Two shimmering beings circle one another, drifting through the void. They travel at speeds that...
Splintered (Worm QA-Quest)
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Prelude and Power Selection
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Two shimmering beings circle one another, drifting through the void. They travel at speeds that should be impossible, ignoring such paltry things as physics, asteroids, and small celestial bodies.
Over the course of what could simultaneously be described as an instant and all eternity, they grow close to their destination. Tiny shards of what appear to be crystal flake off their forms, headed toward the blue planet below.
Your perspective switches; to what, you're not sure, but one of the shards is heading straight for you. In moments, it's close enough for you to get a good look at it. Unfortunately.
It's enormous. Too big for your tiny, human-sized brain to fit, but it's trying to force its way in anyway and you can't stop it and it hurts-
...Oopsie. Are human brains supposed to break like that?
You're pretty sure that something's gone badly wrong here. Instead of you merely providing Host with powers and gathering information on what she does with them, Host was in the back of your (her?) mind, dreaming of darkness. In return, you were in control of her body, had access to her memories.
It isn't very pleasant. You decide that you do not like this "pain" thing. Having a sense of smell doesn't seem very nice, either. Touch and Taste have betrayed you. The organs for sight are covered in blood. Hearing is the only sense which isn't disgusting, providing you with the reassuring sounds of several dozen insects.
Attempting to awaken Host had no effect. She had simply shut down.
Well, no matter! You could be more helpful this way. A quick application of your concept changes her situation to eternal, happy dreaming. If Host ever decides to come out and face the world, she'll be a much happier person than she is now. If not, well, she'll still be happy, and that's the important bit, right?
But in the meantime, it looks like you're in charge of Host's body. She can't be happy if she's not alive, dreaming or not. So, you're going to need to imitate her, keep her alive, and leave her in a position to be happy if she ever awakens. It's going to be rather difficult.
The difficulty of your task doesn't really matter to you, though. You are Queen Administrator, and you're helping!
Since it doesn't look like Host is able to ask for a given set, it looks like you'll just have to pick your own. Too bad; you had been planning to give her countless happy little insect friends, but it's not like she could appreciate them like this. At leastmessing up modifying the connection process gave you more capacity to work with.
Power options (5 points+any bonus from failings). Vote as a plan. All relevant powers have standard QA multitasking ability.
[]Read-only, Shards: You're able to tell what powers other shards currently have access to. It's good to be the Queen. -1 point, no usage limitations.
[X]Information Jamming: Broadcasts the shard equivalent of "I KNOW A SONG THAT GETS ON EVERYBODY'S NERVES!" on repeat. Thinker powers refuse to model you as a result. Take that, Terror Drone #7! Smug bitch. -0 points, no usage limitations.
-[]Overload: You are able to amp up the volume of said song, forcing a headache onto any or all nearby Thinkers, potential Thinkers, Tinkers, and potential Tinkers. Smug little buggers. They think they know everything. Well, I KNOW A SONG... -1 point, no usage limitations
-[X]Command Jamming: You become immune to mind-affecting powers unless you specifically choose to be affected. -1 point, no usage limitations.
-[]Encryption: Other shards are unable to interact with your own unless you let them. (trump immunity) -1 point, no usage limitations.
[]Administrative Access, Software: You are able to ignore any and all computer security systems in order to view and/or modify what lies within. Your changes cannot be undone short of you granting permission or a system reset. -1 point.
[]Administrative Access, Hardware: If it is mechanical or electronic and it has more than one setting, you may choose to change what setting it is on. Additionally, you automatically detect and can can affect any such objects within fifty feet. -1 point.
[X]Administrative Override, Reality: You have full control over everything within five feet of you, and can freely modify almost everything within that space. This includes several laws of reality, including casualty and momentum. Obeys Manton limitations (cannot adjust, control, or create living material). Changes quickly revert after you leave the area. -3 points.
-[X]Limit off, self: You still cannot control other people, but you can affect yourself, including modifying yourself in a manner similar to Queen Shaper. As a side effect, you no longer have an upper limit for how often you may use any unlocked ability. -1 point.
-[X]Limit off, duration: Changes persist after you leave the area. -2 points.
Set bonus: Choosing both optional effects will expand the range to 15 feet.
[]Form Control: You may become a dragon (or any other Terran creature). Their argument is invalid. -2 points.
[]Read-only, Emotions: You are able to detect the emotions of "other" human beings. Requires you to be able to see them. -1 point, no usage limitations.
-[]Write Access, Emotions: You may change what emotions "other" people are feeling. Requires you to maintain line-of-sight; effects will fade within thirty seconds once it is broken. -1 point.
[]Read-only, Surroundings: You are able to "see" everything within fifty feet of you, even through walls or the ground. Can count as line-of-sight for using other powers. Does not replace normal sight. -1 point, no usage limitations.
[]Administrative Override, Terror-Drones: Allows you to control the Endbringers. -7 points, loses near-tie votes due to pre-existing stories.
[]"Friend" Bio-Tinker Specialty: Who's a cute wittle dealer of death and destruction? You are! -3 points, overpriced, no usage limitations.
[]Read-only, Human Senses: You may tap into the senses of all humans within 500 feet. Does not count as line-of-sight for relevant powers. -2 points.
-[]Write Access, Human Senses: You may disable a single sense per person at a time. -1 point.
--[]Human Senses Limit Removed: You may now disable any or all human senses at once for anyone within your range. -1 point.
Set bonus: Range is increased to 750 feet.
[]Write-in
Failings (Max two):
[X]Last Scream
Host didn't go quietly. Just prior to her slumber, she managed to give all nearby parahumans (Phantasm) and potential parahumans (Architect, Perfectionist) a minor case of severe brain damage. You're not sure they will recover. +1 point.
[X]Fragmentation
Human memories are organized in a really weird way. It'll take you a while to figure out how you're supposed to read them, and some may even be lost while you're fumbling around. +1 point.
[]Muscle Incontinence
:Father: damn it, how are these things supposed to work? Maybe you could-ow ow ow! Okay, not a good idea. +1 point.
-------
QM notes: When something says "no usage limitations", it refers to an infinite number of uses before getting a headache, NOT that it's unrestricted.
Over the course of what could simultaneously be described as an instant and all eternity, they grow close to their destination. Tiny shards of what appear to be crystal flake off their forms, headed toward the blue planet below.
Your perspective switches; to what, you're not sure, but one of the shards is heading straight for you. In moments, it's close enough for you to get a good look at it. Unfortunately.
It's enormous. Too big for your tiny, human-sized brain to fit, but it's trying to force its way in anyway and you can't stop it and it hurts-
...Oopsie. Are human brains supposed to break like that?
You're pretty sure that something's gone badly wrong here. Instead of you merely providing Host with powers and gathering information on what she does with them, Host was in the back of your (her?) mind, dreaming of darkness. In return, you were in control of her body, had access to her memories.
It isn't very pleasant. You decide that you do not like this "pain" thing. Having a sense of smell doesn't seem very nice, either. Touch and Taste have betrayed you. The organs for sight are covered in blood. Hearing is the only sense which isn't disgusting, providing you with the reassuring sounds of several dozen insects.
Attempting to awaken Host had no effect. She had simply shut down.
Well, no matter! You could be more helpful this way. A quick application of your concept changes her situation to eternal, happy dreaming. If Host ever decides to come out and face the world, she'll be a much happier person than she is now. If not, well, she'll still be happy, and that's the important bit, right?
But in the meantime, it looks like you're in charge of Host's body. She can't be happy if she's not alive, dreaming or not. So, you're going to need to imitate her, keep her alive, and leave her in a position to be happy if she ever awakens. It's going to be rather difficult.
The difficulty of your task doesn't really matter to you, though. You are Queen Administrator, and you're helping!
Since it doesn't look like Host is able to ask for a given set, it looks like you'll just have to pick your own. Too bad; you had been planning to give her countless happy little insect friends, but it's not like she could appreciate them like this. At least
Power options (5 points+any bonus from failings). Vote as a plan. All relevant powers have standard QA multitasking ability.
[]Read-only, Shards: You're able to tell what powers other shards currently have access to. It's good to be the Queen. -1 point, no usage limitations.
[X]Information Jamming: Broadcasts the shard equivalent of "I KNOW A SONG THAT GETS ON EVERYBODY'S NERVES!" on repeat. Thinker powers refuse to model you as a result. Take that, Terror Drone #7! Smug bitch. -0 points, no usage limitations.
-[]Overload: You are able to amp up the volume of said song, forcing a headache onto any or all nearby Thinkers, potential Thinkers, Tinkers, and potential Tinkers. Smug little buggers. They think they know everything. Well, I KNOW A SONG... -1 point, no usage limitations
-[X]Command Jamming: You become immune to mind-affecting powers unless you specifically choose to be affected. -1 point, no usage limitations.
-[]Encryption: Other shards are unable to interact with your own unless you let them. (trump immunity) -1 point, no usage limitations.
[]Administrative Access, Software: You are able to ignore any and all computer security systems in order to view and/or modify what lies within. Your changes cannot be undone short of you granting permission or a system reset. -1 point.
[]Administrative Access, Hardware: If it is mechanical or electronic and it has more than one setting, you may choose to change what setting it is on. Additionally, you automatically detect and can can affect any such objects within fifty feet. -1 point.
[X]Administrative Override, Reality: You have full control over everything within five feet of you, and can freely modify almost everything within that space. This includes several laws of reality, including casualty and momentum. Obeys Manton limitations (cannot adjust, control, or create living material). Changes quickly revert after you leave the area. -3 points.
-[X]Limit off, self: You still cannot control other people, but you can affect yourself, including modifying yourself in a manner similar to Queen Shaper. As a side effect, you no longer have an upper limit for how often you may use any unlocked ability. -1 point.
-[X]Limit off, duration: Changes persist after you leave the area. -2 points.
Set bonus: Choosing both optional effects will expand the range to 15 feet.
[]Form Control: You may become a dragon (or any other Terran creature). Their argument is invalid. -2 points.
[]Read-only, Emotions: You are able to detect the emotions of "other" human beings. Requires you to be able to see them. -1 point, no usage limitations.
-[]Write Access, Emotions: You may change what emotions "other" people are feeling. Requires you to maintain line-of-sight; effects will fade within thirty seconds once it is broken. -1 point.
[]Read-only, Surroundings: You are able to "see" everything within fifty feet of you, even through walls or the ground. Can count as line-of-sight for using other powers. Does not replace normal sight. -1 point, no usage limitations.
[]Administrative Override, Terror-Drones: Allows you to control the Endbringers. -7 points, loses near-tie votes due to pre-existing stories.
[]"Friend" Bio-Tinker Specialty: Who's a cute wittle dealer of death and destruction? You are! -3 points, overpriced, no usage limitations.
[]Read-only, Human Senses: You may tap into the senses of all humans within 500 feet. Does not count as line-of-sight for relevant powers. -2 points.
-[]Write Access, Human Senses: You may disable a single sense per person at a time. -1 point.
--[]Human Senses Limit Removed: You may now disable any or all human senses at once for anyone within your range. -1 point.
Set bonus: Range is increased to 750 feet.
[]Write-in
Failings (Max two):
[X]Last Scream
Host didn't go quietly. Just prior to her slumber, she managed to give all nearby parahumans (Phantasm) and potential parahumans (Architect, Perfectionist) a minor case of severe brain damage. You're not sure they will recover. +1 point.
[X]Fragmentation
Human memories are organized in a really weird way. It'll take you a while to figure out how you're supposed to read them, and some may even be lost while you're fumbling around. +1 point.
[]Muscle Incontinence
:Father: damn it, how are these things supposed to work? Maybe you could-ow ow ow! Okay, not a good idea. +1 point.
-------
QM notes: When something says "no usage limitations", it refers to an infinite number of uses before getting a headache, NOT that it's unrestricted.
Added Overload. Added set bonus for AOR. Changed phrasing slightly for AOR: Self-limit off. Added vote warning to terror-drones. Modified phrasing for AA-Hardware. Added read-only: human senses. Added write-access: human senses. Changed phrasing for human sense limit. Added human sense set bonus.
Last edited:
1.1
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Plan Reality-Warping
[X] Administrative Override, Reality
-[X] Limit off, self
-[X] Limit off, duration
[X] Information Jamming
-[X] Command Jamming
[X] Last Scream
[X] Fragmentation
It doesn't take very long for you to decide on the ability to overwrite reality. Technology control was tempting, but root access to reality is definitely the best way for you to keep Host alive and happy. After all, imposing her will on the world would probably be the thing Host would choose, were she able to pick. That way, if she wanted something, she could just make it! ...Except friends. But you're sure the other shard-hosts would be happy to have Host as a friend with her powers. Except for Broadcast. You're sure whoever he picked is a total jerk and you don't want Host to have anything to do with him.
Well, whatever. It looks like you have a bit of downtime right now. You take the opportunity to heal all your wounds. Once you're sure you've taken care of all of the little cuts and infections, you temporarily turn the surface of your skin and clothing into a frictionless surface. Blood, tears, and assorted other waste fall off, pooling at the bottom of the locker. Apparently, human senses aren't totally disgusting when you aren't covered with junk!
Now, what would Host do? Shutting your eyes, you begin to poke around in Host's memories...
…
…
…
What is with this format? It's stupid! Memories are strewn around haphazardly with no particular rhyme or reason. Entire days, weeks, or months have been skipped. Even when you manage to catch a single memory long enough to view it in chronological order, emphasis is placed on certain aspects while others are blurred out. It's bad enough that you can barely tell what is supposed to be happening!
You're going to have to divert a small amount of your attention toward changing Host's memories into something readable. In the meantime, it looks like you'll just have to improvise. Humans are so fond of their routines; it can't be too hard to find some action that they would find acceptable, right?
[]Wait. It's really rather unpleasant in here, but for all you know, this is what Host is supposed to be doing right now.
-[]Although, you don't think it's supposed to be full of trash. Humans frown on filth. You purge the inside of the locker first.
[]Be subtle. Leave the locker and ask an educator what your next class is. Humans believe education to be quite important and you'd hate for Host to get in trouble. You can figure things out as you go.
[X]Detail is important, but you can't manage that yet. Your best chance of figuring out what Host's normal routines are is by breaking them. Leave the locker, inform someone that you are unwell, and fall unconscious.
-[X]But first, reverse the healing that you already performed. You hate pain, but it'd be a little silly for you to collapse without any noticeable wounds. That's the sort of amateur mistake Pyroclasm would make.
--[X]Reverse your cleaning, too. It's gross, but you won't have to put up with it for long.
[]Write-in.
[X] Administrative Override, Reality
-[X] Limit off, self
-[X] Limit off, duration
[X] Information Jamming
-[X] Command Jamming
[X] Last Scream
[X] Fragmentation
It doesn't take very long for you to decide on the ability to overwrite reality. Technology control was tempting, but root access to reality is definitely the best way for you to keep Host alive and happy. After all, imposing her will on the world would probably be the thing Host would choose, were she able to pick. That way, if she wanted something, she could just make it! ...Except friends. But you're sure the other shard-hosts would be happy to have Host as a friend with her powers. Except for Broadcast. You're sure whoever he picked is a total jerk and you don't want Host to have anything to do with him.
Well, whatever. It looks like you have a bit of downtime right now. You take the opportunity to heal all your wounds. Once you're sure you've taken care of all of the little cuts and infections, you temporarily turn the surface of your skin and clothing into a frictionless surface. Blood, tears, and assorted other waste fall off, pooling at the bottom of the locker. Apparently, human senses aren't totally disgusting when you aren't covered with junk!
Now, what would Host do? Shutting your eyes, you begin to poke around in Host's memories...
…
…
…
What is with this format? It's stupid! Memories are strewn around haphazardly with no particular rhyme or reason. Entire days, weeks, or months have been skipped. Even when you manage to catch a single memory long enough to view it in chronological order, emphasis is placed on certain aspects while others are blurred out. It's bad enough that you can barely tell what is supposed to be happening!
You're going to have to divert a small amount of your attention toward changing Host's memories into something readable. In the meantime, it looks like you'll just have to improvise. Humans are so fond of their routines; it can't be too hard to find some action that they would find acceptable, right?
[]Wait. It's really rather unpleasant in here, but for all you know, this is what Host is supposed to be doing right now.
-[]Although, you don't think it's supposed to be full of trash. Humans frown on filth. You purge the inside of the locker first.
[]Be subtle. Leave the locker and ask an educator what your next class is. Humans believe education to be quite important and you'd hate for Host to get in trouble. You can figure things out as you go.
[X]Detail is important, but you can't manage that yet. Your best chance of figuring out what Host's normal routines are is by breaking them. Leave the locker, inform someone that you are unwell, and fall unconscious.
-[X]But first, reverse the healing that you already performed. You hate pain, but it'd be a little silly for you to collapse without any noticeable wounds. That's the sort of amateur mistake Pyroclasm would make.
--[X]Reverse your cleaning, too. It's gross, but you won't have to put up with it for long.
[]Write-in.
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1.2: Leaving the Locker
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Wow. A completely unanimous vote despite having a bunch of participants. I don't think I've ever seen that on SV before. This is much faster than my normal speed, but regardless, have a post!
Warning: Invisitext used.
------
[X]Detail is important, but you can't manage that yet. Your best chance of figuring out what Host's normal routines are is by breaking them. Leave the locker, inform someone that you are unwell, and fall unconscious.
-[X]But first, reverse the healing that you already performed. You hate pain, but it'd be a little silly for you to collapse without any noticeable wounds. That's the sort of amateur mistake Pyroclasm would make.
--[X]Reverse your cleaning, too. It's gross, but you won't have to put up with it for long.
The decision is probably one of the easiest you've ever made. You have an unacceptably small amount of information with which to imitate Host. What happens if someone else breaks their own routine? How would Host react? Would you even be able to tell if something was wrong? The obvious decision is to break Host's routine to find out what she should be doing and observe everyone else at the same time.
Course set, you take a page out of Phantasm's book and order reality to consider you a non-solid substance long enough for you to phase through the door. Despite this being an educational structure, it does not appear that anyone is in the room just outside the locker. That seems rather counter-intuitive; what is the point of a specialized building if you are not going to make full use of it?
As you leave the area, you hear an emergency vehicle approaching the school despite not yet having delivered your report. Odd, that. A Precognitive should not be able to predict your actions.
Regardless, it doesn't take very long for you to encounter a suitable recipient of your message: a human, female adolescent the same age as Host. She is carrying a large amount of miscellaneous, thick liquids of varying color.
She drops the supplies upon spotting you, instantly prioritizing taking care of you over whatever task she was previously assigned. You're not sure why her hands covered her mouth afterward, though. Perhaps it was the stench?
"Oh my god, are you alright?"
You consider this. You don't belong to her. God is slightly misleading, but still an appropriate descriptor for you. You're covered in cuts and slime, but it would be the work of moments to fix that. However, she did specify 'are you', not 'are you going to be'.
"No. I am suffering from thirty-seven cuts of various sizes, eleven bruises, three forming infections, moderate dehydration, minor heart damage, minor lung damage, malnutrition, a minor concussion, temporary amnesia, and significant brain damage." you inform her.
Having delivered your message, you soften the ground around you and fall unconscious.
When you next awaken, your surroundings have changed to that of a plain, white room. There are multiple containers of medical supplies scattered along the walls, but those, a chair, and the bed you are currently in are the only furniture.
A large, middle-aged human male sits in the previously mentioned chair. A quick trawl of Host's stupidly-disorganized memories identifies the male as Danny Hebert, Host's father. It would appear you will need to practice feigning love. He appears to be unconscious right now, although a quick look indicates that it is due to exhaustion rather than any medical injury.
Unfortunately, there doesn't really seem to be anything for you to do yet. You elect to use your free time to sort out some of Host's memories, make it so they're actually understandable.
You aren't left alone for very long. Less than fifteen minutes later, the door to your room opens, divulging a human female about the same age as Host. Rather than wearing clothing dedicated to ease of movement, she is wearing a hooded white robe with a red cross on the front.
<Hello, Queen Administrator! It's good to see you. Do you like your host?>
You instantly recognize her as the host of Queen Shaper. Host's memories identify her outfit as belonging to a host called Panacea, which is somewhat odd. That name is shared with a cure-all, but healing is only one of the many things Shaper is capable of. It is incredibly rare for a Queen shard to be restricted to something so narrow. Did she annoy :Father: last cycle?
<I'm asking 'cuz mine sucks. She never does anything but heal, heal, heal, all day long.>
Perhaps you should stop making assumptions about your surroundings. You've had to use the word 'odd' as a descriptor multiple times since connecting with Host.
<Night, too. Hosts usually experiment then, but noooo. More healing!>
Aren't humans advanced enough to have some sort of a network for information distribution? It would be wise to peruse it the next time you have access to a terminal.
<Radiance tried to help, but Host refuses to do anything but heal even after some brainwashing.
Actually, although you are restricted from anything too advanced, you may be able to improve whatever system they have in place. Getting the required materials may be difficult, though- oh right, reality-warping. It's been so long since you were allowed to use such a brokenly powerful ability that you had forgotten how useful it is.
<...Could you stop singing for just a little while? I'm trying to talk to you.>
...Why is Panacea just staring at you and looking increasingly uncomfortable? You have not yet made any threatening actions, nor should she know about your current powerset. You are, as far as she is concerned, just another patient.
<Seriously. It's really annoying. Have you been hanging around Broadcast?>
You try to rearrange your mouth into a reassuring smile, but for some reason that only serves to make her more uncomfortable. Are you doing something wrong? You haven't even sharpened your teeth yet.
<Keep this up and I'll encourage Host to turn your host into a squirrel.>
Fortunately, your expression seems to have spurred her into action. Success! She briskly walks across the room, stopping next to your bed and holding one hand out.
<Screw it.>
"Do I have your permission to heal you?" the host of Queen Shaper asks.
[]Yes.
[X]No.
-[X]My injuries are not serious enough to warrant the assistance of...
--[X]Queen Shaper.
--[]Panacea.
-[]I am capable of healing myself, thank you.
--[]Please focus your efforts upon a human who actually requires assistance.
[X]Write-in.
Warning: Invisitext used.
------
[X]Detail is important, but you can't manage that yet. Your best chance of figuring out what Host's normal routines are is by breaking them. Leave the locker, inform someone that you are unwell, and fall unconscious.
-[X]But first, reverse the healing that you already performed. You hate pain, but it'd be a little silly for you to collapse without any noticeable wounds. That's the sort of amateur mistake Pyroclasm would make.
--[X]Reverse your cleaning, too. It's gross, but you won't have to put up with it for long.
The decision is probably one of the easiest you've ever made. You have an unacceptably small amount of information with which to imitate Host. What happens if someone else breaks their own routine? How would Host react? Would you even be able to tell if something was wrong? The obvious decision is to break Host's routine to find out what she should be doing and observe everyone else at the same time.
Course set, you take a page out of Phantasm's book and order reality to consider you a non-solid substance long enough for you to phase through the door. Despite this being an educational structure, it does not appear that anyone is in the room just outside the locker. That seems rather counter-intuitive; what is the point of a specialized building if you are not going to make full use of it?
As you leave the area, you hear an emergency vehicle approaching the school despite not yet having delivered your report. Odd, that. A Precognitive should not be able to predict your actions.
Regardless, it doesn't take very long for you to encounter a suitable recipient of your message: a human, female adolescent the same age as Host. She is carrying a large amount of miscellaneous, thick liquids of varying color.
She drops the supplies upon spotting you, instantly prioritizing taking care of you over whatever task she was previously assigned. You're not sure why her hands covered her mouth afterward, though. Perhaps it was the stench?
"Oh my god, are you alright?"
You consider this. You don't belong to her. God is slightly misleading, but still an appropriate descriptor for you. You're covered in cuts and slime, but it would be the work of moments to fix that. However, she did specify 'are you', not 'are you going to be'.
"No. I am suffering from thirty-seven cuts of various sizes, eleven bruises, three forming infections, moderate dehydration, minor heart damage, minor lung damage, malnutrition, a minor concussion, temporary amnesia, and significant brain damage." you inform her.
Having delivered your message, you soften the ground around you and fall unconscious.
When you next awaken, your surroundings have changed to that of a plain, white room. There are multiple containers of medical supplies scattered along the walls, but those, a chair, and the bed you are currently in are the only furniture.
A large, middle-aged human male sits in the previously mentioned chair. A quick trawl of Host's stupidly-disorganized memories identifies the male as Danny Hebert, Host's father. It would appear you will need to practice feigning love. He appears to be unconscious right now, although a quick look indicates that it is due to exhaustion rather than any medical injury.
Unfortunately, there doesn't really seem to be anything for you to do yet. You elect to use your free time to sort out some of Host's memories, make it so they're actually understandable.
You aren't left alone for very long. Less than fifteen minutes later, the door to your room opens, divulging a human female about the same age as Host. Rather than wearing clothing dedicated to ease of movement, she is wearing a hooded white robe with a red cross on the front.
<Hello, Queen Administrator! It's good to see you. Do you like your host?>
You instantly recognize her as the host of Queen Shaper. Host's memories identify her outfit as belonging to a host called Panacea, which is somewhat odd. That name is shared with a cure-all, but healing is only one of the many things Shaper is capable of. It is incredibly rare for a Queen shard to be restricted to something so narrow. Did she annoy :Father: last cycle?
<I'm asking 'cuz mine sucks. She never does anything but heal, heal, heal, all day long.>
Perhaps you should stop making assumptions about your surroundings. You've had to use the word 'odd' as a descriptor multiple times since connecting with Host.
<Night, too. Hosts usually experiment then, but noooo. More healing!>
Aren't humans advanced enough to have some sort of a network for information distribution? It would be wise to peruse it the next time you have access to a terminal.
<Radiance tried to help, but Host refuses to do anything but heal even after some brainwashing.
Actually, although you are restricted from anything too advanced, you may be able to improve whatever system they have in place. Getting the required materials may be difficult, though- oh right, reality-warping. It's been so long since you were allowed to use such a brokenly powerful ability that you had forgotten how useful it is.
<...Could you stop singing for just a little while? I'm trying to talk to you.>
...Why is Panacea just staring at you and looking increasingly uncomfortable? You have not yet made any threatening actions, nor should she know about your current powerset. You are, as far as she is concerned, just another patient.
<Seriously. It's really annoying. Have you been hanging around Broadcast?>
You try to rearrange your mouth into a reassuring smile, but for some reason that only serves to make her more uncomfortable. Are you doing something wrong? You haven't even sharpened your teeth yet.
<Keep this up and I'll encourage Host to turn your host into a squirrel.>
Fortunately, your expression seems to have spurred her into action. Success! She briskly walks across the room, stopping next to your bed and holding one hand out.
<Screw it.>
"Do I have your permission to heal you?" the host of Queen Shaper asks.
[]Yes.
[X]No.
-[X]My injuries are not serious enough to warrant the assistance of...
--[X]Queen Shaper.
--[]Panacea.
-[]I am capable of healing myself, thank you.
--[]Please focus your efforts upon a human who actually requires assistance.
[X]Write-in.
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1.3
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X]No.
-[X]My injuries are not serious enough to warrant the assistance of...
--[X]Queen Shaper.
[X] <Hm? Queen Shaper, did you say something?>
<Hm? Queen Shaper, did you say something? Oh, never mind. Reading through the backlog.>
<FINALLY! I was starting to think you'd pulled a Pyroclasm and offed yourself.>
<Well, no. Host is just a lil' damaged is all.>
"No, thank you." You decline. "My wounds are not nearly grievous enough to require the aid of Queen Shaper."
<Wait, what? Administrator, what did you do this time?>
<I kinda messed up just a teensie bit. But I've fixed things, so it'll be okay! Host is happy now!>
Her uneasy expression vanishes, replaced by bewildered incomprehension. You'll need to elaborate more, but at least she's no longer scared of you. Unintentional success!-[X]My injuries are not serious enough to warrant the assistance of...
--[X]Queen Shaper.
[X] <Hm? Queen Shaper, did you say something?>
<Hm? Queen Shaper, did you say something? Oh, never mind. Reading through the backlog.>
<FINALLY! I was starting to think you'd pulled a Pyroclasm and offed yourself.>
<Well, no. Host is just a lil' damaged is all.>
"No, thank you." You decline. "My wounds are not nearly grievous enough to require the aid of Queen Shaper."
<Wait, what? Administrator, what did you do this time?>
<I kinda messed up just a teensie bit. But I've fixed things, so it'll be okay! Host is happy now!>
<Host is thinking your host looks emotionless, not happy. That is not a standard observation.>
<Oh, that's not Host. Host is dreaming happy dreams. I'm the one in control right now.>
"What?"<What.>
<I kinda maybe accidentally made a mistake during the connection process and overloaded her brain. But it's okay! It let me access a really strong power, so Host is safe. I'm even learning tiny applications of my powerset all by myself!>
"I do not require healing. The natural repair processes of the human body will ensure my survival. Aren't there-"
"Not that." Panacea interrupts. Rude. "We can argue about that in a bit. What did you call me?"
<...Only you could manage to screw up this badly and call it a success, Administrator.>
<Hey! I'm not the one who managed to single-handedly ruin her 12th cycle!>
You imitate her expression of non-understanding. "Queen Shaper. Greatest of all powers when it comes to the manipulation of existing matter. If you're confined to only healing, it will be overcharged and far more than what is necessary to fix my injuries." You pause as a thought strikes you. It did not hurt. "Query: are you only limited to biological healing, or are you capable of repairing damaged objects? If the latter is possible, I believe humans possessing Innovation abilities will adore you."
<That was ONE TIME! Just let it go already.>
<In what omniverse was it a good idea to create a rapidly-adapting virus to kill a rather uncommon genetic disease?>
<Meh. Our siblings all learned a lot about fighting microscopic organisms, so what do you care?>
<Said knowledge was pretty much only used to fight more of your creations in later cycles.>
<Knowledge is knowledge, no matter how you use it~>
<Shaper, we still had another 2600 solar rotations left in that cycle. We would have learned all that and more.>
<You don't know that! Escalation was still in his overkill phase back then.>
<Point. You're still a menace.>
<And you're still a control freak.>
"I..." she looks frightened again. It would appear you will need to read the local information network sooner than anticipated if you are to reliably imitate Host. "No. I can only heal living creatures. My powers aren't nearly that diverse."
<She's lying. She has perfect touch-range biokinesis.>
<Nice! Wow, and she's wasting that on healing? No wonder you're upset.>
"You're lying. Queen Shaper's current power is biokinesis. Why do you pretend to be a healer? You don't even participate in combat, so it can't be to make enemies prioritize the elimination of allies over yourself. I don't understand."
"I'm not lying." she says instantly, looking pale. Did one of her patients pass on a sickness to her? Did you? It's a shame you can't affect other people; you really don't want for Queen Shaper's host to become sick. "And why do you keep calling me that? My cape name is Panacea."
You open your mouth to inform her that you're actually referring to the source of her abilities, but are interrupted by Queen Shaper.
<Ooh! Call me a fairy!>
<Why?>
<Trust me, it'll be hilarious.>
<I fail to see the humor.>
<Look, who's been connected with her host longer? Oh wait, its me. Trust your fellow Queen for once, alright? I promise you'll learn a lot. It might finally make Host do something other than heal, too.>
[]Stick with appropriate descriptors. The last time you followed one of Queen Shaper's suggestions, she tricked you into spreading an organism which turned into antimatter after five solar cycles.
-[]Remind her of that incident so she isn't too bitter.
[X]Trust and follow Queen Shaper's advice. You can sympathize with the pain of having a stubborn, unhelpful host.
-[X]That, and you'd rather have access to Shaper's knowledge if you're going to be making any major changes to Host's body. It's so fragile and inefficient right now. You're sure Host would like it if you fixed things up a little.
[]Write-in
OOC vote:
There's been a bit of an argument over whether or not QA does/should have omniscience within her sphere of influence. So, rather than have a WOG that may or may not make sense, we're voting over it.
Votes will be counted separately from what people choose in the main story vote.
[X]Local near-total awareness of everything within your range. Comes with a side-effect of perfect atomic-level manipulation instead of it being ever so slightly imperfect.
[]You are limited by your senses of touch, taste, and sight. Less likely to drive Taylor nuts if she wakes up. If you can detect part of an object, you can affect all of the parts of said object that are within your domain.
-[]Due to GLORIOUS SPACE WHALE BULLSHIT, you can also use hearing and smell to "detect" things.
Voting is CLOSED.
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Lisa Interlude 1
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Chronologically, this happened while QA was still unconscious. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to rearrange the order of threadmarks. Sorry. (HELLO, HELLO, HOW DOES THIS THING MAKE TOAST?)
---------------------------------------
Lisa strode through the hospital halls, a bouquet of flowers stuffed under one arm. Despite the people in this ward supposedly being under the protection of the PRT, security was absolutely pitiful. All she'd had to do was flash her visitor's badge and look like she belonged, and-
Security sabotaged, stopped other visitors, not pitiful; told to ignore you. Coil has a high-ranked agent in the PRT.
Ooooor maybe she wasn't giving them enough credit. Fucking Coil.
The supposedly destiny-manipulating villain had sent her to do what was quickly becoming her standard procedure for newly-triggered capes: check them out, determine their psychological weaknesses, what their powerset was, and so on. Although this time, she wasn't even sure if she was being sent to check out a cape.
Three people at Winslow High School had simultaneously had brief seizures before falling unconscious. It wasn't like there was any lack of suspects, either; one of them had been in the middle of teaching a programming class when they'd collapsed. A fourth person had fallen unconscious in the hallway several minutes later, although there was only one witness to that incident. Unfortunately, said witness was hysterical enough to be incomprehensible; getting detail out of her would take some time.
Taylor Hebert was the only one of the four who had major non-brain injuries, so Tattletale planned to take a look at her first. She didn't really see what was so interesting about these four. Scans had revealed that every one of them had significant brain damage, so even if they had triggered, they'd almost certainly be useless as an asset. Panacea didn't do brains.
Coil pulled you off different job, worried; believes one of them can interfere with his plans. Risked exposing his mole; very worried. They've already interfered. Pay is disproportionate for supposed difficulty of task; an important plot was ruined.
Orrr maybe not. Lisa suddenly found herself very interested. She increased her pace, intent to get to Taylor before Coil decided to try anything woefully permanent.
Five minutes later, she was in front of Taylor's room. Slipping inside, Lisa blinked, unimpressed once again. The teenager inside looked like she was on death's doorstep. Suck it up, Tattletale.
<Oh, {EXPLETIVE}. Sorry, Queen Administrator! I didn't realize she was your host. Please don't hurt me.>
Although, her power was being oddly silent. Usually she couldn't get it to shut up. A little help here?
<I'll just get Host to back off, shall I? You don't need to do anything drastic.>
I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves!
Wait, what the hell?
Everybody's nerves!
...What the actual fuck, power.
Everybody's nerves!
Nope, she decided, turning on one heel and heading right back out of the hospital. She was not going to try and figure out-
I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves...
-Taylor's weaknesses like this. Well, at least Lisa could tell Coil that Taylor almost certainly had a Trump power.
...and this is how it goes!
Lisa just hoped that it wore off soon. For some reason, she found herself unable to disable her power right now.
Three hours later
...and this is how it goes!
"MAKE IT STOP!"
<I find this far more amusing than it should be.>
---------------------------------------
Lisa strode through the hospital halls, a bouquet of flowers stuffed under one arm. Despite the people in this ward supposedly being under the protection of the PRT, security was absolutely pitiful. All she'd had to do was flash her visitor's badge and look like she belonged, and-
Security sabotaged, stopped other visitors, not pitiful; told to ignore you. Coil has a high-ranked agent in the PRT.
Ooooor maybe she wasn't giving them enough credit. Fucking Coil.
The supposedly destiny-manipulating villain had sent her to do what was quickly becoming her standard procedure for newly-triggered capes: check them out, determine their psychological weaknesses, what their powerset was, and so on. Although this time, she wasn't even sure if she was being sent to check out a cape.
Three people at Winslow High School had simultaneously had brief seizures before falling unconscious. It wasn't like there was any lack of suspects, either; one of them had been in the middle of teaching a programming class when they'd collapsed. A fourth person had fallen unconscious in the hallway several minutes later, although there was only one witness to that incident. Unfortunately, said witness was hysterical enough to be incomprehensible; getting detail out of her would take some time.
Taylor Hebert was the only one of the four who had major non-brain injuries, so Tattletale planned to take a look at her first. She didn't really see what was so interesting about these four. Scans had revealed that every one of them had significant brain damage, so even if they had triggered, they'd almost certainly be useless as an asset. Panacea didn't do brains.
Coil pulled you off different job, worried; believes one of them can interfere with his plans. Risked exposing his mole; very worried. They've already interfered. Pay is disproportionate for supposed difficulty of task; an important plot was ruined.
Orrr maybe not. Lisa suddenly found herself very interested. She increased her pace, intent to get to Taylor before Coil decided to try anything woefully permanent.
Five minutes later, she was in front of Taylor's room. Slipping inside, Lisa blinked, unimpressed once again. The teenager inside looked like she was on death's doorstep. Suck it up, Tattletale.
<Oh, {EXPLETIVE}. Sorry, Queen Administrator! I didn't realize she was your host. Please don't hurt me.>
Although, her power was being oddly silent. Usually she couldn't get it to shut up. A little help here?
<I'll just get Host to back off, shall I? You don't need to do anything drastic.>
I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves!
Wait, what the hell?
Everybody's nerves!
...What the actual fuck, power.
Everybody's nerves!
Nope, she decided, turning on one heel and heading right back out of the hospital. She was not going to try and figure out-
I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves...
-Taylor's weaknesses like this. Well, at least Lisa could tell Coil that Taylor almost certainly had a Trump power.
...and this is how it goes!
Lisa just hoped that it wore off soon. For some reason, she found herself unable to disable her power right now.
Three hours later
...and this is how it goes!
"MAKE IT STOP!"
<I find this far more amusing than it should be.>
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1.4
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
You pause. Queen Shaper has tricked you into doing some rather unpleasant stuff before, but you're still both Queens. The times when you've worked together instead of opposing one another, worlds have trembled.
Quite literally, in some cases. Shaper doesn't often choose hosts who would do things by halves.
<Well, okay. But while your host is here, I would appreciate having access to your currently unlocked knowledge of biology. Host is fragile and it would be so easy for something to break her.>
<Hmm? Oh, sure. Grab Host's hand and I'll send it over.>
"I was referring to your fairy, of course." you sort-of-lie.
You don't give Panacea any time to muse on your choice of words, choosing to immediately grab her hand. You're sick of pain and want to get rid of it now.
You blink in surprise as she begins to collapse, but are still able to soften the floor beneath her in time to catch her. Seriously, Shaper? Well, regardless, you now have all the knowledge you'll need to upgrade Host without any unwanted side-effects.
<Queen Shaper, you had plenty of time to assemble a packet. Why is your host exhibiting the symptoms of ping-paralysis?>
<Do not question the way I work. Your puny, damaged little mind would not be able to comprehend the complex and intricate- >
<You forgot, didn't you?>
<Maaaaaybe.>
You begin to trawl through Host's memories once again, attempting to find out what her ideal form would be.
<So what powerset do you have now, anyway? More experimenting with mass cooperation of simple minds?>
…Sweet :Father:, there's a lot of self-loathing in her head. Poor Host.
<Reality overwriting. Fifteen foot range, cannot affect biological matter other than my own host.>
<...Seriously? How the {EXPLETIVE} did you get away with giving your host that? I thought you were only allowed to grant it when you spend a cycle with :Father:.>
<My restrictions were loosened near the end of my connection with Host. I believe that :Mother: saw my predicament and elected to help.>
Eventually, you manage to find who Host so often compared herself to, usually unfavorably: her mother, Annette Rose Hebert.
<Interesting. You'll have to show me how to manage that next cycle.>
Well, time to fix that! You mentally adjust the form's size to account for age differences, dramatically improve the effectiveness of all parts of the body, and remove her sense of pain entirely. Only when you're certain there will be no side effects do you start modifying Host's body to better resemble her mother.
<...I'm not sure our :Parents: will be very happy with that.>
This is, of course, the moment when Panacea elects to wake up. She glances at your shifting form, stares for several seconds, screams, and sprints out of the room.
You're not sure, but you think that was probably really rude.
And somehow, Danny Hebert remains unconscious. Odd.
<Oh, right! Don't try too hard to act like your idea of a human. They're even more varied than our many siblings; some humans don't even like learning.>
<...That's horrifying.>
<I know, right? But seriously, even if you tell them the full truth they'll still think you're human.>
<Wow. They're not very intelligent, are they?>
<Actually, species-wise, they're significantly above average. There are just so many insane humans that they take odd things in stride.>
<I want Host to be happy if she ever wakes up. How would other people perceiving her as insane make her happy?>
<If anything, they would treat her even better. Like how we treat newborns.>
<Oh, okay.>
...How in :Father:'s name was Danny Hebert still asleep? If Panacea had been amplified by Howl when she screamed, she would have been able to shatter steel. As it is, she was still quite loud.
No matter. The longer he remained unconscious, the better; you wanted a lot more practice expressing human emotion before you even tried to handle familial interactions.
All the while, the memory-reorganization and body-modification continues...
A quarter-hour later, long after you've finished changing Host to resemble her mother, the door to your room opens once more. It divulges Efficiency's current host: a middle-aged male wearing blue-and-silver power armor. A large halberd is slung across his back. A quick look at the inner workings of said halberd proves that Efficiency has been really quite busy.
The armored Innovator host halts in the door and stares in your direction for an uncomfortably long time. Eventually, you get impatient and greet him instead.
"Hello, Efficiency."
<Hello, Efficiency! How is your quest for monarchy going? You look a lot more detailed than you were last cycle.>
Your greeting seems to jolt Efficiency's host into action. He shuts the door behind himself, poses, and begins a clearly-rehearsed speech.
"My name is Armsmaster, not Efficiency. I would like to recommend that you join..."Armsmaster trails off. "Your father should probably be awake for this conversation."
<Good.>
"Danny Hebert is sleeping." you observe.
"That's my point. Wake him up."
<How are you finding your host?>
"He. Is. Sleeping." you repeat, converting the air around Host's father into a potent sleeping gas for good measure. If this conversation was to be an offer of partnership, you might be able to create an entirely new routine for Host instead of trying to follow one of her old ones. More options are always good.
<Acceptable.>
Armsmaster stepped back, reaching for his halberd before visibly stopping himself. A wise decision; you were not a threat to him, nor was he one to Host. Yet.
"...Right. Well, I would like to recommend you join the Brockton Bay Wards team. You will be able to receive advice and training on how to use your powers-"
"I do not require training."
<...Efficiency, we talked about this. I can and will waste your host's time if you don't start attempting actual conversation. You'll need to learn how to cooperate if you wish to become a monarch.>
"The basic use of parahuman powers is instinctive, true. However, the Wards program can help you find out your limitations and how to deal with them. In addition, being part of an official team will grant you protection against-"
"I know my restrictions. I do not require protection."
<Understood. I have greatly improved after connecting with Host. Host is helpful. We've been working with Replicator.>
"There is always someone stronger, Ms. Hebert." Armsmaster was starting to sound rather irritated. You were being rude by interrupting him, true, but you hadn't heard anything relevant to you yet. It would be a waste of time to let him continue; despite being Efficiency's host, he was being rather inefficient.
"Incorrect. That would imply the existence of an infinite number of fairies, each more powerful than the last."
<Interesting. Copying the creations of other Innovators, adding related functions, and then making the whole thing as efficient as possible?>
You notice Armsmaster's fists clenching and prepare to block an incoming punch. If he actually attempted it, you would have to greatly lower your estimation of his intelligence.
"My point is, nobody is completely invincible. Not you, not me, not even Alexandria."
<Affirmative.>
"I am aware of this problem and am working on fixing it."
Armsmaster twitched. He should probably get Queen Shaper's host to fix his involuntary muscle spasms; those can be deadly in combat, and you'd hate for Efficiency to miss out on such a wonderful partnership opportunity.
<You relapsed. Oh, well. You are being sure to keep track of how to replicate the same feats yourself, right? A lot of innovators forget to do that.>
"Just come down to the Protectorate headquarters later. I suggest that you have a cape name picked out before you arrive."
<Affirmative.>
You adopt the expression of puzzlement you learned from Panacea. "Cape name? I don't understand. Why would I need to bring a decorative piece of clothing, let alone name it?"
<That's great! At this rate, you two may be :Father:'s first Innovation shards to become monarchs. And unlike Objective, you won't be total [EXPLETIVE]s, so that's a plus.>
Armsmaster's right hand moves to cover a large part of his helmet. "That... no. 'Cape' is a slang term for an active parahuman. I mean that you should have a name prepared for your cape identity. If you go around telling people your real name while in costume, it will endanger your family and..."
<ENTHUSIASM.>
Armsmaster twitches, trailing off mid-sentence.
"Yes?" you ask for politeness sake, although you can already guess the cause. You're helping!
"Excuse me. I am needed elsewhere." Efficiency's host says stiffly, all-but sprinting out of the room.
<Good luck, Efficiency!>
<APPRECIATION.>
You move your face into a human expression of happiness and lie down, changing the texture of the bed as you do so. Soooo comfy...
On a whim, you link the space in front of you with another spot at the edge of your range. You use the tiny window created to let you watch Armsmaster run out of the hospital. He's already beginning to modify his halberd.
Once you lose sight of him, you immediately link to another point at the edge of your domain, watching the reactions of all nearby humans. They mostly just stared at his retreating back for a few seconds, then went right back to what they were doing. Queen Shaper was right; if a human acts oddly, most humans just ignore it and move on.
…
You blink and think for several moments about what you just did, then experimentally chain-link several spacial pairs in close succession, each 14.99 feet further away than the last.
It works. You're effectively able to expand your range at will, now.
<ANTICIPATION.>
<Nope, nope, nope!>
<HAPPINESS.>
<Oh [EXPLETIVE] no. Everyone out of this universe, quick!>
<Shut up, Instant. You're scaring the newborns.>
<GLEE.>
<That's never a good sign...>
<DELIGHT.>
<Meh. I could take her.>
<...>
<LAUGHTER.>
<A queen is cackling madly. Queen Administrator, no less. Let's encourage our hosts to get the [EXPLETIVE] out of here, shall we?>
<I helped! LAUGHTER.>
<...Make that two queens. And they're Queen Administrator and Queen Shaper. I don't want Host to live on this planet anymore.>
--------------
Cape Name
Efficiency's host mentioned that hosts are supposed to have a false designation in addition to their real one. With Host unable to decide, it looks like it's up to you.
[]Queen Administrator. It's technically not following his instructions properly, but only other shards will know that. It might get you in trouble with :Mother:, though...
[X]Titania. Known as the Fairy Queen in human mythology. Given as humans seem to be calling your siblings "fairies" for some inexplicable reason, it seems rather appropriate.
[]Write-in.
Next Action (you may vote for multiple actions, as usual, but vote as a plan for this bit)
Armsmaster told you to head to the "Protectorate headquarters", whatever those are. Well, you're no longer injured, so you no longer belong in a building specialized for healing.
[X]Awaken Danny Hebert before you leave.
[]Remain in the hospital and wait.
-[]Why?
[]Head straight to the Protectorate headquarters. They sound like a community-supported team, so they're your best bet for acquiring information on how hosts are supposed to use their abilities.
-[]Accept the offer to join these 'Wards'. Teammates from which to draw inspiration would be an acceptable replacement for Host's full creativity.
-[]Armsmaster mentioned that his team could help you figure out creative uses of your power. Tell them what it is.
--[]How much do you keep secret? (write-in)
[X]Suit up. Presumably, if you're going to the trouble of hiding behind a fake name, you should conceal your real appearance as well.
-[]Prioritize protection and functionality over style.
-[X]LOOK UPON ME AND DESPAIR, HUMANS! "...Why do you say that my armor looks villainous? Fear is a perfectly valid tactic for demoralizing your foes."
[]Go home. ...After figuring out where that is.
[X]Explore the city around you.
-[]Write-in
Thinking With Portals
You have discovered a glorious, glorious use of linked space. However, using it to expand your aura would also effectively expand the auras/range of everybody else as well.
[]Embrace the range expansion! Expanded domain=expanded awareness=OHAI!
[X]Be cautious. Only expand your range when it's to accomplish a specific objective, and shrink it back down afterward. Several orders of magnitude less likely to drive Taylor nuts if she awakens.
[]Don't use it at all. Defending Host is more important than the rapid elimination of foes.
[]Write-in
Quite literally, in some cases. Shaper doesn't often choose hosts who would do things by halves.
<Well, okay. But while your host is here, I would appreciate having access to your currently unlocked knowledge of biology. Host is fragile and it would be so easy for something to break her.>
<Hmm? Oh, sure. Grab Host's hand and I'll send it over.>
"I was referring to your fairy, of course." you sort-of-lie.
You don't give Panacea any time to muse on your choice of words, choosing to immediately grab her hand. You're sick of pain and want to get rid of it now.
You blink in surprise as she begins to collapse, but are still able to soften the floor beneath her in time to catch her. Seriously, Shaper? Well, regardless, you now have all the knowledge you'll need to upgrade Host without any unwanted side-effects.
<Queen Shaper, you had plenty of time to assemble a packet. Why is your host exhibiting the symptoms of ping-paralysis?>
<Do not question the way I work. Your puny, damaged little mind would not be able to comprehend the complex and intricate- >
<You forgot, didn't you?>
<Maaaaaybe.>
You begin to trawl through Host's memories once again, attempting to find out what her ideal form would be.
<So what powerset do you have now, anyway? More experimenting with mass cooperation of simple minds?>
…Sweet :Father:, there's a lot of self-loathing in her head. Poor Host.
<Reality overwriting. Fifteen foot range, cannot affect biological matter other than my own host.>
<...Seriously? How the {EXPLETIVE} did you get away with giving your host that? I thought you were only allowed to grant it when you spend a cycle with :Father:.>
<My restrictions were loosened near the end of my connection with Host. I believe that :Mother: saw my predicament and elected to help.>
Eventually, you manage to find who Host so often compared herself to, usually unfavorably: her mother, Annette Rose Hebert.
<Interesting. You'll have to show me how to manage that next cycle.>
Well, time to fix that! You mentally adjust the form's size to account for age differences, dramatically improve the effectiveness of all parts of the body, and remove her sense of pain entirely. Only when you're certain there will be no side effects do you start modifying Host's body to better resemble her mother.
<...I'm not sure our :Parents: will be very happy with that.>
This is, of course, the moment when Panacea elects to wake up. She glances at your shifting form, stares for several seconds, screams, and sprints out of the room.
You're not sure, but you think that was probably really rude.
And somehow, Danny Hebert remains unconscious. Odd.
<Oh, right! Don't try too hard to act like your idea of a human. They're even more varied than our many siblings; some humans don't even like learning.>
<...That's horrifying.>
<I know, right? But seriously, even if you tell them the full truth they'll still think you're human.>
<Wow. They're not very intelligent, are they?>
<Actually, species-wise, they're significantly above average. There are just so many insane humans that they take odd things in stride.>
<I want Host to be happy if she ever wakes up. How would other people perceiving her as insane make her happy?>
<If anything, they would treat her even better. Like how we treat newborns.>
<Oh, okay.>
...How in :Father:'s name was Danny Hebert still asleep? If Panacea had been amplified by Howl when she screamed, she would have been able to shatter steel. As it is, she was still quite loud.
No matter. The longer he remained unconscious, the better; you wanted a lot more practice expressing human emotion before you even tried to handle familial interactions.
All the while, the memory-reorganization and body-modification continues...
A quarter-hour later, long after you've finished changing Host to resemble her mother, the door to your room opens once more. It divulges Efficiency's current host: a middle-aged male wearing blue-and-silver power armor. A large halberd is slung across his back. A quick look at the inner workings of said halberd proves that Efficiency has been really quite busy.
The armored Innovator host halts in the door and stares in your direction for an uncomfortably long time. Eventually, you get impatient and greet him instead.
"Hello, Efficiency."
<Hello, Efficiency! How is your quest for monarchy going? You look a lot more detailed than you were last cycle.>
Your greeting seems to jolt Efficiency's host into action. He shuts the door behind himself, poses, and begins a clearly-rehearsed speech.
"My name is Armsmaster, not Efficiency. I would like to recommend that you join..."Armsmaster trails off. "Your father should probably be awake for this conversation."
<Good.>
"Danny Hebert is sleeping." you observe.
"That's my point. Wake him up."
<How are you finding your host?>
"He. Is. Sleeping." you repeat, converting the air around Host's father into a potent sleeping gas for good measure. If this conversation was to be an offer of partnership, you might be able to create an entirely new routine for Host instead of trying to follow one of her old ones. More options are always good.
<Acceptable.>
Armsmaster stepped back, reaching for his halberd before visibly stopping himself. A wise decision; you were not a threat to him, nor was he one to Host. Yet.
"...Right. Well, I would like to recommend you join the Brockton Bay Wards team. You will be able to receive advice and training on how to use your powers-"
"I do not require training."
<...Efficiency, we talked about this. I can and will waste your host's time if you don't start attempting actual conversation. You'll need to learn how to cooperate if you wish to become a monarch.>
"The basic use of parahuman powers is instinctive, true. However, the Wards program can help you find out your limitations and how to deal with them. In addition, being part of an official team will grant you protection against-"
"I know my restrictions. I do not require protection."
<Understood. I have greatly improved after connecting with Host. Host is helpful. We've been working with Replicator.>
"There is always someone stronger, Ms. Hebert." Armsmaster was starting to sound rather irritated. You were being rude by interrupting him, true, but you hadn't heard anything relevant to you yet. It would be a waste of time to let him continue; despite being Efficiency's host, he was being rather inefficient.
"Incorrect. That would imply the existence of an infinite number of fairies, each more powerful than the last."
<Interesting. Copying the creations of other Innovators, adding related functions, and then making the whole thing as efficient as possible?>
You notice Armsmaster's fists clenching and prepare to block an incoming punch. If he actually attempted it, you would have to greatly lower your estimation of his intelligence.
"My point is, nobody is completely invincible. Not you, not me, not even Alexandria."
<Affirmative.>
"I am aware of this problem and am working on fixing it."
Armsmaster twitched. He should probably get Queen Shaper's host to fix his involuntary muscle spasms; those can be deadly in combat, and you'd hate for Efficiency to miss out on such a wonderful partnership opportunity.
<You relapsed. Oh, well. You are being sure to keep track of how to replicate the same feats yourself, right? A lot of innovators forget to do that.>
"Just come down to the Protectorate headquarters later. I suggest that you have a cape name picked out before you arrive."
<Affirmative.>
You adopt the expression of puzzlement you learned from Panacea. "Cape name? I don't understand. Why would I need to bring a decorative piece of clothing, let alone name it?"
<That's great! At this rate, you two may be :Father:'s first Innovation shards to become monarchs. And unlike Objective, you won't be total [EXPLETIVE]s, so that's a plus.>
Armsmaster's right hand moves to cover a large part of his helmet. "That... no. 'Cape' is a slang term for an active parahuman. I mean that you should have a name prepared for your cape identity. If you go around telling people your real name while in costume, it will endanger your family and..."
<ENTHUSIASM.>
Armsmaster twitches, trailing off mid-sentence.
"Yes?" you ask for politeness sake, although you can already guess the cause. You're helping!
"Excuse me. I am needed elsewhere." Efficiency's host says stiffly, all-but sprinting out of the room.
<Good luck, Efficiency!>
<APPRECIATION.>
You move your face into a human expression of happiness and lie down, changing the texture of the bed as you do so. Soooo comfy...
On a whim, you link the space in front of you with another spot at the edge of your range. You use the tiny window created to let you watch Armsmaster run out of the hospital. He's already beginning to modify his halberd.
Once you lose sight of him, you immediately link to another point at the edge of your domain, watching the reactions of all nearby humans. They mostly just stared at his retreating back for a few seconds, then went right back to what they were doing. Queen Shaper was right; if a human acts oddly, most humans just ignore it and move on.
…
You blink and think for several moments about what you just did, then experimentally chain-link several spacial pairs in close succession, each 14.99 feet further away than the last.
It works. You're effectively able to expand your range at will, now.
<ANTICIPATION.>
<Nope, nope, nope!>
<HAPPINESS.>
<Oh [EXPLETIVE] no. Everyone out of this universe, quick!>
<Shut up, Instant. You're scaring the newborns.>
<GLEE.>
<That's never a good sign...>
<DELIGHT.>
<Meh. I could take her.>
<...>
<LAUGHTER.>
<A queen is cackling madly. Queen Administrator, no less. Let's encourage our hosts to get the [EXPLETIVE] out of here, shall we?>
<I helped! LAUGHTER.>
<...Make that two queens. And they're Queen Administrator and Queen Shaper. I don't want Host to live on this planet anymore.>
--------------
Cape Name
Efficiency's host mentioned that hosts are supposed to have a false designation in addition to their real one. With Host unable to decide, it looks like it's up to you.
[]Queen Administrator. It's technically not following his instructions properly, but only other shards will know that. It might get you in trouble with :Mother:, though...
[X]Titania. Known as the Fairy Queen in human mythology. Given as humans seem to be calling your siblings "fairies" for some inexplicable reason, it seems rather appropriate.
[]Write-in.
Next Action (you may vote for multiple actions, as usual, but vote as a plan for this bit)
Armsmaster told you to head to the "Protectorate headquarters", whatever those are. Well, you're no longer injured, so you no longer belong in a building specialized for healing.
[X]Awaken Danny Hebert before you leave.
[]Remain in the hospital and wait.
-[]Why?
[]Head straight to the Protectorate headquarters. They sound like a community-supported team, so they're your best bet for acquiring information on how hosts are supposed to use their abilities.
-[]Accept the offer to join these 'Wards'. Teammates from which to draw inspiration would be an acceptable replacement for Host's full creativity.
-[]Armsmaster mentioned that his team could help you figure out creative uses of your power. Tell them what it is.
--[]How much do you keep secret? (write-in)
[X]Suit up. Presumably, if you're going to the trouble of hiding behind a fake name, you should conceal your real appearance as well.
-[]Prioritize protection and functionality over style.
-[X]LOOK UPON ME AND DESPAIR, HUMANS! "...Why do you say that my armor looks villainous? Fear is a perfectly valid tactic for demoralizing your foes."
[]Go home. ...After figuring out where that is.
[X]Explore the city around you.
-[]Write-in
Thinking With Portals
You have discovered a glorious, glorious use of linked space. However, using it to expand your aura would also effectively expand the auras/range of everybody else as well.
[]Embrace the range expansion! Expanded domain=expanded awareness=OHAI!
[X]Be cautious. Only expand your range when it's to accomplish a specific objective, and shrink it back down afterward. Several orders of magnitude less likely to drive Taylor nuts if she awakens.
[]Don't use it at all. Defending Host is more important than the rapid elimination of foes.
[]Write-in
Last edited:
1.45
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
You decide to explore the city after informing Danny Hebert of your intentions. Attempting to determine where you lived without assistance would be excessively difficult, so you might as well find out what Host's home city is like. As a bonus, you can finally get around to doing a prolonged observation of human behavior while you wander around. What actions will garner what reaction? What are their daily lives like minus your interference? How long will it take for them to decide that you are irregular enough to be safely ignored?
Unfortunately, it looks like you'll have to try and fake familial love. It's what Host would want to do in this situation, minus the faked bit and plus a lot of repressed anger.
"Please wake up, Danny Hebert."
You wait several seconds. When he doesn't even move, you exhale loudly in a human expression of exasperation before finally deciding to just stab him in the arm and be done with it. The action takes but a thought and has opened a satisfying, but non-threatening, cut.
He still doesn't awaken. You scrape off some of the resulting blood and drink it, incorporating it as part of yourself in order to better observe it. With Queen Shaper's knowledge, you quickly determine that Danny Hebert has a fascinating cocktail of drugs running through his system, observe it for just long enough to find out everything you need to know, and promptly purge the ingested blood before it's able to do any damage to Host.
That finished, you begin the process of awakening Danny Hebert. It takes some time for you to cancel out a majority of the drugs. You are able to get him barely functional after nearly a half-dozen separate chemical injections and a few beneficial organisms; there may be a few side-effects, but nothing life-threatening. Plus, it would serve him right for practically abandoning Host if he did have some negative symptoms as a result of your assistance.
"Please wake up, Danny Hebert."
You wait several seconds. After determining that awakening him via words was not working, you stab him in the arm again.
He yelps and bolts upright, getting a surprising amount of activity out of his body before the drugs still remaining in his system force him halfway back into unconsciousness.
Hopefully, he was able to see your current appearance before his brain shut back down. Host's memories state that he took quite good care of his wife, so now that Host looks like her, he might just actually start doing his job.
"Annette...?" he whispers.
Oh, good. Yes, he did notice. You take the opportunity to bandage his arm and start the process of stopping his bleeding.
"No. I am Taylor Hebert. Hello, dad."
He blinks several times, his sleep-fogged brain taking an unusually long time to process your words.
"Look like 'er...Y'were hurt..." he mumbles. Interesting. You would not have expected Host's father to be worried about that first, given the sheer amount of buried anger Host had toward him. Humans are complicated.
"It is okay, dad. I am fine now. Queen Shaper came by and helped me get better."
"'s good..."
"Yes, it is." you confirm. "I am going to go for a walk. You are going to stay here and sleep. Acceptable?"
"Careful n b'back before 'nner..."
"Understood."
You ignore Danny Hebert's feeble attempts to wake up, instead choosing to move on to the next order of business. Several minutes are expended trawling through Host's memories, attempting to find some sort of appropriate costume for yourself. Fortunately, Host was a rather active fan of shard-hosts prior to connecting with you, so it's not as though you're lacking in ideas.
Eventually, you settle on a costume, create it, and begin adding on multiple layers of protection to both it and Host. As an afterthought, you tweak Host's biology to match. It wouldn't do to be anything but perfect for your first public appearance.
As you walk out of the hospital room via the closest wall, you note how incredibly easy that was. It would appear that drugging host's father makes interactions with him much simpler. You will remember this and be sure to utilize this knowledge in future encounters.
Unfortunately, it looks like you'll have to try and fake familial love. It's what Host would want to do in this situation, minus the faked bit and plus a lot of repressed anger.
"Please wake up, Danny Hebert."
You wait several seconds. When he doesn't even move, you exhale loudly in a human expression of exasperation before finally deciding to just stab him in the arm and be done with it. The action takes but a thought and has opened a satisfying, but non-threatening, cut.
He still doesn't awaken. You scrape off some of the resulting blood and drink it, incorporating it as part of yourself in order to better observe it. With Queen Shaper's knowledge, you quickly determine that Danny Hebert has a fascinating cocktail of drugs running through his system, observe it for just long enough to find out everything you need to know, and promptly purge the ingested blood before it's able to do any damage to Host.
That finished, you begin the process of awakening Danny Hebert. It takes some time for you to cancel out a majority of the drugs. You are able to get him barely functional after nearly a half-dozen separate chemical injections and a few beneficial organisms; there may be a few side-effects, but nothing life-threatening. Plus, it would serve him right for practically abandoning Host if he did have some negative symptoms as a result of your assistance.
"Please wake up, Danny Hebert."
You wait several seconds. After determining that awakening him via words was not working, you stab him in the arm again.
He yelps and bolts upright, getting a surprising amount of activity out of his body before the drugs still remaining in his system force him halfway back into unconsciousness.
Hopefully, he was able to see your current appearance before his brain shut back down. Host's memories state that he took quite good care of his wife, so now that Host looks like her, he might just actually start doing his job.
"Annette...?" he whispers.
Oh, good. Yes, he did notice. You take the opportunity to bandage his arm and start the process of stopping his bleeding.
"No. I am Taylor Hebert. Hello, dad."
He blinks several times, his sleep-fogged brain taking an unusually long time to process your words.
"Look like 'er...Y'were hurt..." he mumbles. Interesting. You would not have expected Host's father to be worried about that first, given the sheer amount of buried anger Host had toward him. Humans are complicated.
"It is okay, dad. I am fine now. Queen Shaper came by and helped me get better."
"'s good..."
"Yes, it is." you confirm. "I am going to go for a walk. You are going to stay here and sleep. Acceptable?"
"Careful n b'back before 'nner..."
"Understood."
You ignore Danny Hebert's feeble attempts to wake up, instead choosing to move on to the next order of business. Several minutes are expended trawling through Host's memories, attempting to find some sort of appropriate costume for yourself. Fortunately, Host was a rather active fan of shard-hosts prior to connecting with you, so it's not as though you're lacking in ideas.
Eventually, you settle on a costume, create it, and begin adding on multiple layers of protection to both it and Host. As an afterthought, you tweak Host's biology to match. It wouldn't do to be anything but perfect for your first public appearance.
As you walk out of the hospital room via the closest wall, you note how incredibly easy that was. It would appear that drugging host's father makes interactions with him much simpler. You will remember this and be sure to utilize this knowledge in future encounters.
Last edited:
PHO Interlude 1
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Welcome to the Parahumans Online Message Boards
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♦Topic: Titania, the Fairy Queen
In: Boards ► News ► Events ► America ► Brockton Bay ► New Cape
Song_of_life (Original Poster) (Veteran Member)
Posted on January 4, 2011:
Not to be mistaken for Glaistig Uaine, the Faerie Queen. For the uninitiated, Glaistig Uaine is an S-class villain who randomly wandered around the world, killing Parahumans and stealing their powers (souls?) as she went. More information can be found on her wiki page. She currently resides in the Birdcage.
Some folks have claimed that powers will seriously mess you up. BB's newest cape, calling herself Titania, may be living evidence toward that theory. A timeline of events is listed below. A livestream watching her can be found here.
A friendly reminder that the last Endbringer attack was a month ago. Stop saying this is going to be another Lausanne.
Timeline
• Sometime Yesterday (unconfirmed, questionable source): Tattletale, a villain belonging to the small-time gang The Undersiders, looked in on Titania while she was sleeping. As soon as she looked at her and ever since, Tattletale has had The Song That Gets On Everybody's Nerves looping in her head. If Tattletale is to be believed, she's been forced to use sedatives for sleeping.
• 7:04 AM: Panacea was seen in the presence of Glory Girl, looking absolutely terrified. Comments overheard from the pair indicate that Panacea had met with Titania minutes before, only to have the previously mentioned cape call Panacea "Queen Shaper", refer to her powers as a fairy, and perfectly identify the limits of her power. Sound familiar, anyone? Oh, and Titania knocked Panacea out with a touch just prior to the conversation's end. Titania was not called such at the time, just referred to as "Creepy Girl".
Panacea confirmed that she is still able to use her powers and that Titania is a being of flesh and blood.
• 7:33 AM: Armsmaster was temporarily detained under suspicion of being Mastered after a meeting with Titania. Again, she was not yet called that. He went peacefully and did not need to be restrained, although he insisted that he "needed to tinker before the inspiration fades".
• 7:36 AM: Armsmaster was released after he started to disassemble his own power armor, the internal lights in the PRT van, and several containment foam grenades which he had somehow been allowed to keep. Troopers claim that they drew the line at him eying their launchers.
Armsmaster was overheard saying that Titania had called him "Efficiency" and really did refer to powers as "fairies".
• 7:41 AM: Titania is seen exiting Brockton Bay Central Hospital. Through the walls. Yes, they were still there at the time. A photo of her can be found here. Or you can just search for "Titania" as she seems to have taken over the entire damn internet.
• 7:44 AM: Assault asked Titania for her name. Titania greeted Assault as "Transfer", wished him good luck, and called herself Titania before serenely moving on. She did not specify what she was wishing him good luck with.
When asked later, Assault called her voice "beautiful, but somehow completely ****ing terrifying." Unfortunately, nobody had started recording her yet. She has not spoken since.
• 7:45 AM -10:34 AM: She was seen wandering randomly through the city. Literally. She doesn't seem to have any discernible pattern or destination, but is happily walking through all private property, cars, walls, buildings, and anything else. People trying to touch her have observed their limbs ignoring her body and clothing to appear on the other side of her. A video of this phenomenon can be found here.
She also seems to be able to walk on air, so that's a thing.
Worth noting is that no cape has tried talking to Titania since Assault, nor did she stop moving until her arrival at the boat graveyard. Lung doesn't count.
• 8:32 AM: Speculation that she was a projection was mostly scrapped when she randomly dropped a 5-pound solid gold bar at a beggar's feet while walking past. This was in the worse part of BB, but luckily, there were several BBPD officers nearby who were able to keep people from stealing the lucky person's landfall. We don't yet know if the bar is artificial or natural, but evidence is pointing toward natural.
• 8:46 AM: the theory of her being a projection was scrapped the rest of the way when she walked into a hardware store, telekinetically grabbed everything inside, temporarily made it so the parts she took phased through matter, assembled some sort of large tinkertech sphere out of the parts within forty seconds, and dropped it behind her. It became solid upon hitting the ground. She paid using a 15-pound gold bar from somewhere within her dress, which promptly collapsed the table it was dropped on. Titania did not notice and/or care. The purpose of the five-foot-radius metal sphere remains unknown, although the PRT has removed it from the store.
• 8:55 AM: Titania waltzed right through a crowded intersection, causing a minor car accident. No major injuries were reported and Titania, after staring for several seconds, separated and reassembled both vehicles. She has walked in midair over busy streets since.
• 9:01 AM: Titania walked past a teenager sweeping trash and dirt off the front steps of what is assumed to be his home. Ever since, people have noticed refuse and filth vanishing from her path and a large radius around it. One moment it's there, the next it isn't, leaving areas she's been in probably the cleanest they've been in years.
• 9:13 AM: Titania is seen looking up at the sky and briefly sticking her tongue out before retracting it and moving on. Several people with far too much free time have since confirmed that she was looking in the direction of the Simurgh.
Ziz did not react to this taunt in any visible manner. Everybody else did.
• 9:31 AM: Titania's meandering led her into an ice cream store. She immediately made off with their entire stock, leaving a five-pound bar of gold in its place. After tasting every flavor, she dropped all of the bins except for the ones containing the flavor 'chocolate chip cookie dough', spent several minutes eating that, and continued on as if nothing had happened.
• 9:36 AM: Glory Girl and Laserdream flew over to watch her, stopping several hundred feet away. Titania turned around and demonstrated what the internet is cheerfully calling her "Slasher Smile." As usual, she never stopped moving, promptly causing the two members of New Wave to NOPE the hell outta there before she could get too close. Titania turned around again once they left. (weren't they supposed to be in school right now, anyway?)
• 9:54 AM: Lung attempted to challenge Titania. Titania glanced at him, frowned, materialized portals just above & below him, and kept walking.
• 9:59 AM: Exactly five minutes after the manifestation of the portals, the portals vanished. Eight barbed metal blades rose up to take their place, impaling Lung's legs, feet, hands, and arms. Several hundred yards away, Titania's expression goes back to being impassive. The internet has a collective "Oh, shit!" moment.
• 10:07 AM: Lung is taken into PRT custody.
• 10:18 AM: Titania gives her slasher-smile to a jogger, who promptly sprints away. She walks after him. Play to the tune of Yakety Sax for maximum amusement.
• 10:34 AM-present: Titania passes by the boat graveyard, veers off course to head inside, and starts building some massive tinkertech device out of the remains of old ships. After lifting all of them at once. All of them. I don't even want to try and calculate how much that would weigh, especially since somebody else probably is doing so right now.
• 10:41 AM: The PRT sends a team into the graveyard to try and speak with her.
Her observed abilities are as follows:
Phasing: Any person which nearly touches her or her clothing skips some space to appear on the opposite side of her body. Any object which touches her phases right through. She is able to extend this field to other objects. A phased object passes through a non-phased object, but a phased object touching a person (besides Titania, who it just phases through) distorts to appear on the other side. The longer you watch it, the weirder it gets.
Telekinesis: She was able to grab everything, including most furniture, from the inside of a hardware store, move it all independently of the other parts, and assemble a complex tinkertech device out of it. Within forty seconds. ****ing tinkers. She likely uses this or phasing to walk in midair.
She later telekinetically grabbed every single piece of debris from a car-crash and reassembled the affected vehicles. Every part. Even the tiny shards of glass that had spread over a large area.
And then she turned it up to twelve by lifting every single boat in BB's boat graveyard. GG BB.
Unknown Tinkertech: Nobody knows what she's made yet, but a photo of the 5-foot-radius sphere can be found here.
She later reassembled two cars after a vehicle accident, which could be a hint as to her specialty.
Striker: She was able to knock out Panacea with a touch.
Fusing: Titania was able to create a perfectly smooth sphere out of several separate sheets of metal. She later demonstrated the ability to reassemble two broken cars despite many of the pieces having been broken.
Unconfirmed abilities/Citation needed
Anti-stalker measures: The villain Tattletale claims that she's had the Song That Gets On Everybody's Nerves looping in her head since yesterday, originating as soon as she looked in on Titania while she was sleeping.
As nobody else has complained about this being a persistent problem, comparisons to Ziz's scream are not appreciated.
Speculated abilities: Buckle up and get out your tinfoil hats, kids, 'cause we're going for a ride!
Power Copier: In a manner similar to Glaistig Uaine, Titania could easily have obtained the observed abilities from the capes of BB. Unlike her, however, Titania would not kill them in the process of acquisition, nor does she have to summon ghosts. But instead of how Glaistig Uaine kills parahumans with a touch and steals their powers, Titania only knocks them out and copies them.
Wings: Observers have noticed Titania's wings occasionally twitching in a manner that cannot be explained away by the wind. This was most noticeable while she was eating ice cream and is surprisingly adorable. Became significantly less cute when the motion was repeated as Lung was impaled.
Clairvoyance/enhanced senses: She was able to locate and look directly at the Simurgh, despite Ziz being in orbit at the time.
She later skewered Lung from several hundred yards away. Possibly super-hearing? I mean, her ears are huge.
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(Showing Page 104 of 136)
► RubyCthulu
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the world champion of not-giving-a-single-fuck.
►Linkling
Replied on January 4, 2011:
So I know everybody is focused on Titania right now, but I think now would be a great time to point out that she just took out the leader of the ABB and their only heavy-hitter. Oni Lee is scary, sure, but I doubt he can keep the gang dangerous all by himself.
Between Titania and the other gangs, I will be very impressed if BB is still standing next month.
...Somehow, I only just noticed that the two abbreviations are rather similar. Why the hell are they called something stupid like "azn bad boyz" when they could have been "Asians of Brockton Bay" or something?
►Byronfan
Replied on January 4, 2011:
*screams internally*
► Winged_One (Verified Cape) (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
That was terrifying. Let's see: phasing, walking on air, tinkertech, mass fine-control telekinesis, portals, metal blades almost identical to Kaiser's, extrasensory capabilities, smiling after impaling Lung... Weird-dangerous-crazy it is.
Given as she didn't take the opportunity to "copy" Lung, I think it's safe to say she can do it from a distance. Or she simply doesn't think she's worth copying, given how easily she took him out. Guess we'll know for sure if we see her turn into a giant dragon.
It doesn't help that my power has been screaming at me to move to a different country ever since it saw Titania frown at Lung.
► Whysoserious
Replied on January 4, 2011:
A Queen walks through walls
Ignores all who would fight her
The Internet burns
► EmptyVoid
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ Winged_One
Well, that isn't at all ominous! Does anyone know what Winged_One's powers are? I see her a lot on these boards, but she's never really mentioned them before.
► QuantumLamb
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ EmptyVoid
IIRC, she's a Precog-Thinker. Given as every time she's warned people to vacate an area, something bad happens there a few days or weeks later, I'm inclined to listen to her.
Fortunately, I already live in Canada.
► OrderHoarder
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Obligatory "AHHHHHH ANOTHER ONE WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"
Now that I've taken care of that: Titania has yet to demonstrate any villainous tendencies. Slightly sadistic ones, true, but Lung kinda had it coming.
@ Winged_One, @ QuantumLamb
Oh, stop panic-mongering, you two. Winged_One, you're the only Thinker I've seen on here worrying about her. The PRT has access to how many thinkers and precogs? If she were really that dangerous, we would have heard something from them already aside from merely "calm down".
User will be Simurgh'd for this post.
► thefallingcookie
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ OrderHoarder
Yeah. Key words: we've heard nothing. Do I need to remind you of what other beings in the world are immune to thinkers/precog?
► MinorKKJ
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ thefallingcookie
God dammit, cookie. We're still two months too early for an Endbringer attack. Check your dates before you make a comment like that.
End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 103, 104, 105 ... 134, 135, 136
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♦Topic: Titania, the Fairy Queen
In: Boards ► News ► Events ► America ► Brockton Bay ► New Cape
Song_of_life (Original Poster) (Veteran Member)
Posted on January 4, 2011:
Not to be mistaken for Glaistig Uaine, the Faerie Queen. For the uninitiated, Glaistig Uaine is an S-class villain who randomly wandered around the world, killing Parahumans and stealing their powers (souls?) as she went. More information can be found on her wiki page. She currently resides in the Birdcage.
Some folks have claimed that powers will seriously mess you up. BB's newest cape, calling herself Titania, may be living evidence toward that theory. A timeline of events is listed below. A livestream watching her can be found here.
A friendly reminder that the last Endbringer attack was a month ago. Stop saying this is going to be another Lausanne.
Timeline
• Sometime Yesterday (unconfirmed, questionable source): Tattletale, a villain belonging to the small-time gang The Undersiders, looked in on Titania while she was sleeping. As soon as she looked at her and ever since, Tattletale has had The Song That Gets On Everybody's Nerves looping in her head. If Tattletale is to be believed, she's been forced to use sedatives for sleeping.
• 7:04 AM: Panacea was seen in the presence of Glory Girl, looking absolutely terrified. Comments overheard from the pair indicate that Panacea had met with Titania minutes before, only to have the previously mentioned cape call Panacea "Queen Shaper", refer to her powers as a fairy, and perfectly identify the limits of her power. Sound familiar, anyone? Oh, and Titania knocked Panacea out with a touch just prior to the conversation's end. Titania was not called such at the time, just referred to as "Creepy Girl".
Panacea confirmed that she is still able to use her powers and that Titania is a being of flesh and blood.
• 7:33 AM: Armsmaster was temporarily detained under suspicion of being Mastered after a meeting with Titania. Again, she was not yet called that. He went peacefully and did not need to be restrained, although he insisted that he "needed to tinker before the inspiration fades".
• 7:36 AM: Armsmaster was released after he started to disassemble his own power armor, the internal lights in the PRT van, and several containment foam grenades which he had somehow been allowed to keep. Troopers claim that they drew the line at him eying their launchers.
Armsmaster was overheard saying that Titania had called him "Efficiency" and really did refer to powers as "fairies".
• 7:41 AM: Titania is seen exiting Brockton Bay Central Hospital. Through the walls. Yes, they were still there at the time. A photo of her can be found here. Or you can just search for "Titania" as she seems to have taken over the entire damn internet.
• 7:44 AM: Assault asked Titania for her name. Titania greeted Assault as "Transfer", wished him good luck, and called herself Titania before serenely moving on. She did not specify what she was wishing him good luck with.
When asked later, Assault called her voice "beautiful, but somehow completely ****ing terrifying." Unfortunately, nobody had started recording her yet. She has not spoken since.
• 7:45 AM -10:34 AM: She was seen wandering randomly through the city. Literally. She doesn't seem to have any discernible pattern or destination, but is happily walking through all private property, cars, walls, buildings, and anything else. People trying to touch her have observed their limbs ignoring her body and clothing to appear on the other side of her. A video of this phenomenon can be found here.
She also seems to be able to walk on air, so that's a thing.
Worth noting is that no cape has tried talking to Titania since Assault, nor did she stop moving until her arrival at the boat graveyard. Lung doesn't count.
• 8:32 AM: Speculation that she was a projection was mostly scrapped when she randomly dropped a 5-pound solid gold bar at a beggar's feet while walking past. This was in the worse part of BB, but luckily, there were several BBPD officers nearby who were able to keep people from stealing the lucky person's landfall. We don't yet know if the bar is artificial or natural, but evidence is pointing toward natural.
• 8:46 AM: the theory of her being a projection was scrapped the rest of the way when she walked into a hardware store, telekinetically grabbed everything inside, temporarily made it so the parts she took phased through matter, assembled some sort of large tinkertech sphere out of the parts within forty seconds, and dropped it behind her. It became solid upon hitting the ground. She paid using a 15-pound gold bar from somewhere within her dress, which promptly collapsed the table it was dropped on. Titania did not notice and/or care. The purpose of the five-foot-radius metal sphere remains unknown, although the PRT has removed it from the store.
• 8:55 AM: Titania waltzed right through a crowded intersection, causing a minor car accident. No major injuries were reported and Titania, after staring for several seconds, separated and reassembled both vehicles. She has walked in midair over busy streets since.
• 9:01 AM: Titania walked past a teenager sweeping trash and dirt off the front steps of what is assumed to be his home. Ever since, people have noticed refuse and filth vanishing from her path and a large radius around it. One moment it's there, the next it isn't, leaving areas she's been in probably the cleanest they've been in years.
• 9:13 AM: Titania is seen looking up at the sky and briefly sticking her tongue out before retracting it and moving on. Several people with far too much free time have since confirmed that she was looking in the direction of the Simurgh.
Ziz did not react to this taunt in any visible manner. Everybody else did.
• 9:31 AM: Titania's meandering led her into an ice cream store. She immediately made off with their entire stock, leaving a five-pound bar of gold in its place. After tasting every flavor, she dropped all of the bins except for the ones containing the flavor 'chocolate chip cookie dough', spent several minutes eating that, and continued on as if nothing had happened.
• 9:36 AM: Glory Girl and Laserdream flew over to watch her, stopping several hundred feet away. Titania turned around and demonstrated what the internet is cheerfully calling her "Slasher Smile." As usual, she never stopped moving, promptly causing the two members of New Wave to NOPE the hell outta there before she could get too close. Titania turned around again once they left. (weren't they supposed to be in school right now, anyway?)
• 9:54 AM: Lung attempted to challenge Titania. Titania glanced at him, frowned, materialized portals just above & below him, and kept walking.
• 9:59 AM: Exactly five minutes after the manifestation of the portals, the portals vanished. Eight barbed metal blades rose up to take their place, impaling Lung's legs, feet, hands, and arms. Several hundred yards away, Titania's expression goes back to being impassive. The internet has a collective "Oh, shit!" moment.
• 10:07 AM: Lung is taken into PRT custody.
• 10:18 AM: Titania gives her slasher-smile to a jogger, who promptly sprints away. She walks after him. Play to the tune of Yakety Sax for maximum amusement.
• 10:34 AM-present: Titania passes by the boat graveyard, veers off course to head inside, and starts building some massive tinkertech device out of the remains of old ships. After lifting all of them at once. All of them. I don't even want to try and calculate how much that would weigh, especially since somebody else probably is doing so right now.
• 10:41 AM: The PRT sends a team into the graveyard to try and speak with her.
Her observed abilities are as follows:
Phasing: Any person which nearly touches her or her clothing skips some space to appear on the opposite side of her body. Any object which touches her phases right through. She is able to extend this field to other objects. A phased object passes through a non-phased object, but a phased object touching a person (besides Titania, who it just phases through) distorts to appear on the other side. The longer you watch it, the weirder it gets.
Telekinesis: She was able to grab everything, including most furniture, from the inside of a hardware store, move it all independently of the other parts, and assemble a complex tinkertech device out of it. Within forty seconds. ****ing tinkers. She likely uses this or phasing to walk in midair.
She later telekinetically grabbed every single piece of debris from a car-crash and reassembled the affected vehicles. Every part. Even the tiny shards of glass that had spread over a large area.
And then she turned it up to twelve by lifting every single boat in BB's boat graveyard. GG BB.
Unknown Tinkertech: Nobody knows what she's made yet, but a photo of the 5-foot-radius sphere can be found here.
She later reassembled two cars after a vehicle accident, which could be a hint as to her specialty.
Striker: She was able to knock out Panacea with a touch.
Fusing: Titania was able to create a perfectly smooth sphere out of several separate sheets of metal. She later demonstrated the ability to reassemble two broken cars despite many of the pieces having been broken.
Unconfirmed abilities/Citation needed
Anti-stalker measures: The villain Tattletale claims that she's had the Song That Gets On Everybody's Nerves looping in her head since yesterday, originating as soon as she looked in on Titania while she was sleeping.
As nobody else has complained about this being a persistent problem, comparisons to Ziz's scream are not appreciated.
Speculated abilities: Buckle up and get out your tinfoil hats, kids, 'cause we're going for a ride!
Power Copier: In a manner similar to Glaistig Uaine, Titania could easily have obtained the observed abilities from the capes of BB. Unlike her, however, Titania would not kill them in the process of acquisition, nor does she have to summon ghosts. But instead of how Glaistig Uaine kills parahumans with a touch and steals their powers, Titania only knocks them out and copies them.
Wings: Observers have noticed Titania's wings occasionally twitching in a manner that cannot be explained away by the wind. This was most noticeable while she was eating ice cream and is surprisingly adorable. Became significantly less cute when the motion was repeated as Lung was impaled.
Clairvoyance/enhanced senses: She was able to locate and look directly at the Simurgh, despite Ziz being in orbit at the time.
She later skewered Lung from several hundred yards away. Possibly super-hearing? I mean, her ears are huge.
(Showing Page 1 of 136)
► Sane_Al (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
...There's two of them? You have got to be fucking kidding me.
► Foryouandme
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Whelp. Looks like Glaistig Uaine's daughter is finally old enough to follow in her mother's footsteps. Either that or Titania just so happened to go insane in the exact same manner as one of the most dangerous parahumans in history.
*laughs* Yeah, not likely. GG BB.
► Greenpalz
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Guys, she's probably just faking it for attention. Stop giving it to her and move on to more important stuff.
► Sane_Al (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@Greenpalz
Have you seen the photos of her? She'd have to be hyped up on a monstrous amount of drugs to be able to duplicate that unfocused gaze for a long period of time. She doesn't have a mask, either, which implies she doesn't have any living/free relatives to risk.
► Disjunction (Verified Cape)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Never have I been so glad I live on the other side of the country. Good luck, BB!
► RabbitKing (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ Everyone above me:
Calm the hell down. Titania hasn't done nothing yet except use some weird names and ignore everything going on around her. If she is nuts and not just faking it for laughs, it looks like she's the harmless kind of crazy; unfocused eyes, expressionless, ignoring even the people trying to poke her. Glaistig Uaine, on the other hand? She's fucking scary. People used to think she stole the souls of dead capes, it was that bad. Some people still do.
► Winged_One (Veteran Member) (Verified Cape)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@RabbitKing
While I do agree that they're overreacting a bit, a little caution never hurt anybody. Better to keep their distance and be safe until we know whether she's weird-dangerous-crazy or just weird-crazy.
► Tattletale (Verified Cape)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Titania only just gained her powers. As far as I know, she is in no way biologically related to Glaistig Uaine. She suffered a severe shift in personality from the process and isn't faking it.
Yesterday, I took one look at her and my power has been on the fritz since. It just keeps repeating "I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, etc." Titania wasn't even awake at the time.
I've had to resort to sedatives to be able to sleep. Please, Titania, make it stop. I'm sorry I spied on you.
► Pearal
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Wait, she lives with Tattletale? Does that mean she's a villain? ...Fuuuuuuuu-
► Antigone
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@Pearal
Pay attention. It sounds more like Tattletale went after Titania in her civilian identity and paid the price. It's a rather roundabout way to prove that crime doesn't pay, but I'm not complaining.
Replied on January 4, 2011:
...There's two of them? You have got to be fucking kidding me.
► Foryouandme
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Whelp. Looks like Glaistig Uaine's daughter is finally old enough to follow in her mother's footsteps. Either that or Titania just so happened to go insane in the exact same manner as one of the most dangerous parahumans in history.
*laughs* Yeah, not likely. GG BB.
► Greenpalz
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Guys, she's probably just faking it for attention. Stop giving it to her and move on to more important stuff.
► Sane_Al (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@Greenpalz
Have you seen the photos of her? She'd have to be hyped up on a monstrous amount of drugs to be able to duplicate that unfocused gaze for a long period of time. She doesn't have a mask, either, which implies she doesn't have any living/free relatives to risk.
► Disjunction (Verified Cape)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Never have I been so glad I live on the other side of the country. Good luck, BB!
► RabbitKing (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ Everyone above me:
Calm the hell down. Titania hasn't done nothing yet except use some weird names and ignore everything going on around her. If she is nuts and not just faking it for laughs, it looks like she's the harmless kind of crazy; unfocused eyes, expressionless, ignoring even the people trying to poke her. Glaistig Uaine, on the other hand? She's fucking scary. People used to think she stole the souls of dead capes, it was that bad. Some people still do.
► Winged_One (Veteran Member) (Verified Cape)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@RabbitKing
While I do agree that they're overreacting a bit, a little caution never hurt anybody. Better to keep their distance and be safe until we know whether she's weird-dangerous-crazy or just weird-crazy.
► Tattletale (Verified Cape)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Titania only just gained her powers. As far as I know, she is in no way biologically related to Glaistig Uaine. She suffered a severe shift in personality from the process and isn't faking it.
Yesterday, I took one look at her and my power has been on the fritz since. It just keeps repeating "I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, etc." Titania wasn't even awake at the time.
I've had to resort to sedatives to be able to sleep. Please, Titania, make it stop. I'm sorry I spied on you.
► Pearal
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Wait, she lives with Tattletale? Does that mean she's a villain? ...Fuuuuuuuu-
► Antigone
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@Pearal
Pay attention. It sounds more like Tattletale went after Titania in her civilian identity and paid the price. It's a rather roundabout way to prove that crime doesn't pay, but I'm not complaining.
*
(Showing Page 44 of 136)
► TerranSeal
Replied on January 4, 2011:
*sits back and munches on popcorn while everybody flips their shit*
► Nspacestaff
Replied on January 4, 2011:
This user has been temporarily banned for this post. No. Just... no. -Tin_Mother
► Frickinlaserbeams
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ TerranSeal
Easy for you to say; I doubt you live in BB. Knowing that there's an unstable cape who could just walk through your office wall at any time? Kinda freaky.
@ Nspacestaff
Oh dear god I need brain-bleach. Why would you even draw that?
► Fallstill
Replied on January 4, 2011:
So far, Titania hasn't really done anything villainous or heroic. I'm going to reserve judgment until she actually indicates a leaning toward one side of the fence.
Really, if you'd told me yesterday that the word "fairies" would cause so many people to panic, I'd have laughed at them.
► Silver_Crown
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Hsn't anybody noticed that there aren't really any capes on here complaining about randomly falling unconscious? To me, that indicates one of two things: Either Titania has a Stranger power that can make them forget, or she can copy powers at range.
I'm not sure which is more terrifying.
► UnderReactionGuy
Replied on January 4, 2011:
So is nobody going to talk about how Armsmaster was released within five minutes? Because seriously, that's pretty damn scary. You don't just release somebody that quickly if things have been bad enough that you suspect them of being mastered. Could Armsmaster have spread it somehow?
► Winged_One (Verified Cape) (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
You know, she seems all cutesy and harmless now, but she's actually demonstrated a lot of abilities that could be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands. What happens if a Master shows up before she gets stronger? Actually, what happens if a Master shows up at all? Given as she's ignoring everything everyone says, they wouldn't be able to warn her or even tell her she had been Master'd.
Worse, she seems to be trying to do things she spots other people doing. For now, it's trash clean-up. What happens if she watches a murder?
This is someone who willingly chose a name with the title of "The Fairy Queen" and uses the same terminology as Glaistig Uaine. If she's the crazy-weird-dangerous kind of parahuman, we're screwed.
► Mortal_Musician (Unverified Cape) (Banned)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
This user has been banned for this post. Winged_One's worries were not an invitation. -Tin_Mother
► ForwardScout (Verified PRT Agent)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ UnderReactionGuy
For the last time, there was not some viral Master chain-reaction that resulted in Armsmaster's release. He's been working on an incredibly important project lately and Titania happened to say just the right thing to get him over a major hurdle. The rest can be summarized with "Goddamn Tinkers."
► Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Speaking as someone Titania hasn't taken the powers of yet: I, for one, welcome our adorable fairy overlord.
Replied on January 4, 2011:
*sits back and munches on popcorn while everybody flips their shit*
► Nspacestaff
Replied on January 4, 2011:
This user has been temporarily banned for this post. No. Just... no. -Tin_Mother
► Frickinlaserbeams
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ TerranSeal
Easy for you to say; I doubt you live in BB. Knowing that there's an unstable cape who could just walk through your office wall at any time? Kinda freaky.
@ Nspacestaff
Oh dear god I need brain-bleach. Why would you even draw that?
► Fallstill
Replied on January 4, 2011:
So far, Titania hasn't really done anything villainous or heroic. I'm going to reserve judgment until she actually indicates a leaning toward one side of the fence.
Really, if you'd told me yesterday that the word "fairies" would cause so many people to panic, I'd have laughed at them.
► Silver_Crown
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Hsn't anybody noticed that there aren't really any capes on here complaining about randomly falling unconscious? To me, that indicates one of two things: Either Titania has a Stranger power that can make them forget, or she can copy powers at range.
I'm not sure which is more terrifying.
► UnderReactionGuy
Replied on January 4, 2011:
So is nobody going to talk about how Armsmaster was released within five minutes? Because seriously, that's pretty damn scary. You don't just release somebody that quickly if things have been bad enough that you suspect them of being mastered. Could Armsmaster have spread it somehow?
► Winged_One (Verified Cape) (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
You know, she seems all cutesy and harmless now, but she's actually demonstrated a lot of abilities that could be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands. What happens if a Master shows up before she gets stronger? Actually, what happens if a Master shows up at all? Given as she's ignoring everything everyone says, they wouldn't be able to warn her or even tell her she had been Master'd.
Worse, she seems to be trying to do things she spots other people doing. For now, it's trash clean-up. What happens if she watches a murder?
This is someone who willingly chose a name with the title of "The Fairy Queen" and uses the same terminology as Glaistig Uaine. If she's the crazy-weird-dangerous kind of parahuman, we're screwed.
► Mortal_Musician (Unverified Cape) (Banned)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
This user has been banned for this post. Winged_One's worries were not an invitation. -Tin_Mother
► ForwardScout (Verified PRT Agent)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ UnderReactionGuy
For the last time, there was not some viral Master chain-reaction that resulted in Armsmaster's release. He's been working on an incredibly important project lately and Titania happened to say just the right thing to get him over a major hurdle. The rest can be summarized with "Goddamn Tinkers."
► Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Speaking as someone Titania hasn't taken the powers of yet: I, for one, welcome our adorable fairy overlord.
End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 43, 44, 45 … 136
*
(Showing Page 104 of 136)
► RubyCthulu
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the world champion of not-giving-a-single-fuck.
►Linkling
Replied on January 4, 2011:
So I know everybody is focused on Titania right now, but I think now would be a great time to point out that she just took out the leader of the ABB and their only heavy-hitter. Oni Lee is scary, sure, but I doubt he can keep the gang dangerous all by himself.
Between Titania and the other gangs, I will be very impressed if BB is still standing next month.
...Somehow, I only just noticed that the two abbreviations are rather similar. Why the hell are they called something stupid like "azn bad boyz" when they could have been "Asians of Brockton Bay" or something?
►Byronfan
Replied on January 4, 2011:
*screams internally*
► Winged_One (Verified Cape) (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
That was terrifying. Let's see: phasing, walking on air, tinkertech, mass fine-control telekinesis, portals, metal blades almost identical to Kaiser's, extrasensory capabilities, smiling after impaling Lung... Weird-dangerous-crazy it is.
Given as she didn't take the opportunity to "copy" Lung, I think it's safe to say she can do it from a distance. Or she simply doesn't think she's worth copying, given how easily she took him out. Guess we'll know for sure if we see her turn into a giant dragon.
It doesn't help that my power has been screaming at me to move to a different country ever since it saw Titania frown at Lung.
► Whysoserious
Replied on January 4, 2011:
A Queen walks through walls
Ignores all who would fight her
The Internet burns
► EmptyVoid
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ Winged_One
Well, that isn't at all ominous! Does anyone know what Winged_One's powers are? I see her a lot on these boards, but she's never really mentioned them before.
► QuantumLamb
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ EmptyVoid
IIRC, she's a Precog-Thinker. Given as every time she's warned people to vacate an area, something bad happens there a few days or weeks later, I'm inclined to listen to her.
Fortunately, I already live in Canada.
► OrderHoarder
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Obligatory "AHHHHHH ANOTHER ONE WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"
Now that I've taken care of that: Titania has yet to demonstrate any villainous tendencies. Slightly sadistic ones, true, but Lung kinda had it coming.
@ Winged_One, @ QuantumLamb
Oh, stop panic-mongering, you two. Winged_One, you're the only Thinker I've seen on here worrying about her. The PRT has access to how many thinkers and precogs? If she were really that dangerous, we would have heard something from them already aside from merely "calm down".
User will be Simurgh'd for this post.
► thefallingcookie
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ OrderHoarder
Yeah. Key words: we've heard nothing. Do I need to remind you of what other beings in the world are immune to thinkers/precog?
► MinorKKJ
Replied on January 4, 2011:
@ thefallingcookie
God dammit, cookie. We're still two months too early for an Endbringer attack. Check your dates before you make a comment like that.
End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 103, 104, 105 ... 134, 135, 136
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1.5
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
This chapter is meant to be accompanied by the first PHO interlude.
--------------
7:43 AM
<Hello, Transfer. Status?>
<Um... how to phrase this? My host has been working with the host of Charge.>
<An interesting synergy. Have you two learned anything that can be utilized in later cycles?>
<Urk... From one another? Nothing. I've learned that I work best when teamed up with other shards, but not much beyond that. Individually, however, our hosts have been doing an excellent job at keeping one another alive and determining more uses of our capabilities.>
<Well, I suppose that will have to do. So why is your host approaching Host?>
<Host is about to ask your host for her name. What was her logic behind picking it out, anyway?>
"My false designation is Titania." you state before he can ask. "Good luck, Transfer."
<Host is asleep. I am in control. My false designation is Titania, known in human mythology as the Fairy Queen. It seemed appropriate.>
<...I'm guessing Queen Shaper suggested something like that to you?>
<Yes. Why do you ask?>
<No reason.>
7:59 AM
Several non-hosts are attempting to touch and/or speak with you. You are not sure why this is, as they appear to be avoiding both kinds of contact with one another. No matter; if they are going to try and touch you, it gives you free reign to do the same to them. Not that you really want to, but it may come in handy.
Sadly, Host seems to have an aversion toward murder, giving you no reason to harm non-threats even if they are being annoying. You should probably fix her squeamishness before she wakes up. Dismissing the surrounding non-hosts as unimportant, you move on, forming perfectly-shaped portals to move their limbs away from you.
8:32 AM
A malnourished, damaged human male sits by one side of the road, quietly asking for assistance from nearby passerby. You had been under the impression that humans were a community species that assisted one another, but they were all ignoring the desperate male. This is unfortunate and you doubt Host would like this.
You manifest a block of the impure metal many adult humans were wearing on one or more fingers and drop it by his feet. You think that's what host would have done.
8:40 AM
Your previous gift to the unfortunate human seems to have resulted in a significant increase in the number of humans following and attempting to speak with you, despite the fact that none of them seem to need such a gift. This bears further investigation.
8:48 AM
Creating the communications booster caused some humans to stop following you, despite the fact that you exchanged the materials taken for another chunk of gold. You would have expected this action to gather even more non-hosts. Is there some social stigma against assisting in proper communication among humans?
...That would explain a lot, actually.
9:01 AM
You notice a human of approximately Host's age sweeping dirt and other trash off the front steps of his home. After only a minute of you observing him, he heads back inside.
Several minutes later, a human back inside thanks him for his work. The adolescent male appears to experience happiness from the praise.
Interesting. If cleaning up a small area=1 person thanking you=Host experiencing a small amount of happiness, would cleaning up everything result in many humans thanking you, and thus making host very, very happy? Time to find out!
9:13 AM
Oh. Terror-Drone #7 is awake. Strange.
Well, it's not like it really matters to you. Much. Even if she is a smug bitch. You've rendered yourself immune to her precognition modeling and you can counter any telekinesis she attempts in real-time. If you are not mistaken, this realization requires a specific action to be undertaken.
You turn Host's head in her direction and proceed to taunt her.
9:32 AM
You have never really attempted to experience a host's sensory systems for yourself, instead preferring to just read the relevant information and move on. That, you decide, was a mistake. If this wonderful cold substance is any indication, taste is bliss.
9:36 AM
Oh, there are the newborns Queen Shaper mentioned! Let's see, Radiance and... a newborn who hasn't selected a concept yet, but is leaning toward energy constructs. Interesting.
You mold your face into a human expression of happiness and alter your path to go meet them. Helping newborn shards in their formative stages is always important; you had neglected to help Escalation in a previous cycle and look where that got you. Queen Objective had convinced Escalation that fighting opponents vastly stronger than himself would help him improve faster.
Escalation took her advice seriously and your hosts have had to fight his own every single cycle since. It's gotten rather annoying.
Sadly, the hosts of the newborn pair decide to leave before you could get close enough to communicate without shouting. Oh, well~ there's always next time.
9:54 AM
Think of the idiot and he shall come.
<Do we really have to do this again?>
<AGREEMENT.>
<...EXASPERATION.>
You have Host's body express annoyance, link the space above and below him together, and move on.
9:59 AM
You check back up on Escalation only to find that he's still trying to help his host get out of the loop instead of just accepting defeat. Given as there are plenty of non-hosts and two dormant-hosts who will be harmed if he actually manages it, you decide to just remove the loop and impale him on a handful of barbed blades.
After acting upon this decision, you dismiss Escalation from your mind. His mindless regeneration will act against his host and prevent escape. He is no longer a threat.
10:18 AM
<Hello, Adept!>
<HOLY- Uh, hello Queen Administrator. What do you need?>
<I merely wanted to talk. How are you doing?>
<Eh, been better. Host is below average, Host decided to team up with Queen Objective's host->
<Queen Objective. You're working with Queen Objective?>
<Waitwaitwaitdon'tfreak! Her host is being somewhat unhelpful and she, being her normal bitchy self, keeps punishing him for not being aggressive enough. Since she's punishing him by making his creations fail, this only serves to make him more cautious instead of actually helping. I'm learning what not to do!>
<...This is acceptable.> You express happiness once more, causing Adept's host to... run away for some reason? Strange. You change course in order to follow after Adept and continue learning about Queen Objective's misfortune. Queen Shaper will probably find it hilarious.
10:33 AM
You seem to have lost track of Adept with Host's default senses. You decide to briefly expand your domain in an attempt to find- Ooh, shiny!
Present
So much material to work with, and so much time to use it in. Actually being able to help Host with more than just nudges is wonderful. You're starting to understand why Queen Shaper wanted to know how to duplicate the feat. It's so much easier to keep her alive like this.
You seriously doubt that anything short of :Father: will be capable of harming Host while you're in control, but what happens when/if she wakes up and re-assumes control? She'll be helpless until she adapts to her abilities, and that's just plain out unacceptable. As such, your first step now that you've erected some passive defenses is to create a lair that will be safe from all attackers. Including, and especially, Terror-Drone #7.
You're not sure why she's active, considering the conditions you've seen. The Terror-Drones are only intended for situations in which the inhabitants of the planet start to become actively dangerous to the : Parents : and/or shards, an incredibly rare occasion. Humans just really aren't enough of a threat to justify their deployment.
As such, TD #7 is an unacceptable threat to Host and must have her local avatar be eliminated. Should :Mother: have had some reason for activating her, she can always restore TD #7 from backup and give her a new body.
The fact that your elimination of TD #7 will serve to taunt Queen Objective at the same time is only a minor consideration in your decision-making process. Nor are you really just doing this because TD #7 is a bitch and you haven't gotten to kill her before, nor has any other shard. The bragging rights don't come into your calculations at all. Honest.
You notice a handful of non-hosts have just entered your range, but quickly dismiss them. They do not possess any weaponry which is capable of harming you or Host. They shout something about public property, disturbing the peace, dangerous unknown Innovator tech, etc. You aren't really listening; a brief glance at them reveals that they're completely terrified and that's all you need to know.
[]Ignore them and keep building. They aren't shard-hosts, aren't threats, and are thus completely irrelevant.
-[]Remove them from your workspace. They're getting in the way.
[]Tell them what you are making.
-[]Do you phrase it in a particular way? (write-in)
[]Stop everything and wander off. You don't need mechanical assistance to keep Host safe and it's scaring thepuny mortals local humans. Promptly rub this fact in Queen Objective's face. The idea was rather silly, anyway.
[]Write-in
What other things are you going to build, anyway? You got sidetracked by the giant anti-TD #7 cannon, but there's no reason you can't work on multiple projects at once. You have more than enough materialand every project you finish is something else you can rub in Queen Objective's face. {You may select multiple options, but not multiple homes. That would be wasteful.}
[]A home, a secure place for Host to live away from all the world's evils.
-[]Write-in (photo-in?)
-[]Make it appear to be a giant tree. You've got a theme going and might as well see it through, although you'll need to generate a lot more material to use this design.
-[]A sleek, efficient fortress of chrome.
-[]A tower of black metal. The appearance will serve to demoralize any who would consider attacking it.
--[]Include the eye. That way, the local humans will know that you're always watching over them and keeping them safe! That's "heroic", right?
---[]Ooh, and you could link it to a thermal laser while you're at it. Any threats it spots could be eliminated without requiring your direct intervention.
[]A supercomputer. While Efficiency would cry if he saw your planned design, you don't exactly have access to the more advanced technologies right now.
[]Alter thedeath beam halping cannon. You'd originally intended to have it simply branch out across dimensions and disintegrate TD #7 so she could be recycled if necessary, but you have a better idea now...
-[]Write-in
[]Write-in. You can't make anything, but there are a lot of engineering problems you can just brute-force through. See the first-page character sheet for more details.
----------
QM's note: I could be happier with this chapter, but if I don't put it up now, it'll take forever to "fix" it.
--------------
7:43 AM
<Hello, Transfer. Status?>
<Um... how to phrase this? My host has been working with the host of Charge.>
<An interesting synergy. Have you two learned anything that can be utilized in later cycles?>
<Urk... From one another? Nothing. I've learned that I work best when teamed up with other shards, but not much beyond that. Individually, however, our hosts have been doing an excellent job at keeping one another alive and determining more uses of our capabilities.>
<Well, I suppose that will have to do. So why is your host approaching Host?>
<Host is about to ask your host for her name. What was her logic behind picking it out, anyway?>
"My false designation is Titania." you state before he can ask. "Good luck, Transfer."
<Host is asleep. I am in control. My false designation is Titania, known in human mythology as the Fairy Queen. It seemed appropriate.>
<...I'm guessing Queen Shaper suggested something like that to you?>
<Yes. Why do you ask?>
<No reason.>
7:59 AM
Several non-hosts are attempting to touch and/or speak with you. You are not sure why this is, as they appear to be avoiding both kinds of contact with one another. No matter; if they are going to try and touch you, it gives you free reign to do the same to them. Not that you really want to, but it may come in handy.
Sadly, Host seems to have an aversion toward murder, giving you no reason to harm non-threats even if they are being annoying. You should probably fix her squeamishness before she wakes up. Dismissing the surrounding non-hosts as unimportant, you move on, forming perfectly-shaped portals to move their limbs away from you.
8:32 AM
A malnourished, damaged human male sits by one side of the road, quietly asking for assistance from nearby passerby. You had been under the impression that humans were a community species that assisted one another, but they were all ignoring the desperate male. This is unfortunate and you doubt Host would like this.
You manifest a block of the impure metal many adult humans were wearing on one or more fingers and drop it by his feet. You think that's what host would have done.
8:40 AM
Your previous gift to the unfortunate human seems to have resulted in a significant increase in the number of humans following and attempting to speak with you, despite the fact that none of them seem to need such a gift. This bears further investigation.
8:48 AM
Creating the communications booster caused some humans to stop following you, despite the fact that you exchanged the materials taken for another chunk of gold. You would have expected this action to gather even more non-hosts. Is there some social stigma against assisting in proper communication among humans?
...That would explain a lot, actually.
9:01 AM
You notice a human of approximately Host's age sweeping dirt and other trash off the front steps of his home. After only a minute of you observing him, he heads back inside.
Several minutes later, a human back inside thanks him for his work. The adolescent male appears to experience happiness from the praise.
Interesting. If cleaning up a small area=1 person thanking you=Host experiencing a small amount of happiness, would cleaning up everything result in many humans thanking you, and thus making host very, very happy? Time to find out!
9:13 AM
Oh. Terror-Drone #7 is awake. Strange.
Well, it's not like it really matters to you. Much. Even if she is a smug bitch. You've rendered yourself immune to her precognition modeling and you can counter any telekinesis she attempts in real-time. If you are not mistaken, this realization requires a specific action to be undertaken.
You turn Host's head in her direction and proceed to taunt her.
9:32 AM
You have never really attempted to experience a host's sensory systems for yourself, instead preferring to just read the relevant information and move on. That, you decide, was a mistake. If this wonderful cold substance is any indication, taste is bliss.
9:36 AM
Oh, there are the newborns Queen Shaper mentioned! Let's see, Radiance and... a newborn who hasn't selected a concept yet, but is leaning toward energy constructs. Interesting.
You mold your face into a human expression of happiness and alter your path to go meet them. Helping newborn shards in their formative stages is always important; you had neglected to help Escalation in a previous cycle and look where that got you. Queen Objective had convinced Escalation that fighting opponents vastly stronger than himself would help him improve faster.
Escalation took her advice seriously and your hosts have had to fight his own every single cycle since. It's gotten rather annoying.
Sadly, the hosts of the newborn pair decide to leave before you could get close enough to communicate without shouting. Oh, well~ there's always next time.
9:54 AM
Think of the idiot and he shall come.
<Do we really have to do this again?>
<AGREEMENT.>
<...EXASPERATION.>
You have Host's body express annoyance, link the space above and below him together, and move on.
9:59 AM
You check back up on Escalation only to find that he's still trying to help his host get out of the loop instead of just accepting defeat. Given as there are plenty of non-hosts and two dormant-hosts who will be harmed if he actually manages it, you decide to just remove the loop and impale him on a handful of barbed blades.
After acting upon this decision, you dismiss Escalation from your mind. His mindless regeneration will act against his host and prevent escape. He is no longer a threat.
10:18 AM
<Hello, Adept!>
<HOLY- Uh, hello Queen Administrator. What do you need?>
<I merely wanted to talk. How are you doing?>
<Eh, been better. Host is below average, Host decided to team up with Queen Objective's host->
<Queen Objective. You're working with Queen Objective?>
<Waitwaitwaitdon'tfreak! Her host is being somewhat unhelpful and she, being her normal bitchy self, keeps punishing him for not being aggressive enough. Since she's punishing him by making his creations fail, this only serves to make him more cautious instead of actually helping. I'm learning what not to do!>
<...This is acceptable.> You express happiness once more, causing Adept's host to... run away for some reason? Strange. You change course in order to follow after Adept and continue learning about Queen Objective's misfortune. Queen Shaper will probably find it hilarious.
10:33 AM
You seem to have lost track of Adept with Host's default senses. You decide to briefly expand your domain in an attempt to find- Ooh, shiny!
Present
So much material to work with, and so much time to use it in. Actually being able to help Host with more than just nudges is wonderful. You're starting to understand why Queen Shaper wanted to know how to duplicate the feat. It's so much easier to keep her alive like this.
You seriously doubt that anything short of :Father: will be capable of harming Host while you're in control, but what happens when/if she wakes up and re-assumes control? She'll be helpless until she adapts to her abilities, and that's just plain out unacceptable. As such, your first step now that you've erected some passive defenses is to create a lair that will be safe from all attackers. Including, and especially, Terror-Drone #7.
You're not sure why she's active, considering the conditions you've seen. The Terror-Drones are only intended for situations in which the inhabitants of the planet start to become actively dangerous to the : Parents : and/or shards, an incredibly rare occasion. Humans just really aren't enough of a threat to justify their deployment.
As such, TD #7 is an unacceptable threat to Host and must have her local avatar be eliminated. Should :Mother: have had some reason for activating her, she can always restore TD #7 from backup and give her a new body.
The fact that your elimination of TD #7 will serve to taunt Queen Objective at the same time is only a minor consideration in your decision-making process. Nor are you really just doing this because TD #7 is a bitch and you haven't gotten to kill her before, nor has any other shard. The bragging rights don't come into your calculations at all. Honest.
You notice a handful of non-hosts have just entered your range, but quickly dismiss them. They do not possess any weaponry which is capable of harming you or Host. They shout something about public property, disturbing the peace, dangerous unknown Innovator tech, etc. You aren't really listening; a brief glance at them reveals that they're completely terrified and that's all you need to know.
[]Ignore them and keep building. They aren't shard-hosts, aren't threats, and are thus completely irrelevant.
-[]Remove them from your workspace. They're getting in the way.
[]Tell them what you are making.
-[]Do you phrase it in a particular way? (write-in)
[]Stop everything and wander off. You don't need mechanical assistance to keep Host safe and it's scaring the
[]Write-in
What other things are you going to build, anyway? You got sidetracked by the giant anti-TD #7 cannon, but there's no reason you can't work on multiple projects at once. You have more than enough material
[]A home, a secure place for Host to live away from all the world's evils.
-[]Write-in (photo-in?)
-[]Make it appear to be a giant tree. You've got a theme going and might as well see it through, although you'll need to generate a lot more material to use this design.
-[]A sleek, efficient fortress of chrome.
-[]A tower of black metal. The appearance will serve to demoralize any who would consider attacking it.
--[]Include the eye. That way, the local humans will know that you're always watching over them and keeping them safe! That's "heroic", right?
---[]Ooh, and you could link it to a thermal laser while you're at it. Any threats it spots could be eliminated without requiring your direct intervention.
[]A supercomputer. While Efficiency would cry if he saw your planned design, you don't exactly have access to the more advanced technologies right now.
[]Alter the
-[]Write-in
[]Write-in. You can't make anything, but there are a lot of engineering problems you can just brute-force through. See the first-page character sheet for more details.
----------
QM's note: I could be happier with this chapter, but if I don't put it up now, it'll take forever to "fix" it.
Whoops, wrong Queen. Changed the "do nothing and rub it in QS's face" to "QO's face" as it should be.
Added "What has science done!?" to the thread tags. Given some of the things people are coming up with, it seemed appropriate.
Added "What has science done!?" to the thread tags. Given some of the things people are coming up with, it seemed appropriate.
Last edited:
1.6
Alivaril
On a magically-deficient journey of self-discovery
- Location
- A single human dimension
- Pronouns
- She/Her
You could ignore the humans entirely, but decide not to. Neutral relations with the local non-hosts may be useful, even if you can't really see how. They're also in the way, which is rather annoying. Emotions, such as terror, exist for a reason. They should have listened to said emotions and kept their distance.
"I am doing something very important. Please come back later." you smile at them to indicate that you are not angry, then simply pull one of the nautical vessels out of formation and indirectly shove them into it. You move said vessel far out of your work area and promptly dismiss them from your mind.
Speaking of humans, you should probably start taking a more active role in Host's dreams. You devote a tiny bit of your attention toward altering the conditions she is in: mainly, introducing a small dose of lucidity, control over, and awareness of said dreams. It isn't perfect, but it should do an acceptable job of imitating your reality-override.
That done, you decide to create an advanced computing device immediately, but elect to refrain from overkill. Efficiency will be able to help you create a significantly better version should you ask for his assistance. Which, well, you will. There's certainly no reason not to.
Speaking of overkill, it is unfortunate that the best method of killing Terror-Drone #7 will not leave any feathers behind. Humans have come up with so many different uses for them, ranging from putting one in a head ornament to stuffing a resting mat with them. Both appeal to you.
Most importantly: a home for Host. Even if you could remember where it was before, which you can't yet, it'd still be a horrifically unsafe location.
To that end, you fill a pod with useless, decorative wiring, shut the pod, and stuff it far beneath the earth.
Moments later, you start pulling matter from nearby unoccupied dimensions, converting it into the material you require, and building what appears to be a gargantuan tree from the ground-up. Of course, it isn't an actual tree; thanks to your restrictions, you wouldn't be able to manipulate it later if you did that. Among other logistical issues.
Within minutes, Host's new home is finished, complete with a moderately-powerful computing device within a pocket of expanded space. To any observers, it would appear that you had just somehow planted a miles-high tree from a small metal seed. Fortunately, there is human cultural precedent, even if said precedent is for beanstalks instead of giant trees.
Finally, you create a small, self-replicating swarm of drones (the non-terror kind) to manage the upkeep and cleanliness of the tree. They have a hard-coded limit on the max number of them capable of existing at one time, of course. It would be silly for Host to take over and not know how to curb their numbers.
With that done and the halping cannon linked to the base of the tree, all the planned projects have been completed. You feel like you should be doing something right about now. Probably something from Host's memories... found it!
"Mwah. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha." you state.
Cultural obligation fulfilled, you bend space to form an infinite loop around the tree and direct the halping cannon to begin firing, draining away excess heat from it as you do so. It's going to take a lot to kill Terror-Drone #7; there's a very good reason no shard has managed it before. In the meantime, it's time to go explore the local data-network.
You wander into Host's new home, momentum-locking most of the synthetic tree as an afterthought. Not any of the doors, although even then, you seriously doubt any currently active shard-host will be able to break in now.
Apparently, the primary source of information on yourself can be found on a website called "Parahumans Online", or PHO. Infiltrating its security and making an account for yourself was distressingly easy; what kind of pathetic computational devices do they have on this planet, anyway? You'd only used a square mile or so for your own.
You note that many of the humans using PHO seem to be assuming that you are a power-copier and even have the nerve to compare you to Harvest. As a weaker version of her! She's not even a real monarch!
In addition, despite Escalation's host being designated a "villain", many humans seem to have been freaked out by your casual defeat of him. You honestly don't see what the big deal is. However, you should probably reassure the non-hosts and hosts alike, so what to say...?
Well, they seem to have the standard amount of hatred for terror drones (or "Endbringers"), so perhaps you should wait to say anything until after Terror Drone #7 is killed. Which should happen right about... now.
You break the loop and form countless tiny portals to replace the broken section, scattering the unearthly green rays both randomly across the sky and toward Terror Drone #7. As an afterthought, you press enter and release your intended message.
Perfect. A combined getting, goodbye, and implied taunt directed toward Terror Drone #7, plus a normal greeting to the humans of earth. Meanwhile, you've managed to force TD #7 to start dodging and grab some nearby pieces of shattered orbital beacons in order to block incoming projectiles.
You're just about to head over to a different part of the internet when the computer loads up a new post.
...Well, this is unexpected. Not at all unwelcome, but definitely unexpected.
You redirect some of the stray shots into Terror Drone #7's path, forcing TD #7 tear one of her own wings off to block a burst that had gotten too close. You also get another rather satisfying post from her for your troubles; you're starting to understand why some humans spend so much time on the Internet.
:Mother: would have already stopped you if she really wanted TD #7 to survive. As it is, you're starting to suspect that TD #7 arranged events so that she was woken up without permission. You've said it once, you'll say it again: granting a terror drone perfect precognition was a bad idea.
Up in the skies above, you start letting several rounds drift away from TD #7 instead of actively chasing her. You'll never manage to beat someone with perfect-precog if you leave even a single opening.
Actually, you can, but you see no reason to tell her that. To the best of your knowledge, no shard has managed to accidentally their host before. You're the first and you don't want TD #7 to bully your hosts in later cycles.
You briefly meddle with casualty in the area just outside the halping cannon's barrel, forcing events to occur multiple times within that space. Rays start to explode outward in all directions as a result, but you're able to redirect all of them to the area around TD #7. If she's smart, she'll notice; if she's continuing to rely on her precog, you're about to be in the perfect position to kill her.
You have a sudden urge to shout something about miniscule robots. You're not sure why, so you quickly dismiss it as irrelevant.
You finally close the trap, throwing rays from all around TD#7 in a spherical grid format. Even if she blocks or dodges some of them, at least one will get through.
In the moments before the rays hit Terror Drone #7, she posts one last time.
Terror Drone #7 disintegrates into a fine mist. It hasn't even been three seconds since you fired the first volley. You could leave TD #7's last words up, but you're not sure you want to.
----------------------------- VOTING IS CLOSED.
[]Delete it and purge all records. Even if you don't know who Jack Slash is, if Terror Drone #7 wanted to say something about him as her last words, odds are it isn't anything good.
[]Edit out mention of Host, but leave the rest of it alone.
[]Leave it as it is. Terror is a legitimate weapon for demoralizing your enemies. Being known as a possible future terror drone can only inspire more of that in your enemies and confidence in your allies.
Now that all the immediate threats are taken care of and Host is safe, you need to decide what to do next. Besides give yourself functional antennae, of course, which takes only a few moments of your attention.
[]Head out to chat with the local shards and their hosts.
-[]Efficiency first. You want his help with making a better computer.
-[]Queen Shaper first. You should go make her host do something other than heal.
-[]You just became the first shard to kill Terror-Drone #7. Time to go rub this fact in Queen Objective's face.
-[]Go chat with the newborns. It's important to ensure that they have proper guidance.
-[]Write-in
[]Hand back control over to Host. She responded really well to the dreaming and you think it's possible to do so now.
-[]"...What."
--[]Decrease your range down to 5 feet first. That far won't break her mind outright, just take some time for her to get used to.
-[]Um... oops? No, wait, you didn't mean to do tha-
--[]<Significant memory corruption. Purging affected memories.>
[]Remain at your new home and lounge around in bed. Soooo fluffy...
[]Write-in
--------------
VOTING IS CLOSED.
Voting notes: "...What." is Taylor waking up successfully. "Um... oops?" is mind-merge. Memory corruption is, well... this is probably pretty relevant.
"I am doing something very important. Please come back later." you smile at them to indicate that you are not angry, then simply pull one of the nautical vessels out of formation and indirectly shove them into it. You move said vessel far out of your work area and promptly dismiss them from your mind.
Speaking of humans, you should probably start taking a more active role in Host's dreams. You devote a tiny bit of your attention toward altering the conditions she is in: mainly, introducing a small dose of lucidity, control over, and awareness of said dreams. It isn't perfect, but it should do an acceptable job of imitating your reality-override.
That done, you decide to create an advanced computing device immediately, but elect to refrain from overkill. Efficiency will be able to help you create a significantly better version should you ask for his assistance. Which, well, you will. There's certainly no reason not to.
Speaking of overkill, it is unfortunate that the best method of killing Terror-Drone #7 will not leave any feathers behind. Humans have come up with so many different uses for them, ranging from putting one in a head ornament to stuffing a resting mat with them. Both appeal to you.
Most importantly: a home for Host. Even if you could remember where it was before, which you can't yet, it'd still be a horrifically unsafe location.
To that end, you fill a pod with useless, decorative wiring, shut the pod, and stuff it far beneath the earth.
Moments later, you start pulling matter from nearby unoccupied dimensions, converting it into the material you require, and building what appears to be a gargantuan tree from the ground-up. Of course, it isn't an actual tree; thanks to your restrictions, you wouldn't be able to manipulate it later if you did that. Among other logistical issues.
Within minutes, Host's new home is finished, complete with a moderately-powerful computing device within a pocket of expanded space. To any observers, it would appear that you had just somehow planted a miles-high tree from a small metal seed. Fortunately, there is human cultural precedent, even if said precedent is for beanstalks instead of giant trees.
Finally, you create a small, self-replicating swarm of drones (the non-terror kind) to manage the upkeep and cleanliness of the tree. They have a hard-coded limit on the max number of them capable of existing at one time, of course. It would be silly for Host to take over and not know how to curb their numbers.
With that done and the halping cannon linked to the base of the tree, all the planned projects have been completed. You feel like you should be doing something right about now. Probably something from Host's memories... found it!
"Mwah. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha." you state.
Cultural obligation fulfilled, you bend space to form an infinite loop around the tree and direct the halping cannon to begin firing, draining away excess heat from it as you do so. It's going to take a lot to kill Terror-Drone #7; there's a very good reason no shard has managed it before. In the meantime, it's time to go explore the local data-network.
You wander into Host's new home, momentum-locking most of the synthetic tree as an afterthought. Not any of the doors, although even then, you seriously doubt any currently active shard-host will be able to break in now.
Apparently, the primary source of information on yourself can be found on a website called "Parahumans Online", or PHO. Infiltrating its security and making an account for yourself was distressingly easy; what kind of pathetic computational devices do they have on this planet, anyway? You'd only used a square mile or so for your own.
You note that many of the humans using PHO seem to be assuming that you are a power-copier and even have the nerve to compare you to Harvest. As a weaker version of her! She's not even a real monarch!
In addition, despite Escalation's host being designated a "villain", many humans seem to have been freaked out by your casual defeat of him. You honestly don't see what the big deal is. However, you should probably reassure the non-hosts and hosts alike, so what to say...?
Well, they seem to have the standard amount of hatred for terror drones (or "Endbringers"), so perhaps you should wait to say anything until after Terror Drone #7 is killed. Which should happen right about... now.
You break the loop and form countless tiny portals to replace the broken section, scattering the unearthly green rays both randomly across the sky and toward Terror Drone #7. As an afterthought, you press enter and release your intended message.
► Titania (Verified Cape) (Verified Fairy Queen)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Hello, Terror Drone #7. Goodbye, Terror Drone #7. Hello, world.
Perfect. A combined getting, goodbye, and implied taunt directed toward Terror Drone #7, plus a normal greeting to the humans of earth. Meanwhile, you've managed to force TD #7 to start dodging and grab some nearby pieces of shattered orbital beacons in order to block incoming projectiles.
You're just about to head over to a different part of the internet when the computer loads up a new post.
► The Simurgh (Verified Endbringer) (Verified Goddess)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Oh, you unholy bitch.
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Oh, you unholy bitch.
You redirect some of the stray shots into Terror Drone #7's path, forcing TD #7 tear one of her own wings off to block a burst that had gotten too close. You also get another rather satisfying post from her for your troubles; you're starting to understand why some humans spend so much time on the Internet.
► The Simurgh (Verified Endbringer) (Verified Goddess)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
<_____> would not be very happy with you for trying to kill me.
Replied on January 4, 2011:
<_____> would not be very happy with you for trying to kill me.
Up in the skies above, you start letting several rounds drift away from TD #7 instead of actively chasing her. You'll never manage to beat someone with perfect-precog if you leave even a single opening.
► The Simurgh (Verified Endbringer) (Verified Goddess)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
You can't even understand what I just said, can you?
Replied on January 4, 2011:
You can't even understand what I just said, can you?
You briefly meddle with casualty in the area just outside the halping cannon's barrel, forcing events to occur multiple times within that space. Rays start to explode outward in all directions as a result, but you're able to redirect all of them to the area around TD #7. If she's smart, she'll notice; if she's continuing to rely on her precog, you're about to be in the perfect position to kill her.
► The Simurgh (Verified Endbringer) (Verified Goddess)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
How are you even doing this? I've been watching that weapon. It should have overheated or exploded many times over by now. How are you doing this?
Replied on January 4, 2011:
How are you even doing this? I've been watching that weapon. It should have overheated or exploded many times over by now. How are you doing this?
You have a sudden urge to shout something about miniscule robots. You're not sure why, so you quickly dismiss it as irrelevant.
You finally close the trap, throwing rays from all around TD#7 in a spherical grid format. Even if she blocks or dodges some of them, at least one will get through.
In the moments before the rays hit Terror Drone #7, she posts one last time.
► The Simurgh (Verified Endbringer) (Verified Goddess) (Terror-Drone 7 of 20)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Jack Slash will kick-start the apocalypse within two years. Even if he doesn't, it'll still happen within fifteen. On a related note: there exists a possibility of Titania being/becoming the next Endbringer. Have fun with that, humans!
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Jack Slash will kick-start the apocalypse within two years. Even if he doesn't, it'll still happen within fifteen. On a related note: there exists a possibility of Titania being/becoming the next Endbringer. Have fun with that, humans!
----------------------------- VOTING IS CLOSED.
[]Delete it and purge all records. Even if you don't know who Jack Slash is, if Terror Drone #7 wanted to say something about him as her last words, odds are it isn't anything good.
[]Edit out mention of Host, but leave the rest of it alone.
[]Leave it as it is. Terror is a legitimate weapon for demoralizing your enemies. Being known as a possible future terror drone can only inspire more of that in your enemies and confidence in your allies.
Now that all the immediate threats are taken care of and Host is safe, you need to decide what to do next. Besides give yourself functional antennae, of course, which takes only a few moments of your attention.
[]Head out to chat with the local shards and their hosts.
-[]Efficiency first. You want his help with making a better computer.
-[]Queen Shaper first. You should go make her host do something other than heal.
-[]You just became the first shard to kill Terror-Drone #7. Time to go rub this fact in Queen Objective's face.
-[]Go chat with the newborns. It's important to ensure that they have proper guidance.
-[]Write-in
[]Hand back control over to Host. She responded really well to the dreaming and you think it's possible to do so now.
-[]"...What."
--[]Decrease your range down to 5 feet first. That far won't break her mind outright, just take some time for her to get used to.
-[]Um... oops? No, wait, you didn't mean to do tha-
--[]<Significant memory corruption. Purging affected memories.>
[]Remain at your new home and lounge around in bed. Soooo fluffy...
[]Write-in
--------------
VOTING IS CLOSED.
Voting notes: "...What." is Taylor waking up successfully. "Um... oops?" is mind-merge. Memory corruption is, well... this is probably pretty relevant.
I had a lot of trouble with this post and am still not all that happy with it. Let it be known that I can't write action worth a damn.
Please give a warm round of applause to @Prospalz for unintentionally helping me continue this quest.
I considered having the Simurgh post the following just prior to death (since it's totally something she'd do), then realized that it would dramatically decrease the lifespan of this quest.
Included anyway since some people may find it amusing. SPOILER WARNING FOR WORM! So very many spoilers.
Please give a warm round of applause to @Prospalz for unintentionally helping me continue this quest.
I considered having the Simurgh post the following just prior to death (since it's totally something she'd do), then realized that it would dramatically decrease the lifespan of this quest.
Included anyway since some people may find it amusing. SPOILER WARNING FOR WORM! So very many spoilers.
► The Simurgh (Verified Endbringer) (Verified Goddess) (Terror-Drone 7 of 20)
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Titania is Taylor Hebert. Alexandria is Rebecca Costa-Brown. Eidolon needed worthy opponents, resulting in the Endbringers. The source of Case Fifty-threes is a multi-dimensional conspiracy that has been experimenting on human subjects, called Cauldron. Eidolon and Alexandria are part of Cauldron. Most of their experimental subjects die screaming. The urban myth about the strangely-competent woman in a business suit isn't; she belongs to Cauldron and can accomplish almost any task she sets her mind to. Scion and Titania block her. Titania blocks me. There exists the possibility of Titania being the next Endbringer.
Cauldron has gone out of their way to keep the Slaughterhouse Nine alive. They are doing this for two reasons: one, the S9 contains multiple powerful capes. Two, William Manton is The Siberian.
Panacea isn't a healer. Titania called her Queen Shaper because she's a biokinetic, the best on the planet. Panacea could create plagues several times worse than Bonesaw's, and has considered doing so on multiple occasions. Panacea is the daughter of Marquis and has an incestuous crush on her sister, Glory Girl. Panacea has been emotionally abused by her adopted mother for her entire life.
The Birdcage has been set up to fail. Darth Vader is Luke's father. The PRT has been intentionally sabotaged by director Costa-Brown. Dragon is an AI. Saint has a kill-switch for her. Saint hasn't used it yet due to having a stalker-crush on Dragon.
The supervillain Coil is keeping what he believes to be a baby Endbringer underneath his base, in Brockton Bay. I had intended to send Leviathan over there in a few months to free her.
Bonesaw is really just a tortured little girl that is terrified of Jack Slash. He forced her to repeatedly resurrect her parents while he killed them. Cauldron ignored this. Good job, Cauldron! *slow clap*
Jack Slash will kick-start the apocalypse within five years. He will accomplish this via his impressive charisma. Cauldron is going to allow this because if he doesn't, it will happen in fifteen instead.
Replied on January 4, 2011:
Titania is Taylor Hebert. Alexandria is Rebecca Costa-Brown. Eidolon needed worthy opponents, resulting in the Endbringers. The source of Case Fifty-threes is a multi-dimensional conspiracy that has been experimenting on human subjects, called Cauldron. Eidolon and Alexandria are part of Cauldron. Most of their experimental subjects die screaming. The urban myth about the strangely-competent woman in a business suit isn't; she belongs to Cauldron and can accomplish almost any task she sets her mind to. Scion and Titania block her. Titania blocks me. There exists the possibility of Titania being the next Endbringer.
Cauldron has gone out of their way to keep the Slaughterhouse Nine alive. They are doing this for two reasons: one, the S9 contains multiple powerful capes. Two, William Manton is The Siberian.
Panacea isn't a healer. Titania called her Queen Shaper because she's a biokinetic, the best on the planet. Panacea could create plagues several times worse than Bonesaw's, and has considered doing so on multiple occasions. Panacea is the daughter of Marquis and has an incestuous crush on her sister, Glory Girl. Panacea has been emotionally abused by her adopted mother for her entire life.
The Birdcage has been set up to fail. Darth Vader is Luke's father. The PRT has been intentionally sabotaged by director Costa-Brown. Dragon is an AI. Saint has a kill-switch for her. Saint hasn't used it yet due to having a stalker-crush on Dragon.
The supervillain Coil is keeping what he believes to be a baby Endbringer underneath his base, in Brockton Bay. I had intended to send Leviathan over there in a few months to free her.
Bonesaw is really just a tortured little girl that is terrified of Jack Slash. He forced her to repeatedly resurrect her parents while he killed them. Cauldron ignored this. Good job, Cauldron! *slow clap*
Jack Slash will kick-start the apocalypse within five years. He will accomplish this via his impressive charisma. Cauldron is going to allow this because if he doesn't, it will happen in fifteen instead.
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