Time loop or precognition, does it realy matter? (An alternate Power Worm Quest) (Hiatus)

[Kaiedi]

[X] [Danny] Yes (What?)
-[X] Prove to him that you will be safe. Be more blatant that we do, indeed, know everything that will happen to us without intervention. Use it to watch TV and predict what talking heads will say on the news or something similar. It doesn't have to trip some danger sense.
[X] [Patrol] Boardwalk
[X] [Power] Yes
-[X] Erase container 2


You've decided to adapt your conversation with Danny if you have to repeat it to empty your third container. To show him that you are absolutely safe, you spend the rest of Friday evening gathering information. Mostly from the television, but you also spend half an hour noticing which cars drive past the kitchen window. These practical examples of your precognition impress Danny and confirm your claim that you can also foresee danger and are therefore perfectly safe.

Before leaving with Dinah on Saturday to patrol the Boardwalk, you realise that an empty container is not enough to use your powers effectively. You decide to repeat an old experiment and try to empty a container without travelling back for the second time since you got your powers. But despite your best efforts, you fail again. The most careful interaction with the container activates it and you find yourself back in the corridor of the hospital, over a week in the past. As this is the first time you have travelled back to this point in time, the dizziness and headache are limited and you only let out a low groan of annoyance.
You collect yourself and decide to make the best of the situation. Perhaps you can make some small changes to your actions to improve your situation on Saturday. If you try to reach the same point in the future.


What will you do?
[ ] Try to achieve the same result that you have just left. If you can't simply erase a container, it has to happen the long way round.
[ ] Change small things. Try to end up in a similar situation. (What are you changing?)
[ ] Take the opportunity. Nobody is demanding that you talk to Dinah again.
[ ] Write-In


Container 1: 04.01.2011 Hospital (2nd run, Panik Attack)
Container 2: Empty
Container 3: Empty

 

[Kaiedi]

[X] Try to achieve the same result that you have just left. If you can't simply erase a container, it has to happen the long way round.


You wait for the young man to pass you before you turn around and knock on the girl's door. A faint voice invites you in.
Your conversation with Dinah is almost identical to the first time. You don't manage to have exactly the same reactions to the event as you did the first time, it's harder than you think to be surprised by something you know is going to happen. But the result remains the same, Dinah learns more about her powers and you part on good terms.
The time between your release from the hospital and the start of the patrol with Dinah on Saturday passes slowly. You can remember everything that happened, repeat your actions so well that everything is repeated almost word for word, hour after hour. You already know what you need for your costume, where to get it and when. Your conversation with Danny is no more exciting than watching paint dry.
When it's finally Saturday and you've persuaded Dinah to team up with you and go on patrol, you notice your left eyelid starting to twitch. If the patrol doesn't provide at least a little excitement, you're going to start screaming. The last time you were this tense was before your trigger event last year.

You activate your hard-earned 2nd container before letting Danny know you're heading to the boardwalk. It's early evening when you get there, and you throw yourself into your costume in a side alley. Moments later, insects swarm down from above, glowing yellow eyes staring at you. The sounds of thousands of insects coordinate and you hear a rasping voice. "This is my first patrol, how do we start?" "It's best if you spread out as far as possible and let me know if you see anything suspicious. Meanwhile, I'll move down the alleys along the boardwalk." Dinah nods and begins to disperse, until the last thing to disappear are two disembodied eyes.

A few uneventful hours pass before you hear the sound of breaking glass. You hurry in the direction of the sound as Dinah rejoins you. "A woman dressed in orange is breaking into a jewellery store. She's wearing a mask and carrying a large bag with a dollar symbol embroidered on it. Do you think it's a parahuman?" you can make out over the cacophony of insects. You think for a moment, then nod. "Sounds like Circus." You activate your third container.


Your first fight. What are you doing?
[ ] Stay in the background. Dinah can do it. Not again. You need action and excitement. Charge Circus and use your pepper spray.
[ ] Monitor the situation and call the PRT ENE. Always wait, observe, report. Enough is enough. Throw yourself into the fight. Improvise.
[ ] Write-In (Your shard urges you to conflict. All plans that do not involve a direct conflict are automatically vetoed.)


Container 1: 04.01.2011 Hospital (2nd run, Panik Attack)
Container 2: 15.01.2011 Home
Container 3: 15.01.2011 One minute before conflict


Note:
Does anyone have a better suggestion for the name for the quest? I have the feeling that "I really am a parahuman" doesn't really fit.

I also think it's great that thewhiteraven22 is voting so diligently, but I have the feeling that the two of us are playing a 2-person game. Is the quest really that bad for everyone else?

 

[Kaiedi]

[X] Plan. Approach this smart. First report the crime, either with a nearby payphone or have an employee call it in. Have Dinah grab nearby flying insects and use them to cut Circus off as you use the training you got last time to keep them busy. (Modified by conflict drive)


The thought of wasting time looking for a phone and possibly letting Circus escape is deeply repugnant to you. Instead, you turn to Dinah: "Can you contact the PRT ENE? Come help me when you're done, I'll distract Circus until then." Dinah's body language is hard to read, but you get the feeling that she is unsure at first, but then bows to your experience as a hero. The swarm moves away from you as Dinah makes her way to the nearest phone.
Moments later you arrive at the scene of the crime. The large window of the Sparkling Sea Jewellery Shop is lying on the ground in thousands of shards. Inside, Circus is busy smashing the display cases with an oversized hammer. As she moves on to the next one, the jewellery disappears into thin air.
The crunching of the shards under your feet betrays you as you enter the shop, and Circus turns to face you. There are a few seconds of eye contact before Circus twirls her hammer in a circle and lets it rest on her shoulder. She gestures in your direction for you to move on, but you rush into the fight.
The month's training with the Wards ensures that you are not a complete novice, but the physical training that normally comes with it is completely lacking. Circus dances around you, evading your blows and knocking the can of pepper spray out of your hand. You do your best, but Circus quickly loses patience after testing your limits. The hammer whizzes in from the left, hitting you in the side and slamming you into the counter. You writhe in pain and at least one of your ribs appears to be broken. Circus watches you for a moment and when you don't get up, she resumes her interrupted robbery. You begin to black out as you notice more and more insects gathering under the ceiling.
You activate container three and the world stops, but this time something is different. Instead of running backwards faster and faster, time passes as if in slow motion. You can watch every blow and every dodge closely and have time to analyze the fight. This state lasts until you arrive back at the beginning of the fight and from then on it proceeds as you are used to. You end up back in the alley 2 houses to the left of the jeweler, your steps only falter slightly as you immediately fill the empty container again. Despite the headache, your head seems much clearer than before. Maybe a plan is a good idea after all.


Your first fight, again. What are you doing?
[ ] Tell Dinah what you have learned and coordinate your actions with her.
[ ] Call the PRT ENE and monitor the situation remotely. Dinah can follow Circus, hopefully without attracting attention.
[ ] Try the same approach, but use what you have learned. Maybe you'll have a better chance this time, now that you've been through this fight before.
[ ] Write-In


Container 1: 04.01.2011 Hospital (2nd run, Panik Attack)
Container 2: 15.01.2011 Home
Container 3: 15.01.2011 50 seconds before conflict

 

[Kaiedi]

[x] Tell Dinah what you have learned and coordinate your actions with her.


In the few seconds before you arrive at the shop, you tell Dinah what you have seen. How Circus fights, how fast and strong she is, and her attitude. Circus has no interest in being delayed for long, she wants to grab her loot and leave before any serious resistance can be expected.

This time there are two of you right from the start. Dinah's insect silhouette appears in front of Circus, making a lot of noise, enough to drown out your footsteps on the glass. Circus takes a defensive stance, trying to assess her opponent. She raises her left hand and a burning torch appears in front of her mouth. A ball of fire fills the room, destroying most of the insects that make up Dinah. You don't have time to worry about Dinah's wellbeing, you've reached the Circus seemingly unnoticed and send a piece of wood you picked up from one of the smashed display cases on the way flying at her right leg with full force. With superhuman reflexes, Circus begins to dodge and you only graze her leg. But as she turns to face you, the hammer appearing in her right hand, you have already raised the pepper spray, releasing a cloud towards her face. Circus jumps back, a little slower than in your first fight, and before the fight can continue, insects swarm her from all directions. Mosquitoes, wasps, flies, gnats, bees and many other insects fly into her eyes, trying to sting and bite her. The swarm is furious.

The hammer disappears and is replaced by 2 burning torches. Fire swirls around Circus and it almost seems as if she is wrapped in a fiery cloak. The insects retreat a little and a wall of flame erupts from Circus in a ring. Once again, many of the insects fall victim to the flames and you raise your arms to protect your face. The fire passes, you lower your arms and the last thing you see is a hammer on a collision course with your face as the world freezes.

The hammer takes up your entire field of vision, you can feel it at the tip of your nose, but you haven't used your powers, you haven't even had time to make the decision. And yet the world stands still. Your containers pulsate slowly at first, then faster and faster. You activate container 3 and after a slow-motion view of the fight you end up back in the alley. You have to pause briefly to let the dizziness subside and hesitate as you are about to use your power again. The headache is already severe and you know from the power test that it is not a good idea to go through a situation four times. The migraine that awaits you would definitely ruin any fighting action on your part.


Use your power anyway?
[ ] [Power] Yes
[ ] [Power] No
[ ] [Power] Write-In

Your first fight, for the third time. What are you doing?
[ ] [Patrol] Tell Dinah what you have learned and coordinate your actions with her.
[ ] [Patrol] Call the PRT ENE and monitor the situation remotely. Dinah can follow Circus, hopefully without attracting attention.
[ ] [Patrol] You two aren't ready to take on a villain yet. Report the break-in and continue your patrol.
[ ] [Patrol] The use of your power has taken its toll. Report the break-in and end the patrol.
[ ] [Patrol] Write-In


Container 1: 04.01.2011 Hospital (2nd run, Panik Attack)
Container 2: 15.01.2011 Home
Container 3: Empty

 

[Kaiedi]

[X][Power] No
[X][Patrol] Call the PRT ENE and monitor the situation remotely. Dinah can follow Circus, hopefully without attracting attention.


You turn in the direction where Dinah's swarm is densest. "We're not well positioned against Circus. She's faster and stronger than me, and her reflexes allow her to react even when I know what she would normally do. Her phyrokinesis is very weak compared to Lung's, but it's enough to make your insects burst into flames. We'd better leave her to the Protectorate and try to keep an eye on her until they get here to make sure she doesn't escape.
"Watch, I should be able to do that." Dinah sounds relieved.
You go in search of a phone to inform the heroes of the break-in. Meanwhile, Dinah spreads out around the jeweller's, keeping an eye on Circus. It only takes a few minutes to report the robbery, but when you cautiously approach the shop, Circus is nowhere to be seen. Outside the smashed window, however, you can make out insect arrows pointing first down the alley and then up towards the rooftops.
You decide to wait to inform the arriving heroes, but too much time passes. When you finally hear the sound of a motorbike and can make out the figure of Triumph, especially by the golden lion helmet, the first arrow slowly begins to dissipate. Dinah's range has come to an end and she still seems to be chasing Circus.
Triumph doesn't dismount and asks you in a low voice about Circus. You give him a brief summary of what has happened, without mentioning your or Dinah's powers, and send him off towards the alley and the rooftops, but after a brief attempt to follow your partner, he returns to the jeweller's.


Are you waiting for Triumph? He'll have questions for you. What are you prepared to tell him?
[ ] [Triumph] Yes (Write-In)
[ ] [Triumph] No
[ ] [Triumph] Write-In

If you stay in the area, Dinah will find you again. How does the evening continue?
[ ] [Evening] You're exhausted. Finish the patrol.
[ ] [Evening] Question Dinah. What did she find out?
[ ] [Evening] Continue the patrol. Crime never sleeps.
[ ] [Evening] You're not staying in the neighbourhood (Write-In)
[ ] [Evening] Write-In


Container 1: 04.01.2011 Hospital (2nd run, Panik Attack)
Container 2: 15.01.2011 Home
Container 3: Empty

 

[Kaiedi]

[X][Evening] Question Dinah. What did she find out?
[X][Triumph] Yes (The facts of what happened this time around from an outside perspective. Do not mention your powers, try to keep your partner's powers discrete. (Tracking Circus, limited time, too much time has expired, can't follow.) )


After a short time, Triumph returns. Not only has too much time passed, but he is not equipped for a chase across the rooftops of the city. His bike stops a few metres from you, he gets off and approaches your position.
"Good evening. I'm Triumph, did you inform us about the robbery?"
You nod. "Hello, I'm Hōra. My partner and I noticed Circus during the break-in and decided to notify you."
Triumph looks around briefly. "Okay, where's your partner?"
"She's tracking Circus right now."
"Alone? Even though Circus is one of the more benign villains we have in Brockton Bay, she's still dangerous. Let's hope she keeps a low profile and doesn't provoke Circus unnecessarily."
The more Triumph talks, the more you recognise his voice despite the mask. You didn't meet him during your time with the Wards, but where else? You shake off the thought, it's not important at the moment.
"I have full confidence in my partner, even if Circus discovers her, she'll have no trouble escaping."
"Very well. Hōra, would you please tell me what happened here?"
You do as you are told and report that you and your partner noticed the break-in through the sound of breaking glass. Your partner explored the situation and you recognised Circus' costume. Nothing much happened after that. You found a payphone, reported the crime and your partner continued to watch Circus. When you returned, they were both gone. Your partner had left a marker here for you to follow, but unfortunately it had already disappeared.
Triumph makes a note of your words. "Ok, what name can I write down for your partner?"
You haven't talked to Dinah about your hero names yet, and as you start to answer, you see insects gathering beside you out of the corner of your eye. Dinah's insect form appears, and as Triumph takes a few steps back, seemingly preparing to fight, Dinah's swarm voice rings out.
"I'm new, but you can write Firefly down. If I think of anything better, I'll let you know."
Triumph looks uncertain, whether because of the mass of insects or because he is now outnumbered is hard to say.
"Wonderful. Hōra told me you were trying to track down Circus?"
"That's right. I followed her until she disappeared into a bar. Since I didn't hear any fighting and she didn't reappear for a few minutes, I assumed that she had taken off her costume there. The unwritten rules forbade me to make any further observations".
"Which bar, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I'd rather keep that to myself for now."
"Very well, since Circus has escaped, I'll hand the case over to the police. I can pass on your statements, so your continued presence is not absolutely necessary."
You and Dinah look at each other briefly and you reply. "We'll confer briefly and let you know if we're waiting." You both take a step back from Triumph.
"What do we do now?" asks Dinah.


What are you doing?
[ ] [Patrol] Wait for the police and make a statement. (End of the patrol)
[ ] [Patrol] Continue your patrol.
[ ] [Patrol] Go to the bar where Dinah was following Circus. Maybe you can find out something else.
[ ] [Patrol] Write-In

You must have heard Triumph's voice when he was travelling privately. Are you still trying to compare his voice with your memories?
[ ] [Voice] Yes
[ ] [Voice] No
[ ] [Voice] Write-In


Container 1: 04.01.2011 Hospital (2nd run, Panik Attack)
Container 2: 15.01.2011 Home
Container 3: Empty

 

[Kaiedi]

[X][Voice] Yes
[X][Patrol] Continue your patrol.


"I think we'll keep going. The patrol hasn't gone too well so far, but I'm sure we'll still be able to do a good job tonight."
Dinah defers to your greater experience and you tell Triumph that you will continue the patrol.
While you're out again, your ears perked up and Dinah scattered around the area, you can't help but think that you recognise Triumph's voice from somewhere. You review your time at the Wards, then the rest of your first long run, but to no avail. You are about to give up when you finally remember your encounter outside Dinah's hospital room. You only heard a few words of farewell, but you are pretty sure that the young man who visited Dinah and Triumph are one and the same person. The voice, height and build definitely match.
A few hours pass and it is midnight when you end your patrol. Apart from the burglary from Circus, you have not been able to identify any other crimes. You and Dinah talk briefly about the night and then say goodbye. It's a long way home and hopefully you'll find a bus that's on the road at this time of night.


Dinah should know who visited her in the hospital. Will you ask her? If so, what is your reason for wanting to know?
[ ] [Dinah] Yes (Reason?)
[ ] [Dinah] No
[ ] [Dinah] Write-In

Your first patrol is over. What did you learn from it?
[ ] [Lesson] You need more training. Both how to fight and even more for your fitness.
[ ] [Lesson] A mobile phone would come in handy. Do not let old traumas limit your career as a hero.
[ ] [Lesson] If you knew beforehand what crime was going to be committed, you could save yourself a lot of running around and searching.
[ ] [Lesson] Write-In


Container 1: 04.01.2011 Hospital (2nd run, Panik Attack)
Container 2: 15.01.2011 Home
Container 3: Empty


Powers question to SV. Is Taylor just a Thinker or a Thinker/Trump?
[ ] [Power] Just a thinker. With enough knowledge and the right plan, any goal can be achieved, any opponent defeated.
[ ] [Power] Thinker/Trump would be nice. Getting stronger is fun and the Endbringers/Scion won't defeat themselves.
[ ] [Power] Write-In


I am on a training course from Monday to Friday. Next threadmark next weekend.

 

[Kaiedi]

[X][Power] Thinker/Trump would be nice. Getting stronger is fun and the Endbringers/Scion won't defeat themselves.


Future: [Query]
Pocket: [Reason?]
Future: [Simulation]
Pocket: [Data]

Future: [Query]
Pocket: [Reason?]
Future: [Accuracy]
Pocket: [Doubt]
Future: [Data]
Pocket: [Contemplation. Data]


What part of Circus Power has Taylor's Shard learned? Choose only one.
[ ] superhuman reflexes
[ ] superhuman balance
[ ] superhuman coordination
[ ] enhanced aim
[ ] enhanced spatial sense
[ ] minor pyrokinesis
[ ] extra-dimensional storage space


I am still on my training course. Maybe I'll find time to write before the weekend, probably not.

 

[Kaiedi]

[X][Dinah] Yes (Worried about her being press ganged, in case some one noticed something strange in her medical history during her trigger/first power use)
[X][Lesson] A mobile phone would come in handy. Do not let old traumas limit your career as a hero.
[X] extra-dimensional storage space


As you say goodbye to Dinah, you talk to her about her visitors at the hospital. You are worried that one of them might have noticed Dinah's power and you want to make sure that this information hasn't fallen into the wrong hands. Dinah tells you that only the doctors, nurses and her family were with her. So the young man who was with Dinah just before you was her older brother, you ask? Dinah says no. That was her cousin Rory, she has no siblings.

You're lucky and catch the last bus of the night heading in your direction. Maybe you should get another means of transportation, patrol closer to your home or at least study the bus timetable more closely.
The lights are still on in the house when you unlock the front door and Danny is waiting for you. He takes a good look at you to make sure you're okay, asks what you've been up to (your answer: not much, you haven't seen a single criminal) and wishes you a good night.

You find it difficult to fall asleep and the events of the evening are still buzzing around in your head. What went well, what mistakes did you make, what can you improve? On the positive side, you don't seem to have to worry about sudden life failure as long as one of your containers is full. At least you assume that the automatic activation of your power has something to do with this. On the other hand, you have been suffering a lot from mood swings today. First ultra-aggressive and then reserved again. Very strange.
In any case, you need to get yourself a cell phone. If you hadn't had to break up with Dinah so that one of you could inform the Protectorate, the conflict with Circus might have gone better. Hopefully you can convince Danny that this is important for your career and your safety.

When you finally find sleep, your dreams are convoluted. 2 blurry figures are sitting in a bar exchanging documents, lightning flashes across the sky and your glasses keep appearing and disappearing.
You sleep until midday on Sunday and only the smell of roasting meat wakes you up. The last shreds of your dreams fade on the way to the bathroom and when you take off your glasses to get into the shower, they disappear. A fourth container has appeared, divided into 5 compartments, one of which is filled with your glasses.


How are you spending the next week? Consider the following points:
Danny insists that you do something for your education during the week, even though homeschooling is not yet approved.
You don't know how your new power works.
Dinah can only patrol with you on either Friday or Saturday night.
Your funds are limited to $40.
[ ] Buy a very cheap cell phone with prepaid credit. Study public transportation schedules in addition to your textbooks. Ignore your new power. Meet Dinah for your next patrol next Saturday, again at the boardwalk.
[ ] Write-In


Container 1: 04.01.2011 Hospital (2nd run, Panik Attack)
Container 2: 15.01.2011 Home

Container 3: Empty

Inventory: Empty, Empty, Empty, Empty, Empty

 

[Kaiedi]

[X][Plan] All the bases


Despite your curiosity, it's not until the afternoon that you manage to get to grips with your new power. You manage to get your glasses back, but lunch is already on the table when you come downstairs, and then you spend a few hours with your father. As you tell him about your first patrol, you manage to convince him that the ability to call the police, an ambulance or the Heroes would greatly increase your safety. So he reluctantly agrees to your idea of getting a mobile phone.

In the hours that follow, you realise that in order to make something disappear, you have to hold it in your hands. It doesn't seem to matter whether you use your left or right hand, but you have to lift the object at least briefly. If you wear gloves, they will disappear instead of the object you want to make disappear. You also find out that you can only make one item disappear at a time, and that containers do not take their contents with them, which in the case of your rucksack caused quite a mess on the floor. Items that reappear seem to have to touch at least one of your hands, even if you don't have to carry them this time. You are apparently free to choose their position and orientation.

Monday to Friday you spend your time in the library, where you study school books, but also public transport timetables, maps of the city and information about local villains and heroes. On Wednesday, Dinah joins you in the afternoon and in a quiet corner you plan your next patrol for Saturday.

Saturday morning you buy the most rugged mobile phone you can get for your money, with $10 free credit and store all the important numbers you might need tonight. By early evening you are back on the boardwalk, ready for your second patrol.


Will you be doing other tests with your new power during the week?
[ ] [Tests] Yes (Which ones?)
[ ] [Tests] No

Which groups are you focusing on during your research? Choose 2.
[ ] [research] Protectorate
[ ] [research] New Wave
[ ] [research] Azn Bad Boys
[ ] [research] Empire Eighty-Eight
[ ] [research] Faultline's Crew
[ ] [research] The Merchants
[ ] [research] The Undersiders
[ ] [research] Über & Leet
[ ] [research] Independents

What do you have with you during the patrol (power)?
(If you decide to do further tests with this power, I will ask the question again later.)
[ ] [Inventory] Write-In

Will you fill container 3 before you set off on patrol?
[ ] [Container 3] Yes
[ ] [Container 3] No
[ ] [Container 3] Write-In


Container 1: 04.01.2011 Hospital (2nd run, Panic Attack)
Container 2: 15.01.2011 Home
Container 3: Empty

Inventory: Empty, Empty, Empty, Empty, Empty