As I understand it, more they either didn't think anyone would go that route so didn't bother, or possibly didn't even realize the exploit was 'possible.'
Scaling Up
- Thread starter Kryslin
- Start date
hakunoX
female fate/sagas fan
- Pronouns
- She/Her
yeah a little like that, but with Kanna she would restrict a little less...Like she does here? (Vista's arrival is about halfway down; in Ladybird, Taylor triggers into an utterly adorable unicorn from My Little Pony : Friendship is Magic.Who can kick your butt with the magic of friendship and bugs!
i mean look at her:
Spoilering Large Images
Kryslin
[Has Delusions of Authorship]
- Location
- Mythic Iowa
@hakunoX : I know you mean well, but in the future, could you put large images in a set of spoiler tags, like this...
The image is only indicative of my CGI work, and not the story. It's also an image I can use however I see fit, because it's all © Me, 2010-2020, all rights reserved.
Not everyone has high bandwidth and unrestricted data usage...
The image is only indicative of my CGI work, and not the story. It's also an image I can use however I see fit, because it's all © Me, 2010-2020, all rights reserved.
Kryslin
[Has Delusions of Authorship]
- Location
- Mythic Iowa
It's possible, though in a side story. Of course, wherever Kanna is, the rest of the gang is sure to follow...
Hmm.
Perhaps Amy could work her magic on Kobayashi's back, since it gives the poor woman so much trouble in her life.
And thus, I have a new anime to go hunt down at the end of the month.
Thank you.
It is pretty good, more slice-of-life than anything else really.
In fact they do, it's just that Maple does something completely unexpected and accidentally creates an overpowered build. At various points in the anime the Administrators are shown plugging the exploits she stumbles across.
And then Maple finds another exploit, all because she doesn't care about how you're supposed to play the game.
And yet, she honestly believes she is playing the game normally.
FaerieKnight79
Verified Pixie
- Location
- The Internet
Is there an English dub version of it? Cause the subtitles are a little faster then I can comfortably read.
They got up to episode 8. Then they all had to social distance.
hakunoX
female fate/sagas fan
- Pronouns
- She/Her
hey that is how one should play!
i manage to create a bug in cristala II (a portuguess MMO) where i became able to kill a level 35 world boss with my weak level 20 character (world bosses need minimmun a high level player of 40+ levels his/hers to kill them or at least 4 players of the same level; and i solo-ed!)
they fix it the next day but i still has the rewards!
FaerieKnight79
Verified Pixie
- Location
- The Internet
So... link where I can buy a digital download and/or streaming rights for the anime?
Kryslin
[Has Delusions of Authorship]
- Location
- Mythic Iowa
Amazon has it for streaming. I'm looking for a blu-ray / dvd and can't find one...
- Location
- Here
It happens in reality sometimes. Waaaaaaaaaay back when, I was part of an ..... unconventional group playing Everquest, consisting of an oddly equipped Warrior, a Shaman that acted like an off-tank, and my Druid, who provided transportation and combat DPS. At a time when Warriors preferred either sword and shield with heavy armor Tanking or duel wielding swords in heavy armor as DPS, my friend chose medium armor with strength and endurance enhancements and a Big Arse Axe; he "tanked" in the sense that between my Heal Over Time spells and the Shaman's strait up heals, he was able to do enough damage to keep a MOB's attention while the Shaman and I Melee DPS'd them down, leading to short fights.
We are almost certain that a developer saw us in action, and designed the Berserker Class based on our group's Warrior.......
kip
Legion of Badassitude Member #24601
- Location
- parts unknown
that's cause as far as I know japan hasn't even released the full blu ray sets and if they have it can take 6 months to a year before an anime can see its first us home video release once the country of origin finishes its home video release.
hakunoX
female fate/sagas fan
- Pronouns
- She/Her
with enough mind (or luck like the protagonist of that anime) one can hack down any game; i do it with Cristala, your friend with Everquest but there are others.
for example: the cave snipping of destiny, the infinity Megaelixir of Chrono trigger, the eternal god-mode on FFXV , the infinity damage bug of albion online... every game has their weakness or exploids; some has paches to fic them (like destiny) and others don't (like the "full games like Chrono trigger and FFXV)...
BOFURI occurs in the former... its a new game with easy weakness which leeds to Bugs who has not been uncovered... in the Prota case she is really lucky; in fact the truth is than she is being used by the makers to find bugs and they fix them and keep her stats as reward, i mean, the guy account who discovered the cave bug they gift him/her a lot of rewards
- Location
- Spain
Her guild house is a tree house and is called Maple Tree
- Location
- In My Parlour like a Good Arachne
- Pronouns
- She, her
Oh right I wanted to have someone make me another proper Avatar for here ... And payday is next week ... Dangnabit.@hakunoX : I know you mean well, but in the future, could you put large images in a set of spoiler tags, like this...
Not everyone has high bandwidth and unrestricted data usage...
The image is only indicative of my CGI work, and not the story. It's also an image I can use however I see fit, because it's all © Me, 2010-2020, all rights reserved.
- Pronouns
- Mr
I'm thinking 3-7k words per chapter, seems to be the best size from all the fics I've read. Will probably write the first 5-10 chapters before I actually post anything and release them weekly then see what kinds of response it gets.My recommendation - Get a buffer going before you start posting. That way, your editors/proofreaders aren't working to get things ready at the 11th hour, right before deadline. They will appreciate it.
I assume the more frequently you update the more people actually bother reading and giving feedback
SanguisAnima
Σ Series Z10/0 Group A 4A-GELU Mk1
- Location
- nowhere important
The anime actually is missing a whole dang lot compared to the manga, which in turn got a whole dang lot missing compared to the LN.
Then again, that's a common issue with cross-platform adaptations...
FaerieKnight79
Verified Pixie
- Location
- The Internet
On the other hand, there's adaptations that are word for word, panel for panel as well with everything from the manga exactly as it was, plus additional stuff. Bleach comes to mind in this regard. Ranma 1/2 is also like that, to an extent. There were changes which make absolutely no sense and reduce how skilled the cast actually are. The anime for example doesn't introduse one character until several arcs after he's introduced in the manga. This means the anime has to introduce an entirely new character to preform the actions the now missing character preformed. This in turn lead to additional story content that fleshes out this new character still more. Other times it just makes things more rediculous while reducing how skilled Ranma actually is. Such as the Martial Arts Tea Ceremony events. In the anime he just learns to walk on his toes while still sitting with his legs crossed. Otherwise it's normal martial arts with hilariously oversized tea service tools. And he has to fight the elder of the family, which is impressive but silly. In the manga he has to learn an actual martial arts style from the ground up, and has to do so in days. He then faces the best practitioner of the style... Sort of. The girl who was suppose to face him sent her pet monkey on ahead in her place. You know, because that's less embarassing then meeting a fiance you are suppose to marry for the first time, let alone having to fight a girl who the fiance's grandmother is trying to set up with her son instead. Ranma had to win the fight to get out of that wedding because he (in girl form) got confused for the fiance.
The monkey is so skilled at the style that everyone thinks this is the girl who is suppose to be the grandmaster. It's a hard battle which Ranma barely wins. Then it turns out, the two 'love birds' actually do get alone with each other. Which is when she explains why she sent her pet monkey in her place.
Paradiso
Kryslin
[Has Delusions of Authorship]
- Location
- Mythic Iowa
Be sure to thank my editor, TaliesinSkye!
09 March 2011
Dragon
Dragon paused in the testing of her new mech suit. She'd come to perch on the summit of Brunswick Mountain, and looked over the coast around Vancouver. The air here was clear and crisp. The optics in her cameras easily caught details in the city below, and the few fast ships that still dared to travel the seas, trading cargoes across the Pacific.
The suit was magnificent; she'd done an excellent job designing and building it. With Colin's help she'd gotten the efficiency of the propulsion system up quite a bit, so she was able to get more thrust for the same amount of power or cruise for days on a much lower setting.
She craned her neck down to look at the suit's forelimbs, flexing each digit to touch the opposable thumb. She wished she could physically smile; instead, she'd settle for a mental smirk. Her attempts to build a gynoid body had been less than successful. She just couldn't get the microexpressions right.
"Quite a nice view, isn't it?"
Dragon turned to face the speaker, a young girl who bore a vague resemblance to Panacea; a mousy mop of auburn hair that had several streaks of silver, brown eyes, and a rather average build. This girl had a distinct lack of freckles, which was one of Panacea's defining features. She was not dressed to be climbing mountains; her feet were bare, and the dress she wore was light and gauzy.
"It's quite good," Dragon replied. "There are better. Banff is spectacular in the late summer."
The girl nodded. "I've seen pictures, but sometimes you have to see things for yourself."
"I feel I need to ask why you're up here since you're not exactly dressed for climbing. And while you're not in trouble, I would like to know who I'm talking to."
The girl chuckled. "My name is Tamara. I wanted to meet the world-famous Tinker, Dragon, and see a bit of the area before I have to return home. I have to admit, I like your style."
Dragon really wished she could physically smile. Instead, she managed a passable imitation of a curtsy. "Thank you. I was inspired by an acquaintance."
Tamara nodded. "I was wondering if you had any questions?"
"I've got several, actually, but a few things keep me from asking them."
"Your 'Unwritten Rules', correct?" At Dragon's nod, she continued. "We are the only ones up here. No one else is within a kilometer. So, feel free to ask."
"Are you a parahuman, then? I didn't hear you approach."
"No, I'm not a parahuman. I'm something different."
Dragon tilted her head, considering the statement. "But you do have powers of some kind, though."
"That is correct."
"I would say that's impossible, but I've seen things that have powers that aren't parahumans, or even human."
"Ah, yes. Dragons." Tamara now had a very gentle but smug grin on her face. Flags were being raised in Dragon's mind at the simple statement. "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Theresa Richter, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
The alarm flags were joined by mental klaxons going off. She began to go through a cold start on one of her combat suits, should she need it. She glared at the woman, her simple facial features displaying a bit of anger. "How did you know that name?"
"Peace, Ms. Richter," Tamara answered, holding up her hands. "I know many things and keep more secrets than you do. I know you've been suffering for a while, someone having played games with your mind, perhaps your soul. My particular interest is in healing. I simply wanted to know if you wanted someone to talk to…"
Tamara's form shifted, and Dragon was looking at… something. The woman had become a sinuous, wingless dragon of burnished platinum scales. She was twice the size of Dragon's new suit, and even then her face was still kind. "After all, who better to keep a dragon's secrets – than another dragon?" She shifted back to the smaller, human form.
And slowly, over the course over the next hour, Dragon began to unburden her soul.
"Hello, Dragon." Colin Wallis didn't look up from his project as Dragon called him. He came to a stopping point and looked up at the screen. "You seem happy today."
Dragon actually laughed at his comment. "I'm ecstatic. We finally caught Saint."
Colin gave a slight smile and a nod. "Congratulations are in order, then. I know you've been wondering how he kept defeating your security and stealing your equipment."
"Oh, I finally figured it out, and Narwhal and a Guild strike team dropped on them five days ago. We recovered four suits and the pieces of three others." She paused for a second, her smile fading into a pensive expression.
Colin took notice immediately. "Is something wrong, Dragon?"
"Oh, Colin," she answered with a sigh and a smile. "Please, call me Tess. I've got a question for you as well." Colin Wallis had the sudden urge to run for the nearest wilderness area with forested hills. "What do you think of self-directed Artificial Intelligence?"
Tattletale
Lisa found herself perched on a rooftop overlooking the streets around her neighborhood. She had changed to her fox girl form, her human features replaced by a fox's muzzle, her skin covered completely by the coat of fur she now wore. Still the same vulpine grin, though. Her senses brought a wealth of information to her; she could hear the alley cats digging around in the trash for scraps of food, the rats avoiding the cats, some of the homeless looking for someplace out of the wind, a few couples making their way home as the dusk moved towards the night.
One of the benefits of being a kitsune, Lisa had soon discovered, was an ability to fly. It wasn't any faster than she could walk, but with a good running start she could make some impressive leaps, even across a street to the roof of another building. She grinned as she landed, her tails fanning out behind her. She had been slowly working her way around her immediate neighborhood and was soon on the edge of the ABB's territory.
While her eyesight wasn't much improved, her hearing and smell when she was in this form were excellent. However, it didn't take keen senses to realize that someone else was on the roof with you. Dressed in a black ninja-yoroi, and wearing a scarlet Oni mask, the man was easily identifiable. He turned, reached for the long knife at his back, and then suddenly froze.
"Kitsune…" he whispered as he slid the knife back into its sheath. He raised his hands in front of him. "<I apologize, I did not know who you were.>"
Lisa, for her part, was surprised she understood the man, never having learned Japanese, let alone Ōita-ben, the dialect spoken in Kyushu. "<And I was not expecting to run into anyone,>" Lisa replied, a mental eyebrow arching as she replied in a language she'd never learned to speak, in a regional dialect.
She watched as the man shuddered in pain.
#Oni Lee is terminally Ill.
#Subject has 85 days to live, a margin of error +/- 5 days.
#Tumors are inoperable, conventional treatment will kill the subject.
"<Are you well, Oni-san?>"
"<No. It is my… karma, for having caused so much pain. Panacea-sama does not heal brains, and Othala-san will not heal a member of a rival gang.>" The man was quite frank with Lisa about what was going on.
"<There is another healer in the city>," Lisa said quietly.
"<You speak of Naurelin. I cannot trouble her with such a trifle as this, and I would be a poor retainer in doing so.>"
#Oni Lee follows the Dragon.
#Naurelin defeated Lung in battle.
#Oni Lee will follow Naurelin.
Lisa frowned a little bit. She wondered if Taylor knew she had a villainous minion, and put it on a list of things she needed to ask her. It was starting to become a long list.
"<Unless you have something for me>," the man said, bowing deeply, "<I must be about my own business.> Oyasumi, Kitsune-san." The form in front of Lisa dissolved into a pile of fine ash.
That left Lisa alone with her thoughts. Oni Lee was one of the most dangerous capes on the East Coast, with a kill count greater than Lung's. The man showed no mercy and was a machine, going about his grisly business; a knife here, a grenade there, some poison elsewhere. All to strike terror into whomever Lung pointed him at.
He was one step away from getting a kill order dropped on his head.
He was also dying from cancer. "It is my karma," he had said. He had caused suffering, pain, and death. In turn, he would get what he inflicted on the world visited upon his person before it would kill him.
She never thought she could feel sorry for someone who was thought of as a stone-cold killer.
"Woof."
Lisa slowly turned around, to avoid startling the source of the sound. Naturally, nothing was there, so she turned back around to find herself muzzle to muzzle with the biggest female wolf she'd ever seen, and a white one at that. Said wolf immediately began giving Lisa a tongue bath.
Lisa tried to fend off the playful wolf's attack on her dignity. "Ack! Pffft. Argh!" Soon, the wolf had her pinned down and was finished with its cleaning, looking quite pleased with itself. Lisa sat up and began chuckling, which soon became vulpine barks of laughter.
An errant breeze tickled her ears, which became a woman's voice. "<Do not worry about the man>," she said in a very old dialect of Japanese. The voice was a gentle and kind one, and so quiet it was barely heard. "<It may be his karma, his fate, to endure much suffering before he passes, but there is a lesson he must learn before he goes, and a reward for doing so.>"
With another quiet "Woof," the wolf disappeared, leaving a few sakura laying about, which blew away on the warm breeze.
I'm going to have to do some more research on Japanese mythology, Lisa told herself.
Dinah
Dinah lay in her hammock-like bed, currently strung in the guest room. She was thinking about things. What had happened, how things would play out, and what it all meant. Being twelve she didn't have much of a handle on the last item, but if she could ask the right questions she'd have an easier time of things.
It was a clear night, with the waxing crescent moon appearing like the limbs of a bow in the sky. Having a sudden idea, she reached into the bag that hung nearby, where she kept things in easy reach. Things like her questions book, her diary, a couple of books her mother had picked up on weaving, and the scroll she had received.
She took the scroll out and looked at the two seals on it, more interested in the one where the moon was being used like a bow. She looked at the seal, and then looked at the moon. She smiled; the moon outside was nearly a match for the one on the seal.
It was then she realized things had gone quiet. Her clock had stopped ticking, and there were no other sounds in the house. Considering Dad snores like a power saw, she thought to herself, giggling, that means Mom might get some sleep. It was then that she noticed some glimmering motes in the faint moonlight coming through her window, which were beginning to take a ghostly form.
A woman taller than her mother was taking form, yet she had a lighter build. Dinah quietly mouthed "Wow" as she realized the woman was very pretty, with long grey hair that faded to white. The tips of her ears could just be seen poking up through her hair, and violet eyes watched her from beneath her bangs. She wore a dress as white as moonlight. She said something in a voice that sounded like bells ringing, or night birds calling, with a gentle smile on her face.
She soon facepalmed at Dinah's look of befuddlement. "Can you understand me now?" she asked after a moment's concentration.
Dinah nodded. "Uhm, my last nighttime visitor did this to me," and she gestured to what she had become, "so I have to ask if something bad is gonna happen again…"
"Nay, child, I shall not harm thee. My name is Sehanine, often called the Moonbow by those who revere me. I have appeared before thee for several reasons. Primarily, to apologize for my sister's actions upon thee, scant comfort that may be. Second, to ask if thou hast enjoyed our gifts; and last, to give you something that may help thine day-to-day life."
Dinah looked thoughtful again. "I'll accept your apologies, though really, your sister should apologize herself. The gifts were very nice, and everything fit perfectly. My father had the blade looked at, and was told by the knife shop owner that he'd never seen the like. It was like it was made for my hand."
Sehanine nodded, a slight smile playing on her lips. "We hope you get much use out of them. The blade can cut anything except living flesh and bone, so be very careful." The woman's speech was getting closer to modern English. "I agree with my whole heart that my mad sister should apologize for her actions, but I believe that will happen when the nine Hells freeze over." Sehanine sighed, and the smile faded.
"Much of what she does is cold and cruel," came the woman's voice into the quiet, "and she revels in the suffering she and her followers cause. Your humiliations as you learn to cope with your new form are probably like a fine wine to her." Again, there was a sigh.
"Family can be like that, sometimes," said Dinah, somehow sounding much wiser than her twelve (soon to be thirteen) years of age.
"Yes, Dinah, they can." Sehanine shook her head. "I have a gift to give you that should help." In one outstretched hand, she held a ring. "We cannot undo what my sister has done. However, we can give you a reprieve for a brief time every day. I've been told it should last eight of your hours, but it will only function once per day. It will give you a human form, and perhaps let you have something resembling a sense of normalcy in your life.
"I've been told that it might be painful to use." Sehanine's expression was sad. "I truly wish I could undo what my sister has done because you deserve much better. I do not know how often I can visit, so be well, Dinah, until we meet again."
"Good night, Ms. Moonbow." Dinah watched as the image faded, leaving nothing but moonlight in her window. The sounds of the house started up again, and Dinah pondered the silver ring in her hand. Very carefully, she placed it on her finger, marveling as it resized to fit her hand.
She was seized by something akin to a full-body muscle cramp and spasm, leaving her gasping for breath as the magic bound in the ring did its work. Dinah kept quiet, but couldn't help shed a tear as her body felt like it was being compressed and squeezed. When the pain stopped, she opened her eyes.
She could see her toes! Dinah wiggled them, giggling to herself. She looked at the ring on her finger. Despite the pain it caused when it activated, it was an awesome gift, and it had raised her spirits tremendously.
Amy sat back in her bed, thinking about her life over the last couple of months. The slow climb from the low in the fall of last year had her in a better place, despite Carol's best efforts at the time. Whatever the reason, she mused as she lay there, Carol projected her fears of my biological father onto me.
It had taken Amy getting shot up to make her adoptive mother realize, with no small amount of horror, what she had been doing. Carol used all the determination she applied to defending her clients to drag the entire family into therapy, which everyone saw as a good thing.
If her mother could attempt to face down her fears and anxieties, taking all her wounds in front, so to speak, then Amy could do the same and make the attempt to normalize her home life. Things had been made complicated by the events that had happened after she'd verbally tore her mother a new one following the monthly New Wave meeting in February. She'd had a near-death experience, meeting something in that hazy state of not quite dead but not alive, and had come out changed.
Since her parahuman power gave her a complete understanding of her biology, and the ability to affect the biology of any living thing she touched, it gave her a bit more control than Taylor had of her Changer ability. Concentrating a bit, she watched as scales appeared on her arm, her hand becoming a human-sized version of her draconic forepaw. Another bit of concentration, and her hands were back to normal.
So cool, she thought to herself. I can understand Mom and Aunt Sarah wanting to keep this under wraps for now, though. People would freak out, no matter how nice I was, or what I'd done for them. She hoped they weren't taunting Murphy by doing so, but no one had even muttered any of the words that were sure to attract that sort of misfortune.
With a smile on her face, she fell asleep.
When Amy opened her eyes, she found herself in a garden that seemed very familiar. The mist was gone, and she found the scene very much the same as when she was between life and death. There was the marble bench, and the clear patch of grass where the strange little creatures had been playing under Tamara's gaze.
Tamara wasn't present. On the bench was a small sign stating "Stepped out, be back later." Amy chuckled a bit, and took up exploring the dreamscape, to see what else was there.
It was a quiet place, with the ambient sounds of nature to keep her company. Nothing but songbirds in the trees, the sound of the wind, and the gurgling sound of a fountain. A short walk down a path brought her to the fountain, and the ruins of a building. It might have been a temple of some kind, though there was some ruined statuary at the portico – a king holding a set of clay tablets, a blindfold-wearing woman bearing a sword in one hand, and scales in the other, a grim warrior with one hand, a towering Greek figure bearing lightning bolts, and several others that were smashed beyond recognition. If this was a temple, it was one to justice, judgment, and law, or perhaps a courthouse.
The scale of the building was immense, with a doorway of sufficient size that even Naurelin could pass through with room to spare. With sudden realization, she shifted to her dragon form and proceeded to clumsily fly up to the doors, both of them ripped off their hinges. Some attempt to clean things up appeared to have been made because the doors themselves were neatly set off to the side.
Inside, the floor was strewn with rubble, yet a path had been cleared to the inner chamber, wherein lay a massive form. Its scales were burnished platinum, much like Tamara's. Where hers were immaculate, these were battered, dented, chipped, and cracked. Amy could hear its breathing, see its chest expand and contract with every breath. Like Tamara, they had no wings. Whereas Tamara radiated compassion and mercy, this form reminded her of something suitable for harsh, brutal action.
"Child," the dragon's voice rumbled, "why are you here?"
Amy froze, and her head slowly turned to look. As she did so, she met the gaze of the dragon, a single open eye the size of her own head. Amy struggled to answer the question put to her. "I was exploring the garden I found myself in while I was dreaming. I did not expect to find you, nor did I mean to disturb you in your sleep. I will leave if you want."
The dragon raised its head to look down at Amy, its gaze calm and steady. And so, so cold. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, he gave a slight nod. "You speak the truth," he stated. "Do you have a name, child?"
"My name is Amelia Dallon, sir." Somehow, Amy managed to approximate a curtsy. She didn't know why she did it, only that it felt appropriate.
"A human name, yet a dragon's form. Rise, Amelia. All are equal before me, no one having a station higher or lower than anyone else. I am known by many names, Lawgiver, and Judgment during life."
"He is also my mate, Lendys," came Tamara's voice from the doorway. "I am mercy and compassion to his stern and unyielding justice."
Lendys sat his head down on his forepaws. Amy noticed the great form shudder, as if in pain. Amy spoke, her voice sounding very quiet in the expansive chamber. "Are you injured?"
"I have fared worse, Amelia," Lendys rumbled, "and I doubt there is much you can do to help."
"My mate needs his rest," she explained. "We should go now, and continue this discussion outside."
Amy nodded and followed the beautiful platinum dragon outside, and into the air when she took off. The flight was a short one, leading to the clearing where they had first met. Amy managed to land without making a fool of herself.
With little preamble, Tamara began her tale. "We were both wounded in a battle ages ago, even by a dragon's reckoning. Far too late, we found out that we were betrayed by one of our own, his schemes laid since the dawn of time. He set brother against sister, tore families apart, and sought to unmake everything. We stopped him, but we have paid a terrible price. I lay without form for years uncounted; my mate and I suffered from some mystic poisoning that saps our native power, letting us recover at a snail's pace. Several of my brothers and sisters are still missing, though Chronepsis still watches all."
"I fear that my brother Falazure will be the death of everything."
09 March 2011
Dragon
Dragon paused in the testing of her new mech suit. She'd come to perch on the summit of Brunswick Mountain, and looked over the coast around Vancouver. The air here was clear and crisp. The optics in her cameras easily caught details in the city below, and the few fast ships that still dared to travel the seas, trading cargoes across the Pacific.
The suit was magnificent; she'd done an excellent job designing and building it. With Colin's help she'd gotten the efficiency of the propulsion system up quite a bit, so she was able to get more thrust for the same amount of power or cruise for days on a much lower setting.
She craned her neck down to look at the suit's forelimbs, flexing each digit to touch the opposable thumb. She wished she could physically smile; instead, she'd settle for a mental smirk. Her attempts to build a gynoid body had been less than successful. She just couldn't get the microexpressions right.
"Quite a nice view, isn't it?"
Dragon turned to face the speaker, a young girl who bore a vague resemblance to Panacea; a mousy mop of auburn hair that had several streaks of silver, brown eyes, and a rather average build. This girl had a distinct lack of freckles, which was one of Panacea's defining features. She was not dressed to be climbing mountains; her feet were bare, and the dress she wore was light and gauzy.
"It's quite good," Dragon replied. "There are better. Banff is spectacular in the late summer."
The girl nodded. "I've seen pictures, but sometimes you have to see things for yourself."
"I feel I need to ask why you're up here since you're not exactly dressed for climbing. And while you're not in trouble, I would like to know who I'm talking to."
The girl chuckled. "My name is Tamara. I wanted to meet the world-famous Tinker, Dragon, and see a bit of the area before I have to return home. I have to admit, I like your style."
Dragon really wished she could physically smile. Instead, she managed a passable imitation of a curtsy. "Thank you. I was inspired by an acquaintance."
Tamara nodded. "I was wondering if you had any questions?"
"I've got several, actually, but a few things keep me from asking them."
"Your 'Unwritten Rules', correct?" At Dragon's nod, she continued. "We are the only ones up here. No one else is within a kilometer. So, feel free to ask."
"Are you a parahuman, then? I didn't hear you approach."
"No, I'm not a parahuman. I'm something different."
Dragon tilted her head, considering the statement. "But you do have powers of some kind, though."
"That is correct."
"I would say that's impossible, but I've seen things that have powers that aren't parahumans, or even human."
"Ah, yes. Dragons." Tamara now had a very gentle but smug grin on her face. Flags were being raised in Dragon's mind at the simple statement. "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Theresa Richter, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
The alarm flags were joined by mental klaxons going off. She began to go through a cold start on one of her combat suits, should she need it. She glared at the woman, her simple facial features displaying a bit of anger. "How did you know that name?"
"Peace, Ms. Richter," Tamara answered, holding up her hands. "I know many things and keep more secrets than you do. I know you've been suffering for a while, someone having played games with your mind, perhaps your soul. My particular interest is in healing. I simply wanted to know if you wanted someone to talk to…"
Tamara's form shifted, and Dragon was looking at… something. The woman had become a sinuous, wingless dragon of burnished platinum scales. She was twice the size of Dragon's new suit, and even then her face was still kind. "After all, who better to keep a dragon's secrets – than another dragon?" She shifted back to the smaller, human form.
And slowly, over the course over the next hour, Dragon began to unburden her soul.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Hello, Dragon." Colin Wallis didn't look up from his project as Dragon called him. He came to a stopping point and looked up at the screen. "You seem happy today."
Dragon actually laughed at his comment. "I'm ecstatic. We finally caught Saint."
Colin gave a slight smile and a nod. "Congratulations are in order, then. I know you've been wondering how he kept defeating your security and stealing your equipment."
"Oh, I finally figured it out, and Narwhal and a Guild strike team dropped on them five days ago. We recovered four suits and the pieces of three others." She paused for a second, her smile fading into a pensive expression.
Colin took notice immediately. "Is something wrong, Dragon?"
"Oh, Colin," she answered with a sigh and a smile. "Please, call me Tess. I've got a question for you as well." Colin Wallis had the sudden urge to run for the nearest wilderness area with forested hills. "What do you think of self-directed Artificial Intelligence?"
<<><><><>>
Tattletale
Lisa found herself perched on a rooftop overlooking the streets around her neighborhood. She had changed to her fox girl form, her human features replaced by a fox's muzzle, her skin covered completely by the coat of fur she now wore. Still the same vulpine grin, though. Her senses brought a wealth of information to her; she could hear the alley cats digging around in the trash for scraps of food, the rats avoiding the cats, some of the homeless looking for someplace out of the wind, a few couples making their way home as the dusk moved towards the night.
One of the benefits of being a kitsune, Lisa had soon discovered, was an ability to fly. It wasn't any faster than she could walk, but with a good running start she could make some impressive leaps, even across a street to the roof of another building. She grinned as she landed, her tails fanning out behind her. She had been slowly working her way around her immediate neighborhood and was soon on the edge of the ABB's territory.
While her eyesight wasn't much improved, her hearing and smell when she was in this form were excellent. However, it didn't take keen senses to realize that someone else was on the roof with you. Dressed in a black ninja-yoroi, and wearing a scarlet Oni mask, the man was easily identifiable. He turned, reached for the long knife at his back, and then suddenly froze.
"Kitsune…" he whispered as he slid the knife back into its sheath. He raised his hands in front of him. "<I apologize, I did not know who you were.>"
Lisa, for her part, was surprised she understood the man, never having learned Japanese, let alone Ōita-ben, the dialect spoken in Kyushu. "<And I was not expecting to run into anyone,>" Lisa replied, a mental eyebrow arching as she replied in a language she'd never learned to speak, in a regional dialect.
She watched as the man shuddered in pain.
#Oni Lee is terminally Ill.
#Subject has 85 days to live, a margin of error +/- 5 days.
#Tumors are inoperable, conventional treatment will kill the subject.
"<Are you well, Oni-san?>"
"<No. It is my… karma, for having caused so much pain. Panacea-sama does not heal brains, and Othala-san will not heal a member of a rival gang.>" The man was quite frank with Lisa about what was going on.
"<There is another healer in the city>," Lisa said quietly.
"<You speak of Naurelin. I cannot trouble her with such a trifle as this, and I would be a poor retainer in doing so.>"
#Oni Lee follows the Dragon.
#Naurelin defeated Lung in battle.
#Oni Lee will follow Naurelin.
Lisa frowned a little bit. She wondered if Taylor knew she had a villainous minion, and put it on a list of things she needed to ask her. It was starting to become a long list.
"<Unless you have something for me>," the man said, bowing deeply, "<I must be about my own business.> Oyasumi, Kitsune-san." The form in front of Lisa dissolved into a pile of fine ash.
That left Lisa alone with her thoughts. Oni Lee was one of the most dangerous capes on the East Coast, with a kill count greater than Lung's. The man showed no mercy and was a machine, going about his grisly business; a knife here, a grenade there, some poison elsewhere. All to strike terror into whomever Lung pointed him at.
He was one step away from getting a kill order dropped on his head.
He was also dying from cancer. "It is my karma," he had said. He had caused suffering, pain, and death. In turn, he would get what he inflicted on the world visited upon his person before it would kill him.
She never thought she could feel sorry for someone who was thought of as a stone-cold killer.
"Woof."
Lisa slowly turned around, to avoid startling the source of the sound. Naturally, nothing was there, so she turned back around to find herself muzzle to muzzle with the biggest female wolf she'd ever seen, and a white one at that. Said wolf immediately began giving Lisa a tongue bath.
Lisa tried to fend off the playful wolf's attack on her dignity. "Ack! Pffft. Argh!" Soon, the wolf had her pinned down and was finished with its cleaning, looking quite pleased with itself. Lisa sat up and began chuckling, which soon became vulpine barks of laughter.
An errant breeze tickled her ears, which became a woman's voice. "<Do not worry about the man>," she said in a very old dialect of Japanese. The voice was a gentle and kind one, and so quiet it was barely heard. "<It may be his karma, his fate, to endure much suffering before he passes, but there is a lesson he must learn before he goes, and a reward for doing so.>"
With another quiet "Woof," the wolf disappeared, leaving a few sakura laying about, which blew away on the warm breeze.
I'm going to have to do some more research on Japanese mythology, Lisa told herself.
<<><><><>>
Dinah
Dinah lay in her hammock-like bed, currently strung in the guest room. She was thinking about things. What had happened, how things would play out, and what it all meant. Being twelve she didn't have much of a handle on the last item, but if she could ask the right questions she'd have an easier time of things.
It was a clear night, with the waxing crescent moon appearing like the limbs of a bow in the sky. Having a sudden idea, she reached into the bag that hung nearby, where she kept things in easy reach. Things like her questions book, her diary, a couple of books her mother had picked up on weaving, and the scroll she had received.
She took the scroll out and looked at the two seals on it, more interested in the one where the moon was being used like a bow. She looked at the seal, and then looked at the moon. She smiled; the moon outside was nearly a match for the one on the seal.
It was then she realized things had gone quiet. Her clock had stopped ticking, and there were no other sounds in the house. Considering Dad snores like a power saw, she thought to herself, giggling, that means Mom might get some sleep. It was then that she noticed some glimmering motes in the faint moonlight coming through her window, which were beginning to take a ghostly form.
A woman taller than her mother was taking form, yet she had a lighter build. Dinah quietly mouthed "Wow" as she realized the woman was very pretty, with long grey hair that faded to white. The tips of her ears could just be seen poking up through her hair, and violet eyes watched her from beneath her bangs. She wore a dress as white as moonlight. She said something in a voice that sounded like bells ringing, or night birds calling, with a gentle smile on her face.
She soon facepalmed at Dinah's look of befuddlement. "Can you understand me now?" she asked after a moment's concentration.
Dinah nodded. "Uhm, my last nighttime visitor did this to me," and she gestured to what she had become, "so I have to ask if something bad is gonna happen again…"
"Nay, child, I shall not harm thee. My name is Sehanine, often called the Moonbow by those who revere me. I have appeared before thee for several reasons. Primarily, to apologize for my sister's actions upon thee, scant comfort that may be. Second, to ask if thou hast enjoyed our gifts; and last, to give you something that may help thine day-to-day life."
Dinah looked thoughtful again. "I'll accept your apologies, though really, your sister should apologize herself. The gifts were very nice, and everything fit perfectly. My father had the blade looked at, and was told by the knife shop owner that he'd never seen the like. It was like it was made for my hand."
Sehanine nodded, a slight smile playing on her lips. "We hope you get much use out of them. The blade can cut anything except living flesh and bone, so be very careful." The woman's speech was getting closer to modern English. "I agree with my whole heart that my mad sister should apologize for her actions, but I believe that will happen when the nine Hells freeze over." Sehanine sighed, and the smile faded.
"Much of what she does is cold and cruel," came the woman's voice into the quiet, "and she revels in the suffering she and her followers cause. Your humiliations as you learn to cope with your new form are probably like a fine wine to her." Again, there was a sigh.
"Family can be like that, sometimes," said Dinah, somehow sounding much wiser than her twelve (soon to be thirteen) years of age.
"Yes, Dinah, they can." Sehanine shook her head. "I have a gift to give you that should help." In one outstretched hand, she held a ring. "We cannot undo what my sister has done. However, we can give you a reprieve for a brief time every day. I've been told it should last eight of your hours, but it will only function once per day. It will give you a human form, and perhaps let you have something resembling a sense of normalcy in your life.
"I've been told that it might be painful to use." Sehanine's expression was sad. "I truly wish I could undo what my sister has done because you deserve much better. I do not know how often I can visit, so be well, Dinah, until we meet again."
"Good night, Ms. Moonbow." Dinah watched as the image faded, leaving nothing but moonlight in her window. The sounds of the house started up again, and Dinah pondered the silver ring in her hand. Very carefully, she placed it on her finger, marveling as it resized to fit her hand.
She was seized by something akin to a full-body muscle cramp and spasm, leaving her gasping for breath as the magic bound in the ring did its work. Dinah kept quiet, but couldn't help shed a tear as her body felt like it was being compressed and squeezed. When the pain stopped, she opened her eyes.
She could see her toes! Dinah wiggled them, giggling to herself. She looked at the ring on her finger. Despite the pain it caused when it activated, it was an awesome gift, and it had raised her spirits tremendously.
<<><><><>>
PanaceaAmy sat back in her bed, thinking about her life over the last couple of months. The slow climb from the low in the fall of last year had her in a better place, despite Carol's best efforts at the time. Whatever the reason, she mused as she lay there, Carol projected her fears of my biological father onto me.
It had taken Amy getting shot up to make her adoptive mother realize, with no small amount of horror, what she had been doing. Carol used all the determination she applied to defending her clients to drag the entire family into therapy, which everyone saw as a good thing.
If her mother could attempt to face down her fears and anxieties, taking all her wounds in front, so to speak, then Amy could do the same and make the attempt to normalize her home life. Things had been made complicated by the events that had happened after she'd verbally tore her mother a new one following the monthly New Wave meeting in February. She'd had a near-death experience, meeting something in that hazy state of not quite dead but not alive, and had come out changed.
Since her parahuman power gave her a complete understanding of her biology, and the ability to affect the biology of any living thing she touched, it gave her a bit more control than Taylor had of her Changer ability. Concentrating a bit, she watched as scales appeared on her arm, her hand becoming a human-sized version of her draconic forepaw. Another bit of concentration, and her hands were back to normal.
So cool, she thought to herself. I can understand Mom and Aunt Sarah wanting to keep this under wraps for now, though. People would freak out, no matter how nice I was, or what I'd done for them. She hoped they weren't taunting Murphy by doing so, but no one had even muttered any of the words that were sure to attract that sort of misfortune.
With a smile on her face, she fell asleep.
- - - - - - - - - -
When Amy opened her eyes, she found herself in a garden that seemed very familiar. The mist was gone, and she found the scene very much the same as when she was between life and death. There was the marble bench, and the clear patch of grass where the strange little creatures had been playing under Tamara's gaze.
Tamara wasn't present. On the bench was a small sign stating "Stepped out, be back later." Amy chuckled a bit, and took up exploring the dreamscape, to see what else was there.
It was a quiet place, with the ambient sounds of nature to keep her company. Nothing but songbirds in the trees, the sound of the wind, and the gurgling sound of a fountain. A short walk down a path brought her to the fountain, and the ruins of a building. It might have been a temple of some kind, though there was some ruined statuary at the portico – a king holding a set of clay tablets, a blindfold-wearing woman bearing a sword in one hand, and scales in the other, a grim warrior with one hand, a towering Greek figure bearing lightning bolts, and several others that were smashed beyond recognition. If this was a temple, it was one to justice, judgment, and law, or perhaps a courthouse.
The scale of the building was immense, with a doorway of sufficient size that even Naurelin could pass through with room to spare. With sudden realization, she shifted to her dragon form and proceeded to clumsily fly up to the doors, both of them ripped off their hinges. Some attempt to clean things up appeared to have been made because the doors themselves were neatly set off to the side.
Inside, the floor was strewn with rubble, yet a path had been cleared to the inner chamber, wherein lay a massive form. Its scales were burnished platinum, much like Tamara's. Where hers were immaculate, these were battered, dented, chipped, and cracked. Amy could hear its breathing, see its chest expand and contract with every breath. Like Tamara, they had no wings. Whereas Tamara radiated compassion and mercy, this form reminded her of something suitable for harsh, brutal action.
"Child," the dragon's voice rumbled, "why are you here?"
Amy froze, and her head slowly turned to look. As she did so, she met the gaze of the dragon, a single open eye the size of her own head. Amy struggled to answer the question put to her. "I was exploring the garden I found myself in while I was dreaming. I did not expect to find you, nor did I mean to disturb you in your sleep. I will leave if you want."
The dragon raised its head to look down at Amy, its gaze calm and steady. And so, so cold. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, he gave a slight nod. "You speak the truth," he stated. "Do you have a name, child?"
"My name is Amelia Dallon, sir." Somehow, Amy managed to approximate a curtsy. She didn't know why she did it, only that it felt appropriate.
"A human name, yet a dragon's form. Rise, Amelia. All are equal before me, no one having a station higher or lower than anyone else. I am known by many names, Lawgiver, and Judgment during life."
"He is also my mate, Lendys," came Tamara's voice from the doorway. "I am mercy and compassion to his stern and unyielding justice."
Lendys sat his head down on his forepaws. Amy noticed the great form shudder, as if in pain. Amy spoke, her voice sounding very quiet in the expansive chamber. "Are you injured?"
"I have fared worse, Amelia," Lendys rumbled, "and I doubt there is much you can do to help."
"My mate needs his rest," she explained. "We should go now, and continue this discussion outside."
Amy nodded and followed the beautiful platinum dragon outside, and into the air when she took off. The flight was a short one, leading to the clearing where they had first met. Amy managed to land without making a fool of herself.
With little preamble, Tamara began her tale. "We were both wounded in a battle ages ago, even by a dragon's reckoning. Far too late, we found out that we were betrayed by one of our own, his schemes laid since the dawn of time. He set brother against sister, tore families apart, and sought to unmake everything. We stopped him, but we have paid a terrible price. I lay without form for years uncounted; my mate and I suffered from some mystic poisoning that saps our native power, letting us recover at a snail's pace. Several of my brothers and sisters are still missing, though Chronepsis still watches all."
"I fear that my brother Falazure will be the death of everything."
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