker is supposed to submit a proposal of what they want to make. It has a quick little review (usually by the local Protectorate team leader and/or local director) to get a quick yay or nay, which can take up to a couple days depending on how busy the people in charge are. If it's a yay then they build a prototype and that get sent off for a proper review to a whole bunch of other tinkers and scientists and PR jackasses.
There's some rules that allow for emergency overrides on this process, like say a mad bomb tinker is blowing up the city and they need some specialised tech to deal with her asap, but in general that's the process.
Tinker fugues are another way of side stepping part of this. At least the initial yay or nay part. Which I'm feeling especially smug by, since I can fugue at the drop of a hat.
And apparently on a normal tinker stopping them from making their stuff when they fugue tends to cause issues, so the PRT will be hamstrung by their own regulations to let me come out of the fugue naturally. This means once I start making my next device they're not allowed to stop me.
Not that they know I'm not exactly a normal tinker.
It is so hard to not cackle right now.
Sure, all my stuff will eventually face the full evaluation thing later, but the real important part is I first need to make something before I can make it again (which my fuguing will let me do). And the stuff that the PRT busybodies would be too scared or letting me make I can just use Splyce so it's not like it even matters much. At worst I'll have to wait a couple weeks for Magpie specific stuff while still getting to play with the fun stuff as Splyce.
It's like I get to have my cake and eat it too. And then eat somebody else's cake as well.
Hmm, and now I'm hungry. I wonder if the cafeteria has cake?
[Deliciousness?]
"So basically I'm amazing." I stated after the pair had finished explaining things to me. Arsemaster was about to respond when the alarm I'd set before dropping out of my fugue dinged and I knew I had to drop back into a tinker fugue to finish making the homunculus.
When I came out of that fugue I was feeling extremely pleased with myself and the mental connection I could feel to the Dedicate Wright homunculus.
Sure it wasn't very pretty to look at, looking like a stunted humanoid figure about a foot tall, but I could fix that in future versions now that I've made one to start with. It carefully lowered itself off the workbench it was on and began moving about the workshop to gather up parts and tools for the next project, dragging a stepladder behind it to it could reach what it wanted.
"Magpie. What is that?" Arsemaster asked, gesturing to the little homunculus with his remaining hand.
"Oh. It's a tinker helper I've been wanting to make but couldn't since my family didn't want to buy me any clay." I explained helpfully.
"What does it do?" Dragon asked curiously and far less brusquely than Arsemaster had.
"It can build and repair tinkertech." I shrugged, keeping the amusement off my face when they both reacted to that bombshell. Even Arsemaster and his stoic ass couldn't keep the shock off his face.
"You made tinkertech. Than can make tinkertech." he said slowly. Then he paused. "Can it make more of itself."
"Yeah. Sorta. I have to start making it first and then the little guy can finish it off." I explained. "It can't make any tinkertech without me, though it can repair the stuff fine."
"Is it able to repair the work of other tinkers?" Dragon asked.
"Dunno. I think it might be limited to my stuff. Not that it matters since I can make wands that can repair stuff too which should work on anything."
"Whatever your specialty is it seems to be very broad."
"Yes and no." I shrugged, taking items the homunculus had been gathering and placing them on the workbench.
"You know what your specialty is." Armsmaster stated, the wheels in his head aligning in the correct way.
"Well yeah. I never said I didn't. I said to Vista and Kid Win that it was complicated."
"Well what is it?" Dragon asked. Her voice program was really good since you could hear the sheer curiosity in her voice.
"It's complicated." I gave them a trolling smile, then focused on the tinkering stuff I wanted to do and then immediately let myself slip into another tinker fugue.
I came out of the tinker fugue feeling really hungry. On the workbench in front of me was a cube-shaped framework of metal, wires and gems with a simple little switch on the side. I grinned at it, then glanced over at my little homunculus which was busy at an anvil hammering away at some adamantine.
Sweet, that part of the plan worked. I started cackling, which brought my two minders' attention to the fact that I wasn't in a fugue anymore.
"Magpie. What did you make?"
"Well if my tinker fugue went the way I think it did my little h-tinker helper should be working on new armour for my Dark Knight dressphere." Which is going to be kickass adamantine stuff and definitely going to be enchanted as well later (Let's see Hookwolf tear gouges out of it now!). I'll upgrade the sword with some enchants too, but that can wait.
Best part about letting the homunculus do all the forging and smelting bits is I don't have to do them myself with my noodly little girl arms. Ha!
I continued explaining the tinketech to Arsemaster and Dragon, idly curious about what time it was. If I was at home I suspect I'd have been pulled out of the fugue ages ago for dinner, but their silly regulations mean they have to leave to fugue. "As for this, it's an anti-Endbringer weapon."
"What does it do?" Dragon's digital voice was full of concern and I realised I was using that smile that tends to make people, and especially Taylor, nervous.
Ah well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I decided to indulge my inner mad scientist.
"You'll see. You'll all see!" I cackling. Then I pressed the switch before Arsemaster could stop me and jumped back, well away from the tinkertech device that began to hum ominously before tiny pinprick of pure blackness formed in the centre of the framework, tiny at first but slowly growing out to become two feet in size until it consumed the device creating it and part of the table the device was sitting on.
"Magpie. What the hell is that." Dragon sounded pretty distraught.
"An orb of pure entropy. A hole in the fabric of existence itself. A Sphere of Annihilation."
[Suggestion]
I immediately began to look for bits of loose paper and other things I could throw into it.
[Data!]
(7th May 2011)
Sadly Arsemaster is a party pooper and prevented me from tossing random items into the sphere. Instead I was whisked away to the cafeteria for a meal and then off home while he and Dragon set up all sorts of sensors to figure out what it was I did.
Apparently creating weaponised entropy is a big deal.
And I wasn't even allowed to take my homunculus home and had to leave it behind. Spoilsports.
Oh and speaking of tinkering at home apparently those surveillance devices in my lab were supposed to be there so they could keep track of stuff I was making at home in case it was dangerous or in case I needed help, so I had to put them back where I found them. After a quick conversation with Simmy I had some plan to mess with them so they wouldn't be allowed to keep the footage after it gets looked at, and to prevent Arsemaster from being allowed to look at it at all.
My aunt and uncle were both still awake when I got home, both busy watching a TV. Thankfully I didn't have to explain why I was late, since apparently Arsemaster was responsible enough to let my guardians know once it looked like I'd be a fugue for a while.
I'd just finished having a quick shower when Aunt Rose cornered me.
"Addy we need to have some words about those Tattlesnakes. More specifically why you used Lisa's DNA to make them."
"Well Taylor wouldn't let me use her DNA for anything and Lisa was dead at the time and thus couldn't argue against it." I explained. "Also I thought the name Tattlesnakes would be funny and it was."
"And secretly disguising venom glands as boobs?" She quirked an eyebrow at me. "We have a no venom rule young lady."
"But they're snakes! They're supposed to have venom. Besides it's completely harmless. It's the bullet ant stuff so it'll just make them wish they were dead instead of actually killing them. That's good right?"
"I'd prefer it if they didn't have venom at all."
"But if I take away the venom then I'd need to change them back to being mammary glands again and that would be weird. Snakes aren't meant to make milk. That's for mammals."
"You could always just make snakes without the boobs."
"But they're supposed to have boobs." I argued against that bit of pure crazy talk. "They're girls."
Also they look way better with boobs. I tried the picture a Tattlesnake or Viper with no breasts at all and it just seemed weird.
"You're not the one who had to teach what is essentially a group of teenage snake girls how to wear bras, or listen to their complaints about how constricting it is on the chest."
"Well they don't necessarily need to wear bras." I offered hopefully.
"Yes. Yes they do." Aunt Rose gave me a look.
"Anyways," I said, deliberately changing the subject away from the snake boobs and the knowing look Aunt Rose was giving me, "when are you gonna send them out with Lisa to mess with the gangs? Cause I still need to mix up the plasmids for them and install the sea slugs in the Tattlesnakes."
"Maybe Sunday. You'll be having a busy day tomorrow with your Wards debut."
"Wait what? But isn't that a bit fast. They're still doing my power testing."
"It came up during negotiations but I suspect you weren't paying attention." Aunt Rose rolled her eyes at me. "Since you're keeping your name and costume they want to push it forward as quickly as possible to warn the off Empire, or what's left of them anyway, from attacking your or us. Attacking a lone independent is one thing. Attacking a Ward or her family would bring the Triumvirate down on them and they know it."
"Oh. Right."
Aunt Rose rolled her eyes at me again. "Now go and get some sleep, because you're going to have a busy day tomorrow."
I woke up bright and early and after quickly checking on my Dragonmark to make sure it's growing properly (and making a mental note to get plenty of iron in my diet over the next week) I immediately switched my focus over to Splyce. I had all sorts of stuff to get started on.
First I decided to order a bunch of clay through one of the the shell companies we were ordering my stuff through. After I show off my homunculi to my family I'm sure they'll cancel their stilly no clay rule. That and I want some homunculi for work at the Lair. It'll arrive in a couple days.
I can use an oven to bake it in. The kiln is mostly overkill to be honest and I only really asked for it at the PRT to see if they'd actually do it. And to make things as awkward as possible since I bet they didn't have one before I asked.
I'll probably make all the psionic gear here at the Lair. I have to have the Sectoids help a bit, since Splyce herself isn't psionic, but that isn't much of an issue. Also I want to get a Shroud Resonator up asap. It'll unfortunately annoy Simmy a bit by blocking our her precog powers in the area around the resonator but blocking out all sorts of thinker powers is too important at the moment to ignore. I can turn it off for her later once Contessa is dealt with.
But the resonator can wait a little bit. It's powered by regular infusions of psionic energy and for that I'll need more Sectoids, which is what I'm doing at the moment. Growing a fresh batch of Sectoids, including one Sectoid Commander to put in charge of them. It'll slow my Viper/Tattlesnake number growth down a little but will be more than worth it in the long run.
In fact my Splyce time this morning was spent getting things prepared for future stuff. Like some quick and easy maintenance on the life support tanks so I can begin seeding them with the new batch of Sectoids soon. I said hello to the Vipers and Tattlesnakes, who were all coiled together in a massive pile in one of the cleaned out offices that was now functioning as their nest.
They all had names now, though it'll probably be a while till I get round to actually remembering them properly since I'm terrible with names. The only ones that stand out are Mizzy and Lizzy, the two regular Vipers, and Connie, the venom-specialised Tattlesnake. It'd probably be easier to tell the rest apart if they didn't look the same.
I'll need to tweak their DNA sequences in the library to randomise hair and scale colours or something for the future ones I make.
At least they all have clothes now, since Aunt Rose went bulk shopping with Lisa and Taylor yesterday to sort that out.
[Suggestion]
Actually that gives me a great idea! I'll start growing some Daelkyr living breastplates as armour for them to use when they're doing gang stuff. It'll be perfect since I can grow as much as I want, fits in with the gang's whole biotinkery aesthetic and will look really good on them. And it'll only take a couple days for each one to grow.
I am so adding that and the other Daelkyr stuff into my genetic library later tonight when I have some free time.
After the hellos and introductions I had them follow me back to the main section of the Lair so I could install the sea slugs into the Tattlesnakes and free up one of the life support tanks. Then I got down to discussing plasmids they were going to get and what they would do.
They were getting both Peeping Tom and Natural Camouflage. This gave them the invisibility options, with Natural Camouflage being there so they had invisibility without having to worry about Eve drain the way they would if they were just limited to the Peeping Tom plasmid.
I naturally gave them Metabolic Eve too, since that'd give them a lot more staying power with natural energy regeneration. Combined with the Nuka Cola Quantum that they were also going to be equipped with once things get going, things would be great for them.
On the offensive side of things they were going to be getting Shock Jockey. I was tempted to go for Electrobolt like Khanivore had, but since they lacked his sheer brute power I decided giving them the more versatile electric power was a better idea. It basically gave them chain lightning powers as well as allowed them to seed an area with crystals that would electrocute enemies that get too close.
Then to supplement this I gave them Electric Flesh, for the boost to their lightning powers as well as immunity to electrical attacks (Ha fuck you Mjolnir!), and Electrical Storm, which meant they'd discharge electricity at people hitting them as well.
Overall they were going to be dangerous combatants, especially since this was on top of being able to spit clouds of venom, super strong constricting coils for suffocating hugging their opponents into submission, their overall good speed and manoeuvrability, and lastly the grasping tongue attacks Mizzy and Lizzy were capable of. Oh, and all the Tattlesnakes will have ADAM boosted regeneration too, courtesy of their own sea slugs.
And that's all ignoring the fact they're also all good shots with guns. Not that I have guns for them yet. That'll have to wait till we steal liberate some from the gangs.
It's a pity I'm gonna need so many Sectoids (which will be getting the Peeping Tom and Natural Camouflage plasmids), because I'd love to start making more of my snakey minions.
Once the slugs had been implanted in their new hosts I guided them and the two Sectoids into getting some more life support tanks made. Just the mundane parts of the tanks for now. I'd add the tinkertech bits later when I either had time or when I had a couple homunculi at the Lair. I supervised the initial bit of construction before checking the time, putting Splyce away in her tank and then getting out of bed.
I'd spent enough time as Splyce at the workshop that my lazy big sister was actually awake and out of bed, so I couldn't do my traditional weekend morning thing of waking her up and annoying her.
Instead I annoyed her by trying to steal some of her bacon at breakfast when she wasn't looking.
Hmm, maybe I should practice my psychic powers till I figure out how to do telekinesis. That'd be real handy for stealing bacon. Ooh! Simmy uses telekinesis for tinkering. I bet I could learn to do it too. Probably not to her level, but not needing screwdrivers to screw in screws and that sort of thing could be real handy. [Intrigue]
I'll ask her for some tips once I figure out how to do telekinesis. [Negation. Dislike]
"So Addy. What were you up to that the PRT decided to drop you off so late last night?" Taylor asked, fending off my latest attempt to swipe her bacon with the air of long practice.
"We were doing tinker testing and according to their rules and regulations they're not allowed to pull me out of tinker fugues unless it's an emergency." I explained.
"I bet they're regretting that." Uncle Danny added his own opinion to the conversation with some amusement as he took a sip of his coffee. "I don't think I've ever seen you tinker without being in a fugue."
"Me neither." Taylor added. "So you spent all of yesterday afternoon and evening in a tinker fugue?"
"Yeah. I made an anti-Endbringer weapon that Arsemaster and Dragon were really impressed by. After they evacuated the area to cover it in scanners and stuff anyway."
"Addy don't be rude." Aunt Rose chided me. "It's Armsmaster."
"Sorry." I ducked my head sheepishly.
"You really think you can kill an Endbringer?" Taylor asked curiously.
"Maybe. I've got a whole bunch of ideas anyway and if that fails I can just point L-Flechette at them instead. Once Lisa tells me where the core is anyway."
"I don't want you at any Endbringer fights young lady." Uncle Danny stated, with Aunt Rose nodding in agreement. "And that goes for you too Taylor."
"That's not fair!" Taylor argued.
"Yeah. Taylor would be amazing for search and rescue! Besides we'd be fine. If we die the vita-chamber would just revive us so it's not like there's any risk." I explained.
Which reminds me. I need to build a second vita-chamber asap and move it out the city. Maybe make a small elerium generator to power it too. That way if the one at the Lair gets busted we won't be screwed.
At least my counterpoint that we wouldn't actually be at risk of permanently dying seemed to mollify them a bit. Along with Taylor's impassioned speech about helping and duty and being a hero.
"Fine." Aunt Rose conceded. "But only for local fights and only if Addy has a vita-chamber. And a backup vita-chamber."
"I was already planning on making a second one." I added. "Can we have one of the dummy shell companies rent a spot in Boston or someplace like that to put it in?"
"I'll sort it out." Aunt Rose nodded and we continued eating until Taylor picked up the conversation again.
"So what did you make anyway?"
"A floating orb of pure entropy about two feet wide that annihilates anything that comes into contact with it." I explained, then used the moment of shock to steal some bacon from Uncle Danny since he was busy choking on his coffee.
Uncle Danny drove me over to the PRT building around mid-morning, where I was then hustled over to the PR department and coached through what I was and was not allowed to say and/or do while on camera this afternoon. As well as rehearsals to make sure I knew what I was doing and didn't do anything stupid.
Which was a little insulting because I am a genius, and definitely not going to sabotage my own debut. Aunt Rose already threatened to cancel any upcoming sleepovers if I made a PR spectacle and I wasn't about to risk it.
Also all the worm fanfiction past-me must've read has lied to me because I never got to meet Glen Chambers at all. Instead the PR person in charge that I had to deal with was a woman so cheerful and full of pep that I suspected she must be a recent transfer.
Nobody who's native to Brockton Bay could be that happy with life.
I also met the local Youth Guard representative and his aides. Well technically I'd met him briefly before once the contract stuff was all signed, but now he had me as a captive audience since I wasn't 'de-stressing after a traumatic experience' or being busy having power testing done.
Honestly he seemed like a bit of a prick and I think he was only encouraging me to come to him if I had concerns simply so he could one up the PRT or something. Still, I made note to remember that I have his number saved on my Wards phone. I can probably come up with a way to set this jerk on Piggot if she winds up annoying me.
Anyway, useless bureaucrats and busybodies aside, the debut thing was interesting. I was going to be shown off the to the public in a press conference in the afternoon, and then tomorrow (or Monday, if I hadn't finished power testing tomorrow) I'd have my first Wards patrol.
This patrol would be more of a PR stunt than actual patrol, since I was informed I'd be accompanied by a member of the Protectorate in addition to one of the Wards. Ostensibly this was to help show me the ropes but really it was so they could show me off to the public.
Note to Self: Try delay patrol till Monday and then have the minions attack the patrol route so I can show off properly.
By four pm I was in my Black Mage outfit, and ready to begin. Naturally this meant I still had an hour of makeup and other stuff to be subjected to since the conference was set for five. Eventually though I was able to escape the clutches of the PR people and get on with things, which involved waiting off stage and out of sight while Arsemaster went through an obviously canned speech about the Wards and how important it was to train up the next generation of heroes, yada yada.
Then it was time for me to make my appearance. I simply burst apart into crows and had them reform on stage next to Arsemaster. Mundane for me, but to the audience it looked cool and showed off my cool crow powers.
Annoyingly the PR lady vetoed me having one crow come and land on my shoulder since apparently they looked too angry and murderous to have on TV, and only the threat of losing my sleepover privileges stopped me from ignoring her.
Then I went through the careful speech they'd made for me and answered questions from the reporters. For questions about my power I said I was a Trump, since the PRT wanted to keep quiet about me being able to make gear that gives powers.
Some of the questions were generic. What's your favourite food? Who's your favourite hero? What's your opinion on 'X'? Etcetera.
The more interesting ones were about my opinions on the local gangs, especially the ABB since I was quiet clearly of Asian heritage, or questions about Mothri and why I was joining the Wards but she wasn't. I answered the gang-related question in the PR-approved manner I'd been drilled on all morning. As for the Mothri one...
"She prefers being independent but working with the PRT and other heroes for now. I know she wants to join the Protectorate when she's older. I'll try get her to do an AMA on PHO if people are curious, but that's all I'm gonna say about my sister for now since I know she'd prefer to answer her own questions."
The questions continued for another ten minutes before Arsemaster saved me and concluded the debut by saying that I still had some power testing to do and that.
Then I got to get interrogated about the Sphere of Annihilation and how it works. Which was mostly "I dunno" since I honestly have no idea how it works or why it's not annihilating all the air in contact with it. Which is handy really since otherwise we'd have to keep it in a perfect vacuum or something or eventually lose all the air on the planet or something.
My homunculus finished the adamantine version of the Dark Knight armour, since it doesn't need to sleep or rest and unlike the D&D version isn't limited to eight hours of work a day, which let me show Arsemaster and Dragon how I adjust my dressphere outfits.
I also took the time to modify the Songstress outfit, changing it from Yuna's outfit to essentially being a palette-swapped version of my Black Mage outfit (complete with large hat because I love my huge hat).
Then we got to do power testing on the Songstress stuff since they didn't want me fuguing up any more super weapons for the moment. Overall there isn't much to say about it. I could dance and apply various status effects to my targets, in this case some lab mice, as long as I remained dancing.
The interesting ones were Sleepy Shuffle, Slow Dance and Brake-dance, which either put the target to sleep, slowed it or froze it respectively. After a lot of double checking the health of the mice I was allowed to try some of them on a human volunteer, who was affected just as anticipated.
Then I got to try out the buffing abilities, which included all the songs and a couple other dances. Turning my volunteer into a mid-level brute was pretty neat once I sang the strength boosting song long enough for the boosts to stack high enough.
With a bit of prep time and a lot of singing and dancing I could boost the hell out of whoever I'm teaming up with.
I may have preened a little at all the excitement and praise this was generating from the scientists that were observing, even if Arsemaster was being all serious and silent and boring.
(8th May 2011)
The PRT wanted me round for some more power testing today. Mostly testing out the Dark Knight stuff, since they'd gotten so side tracked by the Songstress stuff yesterday. And they wanted to test my homunculi's ability to repair tinkertech on stuff from other tinkers.
I wanted to get my sea slug back before I did any Dark Knight testing, since a Darkness Wave without some form of regeneration to handle the blowback didn't sound very nice to me. Luckily the Youth Guard came to the rescue, or at least the possible threat of having the Youth Guard unleashed on them if they didn't give me Sunday off.
Which meant I got to wake Taylor up by flopping down on her at six in the morning while she was asleep, followed by some remote tinkering with Splyce when she shooed me out her room under threat of wasps. My minions were very productive and trippled the number of life support tanks available to me. Not that I could grow anything in them yet without the tinkertech bits, but I was planning soon.
Taylor was going to the PRT today to do some testing on the White Mage dressphere so she could then be allowed to use it in hospitals, which they fortunately don't need me there to test (and I made sure to tell Taylor not to let Panacea touch her if she was there). Aunt Rose and Uncle Danny were planning on some alone time that Simmy was more than happen to send me mental images of despite my protests, which meant Lisa and Codi were babysitting looking after me today at the Lair.
It was good to see Codi again, even if she immediately started fussing over me and interrogating Lisa about whether or not I was eating enough vegetables (with the stupid blonde tattling on me as usual. She's lucky she's pretty and Taylor's new BFF).
Also the AI I built can be a pretty scary. She's spent the time away busy dumping all of Gazzleshift's important details on the European authorities, including things like all their capes' civilian identities, where they live and where all their properties are.
Because apparently Guzzleshaft was too much of a risk to me and my family and had to be removed from play. This will also keep the local Guzzlnazis off balance enough for Codi to deal with the remaining Dragonslayer, who she's having a little difficulty tracking down due to them having some expertise in hiding from AIs.
I then spent a very productive day tinkering on stuff the PRT would very much not approve of, getting all the life support tanks up and running and seeding with biological minions. Oh and implanting my beautiful little sea slug back inside my body where it belonged. Sorting out all the new life support tanks took up about half the day. The rest of my tinkering time was set making a couple devices to grow the various psionically reactive crystals that I'd need for all the psionic shit I was planning on making.
I'll have to make more, but I can do that once I get some homunculi over here to do it. Production is really going to ramp up when I have little minions to do all the tedious stuff for me.
We had take-out for lunch and dinner, since I hadn't made those Create Food wands yet, and watching Lisa interact with the Tattlesnakes was hilarious. I think I'm gonna skip making Vipers from now on and make Tattlesnakes exclusively. Seeing the looks of adoration on their Tattlefaces when they look at Lisa and her own awkward uncomfortable but guiltily happy expression was amusing as hell. When she wasn't busy glaring at me of course.
She seemed embarrassed by the way they all called her big sister too. I'm definitely making Tattlesnakes exclusively now.
(9th May 2011)
I was back with the PRT at the Rig today. We did the tests for my Dark Knight dressphere, including the brute modifications it added and Arsemaster did a durability test on the armour.
I could tell he was totally jealous of the adamantine and how strong it was. Maybe I can bribe him with some or something in the future?
We also tested the homunculus on other tinker, notably some of Arsemaster's stuff, and it couldn't repair it. Looks like it's limited to my stuff.
Also my Sphere of Annihilation has been confiscated for the moment, which I'm annoyed with since I really wanted to try poking it with stuff to see what happens. I did get assurances from Arsemaster that if an Endbringer ever attacks the city I'd be allowed to use it. He probably expects that to be never but joke's on him. The city is totally gonna get attacked by an Endbringer.
The questions about the White Mage dressphere tests that happened yesterday were much more fruitful. I found out it made it through all the testing with flying colours. In fact the PRT are really eager to get their own copies, so I started making one and a basic Unerring Path dressphere for it to go on and then had my homunculus deal with the actual building part of it.
My homunculus will be moved over to my workshop which was apparently still being set up at the PRT building next to Kid Win's workshop. I'll be checking it out after my afternoon patrol, since now that the power testing is done the PRT wants to show me off.
I'm going to be patrolling with Gallant. It wasn't said but is kinda obvious that it's because the PR people like the whole mage and knight image it'll show. I suspect he's going to be a common partner for me on patrols in the future.
Oh and Miss Militia will be there too I guess. It would probably have been Arsemaster but he's still missing an arm and can't patrol yet. Honestly he should get on getting a replacement asap or he won't be able to fail at using his nanothorn thing when Leviathan shows up.
Note to self: Ask Miss Militia for tips on emoting when your costume hides the lower half of your face.
[Boredom]
Patrol as a Ward is horrible.
[Comfort]
I can see why Taylor does this by herself, at night, in the run down areas of the city.
The only crime that's likely to happen here is me 'accidentally' setting fire to the next asshole who asks me if I'm a magical girl.
Gallant must be picking up on my hidden fury, if his twitchyness each time he looks at me is anything to go by.
"No, I'm not a magical girl." I said in a sweet and not at all forced tone as I resisted the urge to drown this moron in crows while signing an autograph. Seriously do I look like cutesy fucking magical girl?! I'm a badass black mage, and while yes, the crow perched on my shoulder glaring at the crowd the way I wish I could is cute, it's doesn't mean I'm a cute little magical girl.
Damnit why did Lisa have to tattle to Aunt Rose when she came to pick me up and thus ruin my plan to have the Tattlesnakes debut during my Wards patrol.
I waved politely at a couple kids taking pictures of me and continued moving down the Boardwalk next to Gallant. Miss Milita was a safe distance away, and obviously laughing at my misfortune if her body language was anything to go by.
"If I get called cute one more time I'm gonna use my crows and travel by rooftop for the rest of this patrol I swear it on my ado-kickass hat." I muttered to Gallant.
Stupid PR department making it so I needed to ask permission to use my Dark Knight dressphere when out on patrols. I wouldn't be having this problem if I could shank a bitch with a massive sword.
I mean I kinda get where they're coming from. It's a heavy combat outfit for emergency situations, but if this is clearly an emergency situation. My sanity is on the line.
Seriously I killed a whole bunch of Nazis the other day. I am badass, not cute.
"Don't worry. Glory Girl said she'd be stopping by and she's good at pulling a crowd's attention." Gallant tried to mollify me. It didn't help. The last thing I want is Collateral Damage Barbie showing up. "In fact there she is." He pointed at a figure rapidly approaching by air.
I felt a brief, feeling of awe and wonder directed at her as she spammed her love-me radiation all over the place.
It was very brief, because no sooner had I felt it than it suddenly cut out and the blonde annoyance dropped out the air with an alarmed shriek and collided very hard and very fast with the pavement, skidding a fair distance. Painfully, since by the looks of it her power had completely shut down.
I spent a stunned moment looking at her laying there with some obvious broken bones and a serious case of road rash before her aura slammed active once again and I was hit by a massive surge of fear, before it cut out again and the downed blonde let off another, sharper, yelp of pain and clutched at her head with her good hand.
Gallant rushed forward to help while Miss Militia began to call in backup, eyeing the area around us with suspicion and caution.
Hey Simmy, any idea what's happening? are we under attack or something? I decided to ask, since I really had no idea what was going on and didn't know who I should be shooting at.
At least the crowd was backing off, suspecting a potential cape fight. Even if the less survival minded ones should probably stop recording and back off a bit more.
{Data. Amusement}
Oh. Oops.
{Amusement}
Glory Girl's aura flicked on, terrifying me once more before my Neural Feedback genemod countered and shut it down yet again.
This was going to be a pain in the ass to explain, wasn't it?
Then again maybe the pain whenever her aura activates will give her some Pavlovian conditioning and she'll stop spamming her aura all the fucking time.
I experienced another pulse of fear and had to listen to another shriek of pain and sighed. Looks like that's going to be a no.
Even worse I have the feeling I won't be getting to visit my PRT- approved Magpie workshop today.
[Comfort]
A/N
Poor Addy, not being allowed to throw things into the sphere of annihilation.
