I'm sorry if this is an obvious question but who are you referring to?zergloli said:
Memoirs of a Human Flashlight Thread 2: Now with more Arguments! [Exalted/Worm]
- Thread starter Golden Lark
- Start date
-
- Tags
- exalted (white wolf) worm
- Location
- The end of all things
Which, of course, is why they are getting an Endbringer.Golden Lark said:
- Location
- The end of all things
Having lots of craft and lots of medicine can clearly produce some... odd results, as we see here. Doctors wouldn't usually field modify a defibrillator like this.
I love how Taylor really just wants to break his spine. He'll get better later.
I love how Taylor really just wants to break his spine. He'll get better later.
Golden Lark
The First Fiction User
I'll do a proofreading run over the 7000 words when I no longer am under a deadline to produce 7000 words.Guile said:
I promised quantity, not quality!
Golden Lark
The First Fiction User
It was more of a free sample:
"Here's a free bomb! Press button, toss! Don't fuck with it. It will render a non-catastrophic cape useless! Consider it my resume!"
Or something.
It's Bakuda tech, at least. Just minor.
"Here's a free bomb! Press button, toss! Don't fuck with it. It will render a non-catastrophic cape useless! Consider it my resume!"
Or something.
It's Bakuda tech, at least. Just minor.
So... Is it Behemoth twice in a row, which is BIG, or was the previous attack by Leviathan? Also, interesting how the wards weren't even woken up - normally, I think, they are asked if they want to participate. Willpower effects? Someone in PRT passed their Conviction/Compassion check and decided not to compromise on the safety of children?
Taylor is likely going to get lots of tutoring, as she seems to be more of a thinker, than a tinker. Especially in medicine.
Changes starting to show up with an example of Browbeat. Interesting.
Taylor is likely going to get lots of tutoring, as she seems to be more of a thinker, than a tinker. Especially in medicine.
Changes starting to show up with an example of Browbeat. Interesting.
Metal which acts to either interfere with control of powers, or directly cause random mutation. If the second, did Bakuda manage to somehow create Moonsilver by accident? (Unlikely)
If the first, analysis for the purpose of recreation would be a priority.
If the first, analysis for the purpose of recreation would be a priority.
There's no swearing (in this update), so I expect GL just changed it (or didn't know that Behemoth attacked before: it's a single line in a very late chapter). Bakuda's also turning up early, same thing applies.Yog said:
Not precisely.Brellin said:
The same Endbringer doesn't attack twice in a row, but there's not a pattern beyond that.
For example, it could go Behemoth-Leviathan-Behemoth, or Behemoth-Simurgh-Leviathan and then Simurgh-Leviathan-Behemoth.
and 4-5 attacks per year. So plenty of space for an endbringer to double up if they are feeling a bit feisty.sainen said:
Only when they have their tatoos.Esbilon said:
11
Golden Lark
The First Fiction User
1561+5944=7505. OBLIGATION COMPLETE!
Essence 3.1.4
Of course I wasn't going to get answers.
The Director's administrative assistant informed me she would be 'busy' for the foreseeable future, with no idea when she would be free. I didn't voice my suspicion that Piggot was taking a nap in her chair. Well, whatever. I couldn't say I was too surprised at this point.
I enjoyed my time with the Wards so far. Adored it, even. It felt right. However, all was not perfect. I was hyper-aware of the complicated political situation around the organization. There was a tension between the PRT troops and the Protectorate capes. The troops were a bit less stiff with the Wards (or the Protectorate capes that had been local Wards at one point) but they refused to loosen up around a couple of the big names. Assault, for one. Armsmaster, as more of a surprise.
I didn't notice the second one for a while. Armsmaster was curt and brief, and the troops responded in kind. He didn't order them; he didn't rank above them in any fashion. They were parallel organizations. The most he had to do with them was maintenance of their equipment on a regular basis. Eventually I picked up some small signs of ingratitude, and maybe antipathy in general. It didn't become clear until I overheard one trooper mumbling to another that he felt sorry for the capes that had to work under Captain Too Good to Chat.
Miss Militia also didn't talk to the troops much, but that seemed different. There was almost palpable respect there. Veterans acknowledging each other. She, unlike Armsmaster, would occasionally speak up when she noticed weapons in any state of being other than 'ready.' When she did, she was thanked to her face and she was not mocked when she left.
Assault's bombastic personality seemed to grate on them and they just tolerated him until he went away. They didn't really talk much about him afterwards on the occasions I saw it happen. There might have been something else there but they kept it under wraps.
I hadn't seen much of Velocity or Battery. Velocity could spend more time off base due to his ability to change into costume almost instantly, wherever he was. Battery . . . might have been actively avoiding the Wards, from all I could tell. I decided against asking my peers about it.
In any case, no one was going to tell me (or be caught telling me, I couldn't tell) why the Wards hadn't been woken up for the Behemoth attack.
Not that I thought I could have been of much assistance- yet. Sure, I had lots of shiny tricks, but I couldn't punch down buildings or stay standing after taking such a punch. I was better than humans, but not better than the average cape that specialized in any one parahuman ability. It had been implied that I was expected to load myself down with Tinkertech for maximum effect, eventually. Apparently eventually was not today.
I prepared a feast for the returning capes (with everyone's help) and had it sent over as soon as I heard they were done with their post-Behemoth radiation scrubbing. Apparently rad poisoning involved a lack of appetite and a need to eat, regardless. I hoped to be of at least some assistance.
The shrapnel shards that had been embedded in Browbeat came back from analysis. Nothing special, just steel that had been crystallized in an odd pattern before whatever shape it had been in was detonated. Whatever effect caused Browbeat's powers to go out of control had at least one other factor, most likely something about the bomb when it initially went off on top of the metal 'pinning' it to his body. Tinkertech was difficult like that.
I got thank-you e-mails from all of the capes but Armsmaster. Odd. He was usually on target with the little things.
The PRT staff was on high alert; they were pulling double shifts on account of exhausted heroes and potentially fresh villains that hadn't participated in the Endbringer fight stirring up local trouble.
That over the last decade the time the highest statistical number of Villains had been 'accidentally' killed in fights with PRT troops was immediately in the wake of an Endbringer event might have kept mischief on the down low.
Lung had chosen not to fight, this time.
The last three Endbringer events were Behemoth, Leviathan, Behemoth. The Simurgh was almost certainly next. I wondered how I might be able to help. I'd have to study up. And . . . I'd have to have access to some Simurgh tainted.
Yeah, like that was going to happen.
But who knows. Maybe my 'bullcrap' could detect or cure the 'taint.' Of course, the obvious counterpoint is that if I could do that, I might be able to inflcit something similar as well. Which would go badly for me, humanity being what it is.
[***]
As an added bonus, now that we had two newbies on the team, we were due for a rotation of some of the less common Wards resources from around the country. This included a therapist, a visit by a couple of the more commonly internally contracted Tinkers to demonstrate their tech, and some legal consultation provided pro-bono by a local firm. On hearing the news, Dennis feigned excitement.
"Oh boy! Now I get another friend to clearly explain to me the virtually any use of my power on people outside of the thrashing of bozos counts as assault and harassment! No, Clockblocker, fun is not allowed. No one cares if you are adding ten minutes onto their life span, or kindly skipping them past uninteresting bits of their boring lives. No, every second is precious and letting people miss out on a single one is bad and should make you feel bad. And liable. Extremely liable."
"That would be the lawyer. I won't ask about the therapist. What do you do with the tinkers?"
He shrugged.
"See if I can get any upgrades for my suit. Also any goop that can protect my hands while still letting me freeze through it. That one hasn't happened yet. My power's great and all but the touch limitation means I have issues with the less environmentally friendly foes."
A beat of silence passed as we involuntarily thought of Behemoth. None of our local capes had died, which was a miracle. I changed the subject.
"Ah, nothing else of interest to you? Stun guns, jet packs, that kind of thing?"
"Nah. I can't hit the broad side of a barn, and the more crap I have on me the more complicated my life gets if I have to freeze my suit over myself."
Ah. That made a lot of sense. Before I could respond he continued.
"So, uh, has Piggy hit you up about Arcadia yet? We've had a couple new girls of roughly your size and build and hair color join in, and that's usually the signal that they're about to invite the new Ward if they haven't already."
My mood blackened far more drastically than it did when Behemoth came to mind.
"I have no intention of going back to high school," I stated.
Dennis' eyes widened.
"That's the most serious I've ever heard you talk. Which is trouble, because Piggy is BIG on education. I mean, seriously."
"And I'm big on not going back to a petty hellhole like that. No offense to Arcadia. All schools are the same. Even if I occupy a different social strata, I'm just going to see the injustices from on high and be prevented from addressing them, right?"
He paled a bit and she shoulders slumped.
"Yeah, yeah you hit the nail on the head. We are encouraged to not act as . . . heroically as our cape personas, so as to increase plausible deniability. I'm cynical, but that? That just sucks. I can't even snark freely as a civvie anymore. I can't even talk as much because my voice might be recognized. That's why I always bum around here when I'm free."
Something clicked.
"Piggot's revenge for your introduction stunt?"
He looked at me oddly, tilted his head, then grimaced.
"That- that makes too much fucking sense. I didn't even see it. Damn! I was played! Played!"
I rubbed my chin.
"I need a GED and a bachelor's I can get online. By the end of the week."
He froze mid indignant fist-shake.
"You are totally serious, aren't you."
I nodded.
"You realize Piggy will try to make you go back to high school even if you get a PhD, right?"
"I'll refuse to acknowledge her unless she calls me Dr. Hebert or Dr. Lightshow for the rest of my career, if she does."
"Dr. Lightshow. Sounds like the name of Legend's destined nemesis."
I chuckled.
"Perhaps it is inevitable. If I fall to villainy, will you be my minion?"
"Only if I get dental."
"Does being punched in the teeth if you cross the line count?"
"My dear, the only thing that would break if Alexandria punched me in the teeth would be her momentum. As such, I will accept those terms graciously."
"Then I will consider it, prospective minion. Now, scurry off and fetch me a Coke. I have evil to accomplish."
"Yessssss Misssstressss!" he hissed, as he lurched over to the fridge.
Just another day in the Wards.
Essence 3.1.4
Of course I wasn't going to get answers.
The Director's administrative assistant informed me she would be 'busy' for the foreseeable future, with no idea when she would be free. I didn't voice my suspicion that Piggot was taking a nap in her chair. Well, whatever. I couldn't say I was too surprised at this point.
I enjoyed my time with the Wards so far. Adored it, even. It felt right. However, all was not perfect. I was hyper-aware of the complicated political situation around the organization. There was a tension between the PRT troops and the Protectorate capes. The troops were a bit less stiff with the Wards (or the Protectorate capes that had been local Wards at one point) but they refused to loosen up around a couple of the big names. Assault, for one. Armsmaster, as more of a surprise.
I didn't notice the second one for a while. Armsmaster was curt and brief, and the troops responded in kind. He didn't order them; he didn't rank above them in any fashion. They were parallel organizations. The most he had to do with them was maintenance of their equipment on a regular basis. Eventually I picked up some small signs of ingratitude, and maybe antipathy in general. It didn't become clear until I overheard one trooper mumbling to another that he felt sorry for the capes that had to work under Captain Too Good to Chat.
Miss Militia also didn't talk to the troops much, but that seemed different. There was almost palpable respect there. Veterans acknowledging each other. She, unlike Armsmaster, would occasionally speak up when she noticed weapons in any state of being other than 'ready.' When she did, she was thanked to her face and she was not mocked when she left.
Assault's bombastic personality seemed to grate on them and they just tolerated him until he went away. They didn't really talk much about him afterwards on the occasions I saw it happen. There might have been something else there but they kept it under wraps.
I hadn't seen much of Velocity or Battery. Velocity could spend more time off base due to his ability to change into costume almost instantly, wherever he was. Battery . . . might have been actively avoiding the Wards, from all I could tell. I decided against asking my peers about it.
In any case, no one was going to tell me (or be caught telling me, I couldn't tell) why the Wards hadn't been woken up for the Behemoth attack.
Not that I thought I could have been of much assistance- yet. Sure, I had lots of shiny tricks, but I couldn't punch down buildings or stay standing after taking such a punch. I was better than humans, but not better than the average cape that specialized in any one parahuman ability. It had been implied that I was expected to load myself down with Tinkertech for maximum effect, eventually. Apparently eventually was not today.
I prepared a feast for the returning capes (with everyone's help) and had it sent over as soon as I heard they were done with their post-Behemoth radiation scrubbing. Apparently rad poisoning involved a lack of appetite and a need to eat, regardless. I hoped to be of at least some assistance.
The shrapnel shards that had been embedded in Browbeat came back from analysis. Nothing special, just steel that had been crystallized in an odd pattern before whatever shape it had been in was detonated. Whatever effect caused Browbeat's powers to go out of control had at least one other factor, most likely something about the bomb when it initially went off on top of the metal 'pinning' it to his body. Tinkertech was difficult like that.
I got thank-you e-mails from all of the capes but Armsmaster. Odd. He was usually on target with the little things.
The PRT staff was on high alert; they were pulling double shifts on account of exhausted heroes and potentially fresh villains that hadn't participated in the Endbringer fight stirring up local trouble.
That over the last decade the time the highest statistical number of Villains had been 'accidentally' killed in fights with PRT troops was immediately in the wake of an Endbringer event might have kept mischief on the down low.
Lung had chosen not to fight, this time.
The last three Endbringer events were Behemoth, Leviathan, Behemoth. The Simurgh was almost certainly next. I wondered how I might be able to help. I'd have to study up. And . . . I'd have to have access to some Simurgh tainted.
Yeah, like that was going to happen.
But who knows. Maybe my 'bullcrap' could detect or cure the 'taint.' Of course, the obvious counterpoint is that if I could do that, I might be able to inflcit something similar as well. Which would go badly for me, humanity being what it is.
[***]
As an added bonus, now that we had two newbies on the team, we were due for a rotation of some of the less common Wards resources from around the country. This included a therapist, a visit by a couple of the more commonly internally contracted Tinkers to demonstrate their tech, and some legal consultation provided pro-bono by a local firm. On hearing the news, Dennis feigned excitement.
"Oh boy! Now I get another friend to clearly explain to me the virtually any use of my power on people outside of the thrashing of bozos counts as assault and harassment! No, Clockblocker, fun is not allowed. No one cares if you are adding ten minutes onto their life span, or kindly skipping them past uninteresting bits of their boring lives. No, every second is precious and letting people miss out on a single one is bad and should make you feel bad. And liable. Extremely liable."
"That would be the lawyer. I won't ask about the therapist. What do you do with the tinkers?"
He shrugged.
"See if I can get any upgrades for my suit. Also any goop that can protect my hands while still letting me freeze through it. That one hasn't happened yet. My power's great and all but the touch limitation means I have issues with the less environmentally friendly foes."
A beat of silence passed as we involuntarily thought of Behemoth. None of our local capes had died, which was a miracle. I changed the subject.
"Ah, nothing else of interest to you? Stun guns, jet packs, that kind of thing?"
"Nah. I can't hit the broad side of a barn, and the more crap I have on me the more complicated my life gets if I have to freeze my suit over myself."
Ah. That made a lot of sense. Before I could respond he continued.
"So, uh, has Piggy hit you up about Arcadia yet? We've had a couple new girls of roughly your size and build and hair color join in, and that's usually the signal that they're about to invite the new Ward if they haven't already."
My mood blackened far more drastically than it did when Behemoth came to mind.
"I have no intention of going back to high school," I stated.
Dennis' eyes widened.
"That's the most serious I've ever heard you talk. Which is trouble, because Piggy is BIG on education. I mean, seriously."
"And I'm big on not going back to a petty hellhole like that. No offense to Arcadia. All schools are the same. Even if I occupy a different social strata, I'm just going to see the injustices from on high and be prevented from addressing them, right?"
He paled a bit and she shoulders slumped.
"Yeah, yeah you hit the nail on the head. We are encouraged to not act as . . . heroically as our cape personas, so as to increase plausible deniability. I'm cynical, but that? That just sucks. I can't even snark freely as a civvie anymore. I can't even talk as much because my voice might be recognized. That's why I always bum around here when I'm free."
Something clicked.
"Piggot's revenge for your introduction stunt?"
He looked at me oddly, tilted his head, then grimaced.
"That- that makes too much fucking sense. I didn't even see it. Damn! I was played! Played!"
I rubbed my chin.
"I need a GED and a bachelor's I can get online. By the end of the week."
He froze mid indignant fist-shake.
"You are totally serious, aren't you."
I nodded.
"You realize Piggy will try to make you go back to high school even if you get a PhD, right?"
"I'll refuse to acknowledge her unless she calls me Dr. Hebert or Dr. Lightshow for the rest of my career, if she does."
"Dr. Lightshow. Sounds like the name of Legend's destined nemesis."
I chuckled.
"Perhaps it is inevitable. If I fall to villainy, will you be my minion?"
"Only if I get dental."
"Does being punched in the teeth if you cross the line count?"
"My dear, the only thing that would break if Alexandria punched me in the teeth would be her momentum. As such, I will accept those terms graciously."
"Then I will consider it, prospective minion. Now, scurry off and fetch me a Coke. I have evil to accomplish."
"Yessssss Misssstressss!" he hissed, as he lurched over to the fridge.
Just another day in the Wards.
Golden Lark
The First Fiction User
==============
BEYOND THIS POST IS NEW STUFF AFTER THE SV IMPORT
==============
BEYOND THIS POST IS NEW STUFF AFTER THE SV IMPORT
==============
Man, Taylor's really working that Investigation ability, isn't she?
Clockblocker: BULLSHIT!
Lightshow: Glorious Magical Bullshit, you mean?
Nice snippet, GL. I am looking forward to the reactions when Taylor completes her studies that quickly.
Nice to see that Taylor's not getting an overinflated image of herself due to the Magical Bullcrap she can pull.
6 years of education in less than 7 days?
Clockblocker: BULLSHIT!
Lightshow: Glorious Magical Bullshit, you mean?
Nice snippet, GL. I am looking forward to the reactions when Taylor completes her studies that quickly.
Actually, Ward are legally required to go to school. If I remember correctly, it was due to politicians and those "concerned family" groups complaining about Wards being "child soldiers" or something, and it was required to shut them up.
Here's a doc stating that rule: https://docs.google.com/document/d/...xA16mYjH4/edit?pli=1#bookmark=id.ee2utp97hmsx
And yes, that's canon. Wildbow wrote it.
Here's a doc stating that rule: https://docs.google.com/document/d/...xA16mYjH4/edit?pli=1#bookmark=id.ee2utp97hmsx
And yes, that's canon. Wildbow wrote it.
Yeah, he can't. Though, if he had artificial teeth, he could probably freeze them. That would probably result in them tearing out of his mouth, though.helnae said:
Guile
Having a really great time right now
I wonder what's going on with Armsmaster. He's probably brooding already, seeing his career stagnate. Having the local PRT soldiers visibly prefer Dauntless and Miss Militia can't help. So he lets the little things fall through the cracks in favor of more impressive tinker bullshit, and then is confused when that just accelerates the problem.
Get that man a sandwich, stat! No one can be unhappy and antisocial with one of Lightshow's sandwiches in hand.
Get that man a sandwich, stat! No one can be unhappy and antisocial with one of Lightshow's sandwiches in hand.
She did give him food:Guile said:
Armsmaster never sent a thank you email. I doubt he's planning an in-person thank you chat as well.
Guile
Having a really great time right now
The correct response is more sandwiches. The correct response is always more sandwiches.landcollector said:
He can't do anything about Behemoth. Like, at all. His weaponry is close-range. I.e. would only work when he's within Behemoth's kill-aura. Which he can't get into, because he's a squishy human in a tin can, as far as Behemoth is concerned. And that's assuming behemoth didn't just fry his circuitry.Guile said:
- Location
- Little Rock, AR
Nah Taylor just needs to be his Pr consultant and help with some glorius solar bullshit parties.
And Lasers just plain don't work on him. Ya know Dynakinetic? Blasters must feel useless.Yog said:
Guile
Having a really great time right now
You'd think he could just hand off his halberd to a Brute cape, and tell him which switch activates the nanothorns.Yog said:
I don't know, maybe dynakinesis would get in the way of the monomolecular edge - I mean, it must be SOME kind of energy, just a very nonstandard kind.