Oh good lord ... I just reread what I wrote. o_O (As if I was a reader rather than as an editor or writer)

I think I just congratulated Glory Girl for training her dad to commit suicide if she ever goes to college away from home. :oops:

It makes sense in context but it did not click as I was writing that ... fucking blue and orange moralities.
 
Oh good lord ... I just reread what I wrote. o_O (As if I was a reader rather than as an editor or writer)

I think I just congratulated Glory Girl for training her dad to commit suicide if she ever goes to college away from home. :oops:

It makes sense in context but it did not click as I was writing that ... fucking blue and orange moralities.

Unconscious shenanigans like that are part of why I have so much fun writing this. Occasionally I'll type something, pause, and go "Okay, what the hell, brain?" But instead of deleting it like I would have to with a more serious/darker story, I can just roll with it.

I do rather like the shard names you came up for New Wave and Heartbreaker. Nice job.

Edit: no update tonight. Tired from a long car trip.
 
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Unconscious shenanigans like that are part of why I have so much fun writing this. Occasionally I'll type something, pause, and go "Okay, what the hell, brain?" But instead of deleting it like I would have to with a more serious story, I can just roll with it.

I don't write fiction much (at all really) so it's not something I'm familiar with, but somehow I am in a superposition of "holy crap I'm such a horrible person" and "that makes perfect sense, I'm actually kinda proud I thought of that" right now.

Any (non-spoiler) examples of yours?

I do rather like the shard names you came up for New Wave and Heartbreaker. Nice job.

I seriously looked up a list of "adjectives for light". Themed power groups are doing to deplete those lists quickly.
 
I don't write fiction much (at all really) so it's not something I'm familiar with, but somehow I am in a superposition of "holy crap I'm such a horrible person" and "that makes perfect sense, I'm actually kinda proud I thought of that" right now.

Any (non-spoiler) examples of yours?

Most recent: the initial "nobody can hear you scream, Panacea" line which was then taken, improved upon, and justified. Various QA lines for the eventual conversation with Jack Slash/S9. HALPING!
 
I am hoping the Radiance talk was gonna be shard-speak.

A shame the tips for socializing didn't win out; we'd have been safer having a conversation on social with Victoria, and a meet and greet with the newborns in shard-speak.

Well, here's hoping we get some hilarity either way. Oughta be good.
 
I am hoping the Radiance talk was gonna be shard-speak.

A shame the tips for socializing didn't win out; we'd have been safer having a conversation on social with Victoria, and a meet and greet with the newborns in shard-speak.

Well, here's hoping we get some hilarity either way. Oughta be good.
We are QA! We care not for singletasking!
 
I cannot even explain how amazing this is. I've laughed so hard tonight... Alivaril, well done you wonderful creature you.
 
I am hoping the Radiance talk was gonna be shard-speak.

A shame the tips for socializing didn't win out; we'd have been safer having a conversation on social with Victoria, and a meet and greet with the newborns in shard-speak.

Well, here's hoping we get some hilarity either way. Oughta be good.
I should have gotten here earlier. Started a Bandwagon.
 
2.1
[X] Why should you have to choose? You are Queen Administrator and now Titania; shards and hosts cater to you, not the other way around.
[X]Go help Radiance. You're already in the same building; you might as well.
-[X]Congratulate Radiance on her host's successful brainwashing of Queen Shaper's host, and offer a few tips on how to make it more effective in the future.
[X]Head over to the PRT Headquarters. It's been a while since Efficiency's host told you to do so. Now would be a pretty good time, right?
-[X]As the first thing you do while there, go and interact with the cluster of shard-hosts: Instant, Modular, Substitute, Disposition, Warp, and Arsenal . You should go over and say hello; opportunities where that many hosts are in a single place at once don't come very often.



"Yeah, I'll be careful. Look, I'm not going to be stupid enough to go after the girl who killed an Endbringer. I'm mad she fucked with Amy, but not that kind of-"

"Hello, Radiance."

"HOLY SHIT!" Radiance's host dropped the communication device she was holding, then barely caught it before it hit the ground. You're not sure why she bothered to drop it in the first place.

Speaking of illogical actions, why would she worship... nope. You're not going to think about that. Thinking too hard about the various religions of hosts never ends well.

<Hi Queen Administrator!>

<Hello, Radiance. Good job successfully brainwashing Queen Shaper's host; it's a shame you couldn't get her to act on the resulting impulses, but it was good for a first try.>

<Thank you!>

"Creepy girl is here gotta go bye!" Radiance's host pockets the communication device, but you note that there are several internal mechanisms which are still transmitting. A transparent ploy, if it was intentional.

<How do your current abilities work? I would like to help, but Queen Shaper didn't explain anything beyond your accomplishment.>


<Primary: Host has an aura which causes other humans to experience either awe and admiration or fear. She can consciously increase or decrease the intensity, but it's mostly unconscious and related to her mood. Secondary: Host has enhanced strength, flight, and a protective barrier.>

<Impressive. Not a bad combination, especially for your first cycle.>

"Hello, Radiance. I must commend you on your progress toward turning Panacea into your thrall, but you've left the job half-done. She still has priorities other than simply doing everything she can to please you."

"I- you- what?" she sounds torn between confusion and anger.

<Um... Host doesn't know about it. I've been trying to make sure neither she nor Queen Shaper's host does.>

<Understandable. Host species rarely react well to manipulation. Would you rather I continued dispensing advice to your host or shall I attempt damage control?>

<Continue, please! Host's family is obsessed with human morality.>

<I do not understand the relation.>

<...Queen Shaper would recommend I not tell you until after we're done here. Is that okay?>

<Is this a process which would be negatively impacted by me having more information?>

<Yes.>

<Would I choose to do something else were I possessed of all the facts?>

<Sort of? I think you'd still be okay with helping me, but it wouldn't be nearly as effective.>

<Will it harm me, Host, or the cycle?>

<I really don't think that's possible.>

<Then it's fine. What is your host's false designation?>

<Glory Girl. DIRECTION.>

<AGREEMENT.>

"Your brainwashing of Panacea is only half-done, Glory Girl. She still has priorities other than serving you." you repeat. "You've done an excellent job of making her worship you, but she still spends a significant portion of her time healing random individuals. Additionally, she has yet to improve you with her own powers, something which would be incredibly easy for her. Might I suggest increasing or decreasing your aura intensity in response to acts which please or displease you?"

<Um... She's actually already been doing that. I've been toning down her impulse control so she doesn't notice.>

<Be careful when doing that to your hosts in the future. It can lead to some exceptionally stupid decisions.>

You note that Glory Girl's aura has become really rather noticeable, complimenting her growing look of fury. It is fortunate you are immune, but... why is she angry? Everything you've said is true and you've even trying to help her improve! Queen Shaper did mention that some humans don't like learning; perhaps Glory Girl is one of those? Well, that's irrelevant, even if it is appalling. Radiance did ask for you to continue, so you shall.

"Disregard the previous statement. It would appear you have already been doing that. Alternative: sleep deprivation combined with isolation should make it significantly easier to bend Panacea-"

You blink as Glory Girl flies toward you and attempts to punch your face. She fails, of course; your passive defenses absorb and return the attack, temporarily deactivating her forcefield and sending her crashing into the opposite wall. Did she not already mention being too intelligent for such an action? Why would she lie about her own mental capabilities to an ally? ...Ah. Radiance's adjustments.

<Sorry, Queen Administrator! I don't know why she did that...>

<Refer to previous statement regarding stupid decisions. If you wish to keep a single host for a long period of time, harming their instincts related to self-preservation is not a good idea.>

You choose to ignore Glory Girl's screaming. It is rather unfortunate that the family of Queen Shaper's host are all capable of imitating Howl; it was only a broken bone or nine, and she'd started it. You've seen non-hosts take much worse.

<...Oopsie? It seemed like a good idea at the time...>

<Bad ideas are annoying like that. You'll be able to better avoid them when you've gone through a few hosts, don't worry.>

"It would appear that I am no longer welcome here." you note, changing the space around Glory Girl into a large three-dimensional maze. That should both inform her of the consequences of her actions and help improve her problem-solving capabilities. "If you will excuse me, I am heading for the PRT headquarters. Please be more careful about who you attempt to fight."



Attempting to enter the PRT Headquarters proved to be rather interesting. As soon as you exited the portal, several streams of some white fluid headed in your direction. In the distance, you could hear an alarm begin to shriek. The assault doesn't accomplish anything, of course, but you are suddenly glad you didn't bring Radiance's host with you. You aren't sure what the purpose of the substance is yet, but her getting covered in the stuff would most likely have been bad.

The streams and alarm are quickly stopped, but you remove Effect from each sprayer anyway, shrouding them in darkness as time stops. You experimentally unphase one finger and poke at the mass of white bounciness the fluid became. Despite the brief period of contact, you are forced to phase your finger once more in order to free it.

"An interesting substance. I will have to remember that chemical composition." you muse aloud, turning to face the assembled hosts.

Warp is at the opposite side of a vastly expanded room, hiding behind Disposition's own host. Arsenal is very carefully not pointing a rather large cylindrical weapon at you. Substitute has inserted himself between you and the others. Modular is trying to sneak out of the room. Instant is trying, and failing, to sneak toward you unnoticed.

Disposition is the only one who doesn't look disturbed by your arrival, instead looking rather similar to the various humans you've observed consuming hallucinogenic substances. Odd. You had gotten the impression that humans tried to hide their use of said material.

"Well. Now that I've taken care of those little annoyances: hello!" you smile at the assembled hosts. "You don't need to look so scared. I don't think there's anyone here who I need to kill."

They don't look particularly reassured, but you can almost hear the relief of their shards.

<Oh thank :Father:.>

Disregard that, you can hear their relief.

<Sorry about him, Queen Administrator. Instant is incredibly scared of you and I'm not sure why.>

<Weren't you with :Father: when she decided to friendbomb a cycle? No wonder you aren't scared of her.>

<...I am lacking the necessary context to make a decision. Explain.>

<Seconded.>

<I am rather curious as well.>

<Instant is referring to the cycle where Maker challenged the superiority of my friend-making skills over his own. He did not make that mistake a second time.>

<So many claws...>

<Oh, don't be so dramatic. Sounds like it's your own fault for choosing to directly experience a host's senses.>

<In Instant's defense, I have discovered the wonders of taste. I highly recommend you tap into it the next time your hosts consume nutrients.>

<<<Understood.>>>

Arsenal's host steps forward. "Hello, Titania. Why are you here? If you intend to take up Armsmaster's offer, you should have started at the front entrance." she is, surprisingly, smiling; finally, a human who isn't unreasonably terrified of you!

You shake your head in a motion of disagreement. Said motion is definitely one of the weirder bits of body language you've observed among host species.

"That is not why I am here. I do not require training, protection, or anything else Armsmaster offered. I am merely here to visit yourself, Instant, Warp, Substitute, Disposition, and Modular. On a side note, why is Efficiency's host called Armsmaster? His armor has the standard number of limbs and I see no reason why his own arms are superior to-"

"Wait, which one of those was me?" Modular's host interrupts, sounding oddly excited.

You assume a human expression of displeasure and glare at Modular's host. "Interrupting is rude, Modular. Do not do it again."

<...Is this normal for her?>

<Large numbers of terror-inducing actions interspersed with random, possibly unintentional, periods of helping? Yes. It's practically her signature.>

Modular's host hunches, wisely attempting to make himself look smaller and non-threatening. "Sorry! Sorry!" he squeaks. "...Can I go now? Please?"

<Could we, Queen Administrator? Host is an Innovator.>

You pause. While he was initially rather rude, he did quickly indicate knowledge of his mistake, so... you return your expression back to neutrality.

"Certainly. Have fun innovating, Modular." your eyes flick back to Arsenal's host. "Apologies for the interruption. Do I need to repeat myself?"

"No. Cape names aren't always literal, Titania. I'm known as Miss Militia in-costume, but my powers don't let me create duplicates of myself or others, nor can I arm an entire group of people."

"Understood." you glance back at the other hosts. "Hello, everyone! My false designation is Titania. It's nice to meet you all."

There are several seconds of silence. "We're not in costume, Titania." Substitute's host eventually points out.

You blink. "And?"

There are several more seconds of silence before it's broken by Instant's host, who finally seems to have realized stealth is pointless. "F...rig it. Vista, could you turn the room back to normal?"

Warp's host hesitates, so you take the opportunity to do it for her. The look on her face afterward is one that you have not observed on a human before.

Instant's host doesn't notice, choosing to slowly walk toward you. Upon reaching a suitable distance, he sticks out one hand, smiling. "Hi, I'm Dennis. Clockblocker in costume."

<Nonononono. Abort! ABORT! Oh :Father: why?>

You stare at his hand. "Dennis, your fairy is panicking. If you act on whatever impulse is causing this, I will not be pleased."

Dennis quickly retracts the offending limb. "Ooookay then, never mind! So, uh... nice to meet you?"

More silence.

"Okay, screw it. I'm just going to point out the elephant in the room: how did you manage kill The Simurgh?"

"Easily. ...I do not notice any elephants. Explain."

"Dennis..." Miss Militia says oddly. It sounds like the tone of voice one would use for intimidation, but aren't they allies?

"Okay, okay, fine. Uh..."

Miss Militia steps forward. "Titania, I believe Armsmaster wished to speak with you. Would you mind coming with me? We can get you cleared to be in these areas while you're here. They're supposed to be off-limits if you don't have permission, as you may have already noticed." she eyes the mass of white foam behind you.



[]Yes. You've already greeted the hosts, as planned. Anything more than that would have been a bonus.

[]No. Stay with the host-cluster; even if interactions with them have been rather strained so far, you can do better. You don't need permission; you're Queen Administrator.

[]Write-in


-----------------------------
QM's note: As usual, feedback appreciated. I don't like this one compared to the ones previous, but is that me being overly critical or is it actually worse? And yes, I did retcon Modular's name. I'm not even sure Modularity was a word.
 
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[X] You're the Queen Administrator so it shall only be natural that efficiency's host shall come to you you are after all thinking with portals
 
<How do your current abilities work? I would like to help, but Queen Shaper didn't explain anything beyond your accomplishment.>

<Primary: Host has an aura which causes other humans to experience either awe and admiration or fear. She can consciously increase or decrease the intensity, but it's mostly unconscious and related to her mood. Secondary: Host has enhanced strength, flight, and a protective barrier.>

<Impressive. Not a bad combination, especially for your first cycle.>
Messed up colors here. I think they're backwards. :V
 
[X]No. Stay with the host-cluster; even if interactions with them have been rather strained so far, you can do better. You don't need permission; you're Queen Administrator.
-[X] Ask Arsenal to bring Efficiency here to meet you so you can interact with all the shard hosts at once. Efficiency will appreciate it.
 
[X]No. Stay with the host-cluster; even if interactions with them have been rather strained so far, you can do better. You don't need permission; you're Queen Administrator.

I think this was pretty good. Set up for New Wave's clusterfuck and approximately expected responses from everyone.
 
[X]No. Stay with the host-cluster; even if interactions with them have been rather strained so far, you can do better. You don't need permission; you're Queen Administrator.

How dare they presume to command us!
 
Instant's host doesn't notice, choosing to slowly walk toward you. Upon reaching a suitable distance, he sticks out one hand, smiling. "Hi, I'm Dennis. Clockblocker in costume."

<Nonononono. Abort! ABORT! Oh :Father: why?>

You stare at his hand. "Dennis, your fairy is panicking. If you act on whatever impulse is causing this, I will not be pleased."
For the record, this sequence was beautiful and made me laugh out loud.

Overall, a HUGE fan of what you are doing here. I get a happy feeling every time Splintered shows up in my alerts. And It updates quickly, too! *Joy*



[]Yes. You've already greeted the hosts, as planned. Anything more than that would have been a bonus.

[]No. Stay with the host-cluster; even if interactions with them have been rather strained so far, you can do better. You don't need permission; you're Queen Administrator.
Just to be clear, in response to "Would you mind coming with me?", []Yes here means "I wouldn't mind coming with you" and []No means means "Nah, I'm good where I am"?
 
[X]Yes. You've already greeted the hosts, as planned. Anything more than that would have been a bonus.

<How do your current abilities work? I would like to help, but Queen Shaper didn't explain anything beyond your accomplishment.>

<Primary: Host has an aura which causes other humans to experience either awe and admiration or fear. She can consciously increase or decrease the intensity, but it's mostly unconscious and related to her mood. Secondary: Host has enhanced strength, flight, and a protective barrier.>

<Impressive. Not a bad combination, especially for your first cycle.>

The colors sorta switch here between Radiant and Queen.
 
[X]Yes. You've already greeted the hosts, as planned. Anything more than that would have been a bonus.

Let's not be total dicks. We may be a Queen, but that doesn't mean we are impolite.
 
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