Project Prometheus (Original Setting Superhero Quest)

Bitterman · Aug 31, 2024

[X] Plan: Intrigue Specialisation
-[X] Inform Wolong of Project Prometheus. 15 points.
-[X] Facilitate a purchase of one of Mendicants Symbiotes to heal Arc. (Justice Unlimited will not be able to purchase symbiotes from Mendicant for two issues, New Dawn will provide the funds). 7 points.
-[X] Commit to discovering information about Monarch. (Lady Leizi must take personal action "The Spider's Web" and choose Monarch next issue.) 2 points.
-[X] Offer Black Swan's one-time assistance with patrols in the Uni District (Black Swan will not be available for one mission next issue). 5 points.
-[X] Commit to finishing mission "Long Shadows of the Night". (Must finish mission in three issues, not counting current issue. Mission will cost 1 AP.) 1 point.
-[X] Commit to finishing mission "Grand Theft Person". (Must finish mission in three issues, not counting current issue. Mission will cost 1 AP.) 1 point.

You wet your lips and choose your words very, very carefully. Every instinct you have screams at you to not do what you're about to. Information is a weapon. Information is power. Information is most valuable when you're the only one who has it.

And yet.

You wonder if Nora felt like this, all those years ago, when she asked you to help her fight the Defiance Unit. Or when she reached out again to have you join NuGen. You'll never know, but you push aside the burbling feeling of trepidation and force yourself to speak.

"Gabriel. . . what if I told you that I didn't have to find hope. What if I told you it was left for me?"

Wolong looks back at you, unsure of what expression to make. His face flashes between a hopeful and guarded expression, like a man dying of thirst who's scared this pool of water is just another mirage.

"I would ask exactly what you meant by 'hope', Lady Leizi," he says slowly.

"Precisely what it sounds like, Gabriel," you reply, "Now, is there somewhere more secure we can discuss this?"

* * *

Wolong escorts you to a room near the top of Zenith, watching you out of the corner of his eye, as if he's afraid you will vanish into thin air. You follow him as he leads you to a massive office with a glass floor that gives a clear view of several floors below. You can just make out Black Swan and Menagerie Witch with Gentleman James and Palisade. Black Swan looks like she's trying to make conversation, but Menagerie Witch makes a great show of seeming bored and pulls out her screen to start playing a game.

Brutal.

The office is as spartan as they come, Wolong goes behind the great desk that is the sole piece of furniture before hitting several switches. The glass polarizes and becomes opaque and there is a faint hum of white noise around the perimeter of the room.

"Novalight's old office," Wolong explains, "I've just activated the privacy suite. You're welcome to search the room for bugs if you feel the need."

He says the last bit with a smile that becomes fixed as you do just that.

"You can't be too careful, darling," you say as your search comes up empty. Well, nearly empty. The bugs you had placed were still here, though they only had ever worked in the rarest of circumstances.

"Is . . . the matter that sensitive?" Wolong askes as he pulls out a chair for you.

"The most sensitive," you say and sit opposite the desk as Wolong. Once he's settled, you speak again, "First things first. Justice Unlimited would be happy to lend whatever assistance is necessary to deal with our collective 'pest' problem. What targets are most pressing?"

Wolong blinks but quickly recovers. "The safest targets right now are Shroud, Third Person, and Abarimon. Of those three, Abarimon is the least volatile. He's still the only person to ever ask to be put in Wonderland."

"Unable to control his powers, correct?"

"Unfortunately," Wolong confirms," He's remained stationary which is best for everyone. Of our other targets, nearly a dozen bodies have been found the last three weeks with injuries matching Shroud's modus operandi. The last three victims were found on consecutive days—he's accelerating."

You wrinkle your nose. You detested serial murders. "I have an infiltration specialist who is the perfect person for the job. Now, Third Person?"

Wolong raises a brow at the mention of another new member of Justice Unlimited, but lets it go. "Third Person is up to his usual rampage near Roswell University. However, he's apparently very upset about the length of his 'ban' and is killing his hosts immediately at the sight of any 'mod'. We've had to stay out of his view."

"Tch, psychic parasite," you hiss, in distaste. That is someone to keep far, far away from Black Swan. "Perhaps there is something in the Apiary that can deal with him. Failing that, Menagerie Witch's constructs are not sentient. If we could isolate him, perhaps we could disable his hosts with them."

"Ah, she's quite powerful then?"

"Intelligent as well. All of our new members are," you say with a hint of pride. "Speaking of which, we'll lend you Black Swan for some patrols near the NID. The sight of someone that powerful should give Monarch second thoughts about any unwise action."

"Is she truly that strong?" Wolong questions, "It's a generous offer to be sure. . ."

"Wolong, she's the most powerful metahuman in this building by several orders of magnitude. If it were not for the fact that Floating Venom Morpheme was near an inhabited area, she could have dispatched it in one strike," you say, looking over your glasses, "And patrols will be good for her. One day she'll be the leader of Justice Unlimited—she must learn what the work at the very bottom is like."

"Too true," Wolong says, stroking his mustache. He wants to ask you more, but he's displaying remarkable patience.

Patience that you will soon reward. But first: "What intel do you have on Monarch?"

"Precious little. I have more questions than answers when it comes to her."

You shake your head, "Allow me to rephrase. What intel would you like on Monarch. My information network is at your disposal."

"Her source of funding," he says immediately. It seems he knows not to look a gift horse in the mouth. "She has a considerable ability to purchase resources: weapons, armor, entertainment for her more hedonistic followers. I can't trace where it's coming from, but cut it off and we'll have dealt her a mighty blow. Aside from that, any information about her lieutenants or what she's planning. Her movements have been hidden for far too long."

You nod. A tall order, but something you were likely going to look into regardless. You approach the next matter delicately.

"Gabriel, don't take this the wrong way, but have you looked into metahuman means to heal Arc?"

Wolong frowns. "The side effects of Lethal Anodyne's serums are more than Arc could survive, even if I was willing to addict her to save her life. And Mendicant has disappeared. Even if I could find them—"

"They're in the Apiary. Last I saw them, they were rebuilding Radiant Silvergirl's terrariums. Gardening is something of a hobby of theirs, apparently."

You wish you had a picture to preserve the look on Wolong's face. Then it changes to something like a painful, desperate want and you feel guilty for your whimsical thoughts.

"They've been in the . . . Apiary? This whole time?"

"Valiant Silver offered it as a safe haven should they ever need it. They were waiting for us to return. What's more, they're willing to sell directly to Justice Unlimited. If it will help Arc, I'd be more than happy to facilitate a—"

"Please," Wolong breathes before catching himself. He swallows a lump in his throat. "Please. It would be greatly appreciated."

"Consider it done." Which only left one more matter for you and Wolong to discuss.

Before you say anything, he slides back into his chair, exhaling. "Mendicant was at the Apiary . . . I see what you mean about help being left for you."

"Not precisely, darling."

Wolong chuckles, "Are you next going to tell me you have the second coming of King in the wings as well?"

"Not yet."

He laughs again, but, when he sees you don't return his mirth, he grows serious. "Lady Leizi . . .?"

"Gabriel," you start, "What has always been the most challenging part of building any kind of lasting heroic organization?"

"Membership," he answers easily, "Metahuman powers take time to develop. By the time they do, most of the stronger metahumans have been scouted by corporations, turned to crime, or found means of employment other than heroism. Why do you ask?"

He eyes you shrewdly. He's started to figure it out. Better to not leave the poor dear in suspense.

"Because what if there were a way to give someone fully developed metahuman powers? What if they could be bestowed to those who already wished to be heroes?"

Wolong is very, very still. "If that were the case, then that would change everything."

You smile. "Indeed. Gabriel, let me tell you about an initiative called Project Prometheus. . ."

* * *

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" By the end of being read into Project Prometheus, Wolong has risen to his feet and furiously pacing the room, torn between elation and rage at New Dawn's former leader, "The difference a leader can make! Yelena left us nothing but a hollowed out husk, a monument to her own ego! And all the while, the leaders of Justice Unlimited—the very people her arrogance drove from our breast—were perfecting the means of creating heroes."

Wolong runs his hand through his hair several times, getting himself under control again.

"Black Swan . . . she's a result of Project Prometheus, isn't she? She was made with Yelena's DNA."

"Partially," you admit, "We did add a few things to compensate for Novalight's weaknesses."

Wolong laughs again, a harsh sound. "How that would rankle her, knowing that those she looked down on could use her powers better than she ever could."

He collapses in his chair, the very image of a condemned man granted clemency. He rubs at his right eye with his palm, an oddly intimate, vulnerable gesture.

"Time," he breathes, "We just need to buy a little more time. Help is coming. We've found hope."

"No," you say gently, "It was given to us at a dear price."

"Yes, yes of course," he agrees, "You need the DNA of deceased metahumans, correct? New Dawn lost most of its members. Their DNA should be on file. I'll forward you a copy of our medical records at once."

Your eyebrows nearly leave your head. "You're certain?"

"Did you think I would try to use them as a bargaining chip?" he questions, "Perhaps demand new metahumans of my own? No. One way or another, New Dawn has seen its last day. Yelena condemned this organization the day she cast NuGen out."

"Gabriel . . . Wolong—"

"No need for formalities now, Lady Leizi," he says, "The name on the building means nothing compared to the intentions of the people inside it. Heroes will live on in Horizon. That is enough."

"Then call me Zixuan," you say, "And it sounds as if you've given up on the very idea of a New Dawn?"

"No, Zixuan," he says, shaking his head, "That was done well before I was a member. Perhaps when Valiant Red died, or when Cisma allowed Novalight to take charge. Either way, it is best if the entity known as 'New Dawn' ends. Too many ghosts."

He gives you a bittersweet smile. You don't know what to say.

"To that end, the Zenith is yours. There are enough unused floors you could come and go as you please without anyone noticing. We'll also provide material support. Our contract with the Uni District is still active; we'll have to maintain operations here, but there will be an excess left over. Finally, I would appreciate it if you would include our remaining members on missions where you think they would be useful. Whether they one day join Justice Unlimited, go independent, or remain the last vestiges of New Dawn, they're excellent heroes who should know the next generation."

Wolong stares at his hands as he makes his decision. He looks pained, but as if a great weight has been taken off his shoulders. You cover his hand with your own, and he gives you a grateful smile.

"The strategist of a doomed Empire," he laughs bitterly, "A more literal emulation of my namesake than I would prefer."

"It doesn't have to be the end," you say, pulling back.

"No, it must be." He shakes his head. "But enough navel-gazing. There is something I should warn you about. Our medical records here at the Zenith are incomplete. The rest were stored at the Mill, Steelheart's lab and factory. That is where the records of the founders and members with private civilian identities—like Heavenly Astrologian—are kept."

"If memory serves, the Mill is in the NID. Is it still intact given Monarch and the destruction of Wonderland?"

"I would bet on it. It would take King himself a great deal of effort to get through all of Steelheart's defenses. I should be able to gain us access, but only once we've dispatched Monarch and the other Wonderland escapees."

You sigh. Yet another task on your plate. Still, one must not be overwhelmed by the sight of the mountain; climb one step at a time.

But that does remind you of one thing. "I suppose now you'll trust me enough to share your plan for a second Wonderland?"

"Ah, yes, I cannot let you be the only one with earth-shattering revelations today, can I?" Wolong says, "Tell me, Zixuan, what lies between the NID and Corporate Playground?"

You pause and think, "Nothing, except the—Gabriel, you can't be serious!"

He grins at your reaction. "Yes, The Frozen Throne."

The Frozen Throne was a nightmare of frozen, warped space that the rest of Horizon politely pretended didn't exist. The area itself appeared to be sapient—those inside the land governed by the Throne were subject to its whims. It fed off the people inside of it and required that one of them always be sitting on it. Years ago, it lured people in with promises of treasure and wealth, but nowadays even the most foolhardy would not take a single step inside it.

To make it worse, the area covered by the Throne was expanded every year. True, the expansion was only ever a few inches at most—except one memorable year when it was a whole foot—but it was slow and inevitable all the same. Not that it mattered to the people inside. For the space the inside where Throne occupied was ever shifting, ever changing, and ever expanding.

Steelheart once famously deployed a high-tech observation drone to attempt to map the interior of Frozen Throne, with the idea that documenting it would prevent it from changing. He deployed his drone from above the Throne where it fell for over 8,000 miles before running out of power.

The diameter of the earth is only 7,917.5 miles. The drone never hit the ground.

"Are you quite mad?" you ask, genuinely worried he had cracked under the stress.

His grin never changes. "Mad like a fox. Tell me, have you ever met Baba Yaga?"

"Catherine? Yes, she's retired, isn't she?"

"She is," he confirms, "But she also has the ability to warp and control the space inside any object she can occupy for longer than 24 hours. And she has spent the last months building a second prison facility inside of one of her Domains."

Wolong activates a holographic display and pulls up a map of Horizon.

"We've tested it extensively. The Frozen Throne can't reach inside her Domain." He taps the map where the Frozen Throne touches the NID. "The area on the perimeter of the Throne is by far the most stable. We place Catherine's Domain just inside the Throne and connect it to a second Domain outside. Prisoners are placed in the Domain inside the Throne . . ."

"And if they escape, it takes care of them for us," you finish. You don't know how you feel about it. It's brilliant for certain. It's also dangerous. "You'd willingly put people inside that place?"

"Only the worst of the worst," he says, "Only those whom the only other alternative is execution. I'll be happy to give Justice Unlimited a veto on anyone being admitted. It's not my preferred solution—"

"Say we recover Cisma's DNA and are able to recreate their power," you interrupt, "Would that be a preferable outcome?"

"Yes, absolutely," he agrees, "But we need something now."

You don't say anything to commit either way. You need time to think about it.

"You'll have to be introduced to the rest of Project Prometheus," you say, changing the subject, "Your power will be invaluable in predicting the outcomes of dosages of Ambrosia."

"Of course," he agrees, "So much to do. Too much to do."

You can empathize with that feeling. "Agreed."

C-Class Powers

Name: Multiplex, Ahn Jin Soo
Power: Transformation
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 1
Ibis' Notes: Multiplex had the somewhat underwhelming power to change his form to a copy of any inanimate object who did not exceed his body's mass. He kept himself overweight as a result. He was more of an infiltration specialist, but did stop a robbery by turning into a particularly vicious roomba on one memorable occasion. He was well-loved in the community for his jolly nature and commitment to the kayfabe of being a hero.
"Kayfabe". Ha! I've been getting into professional wrestling lately! I've become such a well-rounded person.

Name: Millions Minefield, Russel Whitney
Power: Energy Manipulation
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 1
Ibis' Notes: Millions Minefield was a member of New's Dawn's first-response team for metahuman attacks, Denial, and was something of a one-trick pony. Note to self: create a one-trick pony. Preferably with fangs.
Millions Minefield was usually the first member to respond to a scene. He could redirect and absorb energy that he then could store in orbs and deploy over an area like, well, a minefield. His job was to arrive at a fight and immediately take control of the battlefield while suppressing enemy attacks. The orbs would detonate if physical contact was made with them or Millions Minefield chose to have them explode. He could change the size of the mines, but the force of the blast was in proportion to its relative size. So, often he would hide larger orbs and then deploy smaller, harder to see orbs that could chain react and trigger their larger counterparts.

Name: Hydrocity, LaTrell Johnsmith
Power: Elemental Manipulation
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 1
Ibis' Notes: Hydrocity was a case of hyperhidrosis gone wrong. His body was always emitting fresh water from various . . . places. He could control where it came out of, but it had to come out of somewhere or the build up would cause it immense pain. He could not manipulate the water once it was produced, and, while the water was potable, there was nothing special about it.
That is how metahuman powers work. Sometimes you get the ability to level mountains and fly. Sometimes powers are intrusive and horrifying. And sometimes they're just weird and uncomfortable. Hydrocity would have been a joke if Wolong hadn't hand picked him to serve on Denial. While Hydrocity himself was no fighter, Denial's leader, Umibōzu, was a powerful hydrokinetic but one who could not produce water ex nihilo. Hydrocity's synergy with Umibōzu became an iconic feature of Denial and won him many accolades. His sense of duty prevented him from staying out of the QZ when the Leviathan awoke.

Name: Eastwood, Charlotte Martin
Power: Emotional Manipulation, Construct Creation
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 2
Ibis' Notes: Ever have a good day and say to yourself, "Wish I could bottle this feeling?" Well, Dr. Mammoth Ibis has been saying that more often! I'm considering dating again! Wait. Then John Henry, Sandra, myself, and my paramor could double date! Genius!
Anyway, that was essentially Eastwood's power. She was another member of Denial and could "store" an emotion for later in a physical form and then deploy it. She could even mix more "volatile" emotions together and create explosions. She was most commonly used in a non-lethal context, causing enemies to surrender with bombs made of apathy and despair.
Now, to set up my dating profile . . . name? THE Dr. Emeril "Mammoth" Ibis. Sex? Sure, why not? Ha! I'm hilarious.

Name: Sewer Rat, ???
Power: Transformation, Enhanced Senses, Self-Enhancement
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 3
Ibis' Notes: Sewer Rat was a mammalian, dysmorphic metahuman whose body resembled, well, a large bipedal rat. His head was entirely human however, making his appearance all the more upsetting to the feeble-minded. He was an affiliate member of New Dawn, no doubt too "unmarketable" to allow him onto the team proper.
His primary abilities were his incredibly sensitive hearing and smell, as well as his ability to control his hair like a prehensile limb and harden it until it was more durable than steel. However, his most frequently used trick was his ability to shrink himself down to the size of an actual rat with the strength of a human, making him a potent infiltration specialist.

Name: Antaeus, Doug Matthews
Power: Invulnerability, Energy Manipulation
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 3
Ibis' Notes: Following his defeat at the hands of Adamant, Antaeus tried to join New Dawn. He never got past probationary status, likely because he insisted on not changing his name.
Antaeus was invincible with the ability to generate earthquakes from where he stood, but with the condition that he was touching the ground. Why he chose the name of a mythological figure with the exact same weakness is a mystery not even the great Dr. Mammoth Ibis can solve. His earthquakes grew in magnitude the longer he stood still, eventually reaching the upper limits of the Richter scale. He could generate similar forces in substances like concrete, but to a lesser effect.

B-Class Powers
Name: iSpy, Iolanda Guedes Bosco
Power: Clairvoyance, Invisibility
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 4
Ibis' Notes: iSpy was one of New Dawn's espionage specialists. Unlike many samples in our system, her death did not occur in the QZ, but rather was the result of her cover being blown. iSpy could "tag" up to a dozen people and then, at will, perceive the world through their senses. She would hear what they heard, feel what they felt, smell what they smelled . . . if she wanted to for some reason. That, coupled with her ability to turn invisible, put her on the top of the hit list for all clandestine criminal elements. Unfortunately, it seems one caught up to her.

Name: Chatroom, Yolando Gibbons
Power: Clairvoyance, Ally Empowerment
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 4
Ibis' Notes: Chatroom was a support type metahuman, who never was on the frontlines. Unfortunately, her power was necessary at the QZ and she was killed by a rough Named-Behemoth, Frigg of the Dancing Mistletoe. Chatroom could link an unlimited number of allies together telepathically, allowing them to instantaneously communicate and share images and feelings with one another. She had to be within several hundred yards to maintain the effect, but it was invaluable in the heat of battle. I just wish she didn't insist on solely communicating through metal "emojis". I can't even use them on my screen, let alone in reality!

Name: Nephthys, Hana Antar
Power: Construct Creation, Ally Empowerment, Energy Manipulation
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 5
Ibis' Notes: Nephthys was another member of Denial, and had an "Egyptian necromancer"theme to her which Madeline has told me was "Archmage as hell". I don't know what that means and I'm too scared to ask. Madeline acts demure in front of Lady Leizi, but she's a clear social alpha in the Apiary and I'm going to respect that!
Nephthys could revive the bodies of deceased animals and command them to do her bidding. The control only lasted a few days, and it's my understanding Denial had their own industrial freezer marked "Animal Corpses, Do Not Eat". She denied being able to manipulate human bodies, but her records clearly indicate that she could, though metahuman puppets did not retain their powers. She mostly contributed to Denial with hordes of disposable shock troopers.
Wait, someone with an Egyptian goddess theme on "Denial"? I just got that! Hilarious! Hey, Madeline, listen to this joke—!

Name: Lightstep, Lloyd Morgan
Power: Enhanced Speed, Invulnerability, Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Strength
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 7
Ibis' Notes: I know about him now! I do! I watched a boxing match with John Henry and he told me all about "Lightstep Morgan"! Former professional heavyweight boxer and world champion. Well, okay, his championships were stripped from him after his status as a metahuman became public, but there's never been proof he cheated! He retired because he had nothing left to prove and wished to help New Dawn recover after the Susurration. By all accounts he saved their public image, but many claim he was to blame for the change in organizational ethos afterward.
Lightstep was able to accelerate his movements to supersonic speeds for brief moments. When he did, his body grew invulnerable and his senses became stronger to compensate. He could devastate opponents with just one jab—in and out of the ring! No one could survive a lightspeed punch from the Lightstep!

Name: Umibōzu, Shishiro Ami
Power: Elemental Manipulation, Construct Creation, Enhanced Senses
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 7
Ibis' Notes: Umibōzu was the leader of New Dawn's task-force, Denial, and was an extremely potent hydrokinetic. She and Uiara had a famous rivalry; for some reasons hydrokinetics never seem to get along. Such unnecessary competitiveness! Dr. Mammoth Ibis would never have a petty rivalry with a peer merely because we shared the same power, believe that!
Umibōzu differed from Uiara in that she needed a source of water to control, and her control was finer, if not capable of feats on the same scale. Her preferred method of attack was to fire narrow streams of water at extremely high speeds that could pierce opponents and cut metal like paper. She could create "sentries" of water that could also fire jet streams of water and through which she could see. She was a tactical genius and staunch supporter of Wolong, which is likely why her career stalled out. She, along with Uiara, fought most of the aquatic Behemoths in the QZ before meeting her end.

A-Class Powers

Name: Man o' War, Julio Câmara Meireles
Power: Autonomous Creature Creation, Self-Enhancement, Invulnerability, Enhanced Strength
Faction: New Dawn
Potency: 8
Ibis' Notes: Man o' War was a violent brute who somehow found himself gaining membership in New Dawn proper. I say "somehow", but it's very clear why: he was happy to follow orders and restrain himself so long as he could harm others to his heart's content when the time came. His powerset matches that of a famous villain who terrorized the Corporate Playground, and said villain disappeared around the same time Man o' War first debuted. Rumor has it he cut a deal to keep himself out of Wonderland, and I believe it. He was firmly in Novalight's faction, which only adds further evidence to the pile.
Man o' War could manifest extra limbs from his body that appeared with a melee weapon chosen at random—swords, axes, spears, nets, tridents, a golf club once, what have you. The arms moved autonomously and were masters of their chosen weapon. The more arms Man o' War manifested, the stronger and more durable he became. Pfft, growing extra arms? That's nothing! Dr. Mammoth Ibis could give you all the extra arms you could want!
. . . is that anything? I'm working on my flirtatious small talk. I'm not very good at it!

* * *

Horizon, City of Leviathan's Rest – Apiary– December 14, 2067

As spectacularly as the meeting with New Dawn went, the next day there is a frisson in the air at the Apiary.

In two days, you're parlaying with The Four Seasons. A meeting you know is a trap. A trap you're willingly walking into in order to save the one person who risked their life to warn you—Hiver.

You can't say it's not the right thing to do, but the faces at the table around you are grim.

"Can't I just fly in there and blast 'em?" Black Swan says, "We can grab Hiver and run?"

"No," Chaucer says, "We don't know the nature of the danger he's in. For all we know it's something remotely activated. We'll have to feel out their intentions first."

You don't say anything, but you agree. If only it could be as easy as Black Swan wished it.

"The good news is, we got an ace in the hole," Handyman says, looking much better than he did after the fight with Floating Venom Morpheme, "Yours truly. No one knows I exist. And I can be anybody."

He changes into a perfect replica of you, right down to your coat. "Imagine they try something while I'm LL? That will be one hell of a nasty surprise."

You smirk involuntarily at the image. It is tempting but . . .

"I know Été and Primtemps well, darling. And they know me. One slip up from you and they'll immediately realize something is wrong."

Menagerie Witch raises a hand, "Well, what if he went as Black Swan?"

"No way!" Black Swan protests, "I wanna blast them."

"That's the problem!" Menagerie Witch says, exasperated, "You're dangerous at close range—to everyone! Including Lady Leizi. It's better if you're with me on overwatch and can swoop in if we need you to."

"With you?'" you ask, "You intend on coming, Menagerie Witch?"

She stubbornly crosses her arms and frowns at you, "Yeah, I've been making clones since we got the Apiary back. I have a bunch saved up. I can distract everybody if you need to escape. Plus you need Nevermore to fly, or did you forget?"

You raise your hands in mock surrender. "Very well, but I don't want you near any fighting."

"I still think I should be there in person," Black Swan argues, "I'm the only one who can take hits without worrying about dying."

She says that last bit with a pointed look at you and Handyman.

"Where is this meeting anyway?" Dr. Ibis asks, bored.

"Some place called 'Balthazar'," Handyman answers, "Fancy French cuisine, that sort of thing. They asked us to come after hours, so we'll have the place to ourselves."

"Balthazar?! I love that place! They make this grilled salmon that's—"

"Anything helpful to add, Doctor?" you say archly. You're still cross with him over his comments about Rosemary in his notes.

"Ummm, there was a 'help wanted' sign in the window last week?"

"Wait, that's actually not nonsense," Handyman says, "I could go ahead in disguise and get a job on the graveyard shift. Be a man on the inside."

"You'll be away from the main event in the best of situations," you say, "But you could arrive before the rest of us. It has merit."

You tap your arm. You're going in with less information than you'd like, but not totally blind because of Hiver. You can't waste the chance he's given you.

______________________________________________________________________________

Who will you bring to the meeting? Choose as many of the following as you wish. Specify where they will be. Lady Leizi must attend in some capacity. You have three shield generators. You may assign some, all, or none to each of your heroes. A hero may only have one generator equipped at a time.

[ ] Lady Leizi

[ ] Black Swan

[ ] Menagerie Witch

[ ] Handyman

What is your general strategy at the meeting?

(Write-in, subject to QM veto) [ ]

Gained +1500 income per issue!

Gained control of Uni District!

Gained Zenith as a base!

Gained +1 AP!

Gained +1 Global Action!

Gained Wolong as an affiliate member!

Once per issue you may deploy up to two New Dawn heroes with you on a single mission, beginning next issue!

Bitterman · Sep 2, 2024

[X] Plan: Quoth the Raven
-[X] Lady Leizi (Shield Generator)
--[X] She will represent Justice Unlimited during the meeting with 4 Seasons and fish for information until Été either turns hostile, or Powers is spotted on the move, at which point she will attempt to knock the two out with Handyman, Hiver, and Menagerie Witch's horde before making a run for the Apiary.
-[X] Black Swan (Shield Generator)
--[X] On overwatch on a vantage point overlooking the restaurant. She will intercept Powers on their way to Balthazar.
-[X] Menagerie Witch (Shield Generator)
--[X] On overwatch on a vantage point overlooking the restaurant. Her Nevermores are our escape vehicles and her horde will assist as distractions during our ambush and escape. Before hostilities occur, she should have some of her smaller Nevermores serve as lookouts in the streets near Balthazar, ready to alarm her if they spot anything unusual headed our way.
-[X] Handyman
--[X] Infiltrate Balthazar early to scout the place and make contact with Hiver to make sure he acts with us when the ambush is sprung. Additionally, Handyman should find a place to hide in the meeting room itself.

Horizon, City of Leviathan's Rest – The French Quarter– December 15, 2067

<"Hmm, and you can start right away?">

<"Yes sir!"> the slip of a boy says with an eager sparkle in his eyes, <"I'm happy to help wherever! You need someone to clean the place top to bottom? Take orders? Bust tables! I'm your guy!">

Minor Success: DC 5. Moderate Success: DC 10. Major Success: DC 15.

Stat Check: ESPIONAGE 5. Handyman has ESPIONAGE 9.

You rolled: 3.

3 + 2 = 5. Minor Success!

<"None of that. Your accent is atrocious and your French is barely passable. You can't have you anywhere near our customers. You'll be on dish duty.">

<"Oh . . . in the kitchen?">

<"That a problem, Remy? We've got a dozen other applicants—">

<"N-no sir, dish duty it is!">

* * *

<"Remy! Quit wandering around and get back to the kitchen! There's a stack of dishes up to my eyebrows!">

<"Y-yes sir!">

* * *

<"Wow, that's a lot of beef. They just delivered like six cows! We gonna use that all?">

<"You get paid to ask questions or something, Remy? Some rich folks are having a big shindig tomorrow night. It's probably for that.">

<"Rich folks? Wow! That's awesome.">

<"Pfft. No, it's not. We're not going to be working it. Big shots always tip well to show off, so little guys like us get shafted. The senior staff gets a windfall, and we miss out on a day's worth of pay. It's bullshit.">

<"So we're not gonna be here at all?">

<"Yep. Now shut up and finish those dishes before the boss fires both our asses!">

* * *

<"Hey, boss. I heard there was gonna be some fancy event tomorrow. I kind of need the extra money for my sister's—">

<"What—? Who told you that?! No, Remy, this is a private function with our elite staff only. We must make a good impression, no matter what.">

< "But—">

<"Why would I bring a boy who can't even finish the dishes?! You're lucky we've had a lot of turnover lately or I'd fire you right now! Back to work!">

<"But boss—">

<"Now!>

* * *

Handyman's infiltration hit and early snag, he ruefully informs you. It was fortunate that he had been practicing French with Menagerie Witch since he arrived—he likely wouldn't have been hired if he couldn't speak it at all. But despite being fluent, he had been relegated to kitchen duty during the eternity of his shift with very little time for sleuthing.

Handyman did manage to give you a rough layout of Balthazar, however. It was a single-story restaurant with a dining room that seated about two dozen. It had two private dining rooms in the back, and an open-air courtyard with a garden that was used for professional functions. The courtyard connected directly to a private parking lot for customers who wished to avoid the front. The kitchen was on the right side of the building, diagonal from the courtyard itself.

You're pleased with the information, but it is a significant problem that Handyman's cover identity is being excluded from working during your meeting. So, you resort to an old, reliable method of solving problems—cold, hard cash.

A quiet bribe has one of Handyman's co-workers agreeing to not come to work tomorrow, which will allow Handyman to assume his identity. The fellow practically jumped at the chance—apparently "things always get dangerous when metas are involved."

You can't say he's wrong.

* * *

You are Handyman.

Well, technically, you're Michelet Samedy, a senior serveur who has worked at Balthazar for twenty years and never received a promotion. The tips must be killer here. Certainly, it's not the cheerful comradery among the staff that's keeping anyone around.

<"Michelet! Michelet! Madam Été and Messieurs Hiver and Printemps have arrived! Do you have rocks in your head?! Go serve them, right now!">

<Oui, chef,> you say, as you move toward the courtyard.

Your accent was still a problem, but Michelet originally spoke Creole instead of French and had a slight accent himself. After an intensive coaching session with Madeline and Chaucer, you managed to get yours to the point where the snoots here couldn't tell the difference between your's and Michelet's.

Heh, Mom was wrong. You could have been an actor!

As you arrive in the courtyard, you see a riot of colorful costumes seated under a gazebo. Été is dressed like a flower on fire—a big, puffy ball gown with all kinds of hues of red, orange, and yellow. Her nose is so high in the air that, if it rained, she would drown, and has a haughty expression that reminds you of that girl your sister wanted you to marry. Ugh.

Printemps looks like a Napoleonic general in bright green, complete with epaulettes on his shoulders. A pink rose is pinned to his jacket as woven branches surround his arms, while his blonde goatee is trimmed into a van dyke. He's laughing boisterously, seemingly at ease.

Hiver by contrast looks positively muted in a white bodysuit adorned with light blue snowflakes. He also looks like he's about to jump off a bridge. Poor guy.

Lady Leizi briefed you on their history. Hiver's power was the only one that didn't match the "seasons" theme. You had autumn breezes, summer heat, spring growth, but winter gravity barriers? Didn't work. His cousin made him brand as "Hiver" regardless, and he's apparently gotten crap about it his whole career.

Again, poor guy.

You approach with all of the dignity you can muster, which earns a sour remark from Été.

<"And just where have you been? We have been waiting!">

<"Apologizes, madam,"> you say, < "I am here with your usual wine, courtesy of the house. And a glass of cognac for the gentleman here.">

Hiver, noticeably, hadn't sent an order ahead. He also hasn't looked at you.

Été takes her wine and scrunches up her nose.<"Ew, disgusting! What is that accent? Do not speak in my presence!">

DC 15.

Stat Check: ESPIONAGE 6. Handyman has ESPIONAGE 9.

You rolled: 20.

20 + 1 = 21. Critical Success! Natural Crit!

<"Ah, come now, ma fleur!"> Printemps chimes in, <"The good man is from the colonies! He cannot change the shape of his tongue!">

Actually, you could. Also, the colonies? My guy, that was 250 years ago, not a good look, and, also, you're not actually from France.

<"Ah, did you see the beating the Chevaliers delivered onto the Sonics last night? It was your countryman, Fritz Dorval, with the walk-off hit!"

Huh. You're supposed to be a fancy, stuffed-shirt at a high-end, classy restaurant. But Printemps looks like he wants someone to engage with him. You pause for a microsecond and take a risk.

<"I did. It was a crime to have him languishing in Triple-A ball for so long. Now, we just need them to call up Kumar to fill the hole at catcher, trade for an arm or two for the bullpen, hope DeJesus comes back from Tommy-John's the same, and we can make a real run at the pennant.">

<"Aha!" Printemps shouts triumphantly, "A fellow sportsman! I know you had the look!">

He spends the next twenty minutes talking your ear off about baseball. He's—barf—a Chevaliers fan. You send a silent prayer of thanks to your ol' Pop-pop for every meandering story he ever made you sit through about classic baseball—Printemps is apparently a fiend for this stuff.

You endear yourself to him so much that he waves off the rest of the wait staff who come by. He wants you to serve them all night. You keep your grin to yourself as the other waiters glare at you; maybe if they knew what might go down out here tonight, they wouldn't feel so envious.

During a spirited discussion about Jake deGrom—no, his ring with the Rangers doesn't count if he was hurt during the entire playoffs—Printemps makes a big, sweeping gesture and accidentally tosses his drink all over Hiver. Hiver stands up sputtering, and you seize your opportunity.

<"Ah, sir, allow me to escort you to the restroom to clean up. I must also check on the hors d'oeuvres for Madam Été. The chef has kept her waiting a shamefully long time.">

<"Ah, good man!"> Printemps calls, < "And Hiver, for god's sake, pull it together! You're an embarrassment.">

Hiver doesn't say anything as you shuffle him off the private bathroom for the courtyard. Once you arrive, he looks at you as you don't immediately leave.

<"Umm, you can go now? I'm pretty sure I can wash myself. Also, I have to pee, soooo . . .">

"Lady Leizi sends her regards."

The whiplash in Hiver's face at hearing your natural voice would be hilarious under any other circumstance.

"W-what did you just say?'

"She received your message that this was a trap. Justice Unlimited is coming to save you. Be prepared to act."

A complicated blend of emotions flashes across Hiver's face before he grabs your arm and hisses in your ear. "Tell her not to come. Tell her right now. It's not us behind this: it's Powers. They want to know why Justice Unlimited hasn't collapsed and they want to know what Lady Leizi knows. They won't let her go until they do."

"We have a plan in place."

"Scarlet Maturity is coming. It doesn't matter!" he quietly shrieks, "Give up on me, I'm already dead. Once they find me out nothing will stop them. Just go and tell her not to come!"

Before you can say anything else, a miniature ray of light fires from his hand and gently repulses you backwards. You have to actively catch yourself as you're pushed out of the room. Hiver closes the door in your face.

He doesn't look at you for the rest of the night.

* * *

You are Lady Leizi.

Scarlet Maturity is coming.

Hiver's warning, relayed by Handyman, is almost enough to make you cancel the meeting. Almost. If you cancel now, they will know for certain that you were tipped off. It won't be long until they realize Hiver is the leak and plug him.

Permanently.

As you drive to Balthazar, you desperately try to recall what you know about the metahumans of Powers. Their membership was always shifting—fitting for a mercenary outfit—but there were several "core" members who remained consistent:

Minor Success: DC 5. Moderate Success: DC 10. Major Success: DC 15.

Stat Check: OPERATIONS 10. Justice Unlimited has a collective OPERATIONS 20.

You rolled: 14.

14 + 5 = 19. Major Success!

Scarlet Maturity. The most physically strong metahuman in existence. Could lift skyscrapers with ease. Regenerated so quickly he appeared to not take damage. Super durable. Adapted to harm over time. Twelve-feet tall. Killed Rosemary.

The Giant Slayer. The leader of SLAYERS. Could shrink or grow objects while personally treating them as the same weight and size. Died in the QZ.

Epoxy. Member of SLAYERS. Could permanently stick two objects together on the molecular level, only capable of being separated by her. Also died during the Movement.

Earthen Owl. Could move through soil like water. Prehensile vines growing from his body. New ability to create clones of himself out of vines.

Blue Skies. Hydrokinetic specialized in the ability to manipulate water vapor. Could create and move clouds.

Marrow Spider. Osteokinetic assassin. Most commonly killed targets by firing shards of his own bones out of his body.

Lethal Anodyne. Algernon-type specializing in chemicals that affected the human body. Glorified drug dealer, tended to use neurotoxins in combat.

QUICK GORILLA. A literal orangutan named Peaches. The only non-human example of metahuman powers ever observed. Unparalleled speedster, capable of breaking the sound barrier.

Ronin. Blademaster who gained the martial skills of whoever she killed. Personally destroyed the entire Yakuza presence in Horizon. Generally a pacifist, but recently has seemed to have returned to her previous violent ways.

You also know that Powers has been on something of a recruitment spree lately. The exact number of their new members is fuzzy, but you know they have four new core members for certain:

The Brass Shield. Some sort of power-armor user. No idea if they made the suit themselves or not. Commonly employed hard-light constructs.

Shell Game. Con artist who could swap the positions of two small objects roughly equivalent in mass so long as they were not being directly observed by a living creature.

pHarreit. Capable of extruding acidic and alkaline compounds from her body at will. Arrested for attacking several of her classmates at Stonehaven College, now seemingly free.

The Bloody Slayer. Original leader of SLAYERS who left after disagreeing with the direction of the team. Made weapons out of his own blood.

Anansi. Algernon-type hero who specialized in "computers". Was a friendly rival to Moon River, and former member of New Dawn. Her defection to Powers shocked everyone.

Thirteen. Thirteen active metahumans, including Scarlet Maturity. Not counting the number of mercenaries they could afford to hire. Even if you could get word to Wolong in enough time, they would still outnumber you and New Dawn combined. Not to mention the half of Les Quatre Saisons seemingly allied with them.

You laugh to yourself, tinged with hysteria. Was that all? My goodness, how spoiled you were in your past life! You would learn the daming information and Nora would invent something to solve the problem, or Uiara would give a grand speech and rouse everyone, or Towarri would just glare at it and make it disappear. Now you were responsible for the problems.

You glance at Black Swan and Menagerie Witch, high in the sky, following your plan.

Now, the team is depending on you.

* * *

You pull into the back lot of Balthazar and transfer driving permissions to the valet.

"Don't park it far, darling," you say. You'll either not be long or will need to make a fast exit.

"Oui, Madam," he says, bowing and then is off. Another gentleman, the maître d'hôtel, comes and greets you.

"Lady Leizi, it is an honor. Les Quatre Saisons has already arrived. Allow me to escort you."

"Of course. Lead the way."

As he guides you through the garden and into the courtyard, you can't help but notice a large mound of something stacked high across several tables and covered by a white sheet.

"What, exactly, is that?" you question.

"A special request from Les Quatre Saisons," the maître d' replies, "I believe it is part of what they wish to discuss with you."

You nod and follow him as he leads to you a brilliant, white gazebo where Les Quatre Saisons already waits for you. He pulls your chair for you as Été sneers, Printemps bares his teeth in a grizzly smile, and Hiver screams at you with his eyes. You're pleased to see Handyman's cover identity standing nearby, refilling drinks and taking orders.

"Gwendolyn. Jean-Luc. Harrier," you greet each of them in turn. Hiver flinches at his name.

"Do take so familiar a tone with moi!" Été shrieks, "You, who has done so much harm to his family!"

"Presumptions," Printemps says, shaking his head, "But what more can you expect from Justice Unlimited? Or, I should say, what remains of Justice Unlimited?"

"I'll have the moules marinières, thank you," you say to a waiter that isn't Handyman, ignoring the two before you, "And just water to drink. I am driving home."

Été flares her nostrils at you failure to acknowledge her provocations, while Printemps bristles. She opens her mouth again, but, before she can speak, you cut her off.

"Harrier, I wanted to say I'm so, so sorry about Abigail. Joelle sends his love," Hiver flinches at his name again, but some of the panic in his eyes is replaced by pain at your words, "And Ophélie, of course."

"You do not speak her name!" Été shouts, her voice shrill, "It is Justice Unlimited's fault she is dead!"

"I believe that is the Leviathan's responsibility," you say coolly, "Ophélie died a hero protecting this city and someone she loved, while the people who supposedly loved her hide in the FOB."

Été recoils like you slapped her. As she recovers and begins puffing herself up again, you turn back to Hiver. "That does not include you, Hiver. We just had to destroy Floating Venom Morpheme to protect the Apiary. I know how important limiting the Behemoths' entry into the city was."

Hiver doesn't flinch at his hero name. Odd. He gives you a pale nod and flicks his eyes to Été and back. You silently tap your glass of water in acknowledgment.

Meanwhile, Été has worked herself into a proper fit. "Infâme! You—!"

"How much, Été?" you sigh, "Isn't that what this is about? Your sister is gone so you can no longer parade her for money?"

"Arrogant sow! You think this is about money?"

"Isn't it always with you?" you sigh again. Your dismissive attitude is driving Été mad.

"You judge me? You dare, you criminal?! You know not what I've done for my family! You know not what we've been through!"

"My father had my mother killed when I was four. He made sure I knew he did it," you interrupt. Hiver's mouth drops open. "He killed my dog in front of me when I was eight. When I was thirteen he put a gun in my hand, pointed it at a helpless man, and made me pull the trigger."

You stare at Été dispassionately.

"Comparing traumas is a pointless and harmful endeavor. But I know what it means to have a less-than-idea childhood." You take a sip of water. "I have some idea of what was like for Ophélie growing up. Everyone at the Apiary knew, from when she would come to Towarri, sobbing, to get away from you. There was a reason Adamant banned you from the premises."

Minor Success: DC 5. Moderate Success: DC 10. Major Success: DC 15.

Stat Check: REPUTATION 7. Lady Leizi has REPUTATION 4.

You rolled: 15.

15 -1 + 3 (You can be more.) = 17. Major Success!

Telling Été off is immensely satisfying. But, what's more, it baits her into making a mistake.

"You dare speak as if you cared for Ophélie? She would not have been there if it were not for Uiara's message! She would not have been that deep in the QZ if it weren't for that silvery tart!"

You stand up and slam the table with an anger that isn't entirely feigned. Été jumps back while Printemps takes a defensive stance. Hiver just looks confused at the direction this conversation has gone.

"I believe this meeting is over. Goodbye, Été. Contact the Apiary with whatever your ridiculous demands are and then never darken my doorstep again," you turn to Hiver, "Hiver, Joelle sent me with some of Abigail's belongings that she would have wanted you to have. They're in my car. Why don't you escort me and I'll pass them along to you?"

"Y-yeah!" Hiver says. You can see the gears in his mind turning. "T-thanks. I'll, um, just go with you."

"Y-you cannot leave!" Été stutters, looking panicked, "Not yet!"

"You'll find that I can. Goodbye forever, Été." You turn to leave with Hiver in tow, desperately hoping you can just get him to your car and extract him immediately.

But it is not to be.

"You will go nowhere!" Été screams. She waves her hands, and you ready yourself to counter whatever weapon she creates. However, instead of a flaming weapon, an entire battalion of soldiers made of fire surround you, spears pointed.

You take a step back, sparks flying from your hands. Été could not do that before. She could not.

"What is the meaning of this, Été?" you say, voice low and dangerous.

"It is just as my lady-wife has said," Printemps says, rising as well, "The evening is not yet over!"

A yellow mist—no, a cloud of pollen—flies from his hands and into the plants around the garden. They twist, change, and grow into great pillars of chlorophyll, their buds pointed at you, narrowed like cannons.

You hold your breath. Printemps has new powers too. How? From where? You eye Hiver, who is scared but unsurprised. What does he know?

"It is just like Justice Unlimited to leave before the guest of honor arrives," Été sneers.

You see Handyman taking combat position out of the corner of your eye. Good. "And just who would that be?" you ask.

"Ah, I believe that would be me."

From the private parking lot, a very nervous maître d' leads a positively skeletal man wearing a pinstripe suit into the clearing. He's carrying a briefcase and is rail thin, so skinny that his face looks like someone stretched skin over a bare skull. His hair is graying at the temples and parted to the side.

He approaches the table, taking a handkerchief out of his front pocket and wiping down the chair in front of him before sitting. As he does, you can make out a pin on his lapel in the shape of a crescent moon over a crown.

"Please, Lady Leizi. Take a seat," he says, gesturing, "I went through great pains to arrange this meeting."

You don't move. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. Just who are you?"

"Ah, how embarrassing," he says in a leathery voice, "My name is Christopher Mason. I am the chief executive officer and founder of Dominion Security Concerns. I am also known by my metahuman appellation: Faust."

A cold and terrible hatred surges through your veins. Here was the man that ordered the metahumans of Powers to not fight in the QZ. It's everything you can to keep your demeanor neutral.

"Well, that's quite flattering Mr. Mason. Unfortunately, Justice Unlimited is not seeking sponsorship at this time. We will, of course, keep you in mind should that change in the future."

He lets out another bone-dry laugh. "Les Quatre Saisons, pay attention. This is how proper banter is done. With wit and just enough venom to bait your opponent into making a mistake."

He places his briefcase on the table and opens it. "Very well, Lady Leizi. I'll skip the pleasantries and get directly to the point. An interested party has contracted Dominion Security Concerns, seeking information about what exactly Justice Unlimited is up to. My client is not used to being ignorant."

He pulls a piece of paper on the table and sets it down, along with a pen.

"To that end, I am here to offer you compensation for the information my client seeks." He turns to Été and speaks. "Gwendolyn, I'm exercising clause seven in your contract and granting you a one time-exemption. Please inform Lady Leizi what my power is."

Été looks annoyed at his tone, but obeys and recites, as if by rote, "The ability to form absolutely binding contracts. Signatories to an agreement will be psychologically unable to contemplate deviating from it."

She narrows her eyes hatefully. "It is why we lured you to this trap that you so foolishly wandered into!"

Faust frowns. "Hmm, I did not give you permission to disclose that. Perhaps it's obvious enough that the contract was not enforced? Hmm. I'll have to double check the exemption clause."

Été pales and is silent for once.

"Now, where was I? Ah, yes. The contracts run two ways. I am as bound by them as you are. Les Quatre Saisons sought money and a comfortable life. So I granted it to them in exchange for all three signing a contract to arrange this meeting, join Powers, and do some odds and ends.

He taps the paper in front of him.

I have another such contract here. To satisfy my employer, I propose a trade: Justice Unlimited will disclose all ongoing activities related to metahuman research, ongoing operations, and any and all research left by Valiant Silver. In exchange, Powers will share with you the results of our own ongoing metahuman development projects. Both parties will agree to cease all hostility for a period of four months. Justice Unlimited will agree to never disclose any information regarding any ongoing projects with Powers. Powers will only disclose the information gained to our client."

You narrow your eyes. "And what will your client do with the information shared with them?"

Faust lets out another quiet chuckle. "I do appreciate a worthy opponent. The client will do whatever they wish with the information we provide."

You glance at him over your sunglasses. "I'm something of an expert at gathering intelligence, darling," you say slowly, "Hardly seems like an equivalent exchange."

Faust nods his head at the point. "Which is why I've prepared an additional incentive."

Several staff members quickly carry over the large, covered tables that you noticed earlier. Faust pulls out a screen, places a call, and holds up his camera.

"Shell Game, if you would?"

The next second, there is a massive displacement of air. The profile of the object under cloth on the table changes. Then, it begins to rise.

He is twelve feet tall, with a leathery skin so tough that it looks like stone. Red veins surge with power all over his body, a bodybuilder's dream, as wicked, red spikes erupt from his joints. His head is like an ox's skull, or a horned monstrosity, just human enough to convey emotions. He moves toward you with a grace something that massive should not have, a bored expression on his face.

Scarlet Maturity. The earth seems to shudder with his presence.

"Carrot-and-stick is such a vulgar expression," Faust says, "But there is something delightful about the image of a creature too stubborn to accept a reward being punished by the very implement meant to deliver its prize."

"Enough sophistry, Faust," Scarlet Maturity, says his voice rumbling like an earthquake, "Say what you mean: I am the stick."

Faust sighs. "Very well, Christian."

He pulls out several vials of a noxious, neon orange liquid out of his briefcase.

"Do not misunderstand, Lady Leizi. We do not mean you lasting harm. I have several vials here of Lethal Anodyne's most potent healing solution. Unfortunately, with his trademark addictive nature. You will have to reach a further accord with him with regard to any future supply."

Your breathing is quick and shallow. Scarlet Maturity is here. Teleported in an instant. Since when has Shell Game been able to do that? Earthen Owl, Shell Game, Été, Printemps, four metahumans all associated with Powers with abilities they should not have.

Scarlet Maturity isn't looking at you. He's bored. He doesn't consider you a threat. He's right. You eye the pen considering your options. As you do, Hiver frantically, but minutely, shakes his head, begging you with his eyes.

DC 15.

Stat Check: OPERATIONS 10. Lady Leizi has OPERATIONS 5.

You rolled: 17.

17 - 2 = 15. Success!

Wait . . . wait a second! If Hiver signed one of those contracts, how did he manage to warn you not to come? And why was he so certain he was dead "once they found him out"? Unless . . . unless Hiver has figured out a way to subvert Faust's contract. Unless he already knew everything Powers was up to and was free to share it.

You see his face and you know that must be it. Of course they would kill him as soon as they realized—if only to prevent him from sharing the secret of beating Faust's powers.

Your heart is hammering in your ears. You know Black Swan, Menagerie Witch, and Handyman are in position. But Scarlet Maturity is close enough that he will get one good swing before anyone interferes.

You . . . what do you do?

______________________________________________________________________________

[ ] You sign the contract. You take the carrot.

(Project Prometheus, EXCEED-BEYOND, the Stage, and the true nature of the Apiary will be revealed to Powers. Powers will inform you of their own metahuman development projects. You will not be able to take any offensive action against Powers for three turns.)

[ ] You refuse. Time for the stick.

(Minor Success: DC 12. Moderate Success: DC 15. Major Success: DC 18. HIT 40. Scarlet Maturity's attacks each deal up to three injury levels. Each level of success on the HIT check will reduce the number of injury levels taken by one. Hiver will join the fight and add his stats to Justice Unlimited's. The check will be done with Justice Unlimited's collective HIT. The roll be done with advantage because Hiver is ready to act.)

Hiver:

HIT 7, ESPIONAGE 3, REPUTATION 7, OPERATIONS 6.

Wing101r · Sep 3, 2024

Behemoth Hunt

Behemoths were a fact of life in Horizon.

Odd and Powerful monster that require powerful weapons or Metahumans to take down. Hunting Behemoths was considered a Routine but one that can pay bills if you could do it. Unless you ended up facing Named which usually meant it was best to run away.

Golem, Samson Road didn't consider himself to be an exceptional metahuman, but he also never denied his strenghts and his power was one that made it suitable for him for facing Behemoths.

Covered in Stone Armor about 3 meters tall Golem looked at his target calmply. Smart as they were Gold rank behemoths were more than capable of hiding in order to avoid being hunted and while powerful they in his opinion lacked the Metahuman Powers that truly made Named Behemoths a treat.

Golem prey taking the form of a Tiger with Blade like wings on its back was an impressive figure to be sure but in Golems eyes he was just a prey to hunted. Afterall while Golem had never taken down a Named Behemoth like some of the most powerful heroes in Horizon he was more than capable of taking a Gold Rank behemoth by himself.

"Right then, Operator I've got eyes on target engaging." Golem informed his friend that helped him reach his target and then proceded to activate his power.

Golem Stone Armor originally akin to a Tank, gathered more stone and earth gaining bigger until he controlled a 6 meter tall Armored figure a Stone Robot as he called it. His Physical Body now positioned at his armors head in order to see things clearly, while protected a stone cages. Golems costume consisting of Black Karate gi covering a body armor and a simple Bandana mask visible to Gold Rank.

"Grr" The Gold rank eyed me as I approach, animal instinct making them wary yet also confident in fighting me. Gold Ranks were smart enough to run when needed but as monsters they wouldn't flee unless they considered it dangerous enough to need it. A walking pile stone a bit smaller than them wasn't enough for a Gold rank to flee. A fact that golem knew and used to temp Behemoths to attack.

Golem took a karate universal stance feet shoulder width apart one foot forward and the other foot parallel to big toe of the back foot. His right hand clenched in a fist and pulled back ready to punch while the left hand faced faced forward ready to block attacks. Despite his armor being made of Earth and thus generally infelxible his power more than allowed Golem to control the stone armor akin to his body.

Golem and Gold ranked faced each in a standoff, Golem more than willing to wait patiently for an attack. In the end the Gold Ranked attacked first launching towards golem, at first it seemed like an attack with a bite only to reveal it to be a feint, the gold ranked instead used the lounge to dash pass Golem and cut him down with its blade extending pass along with the momentum.

It was a good attack, but in the end Golem had more than enough experience in facing Behemoths along with confidence in his own Power. Golem didn't have the speed to dodge but through sheer reflexes and experience he was able to use his left hand to catch to blade and using his Giant Armors Durability and strength managed to break blade even as it cut through to his Stone Robos hand.

The Sudden imbalance from its broken blade led to the Gold Rank to crashed in the Ground. Without hesitation Golem close attacking with a stomp at the behemoth leg the weight and Strenght of stone Robot allowing Golem to break its leg despite a Behemoths own durability.

"ROOOR" The Behemoth cried in pain as it tried to shake Golem off yet rather than retreting, Golem threw a right forward punch straight at the Behemoth stunning it. And allowing Golem put the Gold Ranks Head in a grapple and Break its neck with a twist.

"This is Golem, Gold Rank behemoth eliminated." Golem reported after having made sure of its death. Just another day in his job as a Behemoth Hunter.
///////////////////////

A.N. A simple omake to both show off my Original DNA submission and shamelessly get bonus for Leizi to dodge. Anyway when I created Golem I just wanted someone with earth powers and figured stone armor and Stone Mech would be cool powerset. Thinking about it further I realize thats actually a good powerset for hunting Behemoths apart from Named Ranks, so he becaem Hero specialized in hunting behemoths. I added Karate as a fighting style in Homage of Mecha anime originating from japan same with custome.

If i get a +1 put it on leizi if she needs it

chickenbouillon · Sep 3, 2024

Omake: Hero For Hire Interlude
Welcome to the Hero for Hire official message boards!

You are currently logged in, asdf234

♦ Topic: Wonderland Escapees
In: Boards ► ►Recent Events
ChocolateBar (Original Poster)
Posted On December 14 2067:
If they're out then why isn't anyone doing anything about them?. Where the fuck did everyone go? Is Uni District just fucked?

(Showing Page 1 of 44)

►fatrabbit
Replied on December 14 2067:
Lol are you seriously asking why
New Dawn is fucked. Idk what you expect them to do.
Powers wont do anything unless you throw fat stacks of cash at them.
Justice Unlimited.. probably the only one who's still competent, but the Uni District isn't up to their jurisdiction sooooo..
Yea if u live there good luck and o7 bros. You'll need it.

►march devils
Replied on December 14 2067:
hate to sound pessimistic but i agree.
new dawn lost a lot of members. they're practically a husk now.

►ChocolateBar (Original Poster)
Replied on December 14 2067:
Okay okay. I get it. We're fucked. You don't gotta rub salt in the wound. I'm just.. angry. There's gotta be something we can do.

►ShutUp
Replied on December 14 2067:
If you wanna mess with the crazy metahumans who got locked up cause normal prisons can't handle them.. go ahead and be my guest, see how well it works out for you.
In the meantime, I'm going to stay here and y'know, be alive.

►Sweetwoman
Replied on December 14 2067:
I get why OP is upset, but Uni District isn't the only one who's suffering from Wonderland's fallout. The others were affected too, Uni just got the worst of it for.. obvious reasons.

►TheMortarAndThePestle
Replied on December 14 2067:
I mean.. so far, aside from the rumors of Third Person and Shroud.. it's pretty peaceful here.
Ion like it. It feels like they're preparing for something.. the calm before the storm..

End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 42, 43, 44

(Showing Page 2 of 44)

►Kuroneko˚ˎ
Replied on December 14 2067:
I'd tell you to stop being paranoid. But honestly I feel the same way.

►penismaster69
Replied on December 14 2067:
while you losers are busy wondering if you're gonna die or not im gonna go out and get LAID.
see you later suckers

►ShutUp
Replied on December 14 2067:
Losers like you should be shot dead and I'm not even kidding.

►Tte0kb0kki
Replied on December 14 2067:
Ignore the idiot. Don't feed the trolls. Also death threats are generally frowned upon here. I suggest you don't do that again unless you want one of the mods to come.

►ShutUp
Replied on December 14 2067:
Got it. My apologies.

►MEWMEWMEWMEWBEAM
Replied on December 14 2067:
What about that one guy who asked to be put in Wonderland anyway? What's he been doing?

End of Page. 1, 2, 3... 42, 43, 44

(Showing Page 3 of 44)

►Bagel235
Replied on December 14 2067:
Who knows? I don't know why anyone would ask to be put in Wonderland though.

►MEWMEWMEWMEWBEAM
Replied on December 14 2067:
He either has his own reasons or he's just a lunatic. Personally, I think he's a loony. Just me though!

►TheMortarAndThePestle
Replied on December 14 2067:
I'm scared to go out.
I feel like when I come out something bad will happen.
Is anyone else feeling like this?

►GrapeoftheVine
Replied on December 14 2067:
Just be calm lol
Even if there's crazy wonderland escapees running around, there's always a chance they decide to target someone else.

►TheMortarAndThePestle
Replied on December 14 2067;
That's a horrible thing to say, but I wonder what it says about me that I'm actually happy to hear that.

►Sweetwoman
Replied on December 14 2067:
Either way, stay safe friends.

A/N: im not chronically online so idk how online forums people talk

Kermie · Sep 3, 2024

Author's Note:
Putting a finger on the dial of fate with this one.

Edit: (I was gonna put in 2 points for the LL roll next update, but I guess I got beat to the punch for that, LMAO. I'll just be saving this for private rolls, then.)

Songstress
By MrKermie

Horizon, City of Leviathan's Rest – Old Industrial District– December 2, 2064

You are Linh Nguyen. That's spelled Nguyen, not Ngyuen. Very small difference, but very important. You've had some of Steelheart's robots completely get your name's pronunciation wrong because of it.

And right now, you are doing something very ill-advised. You have a microphone on your headset and a sniper rifle in your hands. And you are aiming at a Gold Rank Behemoth.

For reference, you are currently 46. Others would say that this is not something you should be doing by any means, especially with two children at home. Unfortunately, Addie and Leah are the exact reason why you're here, so that argument does nothing to persuade you from taking your metahuman powers unfit for combat and hunting down rabid animals with the help of three other guys and girls actually doing the punching and running.

It wasn't always like this. Your powers were always seen as a minor thing. About as impressive as Hydrocity's infinite sweat flow.

(What? Didn't everyone think of it like that?)

When you debuted with your suit, tie, and opera mask, people thought that you were Gentleman James without any actual effectiveness, which would seem like a fair assumption on the surface. Everyone knew you as "Solferina, the performer", "Solferina, who sings in the OID and French Quarter Streets", "Solferina, that girl with the beautiful singing voice", "Solferina, who we ship with Crimson Soprano as a meme".

...To this day, you never did get to figure out if Crimson ever swung that way before the Defiance Unit faced the consequences of their actions. Might've helped with the post-divorce phase. (You still want your dog, Beethoven, back.) But yeah, everyone thought of you as "Solferina, the girl with the power to make people who hear her voice a bit happier".

"SOLFERINA! GET DOWN!"

And Solferina, who's currently ducking her head! You hunker down, as what can best be described as a huge wasp with stupid amounts of speed almost takes your head clean off with its stinger. It's one of five that you've been hunting.

As you get up, the bee/wasp thing gears up for another attack, but you swiftly pull out a combat knife from your suit pocket to parry away a sting. Things have gotten bad. It's about time to use your power.

You dodge a stinger thrust, before tapping a button on your headset. On the other end, Luminary, one of your temporary teammates for this hunt, chimes in. "Solf! Any idea what to do here?"

You bite your lip, before responding. "Stick tight right there. I'm only fifty feet behind you guys!"

You pack up your rifle, get into a squat, before exploding forth in a burst of motion. You don't have any enhanced speed, but the fear of getting impaled by a bee is enough to spur you into action. You dive into the group, and look around. What can you do here?

Moderate Success: DC 10. Major Success: DC 15.

Stat Check: OPERATIONS 3. Solferina has OPERATIONS 6.

You rolled: 14.

14 + 1 = 15. Major Success!

You look at your new teammates, (who you've only known for like an hour after a post and call to action on Hero For Hire) and try to think. It's not that much harder than when you had to help coordinate stage plays for the local theater— just faster and under a bit more pressure.

Minette Cho. Compactor. She can take small objects and store them in little capsules, which she can deploy instantly. She can also change any of the objects in said capsules to whatever she wants, as long as the mass stays the same.

Hanzo Suzuki. Luminary. He can shoot beams of light out of his arms when his arms are crossed. Only catch is that the beams are weak and don't do anything at first, but their power increases exponentially the more that they're reflected.

Some guy who chose to hide his civilian identity. Stoneface. (That's an unfortunate name.) Hard skin and helmet made of stone, probably a transformation or a suit. Punches hard, takes hits. Communicates non-verbally.

And you. Solferina. A single mom with a power that's mostly non-combative. Oh dear.

But… you can do this. You have to. You crack your neck, before yelling to your teammates. "Everyone! Stay within my range. Luminary, get ready for a big attack. Compactor, try and create out as many mirrors as possible, and them throw em out. Stoneface! Uh, be a distraction!"

The younger metahumans nod in agreement, as you take a deep breath…

And begin to sing.

Almost immediately, you start to hear an electric guitar's accompaniment playing in the background. A side effect of your powers-- you tend to hear the respective background music to whatever you sing, and you can project your voice quite far as well. Just singing into your microphone is much easier on your throat, however.

🎶The swarm raised, the fate that man obeys
The thoughts, the fakes, like the monsters man can't face
A calm, clear mind, no signs that I can find and
What's left inside is an empty human life🎶

Stoneface smiles (or at least you think he does) as the effects of your powers begin to set in. That's because your songs don't just lift (or dampen) people's spirits. You discovered something new recently: They can also strengthen or weaken anybody who hears them. He dashes forward and punches a wasp attempting to sting you, moving with much more grace than before. Another wasp attempts to sting him, but the stingers bounce off his natural stone armor.

You sing louder and louder.

🎶I'll never cry in the place between dreams…
Although I know how I'm meant to be,
What kind of look is wanted from me,
Still, you should answer my plea!🎶

Compactor runs forward, and throws out capsule after capsule, spawning them from her internal hammerspace. You've only seen her use her energy on three at a time, but your song lets her push forward. With a clap and a grunt of exertion, the capsules pop open, and whatever was within them morphs into a gray goo, which changes into a group of handheld mirrors. "That's already pushing way above my limit! Luminary, Solferina, make this count!" she yells out.

You sing the chorus, and scream at Luminary with your eyes to go for it.

🎶Go battle the dark now, go battle the dark now!
Our cue is the moment when the curtain of night falls down!
Face to face to where this front line waits,
Spit out the meaningless waste, go on and throw it away!🎶

Finally, as all the mirrors fall through the air, Luminary crosses his arms and closes his eyes. A huge laser shoots out from his arms, bigger than what you've seen before. The beam refracts around, up, and down. Stoneface jumps away from the wasp he's clashing with, and you gasp for air as the laser finishes moving… and pierces straight through all five of the bugs.

And the Behemoths fall down to the ground, completely scorched like the bugs they are.

Compactor takes a picture to prove that the hunt is done, before Luminary obliterates the bodies with another laser. The group laughs as you all high five, to commemorate a job well done. Luminary in particular seems extremely hyped, almost punching the air.. "Man, that was great! We could be the perfect team! Like… the new SLAYERS! Hunters?"

Compactor raises an eyebrow, but doesn't seem to be annoyed. More amused. "Really? I dunno man, I just needed a quick bag to buy the new console… but I wouldn't be opposed to trying this again."

For the first time since you've met him, you hear Stoneface talk. "I mostly do this for the fun and the fights, but if all you guys want to be a part time team, I'm up for that."

Luminary is practically vibrating now. If you didn't know the kid, you'd think that he had enhanced speed. "Alright! Sounds great, everyone."

Luminary then turns to you, and seems to raise an eyebrow. "Just one thing I wanted to ask though, Solferina. Aren't you that one stage performer? Don't you have better things to be doing? Your daughters need you, and this isn't really an old person's game, if you get what I'm saying..."

You smile, before taking off your mask.

"Oh, don't worry! I'm actually doing this for my daughters," you respond, "I mean, college tuition isn't cheap in the Uni District."

Author's Note:
The song that Linh was singing was this cover of "Kaikai Kitan", the first opening of Jujutsu Kaisen. I considered having her sing Robin's song from HSR, but nixed that idea. Too obvious and cheesy. As for the protag of this story, Solferina is not alive anymore. She died in the Movement. However, it's reasonable to assume that her two daughters could have had something with her DNA or medical records...

Also, weird coincidence that the other Omake made for this update from @Wing101r was also about behemoth hunting, and also from someone with a DNA submission. Sorry about the coincidence, man. I already submitted Solferina as a DNA sample earlier, so… yeah.

Pitchouli · Sep 3, 2024

If there was ever a time for me to be motivated to write an omake, now sounds like the best time to get on that... even if I might not be able to contribute the point right now. Michiko's character bio did include a bit of an incident, so it's time I try to elaborate on this.

But first, since this is partially an adaptation of TTRPG stuff, I've added a spoiler below that holds a bit of context.

In the campaign where I played Michiko, the villain was a girl who, in part thanks to some deals with literal demons, was capable of mind controlling others, a power she used to make others act as her maids, outfit included. Yes, this included males. Especially males.

I have not exaggerated a single detail in the paragraph above, and for that, I apologize. The fighting of these maids happened, of course, even if no maids are directly fought by Michiko in this omake. The "shock the sprinkler system" tidbit was a part of one of said combats, but not "blowtorching a lock open" - that had nothing to do with maids.

All that said, I have tried to keep some details deliberately vague so as to minimize potential issues with canonicity, such as anything involving the true intentions of the maid as depicted here, and whatever happened to stop her.

A Number Greater Than Zero
An omake in which Michiko has a moment of heroics

You are Michiko Katou.

Under normal circumstances, your choice of hangout spots generally isn't anything close to the upscale buildings you're currently walking past, but you aren't here to really hang out in the first place. On account of being accepted to a surprisingly prestigious school, you've had to move away from your parents and in with your older brother just to be decently close by it. You can't really complain about the situation, but at the same time, you should get him something for everything he's done for you so far.

The only problem with this plan is that you're really out of your element right now. No way he'd be interested in anything really fancy like watches, you can't exactly bring furniture home with any form of subtlety, and there's nothing new in electronics he's talked about being interested in.

You continue to question if this was even a good idea in the first place as you approach the next shop - some kind of clothing store, and... hold on, what's the maid doing outside? You can't say you've ever seen anybody wearing one of those outfits unless they're dressing up as that one magical girl show, and she most certainly isn't. You slow down just a little to eavesdrop on whatever her and that security person outside are talking about...

"-order from the Master was very clear. You were supposed to deliver us outfits for the rest of our staff."
"Well, as I've already told you, we can't fulfill an order that didn't have a single detail as to what you wanted."
"We gave you more than sufficient reference material as to what we had requested."
"And you've refused to give us any measurements for a single one. There's no way for us to possibly accommodate attempting to make every single one of these a one size fits all-"
"...Excuse me?" You catch a glance of the maid furrowing her brow as you feel like you should take a step back.
"If you want your order, you're going to need to clarify it and place it again before we can work on it-"

And you can barely react before you watch the guard get smashed directly in the face as he tumbles into your half of the street, to the shock of multiple other bystanders. He's out cold, and you can see blood.
"It's a shame. Master had high expectations of your establishment. I suppose I need to deal with this eyesore."
You watch as another girl tries to run, but the maid immediately sprints into action as you watch her get sent directly into the pavement. She doesn't get up, either.

It's a villain - the completely lunatic kind. And just your luck this is a day where you aren't packing an airsoft gun. You instantly dive into cover, and the many repetitions of the advice school has given you about how to handle this immediately come to mind...

Call someone for help.
Run away and hide somewhere safe.
And holdout until rescue arrives.

You pull out your phone, and are greeted by a complete lack of signal. What?! But you were just using it two minutes ago! Don't tell me this maniac had some signal jammer in her clothes...

Okay, focus! There's a psychotic maid who seems to be primarily rampaging against anyone trying to run away and call for help specifically, and every minute you're forced to stay here only puts you further in danger as to what she's actually going to do. You can't just sit here, you need to do something already! You need an idea!

...With her distracted by other people that you try not to think about right now, you slowly reach for the obvious taser clipped to the guard's belt and pull it off. It's a start, but definitely not enough for you to stop her yourself. Think! What else can you do with this?!

Your eyes dart around the street, looking for anything else that you could use to help you, even turning around to the steakhouse your back's been put to...

Hold on a second. A steakhouse means there's a kitchen. A kitchen means that there has to be a fire alarm, and most commercial fire alarms alert the fire department automatically! If you can just trip the thing yourself...

You have an idea.

You sprint through the doors of the rapidly emptying steakhouse clutching the taser in a death grip as you rush to the front counter, vault yourself ontop of it, and jump for the ceiling to catch one of the sprinklers as you turn the taser on. You see a brief moment of sparks flying, and you feel yourself get drenched in water immediately afterwards as you hear an alarm going off. Success.

But now you have the different problem of being the girl who just triggered a fire alarm with a still active threat in the area. She's gonna find you if you don't hide, and fast, as you tumble into the kitchen area proper. There's not a lot of opportunity to conceal yourself in a place like this... oh, there's a full walk-in freezer here?

It'd definitely be your best bet, but the padlock on the door doesn't make it very accessible... but you're in too deep to be put off by that. You search the kitchen for any way to get around this simple security measure, first taking a knife just in case. You can't exactly cut through the lock with such a simple tool... but you hold on for another second.

You're surrounded by equipment designed specifically for heating stuff up... maybe you can actually cut through the lock. You quickly turn on the first burner next to you and hold the knife to it to start getting it heated up.

You make your first slice after a good thirty seconds of waiting, to little effect. Come on, you can't wait this long! How long do you have before she tries searching for you?!

Slice. It barely chips the shackle, but that means you're actually progressing!
Slice. Another chip deepens the wound.
Slice. The knife is getting so hot you're starting to feel your hand burn, but that's not important right now.

Slice. You barely manage to catch the lock before it can clatter to the ground and further alert your presence, as you slip inside the freezer and shut the door behind you without a moment of rest as you sit on the slightly icy floor, feeling every breath you take as the adrenaline surge finally starts to die down.

All you can do now is hold on and hope that somebody comes to resolve... well, whatever was going on with that maid. Without the ability to hear much outside your hiding place, you can't say for certain what's going on anymore. Is this even a situation worth calling a metahuman for? The fire department always has some police come along with, right?

Without anything to do, you've tuned yourself out to the world outside as minutes pass... probably hours, at this rate. Man, why does waiting around hoping for things to get better have to be so boring? Not even the potential of hypothermia from staying in a fridge is helping with that!

After waiting for what feels like an eternity, you hear somebody push open the door to the freezer, and you definitely don't momentarily panic when that happens before your brain catches up with your instincts.

"...Hey, dispatch, this is Xander from the 16th Medical Team." The paramedic who you definitely didn't think was the maid coming for you says to his radio. "I found another girl in the steakhouse - no visible injuries. Gonna bring her out now." He says, as he walks up closer to you. You pull yourself off of the floor, prepared for a long time of having to explain yourself...

One explanation to the police later...

Surprisingly, this isn't the first time you've been escorted home in the back of a police vehicle. It's just the first time you've been there without actually being in trouble - thanks, security cameras, for proving your breaking and entering was completely justified!

Unfortunately, it's going to do nothing to help you as the policeman walks you up to the apartment you and Kousei live in and knocks on the door, summoning him to see you standing right next to him. The disappointment in his face still stings you.

"...What'd she do this time?" He asks, glaring directly at you.
"I'm NOT in trouble!" You instantly refute before the policeman can even get a word in. He sighs.
"Yes, she isn't in any trouble. She was involved in an incident, but she was also the one who initially alerted us to the situation."
"Really now?" He looks to you, curious and likely surprised at how you don't look very injured. You nod.
"Yes. She wasn't injured, but it'd still be good to give her a day to recover..." You step inside the apartment, and the policeman doesn't stay around for much longer.

"...So." Your brother finally breaks the awkward silence as you struggle to find a good way to discuss what you've gotten yourself into.
"Listen, it wasn't like I was trying to get into trouble! It was that place with all the fancy stores, I didn't think anybody would deliberately cause trouble there! I had to do something!" You start to explain.
"Huh. I didn't think you'd have gone somewhere like there. What's the occasion?" He asks.

...Shit! It turns out that being under attack by a killer maid makes it really easy to forget what you were doing in the first place! You need to come up with something to fulfill your intentions of getting something nice, fast!

"...I found a nice steakhouse. Maybe I can take you there sometime?"

You might not be a real hero. But at least you did something right today.

SolarGemX · Sep 3, 2024

Authors note I have no idea what Im doing, but hey maybe writing will help me distress from Mr. Bittermans Wild dice jamboree. I do not promise quality, this is literally my second time doing this.

Emet
by SolarGemX

"Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error". - Andrew Jackson
What defines truth? Is it a belief of one ideals? The action one takes to reach it? The victor who writes in pen and paper? Truth is a ever changing thing, many seek it and many more seek to hide it. Today let me tell you the tale of a boy, who found his own truth.

Damian! Giós (Son) come down you're breakfast is getting could! The sound of my Mitéra (Mother) distracted me from book I was reading. Coming! As I placed the book next to my bed table I took a quick look at the mirror placed in a wall of my room. 7 years of age, 49" high, a slight tan, brown hair; those are the defining traits of our little protagonist Damian Drakos. Walking down the stairs of their modest two story house the young son of the household made his way to the kitchen where his mother Amelia Drakos had place a plate of scrambled eggs with toast on the side.

About time you came down, I thought you were going to let the food get cold... again. - Mentioned Ms. Drakos with an exasperated grin.
Sorry, sorry. I got caught up with an interesting book I got from the library, something about history and ancient myths. - Answered the young boy, sitting himself in a chair with a plate and began rubbing his hands on top of the plate of eggs, a small white dust falling on top of his food.
Oy, Oy! Watch how much you sprinkle, to much salt is bad for you, said the attentive mother as she ate. I raise my eyebrow slightly. Really? Mom I'm literally made of this stuff, I'm pretty sure no amount of salt is going to affect me, and isn't that a neat little detail? Yes dear reader, as you probably guessed, our dear Damian has powers. Quite weak ones if you were to ask him, he has the ability to make salt come out from every part of his body, not the most exciting powers, but hey! At least he never has to worry of un-salted food, and isn't that just swell? No. To a certain young kid, his "superpower" is really lame. Ms. Drakos gave her son a look and answered- Perhaps, but we really don't know the limits of what you can do and there is no way I'm taking you to a doctor so you can be poke at. Not to mention it doesn't really matter if you're power looks weak, I don't exactly trust people wont try to hurt you just because you have them. Now c'mon finish up, you're going to be late to you're last day of school.

Oh right!- exclaimed Damian. Almost forgot summertime is just around the corner, time to relax, ride my bike and catch up on my comics. As he began finishing the eggs, the house's main phone began ringing *ring* *ring*. Amelia stood up going towards the phone- Ill get it. Maybe its some of the volunteers down in the Soup Kitchen, maybe on the usuals wont be able to make it. As she grabs the phone and hears the voice coming from it her calm demeanor immediately darkens. What do YOU want? I thought, I made it abundantly clear I didn't want to hear from you again. - Amelias voice darkened with every word that came out of her mouth. WHAT!? By the Damn Leviathan, I have told you over and over again the answer is still no! I don't want you anywhere near him! I don't care what you think, you made it abundantly clear 3 years ago you didn't want anything to do with him, so why should I let you see him? If you are going to only waste my time and my phone bills with you're useless ravel, I have more important things to do, Goodbye. As she hangs up on the caller she murmurs under her breath; damn bastard, now I have to change the phone number...
As she turns she sees her son staring at her from the table. Was it him again?- asked the young boy.
*Sigh* yes, yes it was. Answered the Young woman. Walking next to her son. As you can probably tell Ms. Drakos is actually a divorced woman. Once married to Harold Wyrm, the young couple split up when Damian was 3 years old. Mr. Wyrm didn't want to continue providing for a kid he didn't even want and decided to pretty much bolt on the Young mother-son pair, taking a lot of money with him before disappearing. Wanting to make sure her son would be able to grow up well Amelia Drakos decided to divorce her ex husband and decided to move far away from their original home, moving into a cozy neighborhood in Worker's Mitt, where she became a history teacher at the local elementary school where her son was enrolled. She had honestly thought that would be the last time she would ever hear of Harold, but in the last few months hes being calling her house's phone requesting to see Damian, a request that has been denied time and time again by the busy mother.

Honestly I'm starting to get tired of hearing his voice over and over again, if this keeps up I'm going to call the police to see if something can be done. - she says as she grabs her car keys and begins to leave the house with her son in tow.
Would they be able to do anything? asked Damian.
Probably not, not unless he physically appears I dont think they could do much- she muttered with irritation in her voice. No matter, we just need to finish today class and we can finally relax. You are planning on going to your friends house after school right?
Yup- Said Damian, They got a new game that came out recently and they want to play it with me, Ill be back by 6pm, so you don't have to worry about me being late, its like a 5 minute walk from they're house.
Ok, ok. Said Amelia with a smile. Just be careful once you come home. I need to finish some last day documents, so I will head straight back home once school finishes.

Unknown to both of them, today is going to end in a way neither of them are truly expecting.

-Several Hours Later-

Shoot, shoot, shoot Mom is going to kill me! - Damian said as he ran as quickly as he could to his house. He sadly got distracted the new game his friend brought and before he knew it was already 7:30 pm. Waaaay past the time she promised to be back home at. Honestly, after seeing the clock he paled thinking her mother was just outside the house waiting to rip him a new one. But surprisingly she wasn't, so the young boy ran as far as he could to his house hoping her mother has gotten distracted grading some last minute papers and hadn't notice the time.
Oh man Mom is going to kill me! C'mon just one more corner....AHA! *wheeze* o..*wheeze) k... I really need to exercise more. Damian slowly and quietly went up to the front of his house and fished in his pockets for his copy of the front door key.

Hopefully, I can make it inside and she will think I returned on time and was just quiet reading or something, that could work right? Just as he was about to insert the key into the front door he noticed it was already unlocked. Oh no, he exclaimed with a bit of fear, she knows, *Deep Breath* okay Damian, you're probably grounded for life, better go inside to face the music. Man this is going to suck. As the young boy entered his house he immediately noticed how dark the house was; huh... maybe mom is in her room? Maybe I still have a chance? If I hurry I can grab something from the fridge and go up the st- he stops speaking. In the darkness of the night he notices something shining in the living room floor, pieces of paper and broken glass. Wha- What the? Are those moms papers? Why are they....? A chill suddenly fills Damian. Where's mom? He slightly panics and begins looking around the living room and kitchen seeing more broken glass and messes everywhere. Wheres mom, Wheres mom, Wheres mom. As his panic rises these words began repeating in his head. He rushes up the stairs towards her mom's office room. She's usually there when she has a lot of work to do and he is hoping she there.
As he makes it to the room he sees someone in the office chair, taking a small breath of relief thinking his Mitéra had maybe fallen asleep while working. He is about to say something when he hears a distinctive Male voice say: Ah... about time you got here boy. Damian breath catches in his throat.
As the figure slowly stands up, Damian notices something gleaming from his hand; a knife and it had blood. As the moonlight shined on the intruder a middle aged man comes into the picture. This individual could be called handsome, once, but right now he looked like a monster straight from one of the books Damian reads. Tall, covered in messy dark clothes, dead eyes staring at him with disgust and a hint of manic glee.

The monster speaks- Well, well. Hey there champ, man have you grown. Has it really only been 4 years? Kids these day grow up fast. Hey, do you remember me? Its dear old dad. Sorry, I couldn't see you for so long, you see daddy had some trouble convincing mommy to let me see you.
Damian stands still and asks where his mom is. The monster shrugs, oh she is over there, she was really sleepy and had to go to sleep, leaving me here alone waiting for you. Damian slowly moves they're eyes towards the corner of the room, there he sees a figure laying down on the floor, it was covered in blood.

Oh don't worry- the monsters says as it sees you looking at the corner. She still alive, You see after daddy left, daddy made some big strong friends and went on a lot of great trips together. Sadly, daddy made a bet with his friends and now he owes them some money and daddy cant pay them yet. I know, I know it looks bad, but then I remembered Mommy got a lot of money from the divorce and I thought she could let me borrow some, maybe talk and let me see ya again! Hahaha, she refused. And that made daddy angry. So we had to "talk" and she got soooo tired she had to lay down... But as I waited for her to "get up" I had a GREAT idea! Daddy knows some people that would LoVe tO meEt yOU aNd AMelIA. They are doctors and they want to see how HeAlThY you two are. If daddy BrInGs you two to THEM, they would pay daddy a lot of money! So be a gOoD boy... AND COME TO DADDY!- The monster lunges at you and the only thing you can think of doing is throwing you're arms forward and launching a lot of salt into his face; he doesn't like you're gift.
AAAAAAHHH YOU LITTLE SHIT! IM GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!

You don't hesitate and RUN! Rapidly running down the hallway hoping to reach the front door and get help, maybe a hero is active during the night? All you need to is- you hear footsteps gunning for you move to the right just avoiding a giant hand from grabbing you, you throw more salt at the monster and hurry down the stairs. Just a couple more steps and- you feel something grab you from the back and raise you high the monster grins in you're face. GOTCHA You *huff* little *Huff*- You scream and throw more salt at its face. AAAGH! *Huff spit* Damn little! The figure throws you out the door and you hit the grass, hard. Precious air is expelled from you're lungs as you hit the ground. You are tired and sore, but you need to keep moving you need to find help- a Shadow covers you. Its here, it grabs you and screeches- EnD *Huff* oF tHe *Huff* lINe KiDdo! You panic and throw one last bunch of salt towards the monster, it misses its face. HAHa *Wheeze*HaaHa! not this time kid, you have quite *Breath* a pair doing that to me! But, What. A. Find. *hiss* You have powers? ~Ooooohh *cough* yes~ they will pay good money for you *Huff*. Just need you to go to sleep *cough* for a bit and I will be able to pay off my debt to those *cough* bastards, maybe even get enough to pay *Cough* off those loans from the Demon Fla *COUGH,COUGH,COUGH* wh..aaat is COUGH COUGH!
You stare in wonder and no low amount of horror as the monster begins coughing more and more, as he drops you and begins having trouble to breathe. What *COUGH* did you *COUGH!* Unkown to him but plain as day to you, you see the monster beginning to falter, his skin a color a tad darker than yours begins to whiten... and dry up.

You see dear viewer Young Damian has never used his powers on anything other than food before and never in such large quantities, You see his "salt" is quite more dangerous than one would expect. In sufficient quantities this "weak power" is quite.... dangerous. We all know salt is capable of absorbing liquids right? Well Damian's salt follows this principle as well, just to a... grander degree. If a organic or inorganic object is covered with enough of the product, the salt begins absorbing the liquids in the covered objects at a rapid pace. So seeing as Harold took several pounds of the stuff to his face and its covering him head to toe? The effects were....quite something. In less than a minute than when the effect... hmmm lets call it Salt Cure, Took its effect the Monster in human skin became a withered husk, a mummy if you will. With a Rather stunned Damian just watching as the monster that nearly killed him falls dead on the spot, with two weird white-ish green crystals falling next to him. It took him a minute or two but eventually Young Damian was able to get on his feet and grab the phone in his house calling the police and what happens next? Well, that for the fates to decide. Tata for know.

Author notes 2:
DONE! Good Gravy why did I do this? So yeah, here is my proposal for a DNAsample. Salt manipulation with a bit of a twist! You see I envisioned a power based on salt when I was playing Pokémon Scarlet and saw my Garganacl use Salt Cure on an enemy. Salt cure is a move that slowly draws out the moisture of an enemy mon, doing even more damage on water and steel types. Irrelevant info aside, some of the Pokedex entries of the Nacl line mention how they use salt to drain the fluids of they're pray as the watch sadistically, while other mentioned that the salt they produce are capable of healing wounds.

So the full extend of Damian's (Later Known as a small independent hero Emeth, His costume is a golem "Shell" made of his salt) power is progressive, he unlocked more aspects of his power as he grew up. In his youth he could only throw salt at his enemies, but as he grew older his control over the salt he made improved, letting him manipulate the salt he made into different forms like shields, swords, clubs and even armor; all of which were SOMEHOW hard as steel when compressed (don't ask, even he doesn't know how it works). Additionally, remember those crystals that dropped from his "dad's" corpse?
Well thats the secondary aspect of his salt, after getting his salt tested a while later (how long and who did it? Only the fates know) he discovered that his salt drains a lot more than just moisture, against organic beings or objects his salt actually drains Multiple nutritional aspects of the victims. Vitamins, minerals, calories, the works; and they're all stored on those crystals you saw. These "Salt cores" can be ingested or broken and sprinkled on a person to grant the nutritional value stored inside, it also jumps starts the bodies natural healing process, just to an accelerated degree, it wont instantly heal a grievous wound, but it can accelerate a persons natural healing cycle quite the bit. Making things like scratches or even broken bones heal at a accelerated pace, from minutes to hours depending on the severity of the injury.

The weakness of the power being high concentrations of liquids dissolving the salt and the fact Emeth was more of a Tank, he was quite slow and preferred extended fights. Where he is or even if hes alive or not will honestly depend. This power set could even be used for a minor villain, you could just say Damian ended up being raised by his dad instead of his mom.

So yeah heres my little story. Jeez its nearly 11:40 pm i need sleeeeep. See yall later.

Zetakille · Sep 4, 2024

Alright, inspired by the carrot option, here's my very obviously non-canon omake on what might have happened had Lady Leizi signed the contract. Dominion is a corporation, and having access to a way to not only enhance Metahumans, but MAKE them? You can bet their PR and Marketing team would be on that in a microsecond. Not sure if Bitterman has a length requirement for omakes, but I don't think I could make this longer.

Corporate Greed

The following is a transcript of a televised commercial advertisement for Hero For Hire/Dominion Security Concerns, funded by Dominion Security Concerns. Commercial ran for 2 weeks on all major news networks in Horizon a short time after the Movement.

Metahumans. Those people who are gifted with incredible power. We at Dominion Security Concerns have long believed that these powers are best when used in service of others, and that the Metahumans should be fairly compensated for that service. To that end we developed the Hero For Hire app, which for a nominal fee allowed any Metahuman to advertise their powers and services to the community and receive payment for helping out their fellow man. However, the reason why some people develop powers and some don't has long baffled scientists the world over.

But no more! We here at Dominion Security Concerns finally cracked the Metahuman code! Through our brand new and rigorously tested Promethean Program, we can give ordinary people the extraordinary! That's right, we can give you POWERS! Now anyone can be a Metahuman, provided they pass our screening process and are able to afford the cost of resources. But if you do, we guarantee you a free, one-year promotion on Hero For Hire to kickstart your superhero career! If your power is especially noteworthy, we may just offer you a contract with Powers, Dominion's premier superhero team!

But that's not all! When we say we cracked the code, we mean the ENTIRE code! For those of you already possessing Metahuman powers, Dominion can give you the edge you need to compete in what we believe will soon be a very competitive market! In addition to giving people powers through the Promethean Program, we can now ENHANCE existing powers! This option will be available for a medium fee to any and all Metahumans currently advertising on Hero For Hire! And don't worry, those who apply for our Promethean Program can pay an additional fee to receive this new service IMMEDIATELY after testing for their new powers!

We here at Dominion Security Concerns are committed to the safety of all, and we hope that through these new services we will be able to reach people who are willing to commit to the same. Just call us at ***-***-HERO and ask how to apply! Act fast, we only have limited spots in the Promethean Program, and we are unsure when more will open up!

Kermie · Sep 5, 2024

Skits & Super(?)heroes
By MrKermie

You are Rei Maruki. And right now, you are not having a fun time. Having your head face first on a lunch table, hands on your head isn't exactly a good look.

Mona sits down next to you, sounding concerned. "Hey! What's up?"

You turn to look at her, and groan out weekly. "Do you remember that project in Drama? The one where we got in pairs?"

Mona raises an eyebrow. "The one where you write out the script for a skit, and I'm in charge of filming and uploading it to the internet? What about it?"

You hold up your phone with a document pulled up. "Read."

When Metahuman Insurance Fails

(SCENE STARTS)

(I WALK IN, COMPLAINING ABOUT MY GRANDMA'S ASHES HAVING BEEN KNOCKED OVER)

MONA WALKS IN.

(…that's it. That's the script. The rest is blank.)

Mona's eyes widen. "Please tell me you've got the rest of the script on a previous version."

You slam your face into the lunch table again, alerting some other kids. "Nope. And I checked and double checked my schedule— I've got too many extracurriculars to make a good script within a week. We're cooked."

Mona stays silent for a second, before continuing. "Well, I was gonna tell you about my troubles today, but that's not really important compared to what you're going through."

"No, no. You should say your piece. Maybe it'll distract me."

"It's not that important, but ok. I was trying to go to a store to get some more merch of Valiant Silver, but then the weirdest thing happened. Someone had already bought out all the other figurines, so all I could see was this ugly ripoff figure at the back of the stands, all dipped in bright yellow…"

Something clicks in your brain. You slam your hands down, shooting up from the table. "Mona, you genius! That's it."

"Uhh… what's it?"

"Just meet me after school, in the theater. I've got a great idea that should be pretty fast."

Off Brand Metahumans
100k views

Rei enters into what seems to be a generic room, before looking forward, past the camera. "Hey! Are you the employee on duty here?"

The camera turns around, to reveal Mona. She's in an apron worn over her clothes, and has some shades on. "Yes, I am. What do you want?"

Rei smiles, adjusting her jacket and cap. "My friend's a big fan of metahumans and their heroics, so I wanted to get her some merch for her stash. Do you have any reccomendations?"

"Oh yeah! Some new merch came in recently! I think you'll like it."

Rei bends down just out of frame to pick up a figure. "Oh great! She just loves…"

The camera cuts to a picture of a poorly painted Valiant Silver figurine, which was clearly dipped in all yellow. It's labeled as:

Brave Gold

"…who the fuck is Brave Gold?"

"She invented Magitech! It allowed her to run really fast and make small walls."

"…like, shield barriers?"

"No, I mean walls of light about two feet tall."

Rei takes a step back, pinching the bridge of her nose, before walking back up and continuing. "Ok, that didn't work. Do you have Adamant?"

"We've got Vibran."

Rei's eyes widen, and she leans in a bit. "…are you serious. Is he— well, Lady Leizi must enjoy his company a lot."

"Don't you mean Miss Mei?"

Rei groans and facefaults, before getting up and launching into a quick list of heroes.

"Ok, do you have Moon River?"

"We've got Sun Lake."

"Do you have Red Huntress?"

"We have Orange Stalker!"

"Do you have Earthern Owl?"

"We have Sky Worm."

"Do you have Hydrocity?"

"We've got Watercomplex."

Rei bites her lip, and seems to weigh her options. "…alright, what does Watercomplex do?"

"He's always very hydrated!"

Rei facefaults, before getting back up. "How the— how'd you find someone lamer than Hydrocity!?" She takes a deep breath.

"Ok, there must be something stupid here. Maybe you guys are being paid by Dominion, or Hero for Hire. Do you guys at least have merch of Scarlet Maturity?"

"Well, we don't have Scarlet Maturity, we have…" Mona breaks character for a second, and giggles.

"Old Red Hard."

Rei's jaw drops. She picks it up with her hand, and her mouth opens and closes a few times. Eventually, she figures out how she wants to react.

"OLD RED HARD?!?" Rei screams out, hands on her head. "LEVIATHAN'S BLOOD, WHO THE FUCK IS THAT!?!?!"

Mona stays quiet, a blank expression on her face, before quickly responding. "…I hear he works for STRENGTHS."

Rei throws her cap to the ground, before bending down to pick up something. It's a sandal.

"…I will send you to the QZ."

She nonchalantly throws the sandal right past Mona's head, before walking out of the store. As Rei's leaving, Mona fruitlessly reaches out a hand to stop her.

"Wait! …I, um, hear the Employee's Hand has better shops I think?"

(In case you're wondering, both Rei and Mona got an A on that assignment.)

Author's Note:

Inspired by Steven He. Specifically, this video.

Bitterman · Sep 5, 2024

[X] You refuse. Time for the stick.

For a second, you're that terrified little girl without her mother again.

Then you see Rosemary's face. You remember her funeral. You remember Harper bawling her eyes out, Rakeem punching a sandbag until his hands bled, Eve disappearing, Yazmin refusing to talk to anyone, and Nora locking herself in her lab until she nearly starved herself to death.

"Did you really think bringing him here would get what you want?" you hiss, "My friend's killer?"

"Hmm?" Scarlet Maturity frowns and appears to be paying attention for the first time since arriving.

"Should I take that as your answer then, Lady Leizi?" Faust asks from the table. There's the barest hint of a smile on face."

"Go to hell, Faust," you snarl, "Better yet, I'll send you there myself."

Then, Scarlet Maturity moves. He's fast, so much faster than your mind can believe something that large can be. He shakes the earth as he leaps forward, but he's so quick he gets there before you feel the tremor. He raises his right arm and swings at you with the most casual of backhand strikes.

Minor Success: DC 12. Moderate Success: DC 15. Major Success: DC 18.

Stat Check: HIT 40. Justice Unlimited and Hiver have a collective HIT 32.

The Audience has given you a +5 to this roll.

You rolled: 13.

13 - 4 + 5 = 14. Minor Success!

Dodge, idiot.

Hiver and Nora save you.

Something makes your body move faster than your mind can give the order, but it's not until a blast of white light from Hiver hits you in the chest that you're far enough backwards to avoid Scarlet Maturity's swing. But even then, the speed of the air displaced by his arm still hits you like a truck.

Nora's shield generator flares to life and dies, absorbing enough of the kinetic impact that it "only" shatters every bone in your right arm and cracks your ribs. You hit the ground hard, unable to brace your fall, and scream as you land on your injured side. Your breathing is quick and shallow, with an odd wheeze every time you inhale. You think you might have pierced a lung, but, somehow, you are alive.

Just barely.

The Shield Generator absorbs one injury level and is destroyed.

Lady Leizi takes one injury level! Severe Injury!

Lady Leizi takes one injury level! Critical Injury, Adrenaline!

"Despite what you may think of me," Scarlet Maturity rumbles, "I do have my regrets about Apiray's death. She was something of a kindred spirit."

"She was nothing like you," you wheeze.

"Now, now, now," Faust interrupts, "Hiver, how exactly did you manage to do that? I didn't give you permission to violate your loyalty clause."

"Fuck you, that's how," Hiver spits, trembling with fear . . . or is it rage?

"Hiver, what are you doing?!" Été shrieks. Printemps looks just as bewildered and terrified. "You're going to ruin everything!"

"I'm doing the right thing, Gwen. What I told you to do instead of signing that contract like an idiot! Who willingly sells themselves into slavery?"

"An uncharitable interpretation of our agreement. But I'm less concerned about why you're violating your contract, than how. It is deeply concerning," Faust says. But his eyes don't match his words. They're sparkling with what is unmistakably delight. "This will require extensive investigation."

"Fuck you both!" Hiver screams, "You think I'm scared of you?! My fiance is dead, my little cousin is dead, and I can't even live as myself! This is the worst life I could imagine! You can't do anything else to me!"

It's at that moment Handyman makes his move. The form of the waiter contorts and changes into an armored version of Handyman's base form. He grows until he's nearly Scarlet Maturity's height and wraps his elbow around Faust's neck, blades extended from his biceps and forearm.

"Nobody move!" he shouts, "Or Cryptkeeper here is gonna get a real close shave!"

Été recoils while Printemps' eyes widen in betrayal. "Michelet, why?!"

But Faust doesn't even react. "Now, what does that mean, Hiver? Suddenly, I find a very dull evening positively stimulating."

Handyman tightens his grip until the blades are touching Faust's neck. "Hey, don't ignore me! You think I'll lose sleep over icing a corporate fuck like you?"

Fausts acknowledges him for the first time. "How curious. A shapeshifting metahuman agent, already integrated into the restaurant's staff. Hiver, did you tip off Lady Leizi to our little trap? How long have you been free from your agreement, I wonder?"

"Enough!" Handyman screams, "I'm serious!"

"Then cut my throat and be done with it," Faust says.

"W-what?"

"You see, that is the weakness of an idle threat," Faust sighs. He flicks his wrist and something drops into his palm. "If one is not willing to carry it out, then one is merely placing themselves at a disadvantage."

DC 10.

Stat Check: HIT 5. Handyman has HIT 7.

You rolled: 9.

9 + 1 = 10. Success!

In Faust's hand is a small, cylindrical object with a button on top. As he presses it, an energy shield—not unlike your own—becomes visible around his body and then rapidly expands, erupting with the force of a grenade. Handyman detaches his own arm and dives out of the way towards Balthazar, just in the nick of time. The table, gazebo, Été, and Printemps are all sent flying.

Minor Success: DC 12. Moderate Success: DC 15. Major Success: DC 18.

Stat Check: HIT 12. Handyman has a HIT 7.

You rolled: 4.

4 - 2 = 2. Failure!

At the exact same moment, Scarlet Maturity leaps, the ground exploding underfoot. He clears the distance to Handyman in one bound, rears back, and throws a punch at his head. Handyman manages to yank away at the last second, the force of the blow annihilating half of Balthazar. A spray of shrapnel flies everywhere and a deep furrow is cut into the ground. It's as if a giant stuck his finger in the earth and dragged it through the building.

You're fairly certain there were still people in there. There is a red mist among the debris.

Handyman tramsutes his arms to blades of bone and jabs them in either direction into Scarlet Maturity's neck. Both bounce off, failing to find purchase, as Scarlet Maturity wraps one hand around Handyman's neck and the other around his leg.

And then rips Handyman in half.

Handyman takes one injury level! Superficial Injury!

Handyman takes one injury level! Severe Injury!

Handyman takes one injury level! Critical Injury, Adrenaline!

Handyman is, miraculously, still alive, screaming in agony as Scarlet Maturity discards his lower half. You can see his body desperately bubbling, moving to replace his lost mass. Scarlet Maturity holds him aloft by the head and examines him dispassionately.

"Hn. Amusing."

"Gloating is impolite, Christian," Faust says, having gotten up from the ruins of the gazebo. Été and Printemps look shaken by what's happened, but follow him. "Lady Leizi's plan was masterful. It is merely ill fortune that no amount of clever planning can make up for an overwhelming disparity in strength. Now, dispose of your toy and let us collect what we came for."

He eyes the destroyed restaurant.

"And do be more mindful of our hosts. They've been more than generously compensated, but unnecessary deaths have the unfortunate tendency to affect our bottom line."

Scarlet Maturity rolls his eyes but complies and moves to kill Handyman.

As he does, the world goes insane.

* * *

You are Menagerie Witch. And you are a hateful little girl.

You know this about yourself. You think everyone else knows it too. You don't survive over a month at the mercies of Le Petit Prince and come out unscathed. You've recently taken to reading a lot of books at night, when your brain won't stop replaying the images of what he did.

Most girls your age should be reading fantasy books by authors who will deeply disappoint them later in life. You've been reading veterinary science textbooks, trying to figure out how to better use your power. How to make your creatures stronger, faster, meaner, so, the next time there's a Le Petit Prince, you can bathe in his blood.

You might have some other issues.

But there is one book you've been reading for pleasure: The Count of Monte Cristo. There's something about a hatred that survives multiple identities and persists through decades that resonates with you, a need for revenge. To know your enemies are broken and can never hurt you or the people you love again. It feeds a dark part of your soul, the one that nurtured you and kept you alive while Le Petit Prince surrounded you with liars.

But it's also the part of you that almost killed Lady Leizi and ruined your chances at a second family. So you keep it tightly leashed, and only let it free when you know it's time.

As that monster out of your worst nightmares moves to kill Mr. Rhys, you know it's time.

"KILL!" you order your creations, screaming so loudly you taste bile in your throat.

Minor Success: DC 5. Moderate Success: DC 10. Major Success: DC 15.

Stat Check: OPERATIONS 5. Menagerie Witch has OPERATIONS 7.

You rolled: .

17 + 1 = 18. Major Success!

You brought all of your friends with you, just in case you needed to make more clones. Your shadows don't think, not exactly, but they have copies of your friend's minds and feel the way they do.

You love Barkavious, Mittens, Nevermore, and Apep with all of your heart. They were with you through the worst of Le Petit Prince. They saw his every depravity; they felt what you had to feel. And they understand your hate.

And so do their copies. From the garden hedges, a giant snake made of shadow strikes and buries its fangs deep into Été's arm. A dozen dogs the size of horse break free and savage her soldiers. But they're just the distraction—the real problem is Printemps' plants. You watched footage of how they could fire seeds like bullets. They could destroy your Nevermores and clip everyone's wings.

So they have to go.

Great, unseen shadow cats attack them from every angle, reducing them to scraps of chlorophyll. A stygian panther leaps on Printemps' back and drags him to the ground. But you're not the only one acting. Hiver immediately places a barrier of light around Lady Leizi and knocks Été and Printemps even further away with another well-placed shot. He fires a shot at the skinny man, but it fails as an energy shield flares to life.

Similarly, neither of you can do anything to the monster that is Scarlet Maturity. He walks through your horde, destroying clones simply by touching them and dragging Mr. Rhys on the ground behind him. None of your friends can so much as make him flinch.

So you turn to one person who can, who's hovering next to you and wringing her hands.

"Blast him, Mona! What are you doing?!"

"I-I can't get a clear shot. If I hit Rhys or Lady Leizi, they'll . . . they'll—"

Mona looks at you with wide eyes as you navigate you Nevermore over and slap her. And then rub your hand because, ow, her head is really hard.

"Are you a hero or not?! Stop playing pretend! If you can't find a clear shot, make one!"

Mona stares for a second before shaking her head and slapping herself on the cheeks. "R-right! Follow me, I'm going in!"

Mona dives faster than your eyes can follow. You kick your Nevermore in the ribs and direct your murder downwards. You have to hold back a shriek as the wind tugs at your face, but in a few seconds you're in the courtyard.

You arrive just behind Mona. Who positions herself so there's nothing behind Scarlet Maturity and blasts him.

DC 15.

Stat Check: HIT 15. Black Swan has HIT 9.

You rolled: 15.

15 - 3 + 3 (Ambush!) = 15. Major Success!

An explosion of nuclear fire that would have reduced Floating Venom Morpheme to ash erupts from Mona's arms and hits Scarlet Maturity directly in the chest. He drops Mr. Rhys and attempts to block the attack with his hands. He holds firm for a moment, and even takes one step forward.

Then Mona screws up her face and the light intensifies. You see Scarlet Maturity's arms burn and blister—the first time he's been injured all night—before the ground under his feet dissolves and he's blown far, far away. The light fades and you see Mona missing her left hand up her wrist. You also see a great divot in the ground, like a titan split the earth.

Mona sends you a message with her eyes. Keep everyone safe. Then she rockets after Scarlet Maturity.

Hiver uses a series of barriers to bounce Mr. Rhys in the air and bring him next to you. You waste no time dismounting and guiding Lady Leizi to a Nevermore large enough for both of them. Hiver wordless helps Mr. Rhys on and then joins you on your mount.

"Lady Leizi!" Faust cheers. He's smiling, but it's a creepy smile. Like the smile Ms. Yamato's kid had when he played with matches. Right before he burned their apartment down.

"What a wonderful gift you've brought! I must know where you found her! Unfortunately, that means I also must insist you remain with us." He points at their Nevermore. "Été, Printemps, enough of your bumbling, please."

Your eyes widen in alarm. Printemps has regrown his plants, and they're aimed at the both of you. You need to distract him so Lady Leizi and Mr. Rhys can get away! Y-you have to do something!

But Hiver has the same thought, and beats you to the punch.

DC 15.

Stat Check: REPUTATION 5. Hiver has REPUTATION 7.

You rolled: 15.

The Audience has given you a +1 to this roll.

15 + 1 + 1 + 3 (Hiver Knows the Truth!) = 20. Critical Success!

Let him talk.

"Hey, asshole! You wanna know how I broke your contract?! It never worked on me! I'll prove it!" Hiver takes a deep breath, panic and pure willpower in his eyes in equal measure, "Scarlet Maturity is the one boosting everyone's powers! It's his real power! His only power! He gets stronger every time he does it, and they don't want anyone to know!"

A stunned silence follows as Hiver's pronouncement echoes through the destroyed courtyard. Lady Leizi's mouth drops open in shock.

"Hmph. Almost right." The smile disappears from Faust's face. "There has been a change in plan. Kill Hiver and everyone else here. We'll extract what we need from Lady Leizi and then dispose of her."

But before Été and Printemps can process his orders, your Nevermore with Mr. Rhys and Lady Leizi explodes away. You desperately follow, through a hail of ballistic seed pods as Hiver provides cover with his barriers. You send the Nevermore with Lady Leizi and Mr. Rhys to very, very outskirt of your range, not too far from the ground.

Flames from a ballista made of fire ignites the sky around you, but you're too high up. You hug Hiver around the waist and let out a whoop of victory as you fly towards the heart of the French Quarter.

"Great job, Mr. Hiver!" you shout. He grimaces.

"Uhh, just Hiver. You can just call me Hiver, I mean. {Ugh, I don't even like 'Hiver'. Though guess I can rebrand now . . .?}"

"Oh, sorry!" you say as the clouds grow thicker, "You were just so cool!"

"Wait, really?! Y'think? Ermm, uh, I mean . . . y'think?!"

The fog grows even thicker as it becomes even harder to see. You bring your Nevermore with your friends closer.

"Yeah, you were so cool with all the bouncing you did with your barriers! How'd you do that?"

"Years of practice, I guess. I've been a hero for a while."

"Wow," you say. You fly in silence for a moment before you have a horrible thought. "Wait . . . is what you said about Scarlet Maturity true? He can make people's powers stronger?"

". . . yeah." Hiver looks through the fog. "They offered me another contract. If I signed it, then he would boost my power. I refused."

" . . . did he boost Le Petit Prince's power?" your voice is low and deadly.

"Clovis Laurent?!" Hiver says in alarm, "That psycho is loose—shit, he would be with Wonderland gone. Crapbaskets."

"Answer the question, please."

Hiver looks at you, concern shining in his eyes at your tone. But he thankfully doesn't ask the obvious question.

"No. There was a big list of everyone he's powered up. I don't remember every name on it, but know I would have noticed if Laurent was on—wait." His gaze sharpens. "This fog is unnatural."

Sure enough, you suddenly can't see your hand in front of your face. Out of nowhere, the spire from the top of a church appears in front of you. You yank hard on your Nevermore to avoid it, but the angle is too sharp and it struggles as you and Hiver cling to not fall off. You spiral down, down to the ground, and it disappears as you crash.

Hiver catches you both with a barrier and guides you safely down. As he does, a voice echoes from the fog.

"Oooooh, wipeout! Yiiiiikes, sorry, lil' sis! Nothing personal! Ya'll good?"

A man appears from the fog, seeming standing in mid-air. He's dressed like an aviator, with a bright blue bomberjack and goggles over his eyes. His long messy hair drifts behind him, tangled with a red scarf around his neck. He throws you two a lazy salute.

"M'bad! I was just told to stop a little witch girl and snowflake guy. Oh, fudge, wait." He hits his head. "There was a second part! Nearly forgot!"

He pulls a screen out of his pocket and places a call. He then disappears into the mist, his voice echoing. "Okay, okay, wait dude. Is this big enough? No? You need two! Come, on man, this is bullshit! Okay, these two work? Yeah? Yeah. Alright, chill."

There's a crack of displaced air. Then, from the fog, walks Été and Printemps with murder in their eyes.

"You've made a terrible, terrible mistake, you ungrateful, horrible, wretch!" Été screams.

"This pains me Hiver," Printemps says, shaking his head, "This pains me."

"And naughty children must be put to bed!" Été raves.

"After she finds us Lady Leizi, ma fleur."

"Sorry, what was that?" You mime putting your hand to your ear. "I can't hear you because your outfits are too loud."

"Why you—!"

"Hey, uh, are we fighting the tiny, adorable witch-child?" the aviator says, "'cuz, I don't think I'm cool with that."

"Blue Skies," Hiver whispers in your ear, never taking his eyes off them, "He controls water vapor. It's more dangerous than it sounds."

"We carry orders directly from Faust himself!" Été informs him, "You will help us!"

"Really? Aww, beans. My job suuuuuuuuuucks."

"Get behind me, kid," Hiver whispers. There's a different tilt to his jaw, something new in his stance. He's what a hero looks like. "Go find Lady Leizi and, uh, the other guy. Get out of here. I'll buy you time."

"B-but what about you?"

"Don't worry about me." He gives you a small, sad smile. "This has been a long time coming."

As he steps forward, you ball your fists in hate. This is bullshit! It's not fair! Why do you have to leave someone as nice as Hiver to his fate? Why does someone as horrible as horse-face get everything she wants? Why do good people lose?

Why did Le Petit Prince kill your mom?

Your friends feel your rage and come close. Apep in your hat, Nevermore on you should, Mittens around your legs, and Barkavious Rex by your feet. Your shadow rises and envelops you all.

Minor Success: DC 5. Moderate Success: DC 10. Major Success: DC 15.

Stat Check: OPERATIONS 7. Menagerie Witch has OPERATIONS 7.

You rolled: 19.

The Audience has given you a +1 to this roll.

19 + 1 = 20. Critical Success!

Heroes don't leave a friend behind.

You reach inside yourself, deep into the place where Mr. Chaucer asked you to not go. It hurts so much at first, but you find what you need. Your friends are here. They all love you. You love them. You all feel the hate. The need for vengeance.

And the hope that one day it will be a need for justice.

You gasp as your new creation steps free. It has the head of a great wolf, jaw filled with daggers of shadowy teeth. Its body is that of a lion, paws padding silently on the ground. The dark wings of a crow extend from its back, while its tail is a hissing snake with ruby-red eyes.

It towers over your enemies and you feel its heart beat in time with yours.

Menagerie Witch takes one injury level! Superficial injury!

Menagerie Witch's HIT temporarily raises to 7!

"Echidna, kill."

* * *

You are Black Swan, and you're questioning why you're flying towards Scarlet Maturity.

He's . . . Scarlet Maturity! The invincible demon of Powers! One of the strongest metahumans in the world, right up there with King!

And you're the only one who can fight him.

You saw Lady Leizi's arm. You saw what he did to Handyman. You remember the feeling in your chest.

There's a terrible responsibility that comes with your power. During your training it was emphasized over and over again that even the slightest lapse in focus could kill countless people. You had to think about every shot, measure every burst of power, keep the gnawing void at your core in check. Because, if you didn't, someone could get hurt. If you didn't, someone could die.

But now, here was someone who could take it. Here was someone who deserved it.

Your light ends and Scarlet Maturity crashes into the ground. He grabs the earth with one hand and rights himself as he skids to a halt. He stands to his full high and looks at his arms, already healed, in consideration.

"Interesting. Who are you, girl?"

You take a breath and answer.

"Rude!~" you say, sticking out your tongue, "If you wanna learn a cute girl's name, you gotta introduce yourself first!"

". . . you can't be serious."

"As a heart attack!" you say. Speaking of which, your nonexist heart is hammering in your chest. Your left hand is just starting to regenerate after that blast and he's 'interested'?!

What a monster.

"Hey, tell me something!" you say, tapping your chin, "What's your favorite flower?"

"Why would you possibly want to know that?"

"Duuuuuuuh! I gotta know what to put in the wreath at your funeral!"

"You—ghkk!"

A spear of light stabs Scarlet Maturity in the mouth, searing his tongue and knocking him backwards again. It costs you the pinky finger on your left hand, but the look on his face is worth it.

"Did I say you could talk?" you say with your hands on your hips. Then you strike your Battle Pose™, "But if you really need to know the name of the hero that's gonna kick your butt, I'll tell you! I am the cute soldier of justice, Black Swan!"

You fly up and get yourself ready.

"Now, let's do this."

Lady Leizi told you to run away if Scarlet Maturity ever showed up. She said you had no chance against him. You've already given him a good whack, and he seems more annoyed than anything else. You gulp.

Well . . . she's not right about everything, right?

Scarlet Maternity poses like a sprinter, and then kicks off the ground and into the air with a terrific force.

Then the battle is on.

______________________________________________________________________________

Your heroes are divided into three groups:

Hiver and Menagerie Witch are battling Été, Printemps, and Blue Skies.
Lady Leizi and Handyman are on a Nevermore, at the extreme end of Menagerie Witch's range. They could conceivably join the battle after one HIT check.
Black Swan is dueling Scarlet Maturity. The area around them is relatively desolate.

Your heroes' health is as follows:

Lady Leizi has three injury levels.
Handyman has three injury levels.
Menagerie Witch has one injury level and a shield generator.
Hiver is unharmed.
Black Swan is unharmed and has a shield generator.

What do they do?

-[ ] Menagerie Witch and Hiver (write-in, subject to QM veto)

-[ ] Lady Leizi and Handyman (write-in, subject to QM veto)

-[ ] Black Swan (write-in, subject to QM veto)

Project Prometheus (Original Setting Superhero Quest)

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