Vote closed
Psychopomp [Worm]
Debut 2.1
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
The next morning, Casey found himself looking over the contents of his closet with dismay. Yes, he had been lucky--his apartment having been far enough from the fighting that it had been undamaged, and it even still had electricity--but now his luck had run out. He had no costume and was expected to go on a patrol with Miss Militia and Vista the next day. He had a fairly large selection of sweaters, t-shirts, jeans, skirts, and an impressively large catalogue of shoes.
But no costume. And no costume meant no caping. Something that caused him to feel a sort of phantom itch, not truly present, more a memory of the situation he had awoken too.
Luckily, he knew the basics of sewing and had some artistic ability (or so he told himself) and thought that he might be able to throw something together... and if worst came to worst, he did have the domino mask he'd taken from Skidmark still. A bit of contouring, maybe some contact lenses, and he thought he could at least disguise his identity. But it wouldn't exactly inspire respect, hope, or even fear.
One step at a time, Casey reminded himself.
The first thing he needed to do was come up with a cape name, and maybe do some research on the local cape scene. He pulled out his phone and got to researching
A few hours later, he found himself seated near the Boardwalk, examining a stone, garbed in his temporary "costume." It consisted of the domino mask, with some contouring to give his face more of a feminine appearance. He already looked androgynous, he knew, and he could push it pretty far. Casey figured it'd be a good idea to distance himself from any "legal" gender markers, to further throw off anyone trying to discover his identity. Beyond the domino mask, he had managed to rip apart several pieces of clothing, and then sew them back together into a robe that covered his body. He had even managed to include a hood! Of course, the materials and colors clashed in several places, but the ultimate result looked not entirely terrble.
Casey knew confidence was the name of the game. He had to present himself in a certain way, wear the costume like it had been intentional, and not something he had thrown together at the last minute. He knew he'd get a better one eventually, but this was what he had for now, and he'd make the most of it.
The stone he held in his hands was a small one--he had found it to be a necessity, when testing the "modified" power he had created. A small glow emanated from it, slowly shifting through the colors of a rainbow. He knew that if he tossed it, it was simply continue onwards, ever accelerating. When it hit something it would finally stop, all that energy released. Unless he willed it to stop, then it would gradually slow. Essentially, he granted his superspeed power to anything he touched.
He looked over his phone. He had found an interesting site--Parahumans Online--and it appeared to have an active message board about Brockton Bay. It had been exploding in activity the last few days, starting with the Bakuda Bombings and especially when Leviathan hit. Apparently, the devastated city had been "lucky" to only be as damaged as it had been, and many people were hopeful that clean-up would go well and the city wouldn't be abandoned as other places had been.
Casey also learned their had been many deaths from the attack. On the side of the heroes, Velocity and Dauntless had perished, as well as Aegis, Gallant, Panacea, Manpower, Shielder, and Browbeat. Casey could admit to himself, he had only really ever heard of Dauntless on that list. He had been something of a hometown hero, a source of local pride. And now he had died.
The villains had also suffered. Firstly, and most importantly, was Kaiser's death. Casey certainly knew about the local neo-Nazi. They were a large part of the reason he'd been looking for an excuse to leave the city, even if that had been running away. He'd begged his parents to allow him to move into Boston, anywhere not here, but they'd been insistent. They didn't want him in their home, not anymore, but they wanted him nearby. Somewhere to stay under their thumb.
It wasn't just Kaiser that died. Othala--a healer of some sort--had also passed in the battle, when Leviathan had unexpectedly struck the medical tents. Fenja and Alabaster both had fallen as well, not that he especially knew who they were. Speculation on the boards suggested Alabaster might still be alive, but most people thought that was crazy talk. Sure, he had apparently been nearly unkillable, but Leviathan wasn't considered an Endbringer for nothing.
Interestingly, a group that had been making it in the news recently had managed to survive unscathed. The Undersiders had even recruited a member, though rumors abounded that they had some sort of falling out with Skitter. No one seemed entirely sure precisely what, just that the few sightings of the enigmatic group had notably not included the bug controller. She had been seen several times engaging remnants of the Empire and attacking Merchants, though, so she clearly survived.
"Protean?" a woman's voice asked.
Protean looked up from her phone to look at the speaker. She was a woman garbed in American flags, a gun holstered at her hip, and a young girl beside her. Miss Militia and Vista, the two capes she had been told to expect.
"It's wonderful to meet you," Protean put a bit of bubbliness into her voice. "I've just been looking up what's been happening in the city, since..."
"Leviathan," Vista replied. The young ward put despondence into that word. Protean couldn't exactly blame the girl, according to PHO she had lost three of her team-mates in the battle.
"It's been difficult. That's why we really want to work with you, Protean. The city needs its heroes, whether Protectorate or not, and you can do a lot. But it's also more dangerous than ever. We'd like you to have this phone. It isn't traceable, and you can use it to contact us if you need anything. It also has an emergency beacon function. You just press this button here and it will alert the local Protectorate HQ and PRT HQ, as well as act as a beacon for your location. Otherwise, it isn't something we can easily track," Miss Milita hands the phone over.
Protean eyed it for a moment before she pocketed the phone. That was one thing she was happy about. She had included pockets all throughout her costume. With this exchange done, it seemed that it was time to patrol proper.
"Normally, we don't send inexperienced capes into more dangerous territories, especially not on a patrol like this. But, in light of your Brute rating and the exceptional circumstances, I've been given permission to ask: we can patrol the Boardwalk, it's likely to be safer even now. Or we can patrol further into the Docks. We aren't entirely certain what we'll find there. If we don't go it's likely they'll send Battery in the next few days to establish contact."
[] Patrol the Boardwalk. After Leviathan, even this once safe area contains some dangers. Still, it is unlikely to be anything too bad.
[] Patrol the Docks. Always a dangerous area, now it's even worse. Rumor has it that Skitter is laired somewhere in this area, though sightings of the bug controller have been elusive.
[][POWER] Utilize PSYCHOPOMP to create, modify, or break apart powers.
-[] Add a KEYWORD to [existing power]
-[] Add motes to [existing power]
-[] Break apart [existing power] and reclaim all motes and keywords (requires at least eight hours of rest).
-[] Do nothing for now.
POWER PANEL
CURRENT MOTES 0
But no costume. And no costume meant no caping. Something that caused him to feel a sort of phantom itch, not truly present, more a memory of the situation he had awoken too.
Luckily, he knew the basics of sewing and had some artistic ability (or so he told himself) and thought that he might be able to throw something together... and if worst came to worst, he did have the domino mask he'd taken from Skidmark still. A bit of contouring, maybe some contact lenses, and he thought he could at least disguise his identity. But it wouldn't exactly inspire respect, hope, or even fear.
One step at a time, Casey reminded himself.
The first thing he needed to do was come up with a cape name, and maybe do some research on the local cape scene. He pulled out his phone and got to researching
A few hours later, he found himself seated near the Boardwalk, examining a stone, garbed in his temporary "costume." It consisted of the domino mask, with some contouring to give his face more of a feminine appearance. He already looked androgynous, he knew, and he could push it pretty far. Casey figured it'd be a good idea to distance himself from any "legal" gender markers, to further throw off anyone trying to discover his identity. Beyond the domino mask, he had managed to rip apart several pieces of clothing, and then sew them back together into a robe that covered his body. He had even managed to include a hood! Of course, the materials and colors clashed in several places, but the ultimate result looked not entirely terrble.
Casey knew confidence was the name of the game. He had to present himself in a certain way, wear the costume like it had been intentional, and not something he had thrown together at the last minute. He knew he'd get a better one eventually, but this was what he had for now, and he'd make the most of it.
The stone he held in his hands was a small one--he had found it to be a necessity, when testing the "modified" power he had created. A small glow emanated from it, slowly shifting through the colors of a rainbow. He knew that if he tossed it, it was simply continue onwards, ever accelerating. When it hit something it would finally stop, all that energy released. Unless he willed it to stop, then it would gradually slow. Essentially, he granted his superspeed power to anything he touched.
He looked over his phone. He had found an interesting site--Parahumans Online--and it appeared to have an active message board about Brockton Bay. It had been exploding in activity the last few days, starting with the Bakuda Bombings and especially when Leviathan hit. Apparently, the devastated city had been "lucky" to only be as damaged as it had been, and many people were hopeful that clean-up would go well and the city wouldn't be abandoned as other places had been.
Casey also learned their had been many deaths from the attack. On the side of the heroes, Velocity and Dauntless had perished, as well as Aegis, Gallant, Panacea, Manpower, Shielder, and Browbeat. Casey could admit to himself, he had only really ever heard of Dauntless on that list. He had been something of a hometown hero, a source of local pride. And now he had died.
The villains had also suffered. Firstly, and most importantly, was Kaiser's death. Casey certainly knew about the local neo-Nazi. They were a large part of the reason he'd been looking for an excuse to leave the city, even if that had been running away. He'd begged his parents to allow him to move into Boston, anywhere not here, but they'd been insistent. They didn't want him in their home, not anymore, but they wanted him nearby. Somewhere to stay under their thumb.
It wasn't just Kaiser that died. Othala--a healer of some sort--had also passed in the battle, when Leviathan had unexpectedly struck the medical tents. Fenja and Alabaster both had fallen as well, not that he especially knew who they were. Speculation on the boards suggested Alabaster might still be alive, but most people thought that was crazy talk. Sure, he had apparently been nearly unkillable, but Leviathan wasn't considered an Endbringer for nothing.
Interestingly, a group that had been making it in the news recently had managed to survive unscathed. The Undersiders had even recruited a member, though rumors abounded that they had some sort of falling out with Skitter. No one seemed entirely sure precisely what, just that the few sightings of the enigmatic group had notably not included the bug controller. She had been seen several times engaging remnants of the Empire and attacking Merchants, though, so she clearly survived.
"Protean?" a woman's voice asked.
Protean looked up from her phone to look at the speaker. She was a woman garbed in American flags, a gun holstered at her hip, and a young girl beside her. Miss Militia and Vista, the two capes she had been told to expect.
"It's wonderful to meet you," Protean put a bit of bubbliness into her voice. "I've just been looking up what's been happening in the city, since..."
"Leviathan," Vista replied. The young ward put despondence into that word. Protean couldn't exactly blame the girl, according to PHO she had lost three of her team-mates in the battle.
"It's been difficult. That's why we really want to work with you, Protean. The city needs its heroes, whether Protectorate or not, and you can do a lot. But it's also more dangerous than ever. We'd like you to have this phone. It isn't traceable, and you can use it to contact us if you need anything. It also has an emergency beacon function. You just press this button here and it will alert the local Protectorate HQ and PRT HQ, as well as act as a beacon for your location. Otherwise, it isn't something we can easily track," Miss Milita hands the phone over.
Protean eyed it for a moment before she pocketed the phone. That was one thing she was happy about. She had included pockets all throughout her costume. With this exchange done, it seemed that it was time to patrol proper.
"Normally, we don't send inexperienced capes into more dangerous territories, especially not on a patrol like this. But, in light of your Brute rating and the exceptional circumstances, I've been given permission to ask: we can patrol the Boardwalk, it's likely to be safer even now. Or we can patrol further into the Docks. We aren't entirely certain what we'll find there. If we don't go it's likely they'll send Battery in the next few days to establish contact."
[] Patrol the Boardwalk. After Leviathan, even this once safe area contains some dangers. Still, it is unlikely to be anything too bad.
[] Patrol the Docks. Always a dangerous area, now it's even worse. Rumor has it that Skitter is laired somewhere in this area, though sightings of the bug controller have been elusive.
[][POWER] Utilize PSYCHOPOMP to create, modify, or break apart powers.
-[] Add a KEYWORD to [existing power]
-[] Add motes to [existing power]
-[] Break apart [existing power] and reclaim all motes and keywords (requires at least eight hours of rest).
-[] Do nothing for now.
POWER PANEL
CURRENT MOTES 0
CRAFT, SHAKER, FIELD,
PSYCHOPOMP (Rank 12)(Trump): Harvest KEYWORDS and motes from dying capes. Use them to create powers. Gain a minor Thinker power to identify capes.
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, STRIKER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it.
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, STRIKER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it.
Vote closed
Debut 2.2
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Protean doesn't take long to make her decision. A fairly pointless patrol doesn't sound like a very fun time. Especially when she considers the state of the city. Violence had spiked following the Endbringer's attack, according to PHO, and sticking to a "safe" area just wasn't in the cards. Protean also suspects her companions wouldn't appreciate being pulled from a more critical route, either.
"The Docks sound like a good time," Protean voiced. Her voice is different, in costume, a slight shift in the resonance altering it's character just a bit. Just enough to keep Casey and Protean firmly separated.
"The Docks it is, then," Miss Militia is already moving.
It is then that Protean realizes something. Once, she knows, a hero like Miss Militia or Vista--both crowd favorites, if not to the same extent as Armsmaster--would attract a crowd. People wanting autographs, to shake hands, maybe a picture. None of that exists now. She also realizes that nobody had approached her. She had been waiting on the Boardwalk for the past thirty minutes, just waiting for her escorts to arrive, and all she had drawn were nervous glances.
Protean takes in the city for the first time, truly looking at it. She hadn't been considering it, not really, but Brockton Bay had been hurt. Hurt terribly, perhaps even mortally, and she had been concerned with her new powers. The streets are in rough shape. Few vehicles are on the roads as they walk, the crosswalks are mostly empty. Occasionally, Protean notices gatherings of people, and it's only on the second that she realizes: these are where food and water are being distributed.
Now that she's paying attention, a stench fills her nose. Unwashed bodies, waterlogged trash, sewers that are barely working. How had her apartment survived nearly unscathed? And then she realizes.
Protean's own apartment is only technically within the city, near the mountains, on Captain's Hill. It had been inland enough and at a high enough elevation that the water had never really reached it. It kept power, it's services almost entirely uninterrupted.
"Lost in thought?" she heard Vista ask.
Protean looked at the young Ward. She hadn't really interacted with her that much, though the girl had been one of the few local capes Protean could name prior to her trigger. The youngest member of the Wards, and the second or third longest serving, probably the longest serving with the deaths of Aegis and Gallant? Just how young had she triggered? Vista looked much like the promotional material showed. A green dress with a series of wavelike patterns along the skirt, a green visor, and blonde hair.
"I haven't had a chance to really look at the city, I guess. I mean, I saw the attack, but I don't remember most of it. Didn't make it to a shelter in time, kind of a miracle I'm alive, I guess."
"It's a shithole. But it's our shithole, and it's our job to keep it safe," Vista said. She had a strange determination to her voice that Protean didn't entirely understand.
They were now in the Docks proper, Protean realized. Water is still ankle deep in some places, the streets badly cracked. Had the fight entered this area directly? It certainly looked like it might have. But this hadn't been the best place prior to Leviathan. After? Protean wished nobody actually lived in this area.
"Head's up," Miss Militia said. "We have report of Chosen movement two blocks over. They're attacking a supply convoy, bound for the south Docks. No parahumans reported on scene, we have authorization to engage."
Fenrir's Chosen had been former members of Empire Eighty-Eight, one of the two major splinters following the death of Kaiser. According to PHO, they were an especially militant group, regularly raiding convoys for supplies. They tended to execute anyone they deemed "inferior." At least when they weren't kidnapping people to sell into slavery. Protean believed they actually had most of the Empire's former capes, though lacking in the heaviest hitters like Purity or Crusader.
As they approached the convoy, something pinged Protean's senses. In the distance, perhaps a block away, or a bit further, there was a cape. The cape felt like sitting in school, or studying a textbook, or perhaps the sound of breaking glass? Of theft, and knowledge. She knew this could mean only one thing. Victor, a skillthief and husband to Othala. With the Trump's death, what sort of mindset did he have?
"There's a cape with them, though not directly with them," Protean tells her companions.
"You have a Thinker power?" Miss Militia asks, surprise obvious in her voice.
"Mmmm... it's hard to describe, and I don't entirely understand it myself, but I think it's Victor? But he's further away than the group."
Protean can feel it already. The desire to claim something from Victor, the need to hunt. She can put it off now, she knows. It wouldn't even be difficult. But it would mean confronting a dangerous cape with little support, one known for the bodies he had left in his wake. It would give Miss Militia the opportunity to clean up the gangers alongside Vista, and Protean was a Brute. Confronting the most dangerous target head on is what Brutes did, right?
"The convoy takes priority, but we can't leave Victor unattended. If he decides to make a fight of it, leave it to me. I will engage him at range while the two of you handle the Chosen."
Protean wonders at this. Should she follow Miss Militia's lead, or pursue Victor herself? As they get closer, she's better pinpointed his location. She knows she can find him easily. And she has both a Mover and Brute power. Could Victor even hurt her, really, if she pursued him? Should she engage Victor instead?
[] Follow Miss Militia's plan. Protean and Vista will engage the Chosen. Miss Militia will engage Victor if he shows himself. This reveals the smallest amount of what Protean can do, but has the smallest chance of meaningful gains.
[] Protean is a cape hunter. So hunt the cape. Protean is confident that most bullets can't meaningfully harm her--at least not permanently--and with her Mover and Thinker power she can engage Victor rapidly. Post-Leviathan Brockton Bay is a shithole, and nobody will be upset at a dead Chosen, so it is likely Protean will have the opportunity to gain motes and KEYWORDS.
[] Write-in.
[][POWER] Utilize PSYCHOPOMP to create, modify, or break apart powers.
-[] Add a KEYWORD to [existing power]
-[] Add motes to [existing power]
-[] Break apart [existing power] and reclaim all motes and keywords (requires at least eight hours of rest).
-[] Do nothing for now.
POWER PANEL
CURRENT MOTES 0
"The Docks sound like a good time," Protean voiced. Her voice is different, in costume, a slight shift in the resonance altering it's character just a bit. Just enough to keep Casey and Protean firmly separated.
"The Docks it is, then," Miss Militia is already moving.
It is then that Protean realizes something. Once, she knows, a hero like Miss Militia or Vista--both crowd favorites, if not to the same extent as Armsmaster--would attract a crowd. People wanting autographs, to shake hands, maybe a picture. None of that exists now. She also realizes that nobody had approached her. She had been waiting on the Boardwalk for the past thirty minutes, just waiting for her escorts to arrive, and all she had drawn were nervous glances.
Protean takes in the city for the first time, truly looking at it. She hadn't been considering it, not really, but Brockton Bay had been hurt. Hurt terribly, perhaps even mortally, and she had been concerned with her new powers. The streets are in rough shape. Few vehicles are on the roads as they walk, the crosswalks are mostly empty. Occasionally, Protean notices gatherings of people, and it's only on the second that she realizes: these are where food and water are being distributed.
Now that she's paying attention, a stench fills her nose. Unwashed bodies, waterlogged trash, sewers that are barely working. How had her apartment survived nearly unscathed? And then she realizes.
Protean's own apartment is only technically within the city, near the mountains, on Captain's Hill. It had been inland enough and at a high enough elevation that the water had never really reached it. It kept power, it's services almost entirely uninterrupted.
"Lost in thought?" she heard Vista ask.
Protean looked at the young Ward. She hadn't really interacted with her that much, though the girl had been one of the few local capes Protean could name prior to her trigger. The youngest member of the Wards, and the second or third longest serving, probably the longest serving with the deaths of Aegis and Gallant? Just how young had she triggered? Vista looked much like the promotional material showed. A green dress with a series of wavelike patterns along the skirt, a green visor, and blonde hair.
"I haven't had a chance to really look at the city, I guess. I mean, I saw the attack, but I don't remember most of it. Didn't make it to a shelter in time, kind of a miracle I'm alive, I guess."
"It's a shithole. But it's our shithole, and it's our job to keep it safe," Vista said. She had a strange determination to her voice that Protean didn't entirely understand.
They were now in the Docks proper, Protean realized. Water is still ankle deep in some places, the streets badly cracked. Had the fight entered this area directly? It certainly looked like it might have. But this hadn't been the best place prior to Leviathan. After? Protean wished nobody actually lived in this area.
"Head's up," Miss Militia said. "We have report of Chosen movement two blocks over. They're attacking a supply convoy, bound for the south Docks. No parahumans reported on scene, we have authorization to engage."
Fenrir's Chosen had been former members of Empire Eighty-Eight, one of the two major splinters following the death of Kaiser. According to PHO, they were an especially militant group, regularly raiding convoys for supplies. They tended to execute anyone they deemed "inferior." At least when they weren't kidnapping people to sell into slavery. Protean believed they actually had most of the Empire's former capes, though lacking in the heaviest hitters like Purity or Crusader.
As they approached the convoy, something pinged Protean's senses. In the distance, perhaps a block away, or a bit further, there was a cape. The cape felt like sitting in school, or studying a textbook, or perhaps the sound of breaking glass? Of theft, and knowledge. She knew this could mean only one thing. Victor, a skillthief and husband to Othala. With the Trump's death, what sort of mindset did he have?
"There's a cape with them, though not directly with them," Protean tells her companions.
"You have a Thinker power?" Miss Militia asks, surprise obvious in her voice.
"Mmmm... it's hard to describe, and I don't entirely understand it myself, but I think it's Victor? But he's further away than the group."
Protean can feel it already. The desire to claim something from Victor, the need to hunt. She can put it off now, she knows. It wouldn't even be difficult. But it would mean confronting a dangerous cape with little support, one known for the bodies he had left in his wake. It would give Miss Militia the opportunity to clean up the gangers alongside Vista, and Protean was a Brute. Confronting the most dangerous target head on is what Brutes did, right?
"The convoy takes priority, but we can't leave Victor unattended. If he decides to make a fight of it, leave it to me. I will engage him at range while the two of you handle the Chosen."
Protean wonders at this. Should she follow Miss Militia's lead, or pursue Victor herself? As they get closer, she's better pinpointed his location. She knows she can find him easily. And she has both a Mover and Brute power. Could Victor even hurt her, really, if she pursued him? Should she engage Victor instead?
[] Follow Miss Militia's plan. Protean and Vista will engage the Chosen. Miss Militia will engage Victor if he shows himself. This reveals the smallest amount of what Protean can do, but has the smallest chance of meaningful gains.
[] Protean is a cape hunter. So hunt the cape. Protean is confident that most bullets can't meaningfully harm her--at least not permanently--and with her Mover and Thinker power she can engage Victor rapidly. Post-Leviathan Brockton Bay is a shithole, and nobody will be upset at a dead Chosen, so it is likely Protean will have the opportunity to gain motes and KEYWORDS.
[] Write-in.
[][POWER] Utilize PSYCHOPOMP to create, modify, or break apart powers.
-[] Add a KEYWORD to [existing power]
-[] Add motes to [existing power]
-[] Break apart [existing power] and reclaim all motes and keywords (requires at least eight hours of rest).
-[] Do nothing for now.
POWER PANEL
CURRENT MOTES 0
CRAFT, SHAKER, FIELD,
PSYCHOPOMP (Rank 12)(Trump): Harvest KEYWORDS and motes from dying capes. Use them to create powers. Gain a minor Thinker power to identify capes.
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, STRIKER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it.
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, STRIKER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it.
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Vote closed
Debut 2.3
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Something in Protean's mind, something in her power, pushed her into action. She gave a quick confirmation to Miss Militia and stepped in front of Vista, even as Miss Militia broke away. With a quick shout of "to the left and above!" to her, you began your assigned task... while keeping an eye open for opportunities. Vista had a strong power, one that worked wonderfully for battlefield management, mobility, and playing defensively. Protean, though?
As far as the local PRT knew, she was a Brute. And so that's what Protean gave them, as well as the Chosen. An iridescent glow came from her body, and she moved. The distance wasn't quite far enough that she built up much speed, but every little bit added a bit more energy to the equation that was her fist smashing a Nazi's face.
Even as she moved, Protean nudged her power, reaching out her newly developed Mover power. She felt an unexpected resistance, a refusal to break apart. But as the first bullets arrived something finally gave. She felt the beginnings of a small headache, but it didn't stop her from combining her final... whatever they were (aspects? words? ideas?) into a new power. Even as the new power came into being, Protean delivered a firm kick to the ground.
Where her foot struck the ground, a small wall rose and blocked the bullets. Using the force of her own kick, she allowed herself to accelerate upwards and at an angle, gravity giving way to ACCELERANDO. Protean vaulted over the wall and turned her power off, beginning her descent. She stood in the middle of the pack of Chosen, the convoy forgotten on the side.
Exactly where I want them, Protean thought to herself. Her hands lashed out, constantly moving, the iridescent glow of acceleration surrounding them. One, unnoticed, slip into one of the goon's pockets. The pocket was empty but as she continued her battle--the Chosen somehow missing most of their shots, with only a few grazes to show for their efforts--she found what she wanted. Loose bullets.
Even as Protean attracted attention, Vista played her own role. Space found itself distorted as the convoy found its way through a twisted tunnel of space. Even as the young Ward arranged this, she also created a boundary, establishing a zone that any stray bullets had to travel. Vista took her role seriously. Too many people had died in senseless violence these past few days. She didn't want to see anymore, not if she could help it. Bullets found themselves caught in twisting spatial mazes, twirling endlessly until their kinetic energy had been spent.
Even as the Chosen began to break and flee, Protean kept her cape sense on Victor and Miss Militia. The latter--feeling something like a cup of stale coffee--had almost perfectly positioned herself relative to Victor. Protean stomped the ground and a small pillar rose from the earth, bringing her to a nearby rooftop. And then everything went wrong.
Protean had a decent view of what happened next. Miss Militia closed the distance with Victor but, as soon as she came close, she paused for a moment. She looked around as if confused. Victor took a moment and lined up his shot. Militia fired her weapon--some sort of net thrower--somewhere three feet to the left of Victor.
The sound of Victor's bullet leaving the barrel resounded. And it covered up Protean's own attack. She had slowly charged one of the bullets from earlier. It glowed with an iridescent light and, in a frantic need to somehow get Victor before he managed to tag Miss Militia, it launched. She felt an extra nudge from her power as the bullet self-corrected, a streak of light across the sky, and it caught Victor between the eyes. The Nazi cape's body language simply exuded shock at the attack.
And then he was no more.
I failed you, again and again, I couldn't protect you. I wasn't good enough, not good enough, not smart enough, not skilled enough...
Protean felt it then, a sensation much stronger than she'd expected, but also warped somehow. Vista, she noticed, had already moved. The Chosen still in the field had been forgotten, already fleeing. Protean considered chasing after them, for a moment, before deciding to join Vista. Her new power wasn't exactly the greatest for battlefield control, it's range too limited, each construct she created causing a previous one to crumble.
But it provided an excellent place to launch herself. Even as she jumped from her impromptu pillar, she triggered her Mover power, and her inertia from the jump remained. She fell--somewhat lacking in grace--onto the rooftop Victor had positioned himself on. Vista stood over Miss Militia's body, bandages in hand and listening intently to an earpiece. Protean heard the ambulance in the distance.
"Come here and keep pressure on," Vista ordered her. Protean simply kneeled to the ground and did as instructed. She had some basic first aid training but Vista clearly had more, and seemed to be getting specific instructions too. A part of her considered making some sort of mistake, letting Miss Militia die and claiming even more, but she dismissed this with ease.
Protean didn't want other heroes to die. Though could she really be considered a hero? She had been planning on killing Victor from the start. Circumstances had simply made it a necessity.
It wasn't long before the ambulances arrived and Protean was relieved of her duties. She had been asked to remain and she saw no reason to disobey. Vista approached her not long after.
"I saw it, you know. What you did."
The girl doesn't sound accusatory. Her voice is dull and tired.
"I've seen so many of them die. Dauntless. Velocity. Panacea. Aegis. Gallant. I'm sick of it. The villains making things worse, preying on people at the very worst, when we should all be coming together. You don't have anything to worry about. According to the official report, one of the Chosen caught Victor, firing blindly as he fled. Or that's what it'll say."
Protean doesn't know what to say to this. So she stays quiet, sitting with the twelve year old girl that has become the most experienced Ward of Brockton Bay. A grim looking Battery arrives and debriefs. Just as Vista stated, the report includes nothing of Protean's killing of Victor. She backs up Vista's report of events. A suggestion is made for power testing. Casey mumbles something non-committal, not sure if he wants to be Protean anymore tonight.
And then something tickles at the edge of his senses. The sensation of bugs crawling over his body, of a million million million pinpricks of light at the edge his senses. A part of him wants to track Skitter down. Either to talk, or to claim yet more, he isn't sure. Rumor has it she'd left the Undersiders. She might make a good ally, he thinks to himself, but she also might be a loose end. She might have seen what happened, might report it to the PRT.
They wouldn't believe her. Casey chuckles to himself at the idea, but it's an empty laugh. The question is what should he do next?
[] Fuck it. Track down Skitter. She stands at the edge of your sensory range, but the combination of ACCELERANDO and GEOMANCY will see Casey there in no time. He'll talk to her, maybe make an offer of cooperation. Start to build a team, maybe.
[] PSYCHOPOMP pulses in anticipation. Protean tracks the supervillain Skitter and lays claim to more. The cape feels somehow delicious to Protean's cape sense.
[] Go home. Sleep. Figure out what to do tomorrow. They're in no position to be making any decisions now, though it does mean having to track down Skitter again, assuming they feel like pursuing the lead.
[][POWER] Utilize PSYCHOPOMP to create, modify, or break apart powers.
-[] Add a KEYWORD to [existing power]
-[] Add motes to [existing power]
-[] Break apart [existing power] and reclaim all motes and keywords (requires at least eight hours of rest).
-[] Do nothing for now.
POWER PANEL
CURRENT MOTES 10
As far as the local PRT knew, she was a Brute. And so that's what Protean gave them, as well as the Chosen. An iridescent glow came from her body, and she moved. The distance wasn't quite far enough that she built up much speed, but every little bit added a bit more energy to the equation that was her fist smashing a Nazi's face.
Even as she moved, Protean nudged her power, reaching out her newly developed Mover power. She felt an unexpected resistance, a refusal to break apart. But as the first bullets arrived something finally gave. She felt the beginnings of a small headache, but it didn't stop her from combining her final... whatever they were (aspects? words? ideas?) into a new power. Even as the new power came into being, Protean delivered a firm kick to the ground.
Where her foot struck the ground, a small wall rose and blocked the bullets. Using the force of her own kick, she allowed herself to accelerate upwards and at an angle, gravity giving way to ACCELERANDO. Protean vaulted over the wall and turned her power off, beginning her descent. She stood in the middle of the pack of Chosen, the convoy forgotten on the side.
Exactly where I want them, Protean thought to herself. Her hands lashed out, constantly moving, the iridescent glow of acceleration surrounding them. One, unnoticed, slip into one of the goon's pockets. The pocket was empty but as she continued her battle--the Chosen somehow missing most of their shots, with only a few grazes to show for their efforts--she found what she wanted. Loose bullets.
Even as Protean attracted attention, Vista played her own role. Space found itself distorted as the convoy found its way through a twisted tunnel of space. Even as the young Ward arranged this, she also created a boundary, establishing a zone that any stray bullets had to travel. Vista took her role seriously. Too many people had died in senseless violence these past few days. She didn't want to see anymore, not if she could help it. Bullets found themselves caught in twisting spatial mazes, twirling endlessly until their kinetic energy had been spent.
Even as the Chosen began to break and flee, Protean kept her cape sense on Victor and Miss Militia. The latter--feeling something like a cup of stale coffee--had almost perfectly positioned herself relative to Victor. Protean stomped the ground and a small pillar rose from the earth, bringing her to a nearby rooftop. And then everything went wrong.
Protean had a decent view of what happened next. Miss Militia closed the distance with Victor but, as soon as she came close, she paused for a moment. She looked around as if confused. Victor took a moment and lined up his shot. Militia fired her weapon--some sort of net thrower--somewhere three feet to the left of Victor.
The sound of Victor's bullet leaving the barrel resounded. And it covered up Protean's own attack. She had slowly charged one of the bullets from earlier. It glowed with an iridescent light and, in a frantic need to somehow get Victor before he managed to tag Miss Militia, it launched. She felt an extra nudge from her power as the bullet self-corrected, a streak of light across the sky, and it caught Victor between the eyes. The Nazi cape's body language simply exuded shock at the attack.
And then he was no more.
I failed you, again and again, I couldn't protect you. I wasn't good enough, not good enough, not smart enough, not skilled enough...
Protean felt it then, a sensation much stronger than she'd expected, but also warped somehow. Vista, she noticed, had already moved. The Chosen still in the field had been forgotten, already fleeing. Protean considered chasing after them, for a moment, before deciding to join Vista. Her new power wasn't exactly the greatest for battlefield control, it's range too limited, each construct she created causing a previous one to crumble.
But it provided an excellent place to launch herself. Even as she jumped from her impromptu pillar, she triggered her Mover power, and her inertia from the jump remained. She fell--somewhat lacking in grace--onto the rooftop Victor had positioned himself on. Vista stood over Miss Militia's body, bandages in hand and listening intently to an earpiece. Protean heard the ambulance in the distance.
"Come here and keep pressure on," Vista ordered her. Protean simply kneeled to the ground and did as instructed. She had some basic first aid training but Vista clearly had more, and seemed to be getting specific instructions too. A part of her considered making some sort of mistake, letting Miss Militia die and claiming even more, but she dismissed this with ease.
Protean didn't want other heroes to die. Though could she really be considered a hero? She had been planning on killing Victor from the start. Circumstances had simply made it a necessity.
It wasn't long before the ambulances arrived and Protean was relieved of her duties. She had been asked to remain and she saw no reason to disobey. Vista approached her not long after.
"I saw it, you know. What you did."
The girl doesn't sound accusatory. Her voice is dull and tired.
"I've seen so many of them die. Dauntless. Velocity. Panacea. Aegis. Gallant. I'm sick of it. The villains making things worse, preying on people at the very worst, when we should all be coming together. You don't have anything to worry about. According to the official report, one of the Chosen caught Victor, firing blindly as he fled. Or that's what it'll say."
Protean doesn't know what to say to this. So she stays quiet, sitting with the twelve year old girl that has become the most experienced Ward of Brockton Bay. A grim looking Battery arrives and debriefs. Just as Vista stated, the report includes nothing of Protean's killing of Victor. She backs up Vista's report of events. A suggestion is made for power testing. Casey mumbles something non-committal, not sure if he wants to be Protean anymore tonight.
And then something tickles at the edge of his senses. The sensation of bugs crawling over his body, of a million million million pinpricks of light at the edge his senses. A part of him wants to track Skitter down. Either to talk, or to claim yet more, he isn't sure. Rumor has it she'd left the Undersiders. She might make a good ally, he thinks to himself, but she also might be a loose end. She might have seen what happened, might report it to the PRT.
They wouldn't believe her. Casey chuckles to himself at the idea, but it's an empty laugh. The question is what should he do next?
[] Fuck it. Track down Skitter. She stands at the edge of your sensory range, but the combination of ACCELERANDO and GEOMANCY will see Casey there in no time. He'll talk to her, maybe make an offer of cooperation. Start to build a team, maybe.
[] PSYCHOPOMP pulses in anticipation. Protean tracks the supervillain Skitter and lays claim to more. The cape feels somehow delicious to Protean's cape sense.
[] Go home. Sleep. Figure out what to do tomorrow. They're in no position to be making any decisions now, though it does mean having to track down Skitter again, assuming they feel like pursuing the lead.
[][POWER] Utilize PSYCHOPOMP to create, modify, or break apart powers.
-[] Add a KEYWORD to [existing power]
-[] Add motes to [existing power]
-[] Break apart [existing power] and reclaim all motes and keywords (requires at least eight hours of rest).
-[] Do nothing for now.
POWER PANEL
CURRENT MOTES 10
THINKER, STRANGER, SKILL, THIEF, SENSE, SCRAMBLE
PSYCHOPOMP (Rank 12)(Trump): Harvest KEYWORDS and motes from dying capes. Use them to create powers. Gain a minor Thinker power to identify capes.
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, STRIKER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it. (4 motes)
GEOMANCY (Rank 1)(Shaker)(SHAKER, CRAFT, FIELD) Casey may shape the world around him. At low motes, he is limited to the most readily available materials and has a range only slightly beyond his body. He is also limited to a single extremely basic creation (pillars, walls, holes, etc). At higher motes, Casey may utilize more exotic materials, expand his range, and expand the number of creations. Complexity of creations may increase as well. (1 mote)
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, STRIKER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it. (4 motes)
GEOMANCY (Rank 1)(Shaker)(SHAKER, CRAFT, FIELD) Casey may shape the world around him. At low motes, he is limited to the most readily available materials and has a range only slightly beyond his body. He is also limited to a single extremely basic creation (pillars, walls, holes, etc). At higher motes, Casey may utilize more exotic materials, expand his range, and expand the number of creations. Complexity of creations may increase as well. (1 mote)
Victor had undergone a second trigger after the death of Othala. His range and speed of skill theft had decreased, in exchange he had grown the ability to scramble and interfere with the senses of his targets. This wasn't quite to the level of making them see things that weren't there, but it could make them see him in different places, etc. Second triggers offer superior rewards to regular triggers.
Miss Militia is alive and well, but will be spending time in recovery unless she receives attention from a healing cape.
Miss Militia is alive and well, but will be spending time in recovery unless she receives attention from a healing cape.
Last edited:
Vote closed
Debut 2.4
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Fuck it. I'm already here, might as well handle this too.
This decision made, Protean politely declined the PRT offer to transport her to a place of her choosing. The officer in charge nodded his head in understanding, saying something about how they "keep any personal information entirely confidential." Protean rejected the second request and the PRT officer left it at that.
Vista simply waved goodbye. The girl mentioned something about maybe contacting her later but Protean wasn't paying attention at this point. She was tired and preoccupied with her spoils. Even as the ambulance left, and then Vista alongside the PRT troopers, Protean considered what to create. She had received a significant sum this time, more than killing Skidmark had granted, and she desperately wanted to use it.
She fed two of words together. Now that she had gained a bit more familiarity with her power, she had some understanding of what each had been. One felt generic, for lack of a better word, but in its genericness it had importance. It provided form and direction to the second word. THINKER and SKILL combined together into a single whole.
PRODIGY was a remarkable power. It granted her immense ability at any single skill, and the skills were broad. They could be stealth, parkour, fighting, just about anything she could think of, though she could only choose one at a time. Switching from her chosen skill to another would take a few minutes.
With a smile on her face, she chose parkour as her skillset.
Already her movements were more swift and sure. She fed several motes into her Shaker power and began propelling herself through the city. She didn't create as many showy walls, simple hand and footholds so she could continue to accelerate. She went faster and faster, approaching the cape she felt in the distance. At some point, Skitter had become aware of her, and was now moving rapidly away.
But Skitter wasn't moving more quickly than Protean. And...
She made one final power. A Stranger power this time. She could feel them latching onto her. People's eyes tracking her as she propelled her way through the city. She fed more motes into it, making it stronger and stronger, and she felt more senses come under her sway. Sight and sound, now, and soon smell. She didn't really think the last would be that useful, except against certain types of Thinkers, but it did cause her to wonder. If this power grew strong enough, could it be used to disrupt other people's Thinker powers or other power-senses?
Skitter had clearly known Protean had found her. If this Stranger power had been strong enough, could she have interfered with whatever means Skitter used?
It didn't really matter now. Skitter had stopped running after a certain point and Protean had nearly reached the young supervillain. She had chosen a nearby alleyway for the meeting. The lighting and footing was poor and she had no doubt the villain had hidden many of the bugs she liked to deploy. She had a baton out and seemed tense.
"What do you want?" Skitter demanded.
Protean feels a tinge of unease but quickly squashes it.
Just be an ambitious hero. Put on the act, you're good at that.
"I wanted to talk, hear what's up from your own mouth. My friends back there wouldn't be happy I'm doing this. But I think it's important. According to PHO you've given up the villain game, had some sort of falling out with the Undersiders."
Skitter remains tenses for a moment. Protean thinks the villain might be gathering more insects but, after a few seconds, Skitter relaxes and lowers her baton.
"I'm a hero. Always have been, or wanted to be," her voice has a plaintive quality to it. "But... I made some bad decisions, I guess. Looking back on it now, I can see that, but at the time it seemed smart."
"So a hero, that ran with villains. What's up with that? Just kind of fall into it or something?"
Protean is honestly curious on this point. She had fallen in with the heroes pretty easily. It had been natural, easy, but she supposed she had triggered in a fairly non-deniable way. The PRT and Protectorate had been inclined to treat her well, especially in the aftermath of Leviathan, but what about before?
"I wanted to go undercover, figure them out, arrest them. Only the things I learned... it's terrible. Not them, necessarily, but their boss."
Now this is juicy information.
"Boss? So the Undersiders aren't as independent as they claim?"
Skitter took a long minute, as if considering.
"If I tell you this, there's no going back on it. Frankly, it's safer for both of us if I don't, but I can't do nothing. I just can't. And I guess... I guess I have a hard time trusting the PRT anymore. But you aren't necessarily any better. I know what you've been doing. You killed Skidmark, and Victor just now. You saved Miss Militia, it's true, but you were already preparing that attack. You'd planned on killing him from the start. So what about you? Are you some kind of psycho that just wants to go around killing villains? Somthing like Gavel?"
"I have no idea who Gavel is. But no, that's not the case at all. I woke up in Skidmark's basement, captured after Leviathan, handcuffed with two other women. So I did what I had to do."
The lie comes easy. She didn't have to do anything. But she could. But the core of it is true. Protean isn't just some psycho looking to kill villains. She can tell Skitter has something she wants to share, but she isn't sure that she safely can. The PRT is out for some reason and Protean's cavalier attitude about killing plainly upsetted her.
So how could she recruit this (former) supervillain? Did she even want to bother?
[] Protean chose to lean on her powers. Keep the discussion going a few minutes, switch PRODIGY from parkour to... charisma? Talking? Negotiation? Something like it. Hopefully she can be swayed with words alone.
[] Protean offers to unmask to her. If she shows Skitter her face, surely some trust can be reciprocated?
[] ...Protean discussed her ultimate goals and powers with Skitter. If they work together, it'll have to come out eventually, right? And a fellow survivor of Leviathan might appreciate trying to actually kill one of them. At least if Skitter doesn't consider her insane, or refuses to work with a cape-killer. But something about Skitter told Protean that she would appreciate an honest appeal to the greater good.
[] Perhaps no grand gesture and no bullshit. Just lay the groundwork to work with Skitter in the future. Maybe something minor, a hit on a Merchant cape, or going after a Chosen?
[][POWER] Utilize PSYCHOPOMP to create, modify, or break apart powers.
-[] Add a KEYWORD to [existing power]
-[] Add motes to [existing power]
-[] Break apart [existing power] and reclaim all motes and keywords (requires at least eight hours of rest).
-[] Do nothing for now.
POWER PANEL
CURRENT MOTES 0
This decision made, Protean politely declined the PRT offer to transport her to a place of her choosing. The officer in charge nodded his head in understanding, saying something about how they "keep any personal information entirely confidential." Protean rejected the second request and the PRT officer left it at that.
Vista simply waved goodbye. The girl mentioned something about maybe contacting her later but Protean wasn't paying attention at this point. She was tired and preoccupied with her spoils. Even as the ambulance left, and then Vista alongside the PRT troopers, Protean considered what to create. She had received a significant sum this time, more than killing Skidmark had granted, and she desperately wanted to use it.
She fed two of words together. Now that she had gained a bit more familiarity with her power, she had some understanding of what each had been. One felt generic, for lack of a better word, but in its genericness it had importance. It provided form and direction to the second word. THINKER and SKILL combined together into a single whole.
PRODIGY was a remarkable power. It granted her immense ability at any single skill, and the skills were broad. They could be stealth, parkour, fighting, just about anything she could think of, though she could only choose one at a time. Switching from her chosen skill to another would take a few minutes.
With a smile on her face, she chose parkour as her skillset.
Already her movements were more swift and sure. She fed several motes into her Shaker power and began propelling herself through the city. She didn't create as many showy walls, simple hand and footholds so she could continue to accelerate. She went faster and faster, approaching the cape she felt in the distance. At some point, Skitter had become aware of her, and was now moving rapidly away.
But Skitter wasn't moving more quickly than Protean. And...
She made one final power. A Stranger power this time. She could feel them latching onto her. People's eyes tracking her as she propelled her way through the city. She fed more motes into it, making it stronger and stronger, and she felt more senses come under her sway. Sight and sound, now, and soon smell. She didn't really think the last would be that useful, except against certain types of Thinkers, but it did cause her to wonder. If this power grew strong enough, could it be used to disrupt other people's Thinker powers or other power-senses?
Skitter had clearly known Protean had found her. If this Stranger power had been strong enough, could she have interfered with whatever means Skitter used?
It didn't really matter now. Skitter had stopped running after a certain point and Protean had nearly reached the young supervillain. She had chosen a nearby alleyway for the meeting. The lighting and footing was poor and she had no doubt the villain had hidden many of the bugs she liked to deploy. She had a baton out and seemed tense.
"What do you want?" Skitter demanded.
Protean feels a tinge of unease but quickly squashes it.
Just be an ambitious hero. Put on the act, you're good at that.
"I wanted to talk, hear what's up from your own mouth. My friends back there wouldn't be happy I'm doing this. But I think it's important. According to PHO you've given up the villain game, had some sort of falling out with the Undersiders."
Skitter remains tenses for a moment. Protean thinks the villain might be gathering more insects but, after a few seconds, Skitter relaxes and lowers her baton.
"I'm a hero. Always have been, or wanted to be," her voice has a plaintive quality to it. "But... I made some bad decisions, I guess. Looking back on it now, I can see that, but at the time it seemed smart."
"So a hero, that ran with villains. What's up with that? Just kind of fall into it or something?"
Protean is honestly curious on this point. She had fallen in with the heroes pretty easily. It had been natural, easy, but she supposed she had triggered in a fairly non-deniable way. The PRT and Protectorate had been inclined to treat her well, especially in the aftermath of Leviathan, but what about before?
"I wanted to go undercover, figure them out, arrest them. Only the things I learned... it's terrible. Not them, necessarily, but their boss."
Now this is juicy information.
"Boss? So the Undersiders aren't as independent as they claim?"
Skitter took a long minute, as if considering.
"If I tell you this, there's no going back on it. Frankly, it's safer for both of us if I don't, but I can't do nothing. I just can't. And I guess... I guess I have a hard time trusting the PRT anymore. But you aren't necessarily any better. I know what you've been doing. You killed Skidmark, and Victor just now. You saved Miss Militia, it's true, but you were already preparing that attack. You'd planned on killing him from the start. So what about you? Are you some kind of psycho that just wants to go around killing villains? Somthing like Gavel?"
"I have no idea who Gavel is. But no, that's not the case at all. I woke up in Skidmark's basement, captured after Leviathan, handcuffed with two other women. So I did what I had to do."
The lie comes easy. She didn't have to do anything. But she could. But the core of it is true. Protean isn't just some psycho looking to kill villains. She can tell Skitter has something she wants to share, but she isn't sure that she safely can. The PRT is out for some reason and Protean's cavalier attitude about killing plainly upsetted her.
So how could she recruit this (former) supervillain? Did she even want to bother?
[] Protean chose to lean on her powers. Keep the discussion going a few minutes, switch PRODIGY from parkour to... charisma? Talking? Negotiation? Something like it. Hopefully she can be swayed with words alone.
[] Protean offers to unmask to her. If she shows Skitter her face, surely some trust can be reciprocated?
[] ...Protean discussed her ultimate goals and powers with Skitter. If they work together, it'll have to come out eventually, right? And a fellow survivor of Leviathan might appreciate trying to actually kill one of them. At least if Skitter doesn't consider her insane, or refuses to work with a cape-killer. But something about Skitter told Protean that she would appreciate an honest appeal to the greater good.
[] Perhaps no grand gesture and no bullshit. Just lay the groundwork to work with Skitter in the future. Maybe something minor, a hit on a Merchant cape, or going after a Chosen?
[][POWER] Utilize PSYCHOPOMP to create, modify, or break apart powers.
-[] Add a KEYWORD to [existing power]
-[] Add motes to [existing power]
-[] Break apart [existing power] and reclaim all motes and keywords (requires at least eight hours of rest).
-[] Do nothing for now.
POWER PANEL
CURRENT MOTES 0
THIEF
PSYCHOPOMP (Rank 12)(Trump): Harvest KEYWORDS and motes from dying capes. Use them to create powers. Gain a minor Thinker power to identify capes.
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it. (4 motes)
GEOMANCY (Rank 4)(Shaker)(SHAKER, CRAFT, FIELD) Casey may shape the world around him. At low motes, he is limited to the most readily available materials and has a range only slightly beyond his body. He is also limited to a single extremely basic creation (pillars, walls, holes, etc). At higher motes, Casey may utilize more exotic materials, expand his range, and expand the number of creations. Complexity of creations may increase as well. (5 motes)
PRODIGY (Rank 1)(Thinker)(THINKER, SKILL) Casey may choose a single skill to have superhuman skill in, and may change this skill with a few minutes of preparation. The number of skills and speed of skill change increases as rank increases. (1 mote)
STATIC (Rank 4)(STRANGER, SCRAMBLE, SENSE) Casey may cloud the perceptions of anyone that perceives him. As rank increases, his ability to cloud perceptions grows. He may not interface with non-biological senses, such as cameras, but he can effect people that see him through the camera. (5 motes)
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it. (4 motes)
GEOMANCY (Rank 4)(Shaker)(SHAKER, CRAFT, FIELD) Casey may shape the world around him. At low motes, he is limited to the most readily available materials and has a range only slightly beyond his body. He is also limited to a single extremely basic creation (pillars, walls, holes, etc). At higher motes, Casey may utilize more exotic materials, expand his range, and expand the number of creations. Complexity of creations may increase as well. (5 motes)
PRODIGY (Rank 1)(Thinker)(THINKER, SKILL) Casey may choose a single skill to have superhuman skill in, and may change this skill with a few minutes of preparation. The number of skills and speed of skill change increases as rank increases. (1 mote)
STATIC (Rank 4)(STRANGER, SCRAMBLE, SENSE) Casey may cloud the perceptions of anyone that perceives him. As rank increases, his ability to cloud perceptions grows. He may not interface with non-biological senses, such as cameras, but he can effect people that see him through the camera. (5 motes)
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Vote closed
Debut 2.5
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I've thought about it, and a surprisingly good analogy for how PRODIGY operates is as a Thinker only version of Eidolon's power. Except it can't really precog or do clairvoyance--it's limited to things like movement skills, etc. But each skill is above what a mundane person may achieve.
Protean shifted gears. Gone was the parkour--in its entirety--and something else began to take its place. It was a glacially slow process to gain another ability. She wasn't even certain what, precisely, she was grasping for. She just knew that as she spoke with Skitter, her tone began to shift and change, how she stood and presented herself, and the idea of honesty at least to a point seemed more appealing.
"I don't really know why you should trust me," Protean began, "but I do think you need something. You won't last long alone, I don't think, and I think we could do a lot of good things together. We don't even have to start big, just small things. Stuff like you're already doing, though it's hard to see it making much of a difference."
Skitter seemed defensive at this last point.
"I've saved people. Just the other day I saved a kid from being snatched by some Chosen!"
Protean's voice is surer now. Fewer pauses, emphasis placed in just the right points. On some level she's unaware, she has begun to identify the weak points of Skitter's psychology, places she can poke and prod. Sensitive places to provoke the reactions she wnats.
"But who's ordering all of this? Skidmark led the Merchants. Victor is one of the leaders of the Chosen, and a force multiplier to boot. How many small busts can you make? Do the police even pick up the people you take out, or are they just back on the streets the next night? If you report them, do they just send the PRT after you instead? After all, a small timer is hardly worth it, but a bonafide supervillain? You need someone to work with. At least if you want to make a real difference."
Skitter takes a minute to collect herself. Protean welcomes this. She can already feel how to better position herself, subtle body language that conveys trustworthiness. To the micrometer, she has made herself appear genuine. It is all an act, of course, but it is one backed by power and a not inconsiderable amount of natural talent.
"Look, you aren't entirely wrong. But what else can I do?"
She has a plaintive quality to her voice. She wants approval. No, that isn't quite it.
She wants companions. This is as much about letting her convince herself as it is Protean convincing her. Something whispers this information to her, guiding her thoughts on how best to exploit it, to achieve her aim.
"We can make a difference. Do you remember Lung? The PRT had him for, what, a week? And then Bakuda bombed the city to release him. Or how about Kaiser? How many times have the PRT caught an Empire cape, and he uses all his capes to bust them out? They can't even keep Uber and Leet together. And that's not even getting into the real crazies like Jack Slash or Bonesaw. How long have those two been running around? Work with me and we can work on this. Be real heroes."
Skitter is considering now. Now the time for the final blow.
"You wonder if I can be trusted. Well, if we're going to be working together, we'll need to know each other. I don't think I'm ready to unmask to you, not yet, but I do have some secrets. I tracked you down pretty easy, yeah? That's because I'm not the simple Brute the PRT thinks. I don't really understand how it works, not entirely, but I seem able to get new powers. I don't know what you're worried about, but I'm confident we can handle whatever it is you're concerned about."
Protean added just enough truth to what she said. No reason to say how she gained her powers. Just enough to let Skitter know she could be part of something big.
"Like Eidolon," Skitter said. She's evaluating now. "But I don't think you're exactly his second coming."
The words come to Protean's lips before she even truly considers.
"Do I need to be? Do you think whoever or whatever you're worried about, that it'll require Eidolon? And maybe you're wrong. Maybe I do reach that level. And you'll be right there with me. Making a difference, helping people. As compared to whatever you're doing now. And... it gives you a chance to atone, for whatever it is that's weighing on you."
Skitter considered for a long minute. Protean almost began to talk again but something told her that would be a mistake. Talking too much... it would set the villain off, somehow. Frankly, her power thought she'd already pushed it a little too hard now.
"Dinah Alcott," Skitted said at last. "Coil has her."
"I'm not familiar with either of the names, I'm sorry to say. I wasn't really into cape shit before I woke up in Skidmark's basement."
"She's the mayor's niece, and a powerful precog. Coil... he's a crime lord that operates out of downtown. He has some sort of supervillain lair beneath the city, and some kind of powerful Thinker ability. Described it as manipulating destiny, but there's something else to it. I want to stop him. When I was with the Undersiders... he used us."
Prior to this point, Skitter had kept emotion from her voice. An all-business tone, at times skeptical, at others considering. Now? She's angry, and hurt, and afraid, and most of all she's guilty.
"When we robbed the bank a few weeks back. He used the distraction to snatch her. Guarantee that no heroes would be nearby; the Protectorate were out of town, the Wards responding to us. The rest of the team? They didn't care. So I'm done with them. And I'm going to save Dinah."
Protean considers for a moment. Her power is telling her nothing about this. Well, that's not entirely true. It's telling her that this is entirely non-negotiable. Taking down Coil will have to be your primary goal, short of another Endbringer or some other S-class threat showing up. But does Protean really want to commit to taking down some sort of supervillain she hasn't even heard of?
She'd been thinking more the Chosen, or the Merchant remnants. And to be sure, she had no doubt that Skitter would be glad to do it. But Coil would have to be her primary target after this.
Does Protean agree to this? To go after Coil as the "primary" villain and sideline other possibilities? This won't forestall hitting the Chosen, or the Pure, or other groups. But it will mean they take second priority. Unless an S-class threat presents itself.
[] Of course. Skitter has proven herself a fairly formidable cape, from what you understand. Not the heaviest hitter but plenty capable in the field, being rumored to have contended with Lung and Bakuda, and to have gone up against the Protectorate and Wards on a number of occasions. The fact she's still alive, intact, and free proves her ability. Having to prioritize Coil is hardly a major price to pay.
[] No. Other possibilities exist, more profitable ones, especially if Protean can kill a few more villains. Coil will surely get his own, in due time, and perhaps Skitter can be useful then.
[] Lie. Of course Coil is the priority. Instead, with PRODIGY, Protean can be sure Skitter will remain loyal. In time, the supervillain will grow attached, and so long as a token effort to find Dinah and take out Coil is made, she will be satisfied.
[][POWER] Utilize PSYCHOPOMP to create, modify, or break apart powers.
-[] Add a KEYWORD to [existing power]
-[] Add motes to [existing power]
-[] Break apart [existing power] and reclaim all motes and keywords (requires at least eight hours of rest).
-[] Do nothing for now.
POWER PANEL
CURRENT MOTES 0
THIEF
PSYCHOPOMP (Rank 12)(Trump): Harvest KEYWORDS and motes from dying capes. Use them to create powers. Gain a minor Thinker power to identify capes.
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, STRIKER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it. (4 motes)
GEOMANCY (Rank 4)(Shaker)(SHAKER, CRAFT, FIELD) Casey may shape the world around him. At low motes, he is limited to the most readily available materials and has a range only slightly beyond his body. He is also limited to a single extremely basic creation (pillars, walls, holes, etc). At higher motes, Casey may utilize more exotic materials, expand his range, and expand the number of creations. Complexity of creations may increase as well. (5 motes)
PRODIGY (Rank 1)(Thinker)(THINKER, SKILL) Casey may choose a single skill to have superhuman skill in, and may change this skill with a few minutes of preparation. The number of skills and speed of skill change increases as rank increases. (1 mote)
STATIC (Rank 4)(STRANGER, SCRAMBLE, SENSE) Casey may cloud the perceptions of anyone that perceives him. As rank increases, his ability to cloud perceptions grows. He may not interface with non-biological senses, such as cameras, but he can effect people that see him through the camera. (5 motes)
PHOENIX(Rank 5)(Trump/Brute/Changer)(BRUTE, TRUMP, CHANGER, FLESH, REGEN, FIRE, CONTROL) Burn to ash and rise again, stronger than before. Casey regenerates damage taken, the more damage taken the more rapidly they regenerate. As they regenerate, they shade "feathers" of flame, which they have moderate control over. They grow stronger the more times they regenerate, generating virtual "motes" which may improve PHOENIX by up to three ranks. (10 motes)
ACCELERANDO (Rank 4)(Mover)(MOVER, STRIKER, ACCELERATION, INTERTIA) Casey increases in speed the longer he is in constant movement. It seemingly has no limit, but takes time to spool up. Once he reaches a speed, he can maintain it, and needs some space to slow down. Casey may reach out and touch a single item no more than ten grams in mass. This item gains an iridescent sheen and is propelled at ever increasing speeds, in whichever direction Casey chooses. It will not slow until it strikes something, unless Casey wills it. (4 motes)
GEOMANCY (Rank 4)(Shaker)(SHAKER, CRAFT, FIELD) Casey may shape the world around him. At low motes, he is limited to the most readily available materials and has a range only slightly beyond his body. He is also limited to a single extremely basic creation (pillars, walls, holes, etc). At higher motes, Casey may utilize more exotic materials, expand his range, and expand the number of creations. Complexity of creations may increase as well. (5 motes)
PRODIGY (Rank 1)(Thinker)(THINKER, SKILL) Casey may choose a single skill to have superhuman skill in, and may change this skill with a few minutes of preparation. The number of skills and speed of skill change increases as rank increases. (1 mote)
STATIC (Rank 4)(STRANGER, SCRAMBLE, SENSE) Casey may cloud the perceptions of anyone that perceives him. As rank increases, his ability to cloud perceptions grows. He may not interface with non-biological senses, such as cameras, but he can effect people that see him through the camera. (5 motes)
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