Voting said:
[X] [Adventure] Aggressive Animals
[X] [Patrol] Midtown
[X] [Modeling] Pendragon
[X] [Activity] Dating
[X] [Social] Erin
Gamemaster said:
Recover 5 hit points via Natural Healing. HP: 37/38
The days after her encounter with Erin found me despondent. For a time, I did little beyond go to school. At home, I simply laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling. I think I worried my brother, for I had no explanation that I could rightly give him. I had struggled with my identity these past months, but I had believed that I was truly King Arthur reborn. Now, I knew that was a lie. I was merely a girl playing dress-up.
In the end, it was my promise with Victoria that roused me from my melancholy. No matter who I was, it did not change the duties I had.
I looked at myself in the mirror before I left. For months now, I had been gathering my hair up in imitation of how Artoria had once done so. I turned away, my hair still loose across my shoulders.
Elaine was dead. Artoria was a fantasy. All that was left was… me. I just had no idea who that was any more.
"Hey," Victoria said when I met up with her. "You've been a bit scarce lately."
"I am sorry," I murmured. "I have… had something on my mind." For a moment, the urge to call her Vicky, the way Elaine would have once upon a time, rises within me. I open my to do so, but my tongue stays still, frozen within my mouth. In the end, the moment passed, and I simply hung my head.
"You and Amy both. You two didn't fight again, right?"
"No. This is unrelated to Amy – What is wrong with her?"
Victoria frowned. "I don't know. She won't tell me. She's just been brooding a lot lately." Victoria tilted her head, a sly look entering her eyes. "Maybe it's because you haven't taken her out on a date yet. When are you going to do that?"
"A date?" I blinked. The thought had not occurred to me – Homecoming aside, I had become accustomed to going to the Dallons' house whenever I wanted to spend time with Amy. "Where would we even go?"
"That's for you to figure out," Victoria laughed, scooping me up to carry towards the sky. "I can't hold your hand for everything. You'll have to figure a few things out for yourself."
"You are correct, it is just…" I worried that my own judgment would make a mess of things, the same way it had our Homecoming date.
"You'll be fine, Ellie. I believe in you."
"...Thank you, Victoria." I let out a slow breath and recentered myself. "So, what should I expect at this photoshoot?"
"Well, the Wards are going to be there, and I'm sure they'll want to meet the new Independent Hero that's been making waves. Beyond that, there's some of the other models, teenagers, but the type who do this thing regularly. They can be a little stuck up. No offense."
"I did not take any." It was true Elaine had done this sort of thing in the past, but that had largely been her – my Mother's influence.
"Finally, there's the stars of today's show. There's going to be a few sick kids there. The type who might not otherwise get the chance to even go out much, much less meet heroes. They're why we're here, so you want to take the time to really make them feel special."
I nodded seriously. I could do that much.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"So can you fly?"
"I cannot."
"Oh, are you super fast like Velocity then?"
"No, I–"
"You're super strong then, right?"
"N-No."
"Well, what
can you do?"
I was glad for the motorcycle helmet I had purchased. It helped conceal my crestfallen expression. Why had I thought I could do this? Victoria was flying with one little girl clutched in her arms. Meanwhile, I was here with no notable powers to speak of. Even my costume was obviously homemade – little more than a jacket and helmet, with my scarf fluttering behind me – while both Victoria and the Wards had costumes that were professionally put together.
Gamemaster said:
Etiquette: 7 | 8 = Success
Summoning my sword, I planted it in the ground in front of me. "I am a knight. With my sword, I strike down those who would harm the innocent. With my sword, I protect those who cannot protect themselves."
The eyes of the boy who had been asking questions widened. "Cooool. Can I hold it?!"
"You may. Be careful however, for the edge is sharp."
The boy nodded and took the sword, almost dropping it, his arms trembling with the weight. "It's heavy…"
"Yes. Remember that weight. For that is the weight that any who take up the sword must bear. It is the weight not just of steel, but the weight of lives. The weight of every person that your sword protects."
"But I'm not a Hero."
"You can be. There are hundreds of heroes around us every day. Not just people who put on costumes and fight crimes either – Doctors, Firefighters, even normal people who just go out of their way to help someone else who they see is in trouble. All of these people are heroes." I tapped a finger to the boy's chest. "It is not power that makes a person a hero. It is their heart."
Gamemaster said:
A camera flashed nearby and the boy flinched back. I quickly reached out and supported the boy's grip on the hilt before he could drop the sword. Several people nearby began clapping. Again, I found myself glad for the concealment offered by my helmet. This time, it hid the visceral anger that cut through me. The moment of introspection I had given the boy was gone, lost amidst the adulation of the masses around me.
I closed my eyes. No matter. The smile on his face was happy. That was enough.
An older woman bustled up to me, though she wore her age well. Hints of make-up hid the wrinkles around her eyes, and there was no hint of gray in her hair, though I suspected dye may have been used. She smiled broadly at the two of us. "Hello, hello. Pendragon, was it?"
"Yes," I said, tilting my head curiously.
"Good to meet you. I'm Sylvia Gates, the manager for this agency. I'll admit, I didn't know what to think when Glory Girl showed up with you, but you certainly seem like a natural."
"Thank you," I replied neutrally. "I do all that I can to live up to the position I have been given."
"And I can see you're doing a good job so far. I'd like to have a little talk with you – Why don't we let little Jimmy here get back to the rest of the group. How would you like a turn up in the air with Aegis, Jimmy?"
"My name's Johnny."
"Yes, Johnny," Sylvia said dismissively, waving him off. "So, flying?"
The boy, Johnny, looked between us, obviously put off by the woman's attitude. After a moment however, the bribe of flight won through and he dashed off to join the others. That left me alone with Sylvia, the photographers and other support staff already moving on to greener pastures.
"So," she began. "You're a new up and coming hero, right? This is your first big PR event?"
"Yes, that is correct," I said, curious where this was even going.
"So how did you wind up coming here with Glory Girl? Anything saucy I should know?"
"We have been patrolling together – Glory Girl has been 'showing me the ropes,' so to speak."
"Well. You certainly have the PR neutral responses down. A shame. I was hoping for a bit of flair. Audiences love heroes with a bit of personality to show off, or failing that, a bit of mystery. Still, if you ever want to do another shoot, we'd be happy to work with you. We regularly do events with both the Protectorate and New Wave. We haven't had much work with any other Independents in town – not many to go around – but if you want to get your name out there, we're the ones to do it with."
I raised an eyebrow. "This is a recruiting pitch?"
"You can call it that. Think of it like a corporate sponsorship. You occasionally come in, get paid for your time, and in exchange we get to use your image for some of our photoshoots."
Somehow, I suspected the Protectorate did not use the services of any particular agency quite as much Sylvia would try and have me believe. They had their own Image and Public Relations department to help handle that. It was more likely just the occasional collaboration, such as this. Everyone knew that Capes were profitable however. It was why Sylvia was likely so intent on snagging me, as one of the few Independent Heroes in the city.
"I would need to see the terms of whatever deal we decide on. At the bare minimum, I would need control over how my image is used. I would prefer to avoid a line of Pendragon underwear," I said, referencing a product line I remembered one of the local heroes having put out nearly a decade ago.
Gamemaster said:
"Hah!" Sylvia laughed. "Well, we can work something out. We'll probably settle on a pay-per-session structure while we see just how popular you are with the market, so you'll have full control over whether to accept or decline any particular shoot. We'll need to see about upgrading your costume though, it's a little plain right now, isn't it?"
My face grew warm and I glanced away from the woman. "I intend to add proper armor at some point, it is simply… a bit of an expense."
"Well, we can help with that! So? What do you say?"
"Your terms seem acceptable."
"Great! I'll see about getting the paperwork together. Why don't you go mingle while I do that?"
With that, Sylvia breezed away, leaving me wondering what I had just agreed to. Letting out a slow breath, I turned and made my way to the refreshments table that had been set up. I began reaching for a sandwich, only to pull back as I realized I would not be able to eat it with my helmet.
Suddenly, being an open cape like Victoria seemed much more attractive. She probably got to eat as many sandwiches as she wanted while in costume. Maybe I could sneak one while nobody was looking this way…
"Oh! Pendragon! Is that you?"
Damnation. I turned towards the voice and saw a small, petite girl jog her way up to me. "Madison?"
"It is you! The helmet is new, but I like it. You're doing the photo shoot with all the other heroes then?"
"I am. What are you doing here?"
"Oh, a friend of mine is an amateur model. She does this sort of stuff all the time – I was just here hanging out with her, but we heard the Wards were doing a shoot next door, so I thought I'd check it out. I'm glad I did, I got to see you again, after all."
"I trust you have been well since I last saw you? No more wandering down dark alleyways?"
Madison colored but nodded. "No, I've been safe. Just, um. I'd really like to pay you back for saving me the other day, so I was wondering – I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, but I was thinking maybe we could go get di–"
"Pendragon!" Victoria flew down, landing next to the two of us. "Hey, the others were wrapping things up, but they wanted to say hi before they left. You want to head back over there?"
Madison's jaw snapped shut, her teeth clicking with the force. Well, Victoria was a fairly famous hero for the city, so I cannot blame her for being nervous. Taking pity on her, I introduced her. "Victoria, this is Madison. She's a civilian I saved from a… mugging. Madison, this is Victoria."
"G-Good to meet you," Madison stuttered.
"You too," Victoria said brightly. "I'll head on back, let you two talk, but come join us soon, alright?"
"I will," I promised and waved her off. She smiled and pulled me into a hug before flying away again.
"You and Glory Girl seem close," Madison said, a hint of a question in her voice.
"Mm," I hummed an agreement, then paused, remembering what Sylvia had said about people liking heroes with a bit of mystery. "Well, perhaps so, but it is not something I should discuss."
"O-Oh?" Madison's eyes darted between me and the departed Glory Girl. "Well, she seems like a very friendly sort."
"She is. In any case, what was it that you wished to ask of me?"
"Ah." Madison went silent for a long moment. She stared down at her feet, her mouth moving as if silently trying to come up with something to say. Finally, she raised her head again and said, "Well, I was thinking – As a Hero, you probably need whatever information you can get, right? And I spend a lot of time online. I can be your – your eye in the sky as it were. The girl on call to help find things for you."
Gamemaster said:
Intrigue: 6 | 9 = Success
"Madison," I said gently. "While I appreciate the offer, I do not know how much help simply browsing PHO will be."
"No, it's true! People post all sorts of crazy stuff. Like, um. Circus has been hitting a lot of stores Downtown lately. Or the Damsel of Distress has been causing trouble in Durham lately. Lots of people talk about Hookwolf running dog fighting rings too!"
Gamemaster said:
Recognize: 8 | 6 = Failure
I… did not know who any of those people were. Durham was the closest town to us, on the other side of the mountain range that covered Brockton Bay's western side. It wasn't somewhere I could visit casually in an afternoon. I could, on the other hand, investigate whoever this Circus person and Hookwolf were.
Gamemaster said:
Adventure discovered: Takedown the Clown
Adventure discovered: The Dog Rings
Adventure discovered: The Damsel of Distress
"Very well." Madison's face immediately brightened. "It is true that I could use any information. I will not turn it down if you are able to offer – so long as you are not putting yourself in any sort of danger to obtain it."
"Of course! … I'll need some way to contact you though. Your phone number, maybe?"
That seemed reasonable. Fortunately, the studio had plenty of markers lying around for us to sign autographs with. I took one to instead write my burner phone's number on the back of Madison's hand. "There. I do need to get going, but try keeping out of trouble, okay?"
"If I do get in trouble, you'll come and rescue me though, right?"
She could not see it, but I shot Madison a very unimpressed look. That had been in fashion at one point during my – during Artoria's reign. Various ladies would conspire to be "kidnapped" so that knights could ride to their aid. It had been another product of the stagnancy of Artoria's later years. She had brought peace to the land, but not to the hearts of the people; and so they played at war with kidnappings and tourneys and anything else that would allow them to continue using their arms.
"I would prefer not to risk harm coming to you in the first place."
Madison giggled. "Don't worry. I'll stay safe. You go do what you need to do."
I felt not at all reassured, but ultimately decided not to dwell on it. Madison's choices would ultimately be her own. I left, walking back to rejoin the other heroes.
Today had been my first time meeting most of the Wards. Triumph, with his lion's head and roman armor. Aegis, dressed in a red bodysuit with a shield proudly emblazoned on his chest. Clockblocker, his helmet smooth and faceless, his only feature the spinning clocks that decorated his armor. Kid Win, in bright red and gold armor, a visor covering his eyes. Gallant, my brother, hidden within his tinkertech armor, blue lighting lending it a futuristic tone instead of simple plate. And finally, Vista, the youngest of the group. They had clustered together – it looked as though the kids had been taken aside for a group photo, so it left us free for the moment.
"--Can't believe the nerve of her," Victoria was saying as I approached.
"Hey," Dean soothed, his voice echoing a bit inside his armor. "Some people are just like that. It sucks, but punching her wouldn't solve anything."
"What happened?" I asked.
Victoria looked up, her expression stormy. "Some redhead bitch was making fun of one of the kids for being in a wheelchair."
My lips thinned. "Where is she?"
"Gone!" Dean quickly spoke up. "She's already left. Vicky scared her off."
Clockblocker laughed. "I thought she was going to pee herself at one point. It was pretty great to watch – even got it on video if you want to check it out."
Gamemaster said:
Forgiving: 15 | 10 || Vengeful: 12 | 10
>No change.
"No, if Victoria already reprimanded her, then let that be the end of it."
"Anyways, forget her," Vista piped up from where she was sitting, perched up on a table instead of a chair. "Tell us about you! We'd heard about you a bit from Velocity, but this is our first time meeting and we barely got to interact the whole time."
"Well, what is it that you wish to know?"
"What powers do you have?" Aegis asked.
"I am a Brute," I said, though I disliked the classification. "I am tougher than normal and heal quickly." It was true for how I was currently, though I suspected that might change soon as my body changed more and more to better match that of a Heroic Spirit.
"A really basic package, huh?" Clockblocker said.
"Classic," Aegis riposted with an easy smile. "Us Brutes need to stick together. We're the ones holding down the frontline after all."
"Indeed. I am sure that you perform perfectly well in a support role, Clockblocker."
"Oof," Clockblocker clutched at his chest. "The new guy's vicious."
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Victoria trying desperately to suppress a laugh. Dean, too, seemed to be looking deliberately away from me. I narrowed my eyes. Clearly another sparring session was in order.
"Why go Independent instead of joining the Wards?" Triumph asked.
"For similar reasons to most Independents, I imagine. I valued the ability to make decisions for myself rather than receive orders, and I did not wish my family to know about my powers. I am happy with the decision I made however. Victoria has been an excellent mentor."
"Aww," Victoria cooed. "You're a pretty great trainee yourself. You pick things up fast."
"She should bring you to patrol with us sometime," Dean chimed in. "We'd be happy to have you."
I scowled at him. Ever since I had revealed my identity as Pendragon to him, my brother had kept trying to argue for me to join the Wards or take safer patrols. It had grown annoying. "Perhaps, if we are in the area. Personally, I would prefer to focus on more dangerous areas of the city."
"Oh?" Vista leaned forward. "Glory Girl already told us that you made Oni Lee run the other day. So who's next to take down?"
Pausing, I met Victoria's eyes. Haze had extended the invitation to raid ABB operations with him. We could take his offer. Truthfully however, we had yet to sit down and make plans. We would need to if we had any intention of being effective. We could not just randomly patrol the city forever. Not if we had any intention to change it. I hesitated before finally answering Vista.
"Whoever stands in our way."
Gamemaster said:
Gain (20 + Appeal x 2) = 48 Glory
Gain Money (Appeal x 10) = $140
Gain a check to Fashion.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
The weekend finished and Monday arrived. With it came school. Apparently, a video of my conversation with Johnny had been circulating on Parahumans Online all weekend and it had set off a wave of gossip about Pendragon. Victoria had framed attending the photoshoot as doing her a favor, but I suspect she had actually tricked me into doing a favor for myself. She knew the power of Public Relations well.
Work in the Student Council had hit something of a lull. Midterms were this month, and everyone wanted to focus on that. However, there were plans to do a fundraiser next month, and so we had begun sketching out what we would need for that. Cookies and baked goods were typical, but a few other suggestions were offered.
Kayla suggested sticking me in a kissing booth, which I firmly denied. Not just for the impropriety, though I would have vetoed it for that alone, but because I had a girlfriend now. Something warm tickled my chest at the statement. Artoria had lived a cold life, with few personal attachments, but I did not have to be her. My mistakes were my own to make.
After we finished for the day, I wandered out to the football field and sat up in the bleachers. The field was deserted, leaving me to stare wistfully out at the setting sun. When Erin sat next to me, I did not bother looking at her. We both stayed there, not speaking, for a time, watching the sun slowly dip below the horizon. When darkness had finally claimed the school, I finally turned my head.
"What is it that you want, Erin?"
Erin frowned. "Is that any way to greet a friend?"
"No. It is not." I met her eyes. "But then, I was only ever an experiment, was I not?"
"Haah." Erin sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "This is why I didn't want you to find out to begin with. It's not as though I was carving you up for your secrets."
"Should I be thankful for that?"
"Yes! Maybe! You'd still be asleep on a hospital bed if not for me!"
Perhaps a part of me still was there, sleeping even now. I closed my eyes and asked again, my voice weary, "What is it that you want, Erin?"
"I promised you I'd help look into what was happening with the athletics equipment here. I have. You had a goblin infestation."
My eyebrows shot up. "That should not be possible. The Age of Faerie has long passed."
Erin shook her head. "I told you. The fabric separating the outer layer and the inner layer is fraying. Things are slipping through. Quite a few mages were happy with the development at first – forming a pact with an Other is an easy way to gain power – but the consequences are doomed to follow if it isn't stopped."
"What were they doing
here?"
"Goblins like chaos and breaking down signs of civilization where they can. These ones were pretty minor. Civilization as a concept is fairly well-enforced in this school, so there wasn't much they could do beyond making things go missing. I suspect there's a larger nest of them somewhere in the city however. Somewhere filthy."
Gamemaster said:
Adventure discovered: The Goblin Nest
I scowled and stood up. "I will try and discover where they are hiding then."
"Elaine, I–"
"What?" I snapped.
Erin took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. For taking advantage of you. For using you. I did mean it though, when I said I wanted to be your friend."
Gamemaster said:
Trusting: 9 | 12 (10+2) || Suspicious: 13 | 8 (10-2)
I turned to look at her. She returned my gaze steadily, but her fists were clenched in her lap, trembling with anxiety. I could not maintain my anger. She had used me, it was true, but I could not deny the reasoning she had done it with. Artoria had suffered as much and worse from the people around her. Perhaps my difficulty in accepting this small betrayal was the truest sign of our differences.
"I accept your apology." Erin's face immediately brightened. "However. You will be honest with me from now on. No more lies or half-truths. No concealing the truth for my own benefit. If I am to trust you again, I must have that trust returned completely."
"I understand. I won't let you down a second time. I promise."
"Then let us begin anew." I smiled and took her hands in mine, helping her to her feet. "You have set out to save the world. Allow me to help you in what little way I am able. We shall do this together."
Erin wrapped her arms around me, her hug tight enough to drive the breath from my lungs.
Gamemaster said:
Bond with Erin increased to 3.
Gain 50 Glory for completing the Haunted Storage Shed.
I have made some updates to the available power progression, particularly to how Riding functions.
It is October of 2010.
We have hit a new Glory milestone.
First, you may increase
any Trait, Passion, Characteristic, or Skill by
one, ignoring any usual restrictions.
[ ] [Glory] (Write-In Increase)
Second, you get another Parahuman Power upgrade:
[ ] [Power] Chivalry (C)
>Gain an additional 3 armor and increase Major Wound threshold by 3.
[ ] [Power] Mana Burst (E)
>Deal an additional 2d6 damage on Melee and Charge attacks.
[ ] [Power] Instinct (E)
>Enemy attacks suffer a -3 threshold penalty.
[ ] [Power] Riding (E)
>Knockdown Threshold increased by 3.
[ ] [Power] Charisma (E)
>Roll Parahuman Power at -10. On a success, gain a +5 threshold bonus to any Social roll.
[ ] [Power] Magic Resistance (E)
>Roll Parahuman Power at -10 opposed to parahuman powers that target you. On success, the effect is negated.
You need to plan your date with Amy. Where do you go? What do you do?
[ ] [Dating] (Write-In)
Someone has requested the purchase of a Shield for Elaine ($200).
[ ] [Purchase] Buy
[ ] [Purchase] Don't Buy
