- Location
- france
Zia already has sorcery. The spell is Floral Ferry and conjures a boat.
Yes. But she already has Occult. Exploring lost ruins isn't for now. Only after she passed the trial of Brockton Bay.
YOU ARE (AGAIN) EXALTED
- Thread starter Baran3
- Start date
- Crossover
-
- Tags
- exalted (white wolf) worm
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Oh, it's in the caste skills…
Now I feel like an idiot 😅
Well, if she has the xp for it, I suppose she might as well max appearance? That way she won't have to explain any shifts in appearance once she gets to a civilization with cameras everywhere again.
Arc 1: Essence One. Chapter 5: Ride Exalt! Race the wind!
- Location
- france
YOU ARE (AGAIN) EXALTED!
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story.
Notes:
Some will observe that I'm not respecting completely some parameters about the spell "Floral Ferry". That's okay. It's just a small convenient change for the story.
I'm now more confident in my story. The character is more present in my mind along with more options for dealing with Earth Bet. I have written methods to take care of even invincible Parahumans, the Endbringers, the Shards, and even the Entities like Zion.
Oh, and also a little marathon of the 4 seasons of the Mysterious Cities of Gold is helping.
Exp points: 5. Solar points: 4.
No suggestions or needs in particular charms or powers for that chapter.
Thank You to my Beta, SwiftBlizz for doing a super job in editing my stories.
Arc 1: Essence One.
Chapter 5: Ride Exalt! Race the wind!
Chapter 5: Ride Exalt! Race the wind!
July 25, 2009. 06:00 AM. Yonaguni Island, Yaeyama cluster, Ryukyu islands.
Another day had passed for Zia the Bright Raven, Exalted of the Unconquered Sun and Eclipse caste.
The eleven-year-old girl smiled as she raised her arms in greeting to the sunrise. 5 days since she was summoned on Earth Bet. 5 days that felt like months. 5 days of fears (she could admit that to herself), discoveries, and surprises, good and bad. 5 days of missing her past life family. Damn that ROB.
She lightly patted the velvet nose of Yona, her new companion and Yonaguni horse familiar. At least, she had a sentient if not sapient presence with her which should reduce her social stress. Humans, even Exalted ones, weren't made to be alone… Should she think about who to befriend when she reached Brockton Bay? Can they be considered true friends if she uses her meta-knowledge? But Meta-knowledge is about a story, about created characters. When you live in what was at first a fiction. When those characters became real people…
What is real? Reality or Fiction? Was it really important? People know about people and then decide to be friends. Was she that different with her knowledge? After all, friendship is mutual and those "characters" can decide by themselves.
Shaking her head, the black long-haired, green-eyed, brown-skinned young girl focused on her immediate needs and the next steps to take. She just needed to prepare a few things and also test her Essence with some specific tasks and skills and she would be almost ready for departure to Brockton Bay.
Nodding as she finished her breakfast of fruits and seafood, she pulled out raw materials from her Inventory. Her Essence suffused her being as she visualized what she would craft. It was time to properly test the Twilight Caste power set she received as a gift from Bright Shattered Ice.
Her Anima burst around her as she delved deeper within herself than before, reaching the second stage or "Burning", and weapons seemed to materialize from nothingness in her dexterous hands. She briefly wondered if she could develop a Crafting fighting style in the future. A quarterstaff, a few javelins, a lasso, a gladiator-style net, and a pair of bolas were stored in her Inventory as soon as they were finished.
The quarterstaff should be a good weapon to show that she wasn't overly offensive in character. Better than showing a 6 feet long big sword… Although with some Parahumans... The javelins gave her more ranged options. Both the lasso, net, and bolas were excellent non-lethal weapons. Especially when mounted on Yona. The image of capturing a villain with a lasso before tying them like a maverick made her smile.
The crafting of a protective buff jacket, a knee-length leather garment typically made from animal hide, slowed her just a little (by a few seconds) until she focused entirely on a composite bow and a full quiver of arrows. She couldn't make a traditional bow since humidity would ruin it too easily by weakening the glue holding the various layers of wood. Even using bone as a substitute still required glue but the use of modern materials eliminated that problem.
After all, you can be traditional by using a bow, when modern firearms should be the priority, and be modern by using contemporary methods and materials. Besides, even Rambo did use a bow instead of an automatic weapon. It was both silent and more deadly than one thought...Besides, she could admit that she preferred the visual aspect of using archery.
She tested it outside and found it perfect for her current needs and outside a proper artifact like a short Power-Bow or a Reaper Daiklave. Uh… That was something to think about. What should be her future Panoply? It was always a delicate balance to manage between the number of artifacts to have and the energy necessary to attune to them.
Probably just one utilitarian item like her medallion of the Sun, one armor like a Silken Armor, and one or two weapons like artifact versions of a bow and a staff. And speaking of weapons, maybe she should see if her primary one wasn't that rusty.
Zia exited her workshop after drinking some water and searched for a proper place to practice a little. She then closed her right fist and covered it with her open left hand. She followed by extending both slightly forward in front of her chest. It was a standard greeting, one expressing the "Presentation of Respects" in an auspicious way. Any Chinese martial practitioner would have recognized it.
Then she took a Golden Janissary stance by standing on her right leg. Her left knee bent and raised until it was above the level of her navel while her left foot covered the right knee with the toes extended down. Her left hand was in a forward and down defensive position while her right hand was pulled back in preparation for a palm strike. A practitioner of Shaolin Kung Fu would have seen the resemblance with one of their own stances.
After taking a deep breath, she launched herself into a fluid martial kata with dance-like footwork and sweeping unarmed attacks. At some interval, she summoned and unsummoned her staff from Inventory to vary her attack pattern. Her senses stretched outside their limits searching for those who hid in the darkness and revealed their wickedness.
As her Anima intensified from the first stage or "Glow" to the Burning stage, she once again internally swore to let no unclean thing set foot over Existence's threshold like so many of her past-lives peers did in Creation. Golden sun fire haloed her palm strikes and kicks so that she would answer any abominations and enemies of Existence with what they couldn't stand.
Zia finished her lethal dance giggling and then uproariously laughed. Essence Fever within the core of her being reached a high and made her heart beat euphorically. Listening to an impulsion from her Essence, she jumped on the back of Yona, summoning her horse's tack, and rode away along the southern beach, water splashing beneath hooves, and joyful laughter trailing the two of them.
Commanding Essence was a heady experience. It wasn't like speaking an incantation, turning a key, or flipping a card. To be aware of Essence is to feel, to in fact always feel, a new part of yourself, a part that is alive and active and burning with power and tremendous potential.
The young Solar Exalt's Essence was as much a part of her as her blood or thoughts or breath, and Zia, right now, ached to use this Solar Essence crying out for heedless glory.
Essence Fever imparted a great desire to act, to do, to grasp and wield the Exalt's newfound power to seize longstanding dreams, settle old grudges, and otherwise recklessly impose herself on the world.
Greatness was in the nature of the Solar Exalted, and so Zia's Essence pushed her to seize that greatness now. It was neither irresistible nor insurmountable, even for the very young but the urge was there.
An urge that Zia the Bright Raven ignored yesterday because of pride. A pride that made her suffer, both physically and emotionally at her actions, and also wounded the heart of her companion. That time, they didn't act as they should have. A lesson imprinted in Zia's soul. No doubt others will follow.
But this time, the two companions were in spiritual harmony: No chance to fall for Zia. Neither would ever chafe or develop sores from this ride. A ride that could potentially last twice as long as for the most enduring of horses. There was a light touch and a mote of Solar essence reached Yona's heart. Her speed, already at 32 km/h despite the sandy beach, suddenly doubled without affecting her stamina.
Zia didn't look back. Yona and her rode and rode around the entire island like a golden comet, leaping over obstacles and gaps, ignoring even the worst of the terrains, and plowing through the wild dogs that tried to hinder them. Tried. Yes, they both could feel it: The Eclipse and her mount's heart were beating as one.
Two hours later, the Bright Raven and the Yonaguni mare were back at her modest wooden house. During the insane ride, Zia swept her fingers along the abandoned ruins of civilization around the island, her fiery Essence grasping and reducing them to raw materials as resources for her crafting and then storing them in her Inventory.
It had been her intention from the beginning to salvage everything she could from Yonaguni's villages, but she didn't think she would have done it so easily and rapidly. Yes, her Inventory was so convenient.
They were both rather sweaty so Zia groomed the familiar and then took a bath in the stream to cool down. She smiled as she let the water run around her body. She felt so much better. Following that impulse coming from her Essence Fever seemed to have lifted a great weight from her shoulders.
It was also a trap. An Exalt could only reach enlightenment by controlling Essence, by recognizing the urge from Essence Fever and directing it towards a proper goal. Pursuing Greatness and Glory without looking where you were going could only lead to total annihilation.
Zia exited the stream and dried herself by inventorying the water on her skin and hair. So very convenient. She only needed to test her spell, finish her food and water provisions, and see a final time the Yonaguni horse herd. She nodded to herself. Tomorrow. The big day was for tomorrow.
She took a fresh Star-fruit and went to the southern beach followed by Yona. To cast a spell wasn't to draw on your personal pool of power, but to tap into the ambient Essence around the caster and impose your will on it.
In her case, Zia had an advantage: Her current sorcerous knowledge enabled her to draw on the very power of nature. On this island, she could easily supplement her will-shaping of ambient Essence by tapping the boundless energy linked to the vegetation around her.
The Bright Raven tossed the Star-fruit into the ocean and made mystical gestures to tap and manipulate the magical energy field into mudras of the turning seasons. Eh, she felt a little like Doctor Strange. Maybe she should call upon the long-disappeared Gods from Creation?
The mudras simulated the passage of time necessary for plants to grow. Under her willpower, the Star-fruit changed into a small, seaworthy craft that looked like a plant-like miniature replica of Solaris, the ship from the Empire of Mu, taken directly from the cartoon "The Mysterious Cities of Gold".
Wait… What?
It had some different colors here and there and an overall organic shape, but the ship had the distinctive stern face-shaped figurehead, wide hull, and the rigid-like solar sail from Solaris. Zia scratched her head. Well… Okay… She was almost sure that her subconscious had seriously influenced the ship's aspect.
She shrugged. It was still a seaworthy vessel with enough place to accommodate comfortably a dozen people and one ton of cargo. Even if she didn't have her Inventory, she could have stored more than enough provisions for her and Yona to travel to Okinawa.
The rest of the day saw the Eclipse finishing to store ample food and water in her Inventory. She then visited a final time the herd of Yonaguni horses and took the time to properly examine them, and if need be to medically treat them. After all, she was going to take care of Yona from that moment.
That night, Zia and Yona slept in the middle of the entire herd and the Solar Exalt dreamed about an ambush of one of her past lives by a Fang of Dragon-Blooded aboard a submersible small ship.
"There. That's the ship we were waiting for."
"Something's in the water with us, captain."
"What is it?"
"What the…"
"It's an ambush!"
"Die, Anathema!"
"Something's in the water with us, captain."
"What is it?"
"What the…"
"It's an ambush!"
"Die, Anathema!"
As the sun rose over the horizon on the 26 of July and dispersed the mists of the ominous omens of her dream, Zia greeted the Unconquered Sun onboard the "Solaris" with Yona that she transported aboard via her Inventory. The young girl couldn't resist the temptation to name the Floral Ferry like that.
Zia took the helm at the stern of the vessel and raising her arms let her Essence reach for the entire ship. She felt the Sun giving her its light and warmth and sensed that it was the same for Solaris. At her mental order, the anchor was raised and one pair of oars extended from the ship's sides and began to row, treading the saltwater with strength. Splendidly maneuvered by its captain, the vessel took speed and set sails.
Her goal of Okinawa firmly in her mind, Zia the Bright Raven and her familiar Yona sailed away on the ocean at 51,5 km/h toward a new adventure.
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Notes:
This chapter feels more like a filler than anything… Meh, the other chapters should be better.
So what should be the future Panoply of our young Exalt? And with what materials?
Yeah, I merely copied the various Shaolin Kung Fu stances to describe the Golden Janissary style. The sweeping gestures and descriptions in the "Scroll of the Monk" made me think that the Shaolin style was what inspired the Golden Janissary style. Especially since its practitioners were described as monk-like.
I wonder how many of you deduced that I was going to make the spell "Floral Ferry" an emulation of the ship Solaris?
The dream was taken from a comics page in "Books of Sorcery, Vol. I-Wonders of the Lost Age" 2nd edition of Exalted resource book and slightly modified.
Please don't hesitate to post your comments and suggestions. They are always welcome.
In the next chapter, Zia and Yona will encounter the dangers of the sea, both natural and human.
- Location
- france
A traditional warstrider requires a greater hearthstone and thus a Manse at least level 4.
Of course, I said traditional. Nothing would prevent Zia from using more modern methods (electrical-based power armor) or other sources of Essence. (From the game Witchcraft, we can make Atlantean Energy crystals)
Ah, that. It's because of her martial arts style that can only use staff and spear. War fans are a good idea, better than a young girl with a spear (Oh my god! It's a lethal weapon!). Hum... Either Crane or Dreaming Pearl Courtesan styles... Not too sure. The first is a very defensive style, but the second is more like I'm visualizing Zia's overall style.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
What would we need to learn so she would be able to build one? I'm very tempted to have her use one of those when things get serious, I think they count as armor? I don't really remember anymore.
I mean… make the blade out of some crystal and I really doubt most Americans would even notice other than to think it's a mages staff of some kind?
If dreaming lets her use War Fans I think you should pick it up if you can.
- Location
- france
A lot.
All warstriders count as artefacts 5 at the minimum. You also need Craft (First Age Artifice) and you need a Manse so Craft (Geomancy).
Then, to pilot one, you need Athletics (Operating Warstrider) and Lore (Warstrider).
They are based on Artefact Armor and the pilot acts as if he was without a warstider. However, the Warstrider gives its own strength, soak, hardness, and health track. The armement and capacities are Evocations.
Most Americans perhaps, but what about the PRT and the Child services? Although, a Beam Daiklave...
Dreaming Pearl Courtesan is, for now, on my list of buys. Thank you for the suggestion.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
The PRT is a fictional entity so I can't say how well they would respond or if they would even notice something like this, but American CPS doing anything useful about anything that isn't super blatant physical abuse? Don't make me laugh.
Am excited to see where Dreaming goes and how It looks from the outside!
First age artifice+Atlantean crafting sounds like a fun combo, even outside of Warstrider building.
- Location
- france
It's more fanon than canon, but they prevent most Wards from having effective defenses because of PR. Vista should have a taser and most of the Wards should have a protective costume.
Oh... So, the Youth Guard is a carbon copy of the CPS...
Soon.
Wait until I introduce Murian technology.
Arc 1: Essence One. Chapter 6: Storm ahead!
- Location
- france
YOU ARE (AGAIN) EXALTED!
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story.
Notes:
This is the first true fight for our young Solar Exalt.
Thank you for all your suggestions on all forums. Trust me, they help.
And thank you to SwiftBlitz, the best beta reader I could hope for.
Dawn caste set:
Anima powers:
• At bonfire/iconic anima display, the Dawn adds half her Essence score (round up) to her base Initiative upon resetting to base after a successful decisive attack.
• For 10 motes, all of the Dawn's combat and movement Charms with outstanding reset conditions are automatically reset. This effect can only be used once per day, becoming available again at sunrise.
• The Dawn Caste inspires terror in her foes. She adds half her Essence score (round up) in dice to all intimidating social influence. She may also intimidate targets that do not feel fear, such as automatons, golems, and certain undead.
Attributes: Strength (+1): 4.
Abilities: Archery (+1): 4. Brawl (+1): 4. Melee (+2): 4. Presence (+1): 4. Thrown (+2): 5.
Charms (limited to Essence 1):
Archery: Wise Arrow, Phantom Arrow Technique, Sight Without Eyes, and Force Without Fire.
Brawl: Falling Hammer Strike, Ferocious Jab, Swift Strike Prana, Vicious Lunge, Iron Battle Focus, Heaven Thunder-Hammer, and Crashing Wave Throw.
Melee: Excellent Strike, One Weapon Two Blows, Dipping Swallow Defense, Call the Blade, War Lion Stance, Nimble Reaving Wind, Arc Shedding Rain Technique, Gleaming Sever, and Solar Counterattack.
Presence: Poised Lion Attitude.
Ride: Storm-Racing Destrier.
Survival: Harmony with Nature Approach.
Thrown: Precision of the Striking Raptor, Triple Distance Attack Technique, Joint-Wounding Attack, Angle Tracing Edge, Spitting Hand Technique, Diving Hawk, Thunder-Quelling Gesture, and Cascade of Cutting Terror.
Dreaming Pearl Courtesan style: Demure Carp Feint, Elegant Weapon Repertoire, and Pearlescent Filigree Defense.
Personal buy:
Merits: Language Japanese (3).
Floral Ferry Evocation: Solar Cannon (10).
Eclipse Charm: Vector Hands (8).
Exp points: -3 (experience debt). Solar points: 0.
Arc 1: Essence One.
Chapter 6: Storm ahead!
Chapter 6: Storm ahead!
End of July. Somewhere in the East China Sea.
Zia the Bright Raven was swearing up a storm. It would have been hilarious if the vessel she was captaining, created by the spell "Floral Ferry" and baptized Solaris in the legacy of the original Zia, wasn't also in a storm.
Long and thick black hair plastered by the heavy rain over her brown skin, the middle-aged man-turned-young-girl by a ROB strained her green eyes to pierce through the weather. Even with her Essence reinforcing her senses it was still a struggle.
Water from the sky and water from the sea. It was a good thing she prepared rain clothes in advance or she would have looked like a drowned cat… Although, if it hadn't been a little cold, she could have stayed in swimwear for all the protection those clothes granted her for now. She really missed the "Perfect" clothes and equipment from Creation.
She laughed as she remembered yesterday when she had to use some of her stored plants to craft a batch of sunscreen lotion as even with her brown skin, she almost suffered a sunburn. Rather ironic and shameful for a Solar Exalt.
The ship rolled heavily under the waves' assault, rocking precipitously from side to side. Another powerful rush of surf washed across the deck. Good thing that everything was stored in her Inventory or it would have been knocked down, or worse, carried away.
Now, if only she could store herself just like she inventoried her familiar Yona, the small horse from Yonaguni island, it would be perfect. Unfortunately, she couldn't and she had to stay at the helm to supply Solaris with the necessary Essence to boost its speed and hull resistance. She grumbled and tried to not think about Yona being out of this rain and not being shaken by the ocean. The very faint yipping of a puppy seemed also a good distraction.
Wait. What?
She focused more Essence on her senses but couldn't properly locate the small animal. It was somewhere in her vicinity but the weather didn't make it easy. She gritted her teeth and turned to the stormy sky. "Okay. That's enough. Time to emulate Esteban. Ô, Unconquered Sun! Reveal your noble face to your daughter!"
Zia grasped mentally the tumultuous Essence around her and willed it to submit through the knowledge, trickery, and brute strength of her sorcery. A few minutes passed and suddenly one solitary sunbeam shone upon the Eclipse caste. After this, like it was a signal, the Sun showed itself in all its splendor and the storm dispersed around the Solaris.
This time, nothing hindered Zia and she located rapidly a half-sunk pleasure yacht bobbing on the water. She could even perfectly distinguish a Spaniel puppy furiously yipping on its deck.
She adroitly maneuvered the Solaris and stopped it on the side of the doomed ship. She lightly secured both vessels with a rope and boarded the damaged yacht. Whinnying, the Spaniel puppy didn't hesitate to rush to her and jump in her arms, frenetically licking her hands.
A simple pulse of Essence revealed to her that it was suffering from some exposure to the elements, was a little dehydrated, hungry, and… That was a distinctly elongated wound caused by the grazing of a bullet on its left flank.
She extracted a blanket from her Inventory and wrapped the puppy before exploring the ship. Here and there, impacts of bullets and other signs of violence. The absence of anyone, the pillaged luggage, and a gutted safe in one half-flooded cabin convinced the Solar Exalt that she was looking at the work of modern pirates.
Her eyes narrowed as she contemplated what to do. "Right. First things first: The puppy and the clues left by the absent people." She brought it on Solaris in the cargo hold and tried to make it comfortable before treating its wounds with warm and life-giving Essence. Clean fresh water and some strips of smoked meat completed the treatment and soon the puppy was snoring in its nest of blankets.
Returning to the boat, she could see that it was still slowly sinking. Using a combination of her Inventory and her Crafting skills and charms, she salvaged as much as possible as she could. Especially the radio and all the personal things she could find which show her that the owners were a rich Japanese family of three with the dog.
Her Essence-enhanced senses detected no traces of heavy and potentially lethal bleeding despite the water washing away the clues, so she hoped the entire family had been taken hostage for ransom. The trouble was that she had no idea where the pirates had gone especially since a broken timepiece revealed that all this happened two days ago. A salvaged local map showed some little islands in the vicinity, but it was a stretch to imagine that one could serve as a pirate hideout.
If that was the case then it had to be an uninhabited island with anything that would help hide a boat like a cove or something. She distractedly extracted a bullet from an interior wall while thinking about the problem. 7.62 mm, probably from an assault rifle like that faint barking of an AK-47 over the horizon.
Wait. What?
She boarded back Solaris, letting the pleasure yacht sink, and climbed the mast to see more distance over the horizon. There! A cargo ship at some distance and surrounded by six rapidly maneuvering speedboats. Gunshots exchanged showed that those pirates were trying to intimidate the lightly armed cargo crew to stop. She even perceived the characteristic trail of a rocket launcher.
Zia returned to the helm and firmly maneuvered towards the fight. She wasn't even questioning herself about intervening or not. That wasn't in her nature before and certainly not after her exaltation.
Resolutely, Solaris sped towards the ships. The Eclipse could see a bulk carrier vessel at some distance and identified it as the main ship of the pirates to load their stolen cargo due to its lack of identification marks. She also believed it significantly raised the chances that those pirates had a lair relatively nearby.
Many would think that it was pure folly to rush there. After all, the half a dozen pirate speedboats could trace circles around her at will and make mincemeat of her and Solaris with their modern weapons, even with her powers as an Exalt.
That was without counting on her best ally: The Sun. At the helm of Solaris, Zia the Bright Raven reached for the pure power within her. Her Anima manifested as a glow around her and the vessel born of magic as she called upon the defensive property of the Twilight caste Anima. A few hastily aimed bullet bursts from a speedboat were deflected by the aura.
The pirates were now aware of the shining Solaris and two speedboats maneuvered to deal with it, but it was too late already. At the helm, Zia focused her will on her ship and fed her Anima to it.
The hexagonal organic plates at the summit of the mast blossomed like a flower bud. From it, a beam of concentrated solar light searched around and reached for a speedboat. The intense heat from the beam blurred its image for an instant before the clothes of the pirates and everything flammable aboard ignited and the fuel reservoir exploded.
Feeding more Essence into her Anima and then into the Solaris' Solar Cannon, the Bright Raven targeted the remaining five speedboats one after another. They were fast, but not as fast as light. She changed tactics as the last pirate speedboat exploded and widened the beam she directed at the bulk carrier's command deck. She didn't want to destroy it, but make it run away toward its lair with a generous application of blinding light and unbearable heat.
As the bulk carrier retreated at maximum speed, trailing smoke, Zia leaned on the helm to catch her breath. She had used almost all her Essence reserves in this fight. The Solar Cannon Evocation she used through Solaris was powerful but ate Essence fast.
She took great care of noting the direction of the fleeing pirate ship and approached the cargo vessel. She frowned as it was a Japanese ship due to the Hiragana characters on its stern. Sighing, she checked if she had enough reserves and bought herself the knowledge of the Japanese language. The young girl smiled as the Hiragana letters revealed the ship as the Kobayashi Maru.
Wait… What!?
She facepalmed. Again, that was certainly the doubtful humor of the ROB. But, really? Having the attacked vessel with the same name as the cargo star-ship in the doomed scenario of Star Fleet simulations… Well, she supposed she was doing a good enough Kirk by letting the enemy flee toward its base.
She maneuvered until the Solaris was parallel to the Kobayashi Maru's course and level to the command deck tower, crafted a megaphone on the spot, and used her recently acquired Japanese language. "Ahoy, Kobayashi Maru! Everybody all right on board?!"
It took some time as a few crew members looked at the young girl and even some began to use their cellphones to take pictures before the captain of the ship communicated that they were all right although the pirates' jamming was still going on. Oh, and if she could identify herself and what the hell was going on?!
"I am Zia the Bright Raven aboard the Solaris! I wish you better luck for the rest of your travel! Safe waters, sailors!" Saluting, the Solar Exalt ignored further communications and turned full speed on the same path taken by the pirate bulk carrier. She hoped the Kobayashi Maru's crew wouldn't reveal too much to the authorities since the pirates were certainly listening to the radio waves.
She knew the pirates wouldn't be that foolish to take the direct way to their lair if it was nearby, but the general direction and the local map gave her enough to pinpoint the probable island they were hopefully using. Nodding to herself, she took the bet and calculated the distance to that small island, adjusting the speed of Solaris to reach it as the night fell.
As the sunset happened at the same time she reached the island, Zia used the last rays of sunlight to maneuver Solaris out of sight from a small cove and the probable port of the pirates.
Yona wasn't happy that she was left on the ship but acknowledged that her mistress would prefer the familiar to be safe since the Bright Raven hadn't forged an appropriate barding for her to deal with modern weapons. Should the worst happen, the magic ship was "programmed" to disembark the horse and the puppy dog on a nearby beach.
Storing her dress in her Inventory and clad in her bikini swimwear, Zia dived into the sea and swam towards the small hidden cove under the cover of the falling night. Thankfully, her bet was successful as it didn't take her that much time to perceive the first signs of human activity. The smell of smoke was also a big clue. Mostly invisible in the water, she slowly and almost silently trod the water up to under a crude pier and listened.
The pirates had a cozy and well-hidden little installation and they weren't very happy. Shouts and barked orders in Japanese were flying in the air. Teams were finishing to verify that all the fires were put out and reparations were beginning here and there. With their morale so low, plenty of useful facts were revealed as the men tried to alleviate their anxiety with boasts, oaths of revenge, and insults.
Apparently, Zia killed a good third of the pirates with the Solar Cannon. The pirates still retained sufficient automatic and heavy weapons, but no longer had any speedboats. The bulk carrier was only slightly damaged and they could still detect and jam ships. And finally, the ongoing gossip revealed that they still had that rich family as hostages and should recoup their losses rapidly.
She hoisted herself up on the far side of the pier under the cover of a small warehouse. Using the fact that the speedboats' crew was a third of the pirates, she estimated that there were still about thirty armed pirates on the island with half of them occupied with repairing the bulk carrier. It was time to explore the surroundings and find the hostages.
Zia stayed in swimwear after drying herself by storing the water in her Inventory. She wasn't a Night caste and didn't want to leave any traces. Besides, an orange dress wasn't very discrete… Maybe she should craft some effective Shinobi gear in the future?
Although camouflaged by paint or canvas, there weren't many buildings: One prefab small warehouse with stolen merchandise and an armory, another prefab small warehouse holding diesel generators and too many various things, one building near the shore where they previously stored the now destroyed speedboats, many small huts serving as crew houses, and an assemblage of old ship-containers with many antennae on the roofs.
The last was probably the headquarters for the pirates' leader and one lone container was isolated behind barbed wire and should be the prison where the hostages were lodged.
Zia the Bright Raven thought about a plan to minimize the dangers to both her and the hostages: She had to limit the pirates' firepower, protect the hostages, prevent any pirates from fleeing, and neutralize them. And she had to be discrete while doing all that. This was going to severely drain her personal Essence pool to prevent any Anima buildup and glowing like a lightbulb.
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Masato yawned and tried to stay awake by lighting a cigarette since dawn was coming up soon. The Japanese thug keeping the watch near the prison sighed and readjusted the shoulder strap of his AK-47. What a fiasco. That damned Parahuman in his Tinkertech boat wrecked the small forces of the Red Sharks with his triple-damned "Death-Beam-tm".
The chief wasn't happy and took his anger on the rest of the band. No way he was going to abuse his prisoners since they now needed the money from their ransom. He winced as he palmed the red mark on his right cheek. Bah, it could have been worse and the chief knew many people.
People that could learn and gave them the name of that SOB. He smirked. No doubt they would have "a discussion" with him soon. He was sure he'd take real pleasure in breaking a few bones the next shore leave in Japan.
Small hands silently reached for his neck and mouth from behind. Masato's last thought was how soft they felt as something like a Star Trek Vulcan nerve pinch rendered him unconscious. Zia extinguished the lit cigarette to prevent any fire hazard and arranged the now disarmed and tied-up body of the pirate on a camping chair to simulate he was still conscious and guarding the prison container.
Zia smiled as she used the purloined guard's keys to open the makeshift prison cell door the pirates had switched the built-in doors with. Wouldn't do good if the prisoners died of asphyxiation.
Until now, at least, she managed to stay undetected as she neutralized and locked up the isolated or small groups of pirates. Her Inventory was so convenient to store the weapons and those sleeping scums that a neat little plant-based soporific she crafted on the spot and maintained unconsciously to prevent their escape from it. At least for a few hours.
The repair teams on the bulk carrier weren't very large and lacked automatic or powerful weapons: Only melee weapons and a few small handguns. But before she assaulted the boat and the chief's residence, she had to secure the hostages to prevent any retaliations.
At first, the Japanese family of a middle-aged couple with their teenage daughter was scared then intrigued by the young girl in a bikini and armed to the teeth like a budget Rambo. Zia shushed them and gave the adults assault rifles and handguns along with plenty of magazines. She advised them to stay out of sight in the nearby forest and only defend themselves if discovered.
When the father asked more questions, she simply said that the soon-to-arrive shootout should answer enough about her intentions… Zia also ensured that they, at least, knew how to point their weapons in the right direction and where was the safety and the trigger.
A dozen minutes later, Zia thoroughly under the cover of the tropical forest and newly clad in her orange dress, opened the party by firing a burst from an assault rifle over the heads of the repair crew and flowed her voice with Essence to cower the pirates. "Surrender immediately! I already dealt with your comrades! I won't repeat myself!"
When one idiot went for his gun, thinking rightly that she was just a child, she knocked the weapon out of his hands with one bullet. "I will ventilate the next idiot! Weapons on the ground! Out of the ship! Especially you, the imbecile hiding behind the red barrel!"
Once the frightened and bewildered men exited the ship and threw down their weapons, Zia locked them up in the warehouse that she preemptively emptied of the weapons and stolen merchandise (although she had asked herself why a good part of them were festive or tourism items including a full crate of paper fans).
After inventorying the thrown weapons, she just had to deal with their chief who was now exiting his container house, and began to walk in her direction without alarm or preparation of a weapon.
Wait… No, this time she wasn't surprised. She maintained her awareness through another use of Essence to avoid that. From what she heard while spying on the Red Sharks, their chief was dangerous and would be treated as such. "Hands up and surrender! All your men have been neutralized!"
The man wasn't very tall or even muscular. With black hair and beady black eyes, he looked like a typical antagonist from a manga with a costume that screamed low-budget Sith cosplayer with plenty of red and black frills without a cloak or lightsaber. He stopped at a distance and smirked at the young girl. Zia's danger sense flared up.
She was still totally surprised when something invisible knocked out her assault rifle from her hands and another invisible attack hit her in the face, knocking her down by its sheer strength.
She blinked as she sat up, nose throbbing with pain. The pirate chief hadn't moved from where he was at a few dozen meters and was still smirking. "You sure about that, girl? You're dealing with Red Shark himself."
Zia's eyes narrowed and suddenly she was already standing up and in a Martial Arts stance, ready to unleash her might and her senses focused on her surroundings to see if she missed a pirate or two. Typical, the Parahuman named his gang after himself.
The red and black-clad man chuckled and Zia was stricken again by 3 completely invisible consecutive attacks: 2 slaps and one punch in the belly. As she was knocked down again, gasping, she realized that yes: Those attacks felt exactly like a slap and a punch carried by a human hand. And she was now sure that no one escaped her. Conclusion: This scum was a Blaster or Shaker-type Parahuman… But what sort of…?
Meanwhile, the pirate chief was surprised as the unknown girl stood up again after being hit by attacks that would have put down even a healthy adult. Unless… Uh… She was glowing.
"Ah, I see. You're a Parahuman like me. That explains from where the hell you're coming and how the fuck you dealt with my men." He sinisterly chuckled. "You should fetch a nice price with the Yangban."
He wasn't worried about her eventual power since she used a weapon. In fact… "Nice Martial Arts stance."
Zia prepared herself for the next attack. "More than enough to deal with you."
Red Shark smirked. "Doubtful, considering what it lacks." He drew two silvered revolvers from his back. "Namely range. On your knees and hands behind the head, I won't ask again." He deliberately cocked back the hammers of his guns.
The Eclipse caste didn't answer verbally, she rushed the pirate chief but not as fast as she could to provoke a calculated reaction. Red Shark didn't disappoint. Snarling, he shot her and his eyes widened in fright as she deflected the bullet on her golden wrist cuffs like she was the fucking Wonder Woman.
Red Shark emptied his revolvers one after another and gritted his teeth as, like a golden-streaked dancer, the young girl deflected the bullets one by one until the last at a few meters from him.
Well, she was a stupid girl, too bad for her. With a simple exercise of his will, he lifted her in the air by her neck, strangling her with the telekinetic power that made him the Man he was.
Huh, there was something familiar with this scene. He raised his right hand in her direction in a very recognizable gesture for anyone having seen a certain movie. "I find your lack of faith in my power, disturbing."
Trying to break the painful but intangible stranglehold despite her lack of leverage, Zia swore at herself. She had counted on the surprise and the fear her way to dealing with the bullets should have generated to reach the pirate before he used his power, but this Parahuman effect was faster than she thought and now she had to find a quick solution before losing consciousness.
Still, now she could feel the form taken by the invisible energy around her neck. It was… a pair of hands. Her eyes opened in realization. Red Shark was literally using telekinetic hands. It was a pure Force effect fueled by will. It was…
Like the Vector Hands used by the Diclonius in the anime "Elfen Lied". Now she knew. Now she had knowledge. And with knowledge…
The Sun began to rise over the horizon.
… Came power.
Red Shark was thrown back as suddenly the damn girl seemed to explode into light. He shook his head and tried to see where she was despite the spots in his eyes. Ah, there she was, kneeling on the ground with… "What the Hell!?"
Zia the Bright Raven's Anima blazed brightly, subsuming her Caste mark into its radiance. Wisps of bright power coiled off her body and rose into the air. The beams of sunlight made everything around her warm to the touch and took on the faint scent of a summer afternoon.
Then her green eyes opened and another mark manifested upon her forehead: An eight-pointed sunburst of purest gold, gleaming on the brow. The Caste Mark of the Dawn. Her eyes rapidly moved as if she was in a dream state as memories and knowledge of Creation played within her mind.
Today is my first war.
I've been looking forward to it.
Unfortunately, the enemy numbers in the tens of thousands.
Seems like a waste of time.
Oh well…
"FORWARD!"
I've been looking forward to it.
Unfortunately, the enemy numbers in the tens of thousands.
Seems like a waste of time.
Oh well…
"FORWARD!"
"This little firework won't save you, girl!" Red Shark unleashed his invisible telekinetic hands that only he could see, determined to wring the neck of that damn young Parahuman before she pulled out another trick.
As they reached the orange-clad black-haired youth, another pair of telekinetic hands materialized and blocked his strikes. One identical to his own but emanating straight out from the girl's back. "There's no way… That's impossible!"
Then the Solar Exalt's Anima fully ignited for the first time on Earth Bet in a grand display of iconic splendor as a gigantic bird of fire rose in the air.
The Phoenix beat its wings a few times and then its piercing cry sounded over the entire island. No being who followed Evil could bear the song of the majestic paragon of Immortality, Resurrection, and Life after Death. As the iconic image of the Exaltation within Zia the Bright Raven fully deployed its wings, mortal fear engulfed Red Shark and his jailed men.
The phantasmal fire-bird then plunged back within the body of Zia and her Anima collapsed into a raging bonfire of spiritual power stretching high into the air, visible for miles despite the rising Sun. On her brow, the Eclipse caste mark shone brightly anew.
The Bright Raven looked at her enemy. She could capture him, but she didn't have the means to keep him imprisoned. Even with drugs and shackles, his telekinesis could defeat all she could arrange with just one occasion and he proved he would kill without compunction. She had a choice, but she refused to let the innocents pay for it.
Dreaming Pearl Courtesan was a subtle style, graceful, elusive, and lethal. A student learned to maneuver herself into the perfect position to strike. Once the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan reached her victim at his most vulnerable she revealed her true nature as a killer, fighting with a deadly grace and the elusiveness of a dream.
Zia seemingly danced a little on the spot, drawing two paper fans from her Inventory. She whirled on herself and words came unbidden to her lips. Words belonging to a video game Martial Arts character who also used fans as weapons. "KACHÔ SEN!"
Suffused by Essence, the 2 paper fans were launched in 2 contrary arcing trajectories and seemingly passed nearby Red Shark's neck before returning to Zia's hands. With a firm gesture, she closed the fans and Red Shark's head fell on the ground in a fountain of blood, they had acted as two blades counter spinning on each side of his neck.
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Notes:
I'm not too sure about the format of the Floral Ferry Evocation: Solar Cannon. Probably something like that:
Cost: 5m, 1a+. Mins: Essence 1.
Type: Simple.
Keywords: Dual.
Duration: Instant.
Prerequisites: None.
Effects: Inflict Withering or Decisive damage + (Essence+(Anima level X 3)) up to Siege (Extreme Range) distance. Flammable materials are immediately ignited.
By the way, Kobayashi Maru means "Full Grove" in English.
Believe me, at the beginning, I was simply killing the pirates. But then I remembered that it was "normal" only for the Exalted setting, not for a first fight in Worm.
The dream sequence came from "Dreams of the First Age. Book 1: Lands of Creation". It was the comics page about the Dawn caste Contentious Sword, the Golden Blade.
Vector Hands is the first "Eclipse" charm Zia learned from a Parahuman… Hum… I think I'll have to create a Gallery Rogues for her.
Cost: 3m, 1wp. Mins: Essence 1.
Type: Simple.
Keywords: Eclipse, dual, mute.
Duration: One scene.
Prerequisites: None.
Effects: Generate a pair of hands with an effective strength of (Willpower-3) able to do everything a hand can do, including parrying lethal attacks without a stunt. They are invisible and necessitate an awareness test with a difficulty equal to Essence. The range is close at Essence 1, short at Essence 2, medium at Essence 3, long at Essence 4, and extreme at Essence 5+. One repurchase at Essence 1 generates (Essence+1) pairs of hands (ambidextrous characters ignore off-hand penalties), using multiple pairs needs a flurry. One repurchase at Essence 2 makes the Vector Hands count as a part of the body (notably for Brawl charms). One repurchase at Essence 3 makes the Vector Hands ignore Essence Hardness.
I'm sure everyone recognized the video game character that uses fans as weapons.
My two custom evocation and charm are not that good. If you have a better format, don't hesitate to post.
Once again, don't hesitate to post your ideas, suggestions, and Solar points awards.
In the next chapter, Zia lands on Okinawa and departs for the USA.
verycoolname
Not actually cool
So freaking cool.
Buddy, that's a Solar Exalt you are fighting. Impossible is just part of their to do list.
Arc 1: Essence One. Chapter 7: Shush, you didn’t see me.
- Location
- france
YOU ARE (AGAIN) EXALTED!
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story.
Notes:
The inspiration for the Parahuman powers made into Eclipse Charms came from "Kill Them All", an amazing Worm/gamer story written by ShayneT.
There was an Easter Egg about Naruto in the last chapter. How many saw it?
We are almost on the last part of Zia's current travel.
Thank you to SwiftBlitz for beta-reading all this.
Night caste set:
Anima powers:
• For two motes, the Night can dampen her anima, treating all Peripheral Essence expenditures as if they were Personal for one instant.
• For three motes, the Night can ignore up to (higher of 3 or Essence) penalties to a Stealth attempt for one instant. These motes are always considered Personal, regardless of the pool they're spent from.
• When the Night's anima is at the bonfire/iconic level, it wraps around and suffuses her form, hiding her figure and masking her visage in flame. She is merely a fearsome silhouette shrouded in all the hues of the evening. It becomes impossible to discern her identity. This is considered a perfect effect, and cannot be pierced by Eye of the Unconquered Sun or other all-seeing magic.
Attributes: Wits (+1): 4.
Abilities: Awareness (+2): 4. Dodge (+1): 4. Investigation (+3): 4.
Charms (limited to Essence 1):
Awareness: Keen (Sight) Technique, Keen (Taste & Smell) Technique, Surprise Anticipation Method, Foe-Scenting Method, and Awakening Eye.
Dodge: Dust Motes Whirling, Shadow Over Water, Searing Quicksilver Flight, Reflex Sidestep Technique, and Leaping Dodge Method.
Investigation: Watchman's Infallible Eye, Crafty Observation Method, Fetich-Tracing Eye, and Judge's Ear Technique.
Larceny: Seasoned Criminal Method, Flawless Pickpocketing Technique, Lock-Opening Touch, and Flawlessly Impenetrable Disguise.
Stealth: Perfect Shadow Stillness, Easily-Overlooked Presence Method, Stalking Shadow Spirit, and Blinding Battle Feint.
Spells: Sculpted Seafoam Eidolon.
Exp points: 2. Solar points: 4.
Not many suggestions from my readers this time. While I do have a plan, I also listen to advice.
Arc 1: Essence One.
Chapter 7: Shush, you didn't see me.
Chapter 7: Shush, you didn't see me.
End of July. Afternoon. The southern coast of the island of Okinawa. Japan.
Diet member Rando Yaguchi authorized himself to sigh in relief as he finally disembarked from the pirate bulk carrier at the port of Itoman with all his family, alive and healthy. As the patriarch, he had to project a certain image, especially around his daughter. But dear gods… The last days had been hell for them and it was the last time he took a vacation without an army of bodyguards.
It began with his dear wife Masako who simply asked for a little family time away from the horrible situation in Japan. Simple enough, especially that, for once, his daughter Katsumi wanted that too. A nice change from her habitual stubborn teenage rebellion. He shuddered thinking about the day she came back home with bleached hair.
He had a small pleasure yacht, the result of a little bribe to promulgate a law that was promptly shot down by the camp of the requester. All to the benefit for him. Of course, he took all the precautions but the pirates who intercepted them were a nasty surprise and too well equipped in weaponry and electronic counter-measures.
Very violent too. They didn't hesitate to open fire on the yacht itself and he thought the pirates had killed Tsubasa, the Spaniel puppy they recently adopted, to make an example. At least, until it was given back alive to a teary and joyful Katsumi. He rightly feared for their lives until that filthy Burakumin named Red Shark revealed that his family was taken for ransom from the Japanese government.
Still, the next 2 days had been a nightmare and, in his growing despair about the situation, he even didn't feel betrayed when his daughter asked him to stop to reassure them like a politician. Even fiercely hugging his wife and daughter didn't inspire many hopes.
And then, during the night, she appeared from nowhere: Zia the Bright Raven as she presented herself. She looked like something from an anime, clad in dark green swimwear and bearing enough weapons to reenact the Greater East Asia War. But so young, much too young. Zia couldn't be less than 4 or 5 years younger than his fifteen-year-old daughter.
He tried to take control of the situation, after all, he was the adult. But her eyes… In her eyes shone the wisdom of centuries, something out of the norm even among the Parahumans of Japan and the world. Something that he couldn't disobey when she advised them to hide.
And so, the entire family had waited in a tropical forest with assault rifles and handguns (not his daughter of course). The spectacle had been terrifying and exhilarating. Especially the Phoenix she unleashed at the end of the battle. They could only hear what was happening until she did that.
And she did the impossible. She captured ALL the pirates but one. Thirty nasty and violent people armed to the teeth by herself. A ninja team wouldn't have done better. However, in the end, that young girl was forced to kill the pirate leader Red Shark with her own hands. He could sense the regret at her actions when she solemnly put the corpse in a body bag but from his own interactions with the criminal, she didn't have much of a choice: Kill or be killed or worse.
After that, he observed her as she first medically treated his family (with more experience and knowledge than his personal doctor), sewed their clothes back to an almost pristine condition then inspected the bulk carrier while finishing the repairs like she was a speedster, changed a few things here and there in the cargo holds and transferred all the pirates inside as prisoners while the corpse of the leader was secured in a cold room. It seemed the Red Sharks had put a few nasty surprises in the holds just in case and weren't very happy she neutralized their means of escape and emptied their caches.
Another surprise was when she took a small boat and came back aboard a Tinkertech-looking ship with an organic aspect which returned to a compact aspect with a snap of her fingers in the form of a Star-fruit. That was when she gave back our dog to Katsumi. A dog she healed herself.
Still, the small horse, from Yonaguni Island if he wasn't mistaken, seemed a very strange company for a Thinker Parahuman oriented towards a Field Combat Medical specialty with some grab-bag additions… At least that was what made the most sense… If he forgot about the Phoenix.
He suspected that the horse had been trained like the combat horses of the past as it served as a guard for the pirates during their return to Okinawa. It even sounded a bell twice to signal a tentative escapee. The pirates were definitely not happy but, frankly, they should be thankful that the young girl felt merciful and took time to feed them and even medically treated some.
Thoughtful of any potential dangers, he waited for them to be in sight of the Island before contacting the proper authorities and a cutter from the JMSDF escorted them to the port where an impressive mix of military and police force were waiting for them and the pirates.
Now it was time for the Great Media Circus. Oh, he was an old hand at this and while marking points for his political party, he would also pay, in part, the debt he had with Zia aka Bright Raven… A fitting Cape name now that he was reflecting on it. The icon Phoenix had been taken so many times by unworthy people before that he could see why she took that variation based on her impressive fire-bird aura.
As he was slowing down from his speech against "the rapacious so-called modern pirates" he turned in her direction to present Zia to the press as the "heroic savior of his dear family who didn't hesitate to listen to her heart despite her young age" and… She wasn't there…
Wait. What?
There was a moment of hesitation as suddenly everyone realized that the young black-haired, green-eyed, brown-skinned girl clad in an obvious orange dress was no longer near the Yaguchi family. Everyone included not only his family and puppy, the press and their cameras but also the impressive police cordon protecting him and his family. How could you lose sight of a child clothed like that?
A member of the press suddenly forcefully turned his cameraman in a direction and pointed his index in the same direction. "LOOK!"
Of course, everyone turned their eyes and cameras in that direction to see that absent girl smiling and waving goodbye at them from the bow of the pirate bulk carrier, and then with a heart-stopping jump, she dived into the sea, disappearing under the waves in a spray of sea-foam.
Katsumi Yaguchi, frowning and hugging her precious Tsubasa, turned toward her flabbergasted father and furiously whispered. "You did it again. Like with all my school friends because of your party image or another stupidity. I'm sure that one way or another, it's your fault Zia-chan ran away. And I was so looking forward to being called "Big Sister"."
He turned a bewildered gaze to her. Uh oh, even his wife was staring at him with disapproval. Masako did talk with him about an eventual adoption in the future. Forget about the party interests, he had to do something quick if he didn't want to sleep on the couch for a month at least.
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Zia the Bright Raven laid a wreath of white lilies symbolizing mourning and grief for the Japanese at the feet of the Himeyuri memorial. The Himeyuri students sometimes called "Lily Corps", was a group of 222 students and 18 teachers of the Okinawa Daiichi Girls' High School and Okinawa Shihan Women's School formed into a nursing unit for the Imperial Japanese Army during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. They were mobilized by the Japanese Army on March 23, 1945.
The students were wrongly told that the Japanese army would defeat the American invasion easily and that they would be safe from danger. Many brought their school supplies and uniforms with them to study and prepare to return to school. Deployed instead to front-line cave hospitals under constant gunfire and bombings, few students and teachers managed to survive the war.
It was something that during her last past life, the Eclipse Exalt swore to honor their memories should he, at that time, travel in the area.
Her spell, Sculpted Seafoam Eidolon, had been very useful. She discretely used her sorcery before they entered Itoman's port to shape sea foam and her aqueous reflection into a simulacrum of reality. In brief, she created a water replica of herself. The illusion could perform lifelike motions, was capable of simple speech, and had scent, body heat, and other sensory tells.
So, she simply directed the illusion's behavior at a distance until it dived into the sea where she returned it to its sea-foam components.
She walked out of the Himeyuri Memorial and Museum, thinking about life, death, memories, and the gift she just received as she guided the pirate bulk carrier into Itoman's port. When she saw the numerous military and police troops, she knew she had to make a choice: Either go with the flow and probably end under the Japanese government's attention, or escape promptly and stealthily.
She chose the latter and as she felt her Caste mark changing momentarily into an empty golden circle, she was visited by the memories of Harmonious Jade, one of the Night caste Solar from the Era of Sorrows in Creation.
Harmonious Jade filtered into the tomb as gradually and imperceptible as dust or the smell of age. She pulled a cloak of Essence close about her and faded from the sight and mind of all who beheld her. It was not that she feared the eyes of men might fall upon her. The tomb had been sealed for over 1000 years, and no mortal thing within it was any worry to her.
But there were things within the tomb that were not mortal. There were certain to be demons within the tomb, under ancient duress to patrol its halls and slay intruders. Perhaps she could defeat them, perhaps not. It seemed wisest to her to be discreet and avoid the question altogether.
She laid her palms against the door, and there was a crack that split the night, as the great stone lock within the doors broke loose after centuries of settling. The mechanism grated and popped while the Exalted focused her magic on it. "Do not hear this!" her magic cried as the doors swung slowly open. "Do not see it!"
But there were things within the tomb that were not mortal. There were certain to be demons within the tomb, under ancient duress to patrol its halls and slay intruders. Perhaps she could defeat them, perhaps not. It seemed wisest to her to be discreet and avoid the question altogether.
She laid her palms against the door, and there was a crack that split the night, as the great stone lock within the doors broke loose after centuries of settling. The mechanism grated and popped while the Exalted focused her magic on it. "Do not hear this!" her magic cried as the doors swung slowly open. "Do not see it!"
It had been so strange to be able to feel what was not there inside the memory of a dream. She shook her head. She had still plenty of things to do. Resolutely, she entered anew the town and walked towards her goal: The airport. A subtle invisible cloak of Essence covered the Bright Raven as she evaded detection from the various search parties sent for her by simply hiding in plain sight.
Despite being a child clad in an orange dress with golden accessories, she was able to drift unnoticed through the entire town and the minimal security at the airport. This use of Essence modeled her talent for blending in and remaining unobtrusive. No one would notice her unless she took overt action such as any display of her Essence-enhanced physical prowess.
Still, everything wasn't that easy. Her cloak wouldn't hinder the people at the checkpoint from asking for her travel ticket or inquiring about her parents. She looked around and saw there weren't enough people to blend in and make the airport staff think she was part of a tourist family.
Well, necessity is law. With hands quicker than the eye, the Exalt relieved a hapless soul of his material burden, or more exactly she stole a cargo list from the pocket of a luggage handler. Rapidly scanning it, she found where and when a transport plane would depart for Narita Airport. Another pass near the same employee gave the list back. Ordinary senses couldn't detect this, only inhuman sensory acuity, such as a spider feeling vibrations in its web, or those able to use magic like her would have a chance.
She borrowed a ride hidden in a luggage cart and stealthily boarded the cargo hold of the plane. Contrary to popular opinion, there was no animal cargo hold as such. The holds were within the same pressure vessel as the heated air from the passenger section exhausted through the cargo spaces and out through the outflow plane's valves. She located a locked container out of direct sight that should remain empty until Narita, lightly tapped the side of it with a hand suffused by Essence and the lock opened… just like that.
There were no problems during the flight and landing at Narita airport. In fact, the size of the airport helped her to safely blend in and now, she just had to consult the departure panel for a flight to the USA… After taking a well-earned cup of tea. She was in Japan after all.
After tasting a nice cup of Sencha which was the most popular and widely-consumed Japanese green tea, she pondered on her options concerning the flights to the USA. She nodded as there were a few flights to Boston when her danger sense suddenly flared.
Her eyes and ears seemed to jump in one direction. There! In the gallery shop, one floor below, a Japanese man clad in a gray tracksuit was running in the hallway, his face a grin of both fear and glee. Behind him, plain clothes law-enforcement members were trying to catch him up in silence.
Wait. What?
Both the pursuers and the pursued were avoiding any yelling or making other sounds. The policemen should have screamed for him to stop, or for the people around to move or something so what…?
Zia the Bright Raven refocused on the running man. And what a naughty man he was. He had a handgun in the interior pocket of his vest, a knife hidden in his right sock, and… a detonator in his left hand. An ARMED detonator!
A bomb! There was a bomb somewhere in Narita airport. And we were nearing the rush hour of midday. A dozen plans flashed through the mind of Zia and one seemed feasible on the spot.
Using the lingering energies of her dissipating notice-me-not Essence cloak to hide her initial actions, she jumped down to the floor where the pursuit was happening. One floor height was nothing for an Exalt doped by Essence. One, two, and three! And it was over.
One, Zia fueled her aggressiveness into her Essence, quickening her movements and allowing her to blur instantly into the path of the probable terrorist.
Two, her right hand snatched and maintained pressure on the detonator's lever since it was a type that activated when the hand holding it opened, and stored it into her so convenient Inventory to neutralize its transmitter before the man even blinked at her presence and his absent detonator.
Three, her left fist, without too much strength behind, buried itself into the celiac plexus (or solar plexus) bringing the pursuit to an end and sending the pursued terrorist into unconsciousness.
Of course, just after all that, the police surrounded her and took into custody the terrorist. The leader was a… well, a fat man with a black bar-type mustache, a brown trench coat, and a hat suit. In fact, he looked like a Japanese version of Inspector Clouseau or Commissioner Maigret.
"Well, miss? First thank you for helping us apprehend this dangerous person." He then loomed from above into her personal space, frowning. "Now, I would like to know what you were thinking about putting yourself in such a danger. I'm sure your parents would disapprove."
Zia flatly answered. "My parents are dead. Mister…?"
He blinked and with a contrite face stepped back from her. "I'm sorry, miss. I was just, well, angry at the risk you just took. I'm Juzo Megure, an inspector from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police District."
Zia's eyes widened and she barely managed to not wince and facepalm. Juzo Megure, a character from "Conan Detective" and whose name was translated in French as Maigret… And, of course, she could now recognize the police officer Wataru Takagi and the female police officer Miwako Sato… Okay, seriously, the ROB was just playing with her. "I am Zia the Bright Raven."
"Thank you. May I ask where his your guardi…?"
"Inspector! We can't find the detonator."
"Takagi-san, quieter. We can't afford a panic at this time. Well, he had it when the pursuit began so…"
Zia extracted the neutralized detonator from her Inventory. "Is that what you're searching for, Inspector Megure?"
Everyone's eyes around her went round. Megure put on a pair of gloves and gently took it from her hand. "How did you…? Are you a Parahuman?"
Zia braced herself. It has begun: Her being pigeonholed as a Parahuman. "No, although I do have powers, I'm not legally a Parahuman. I don't have a Corona Gemma or a Pollentia. I put the detonator in my pocket dimension to prevent any outward signal when it switched on."
Megure sighed. This was going to be a circus. The young Zia was obviously a foreigner despite her flawless Japanese and he didn't like treating with the Sentai Elite. Too many among them had the stereotype prejudice against foreigners and too much national pride. "Well, this case is becoming more complicated. I'm afraid we'll have to go to our headquarters with your guardian to resolve it." He smiled at her and swore to himself to shield her as much as he could.
Zia, reading his intentions, smiled back gently and bowed to him. "I perfectly understand, inspector. And, I'm sorry."
Megure blinked. "Sorry about wha…?" Zia took one jumping step back, through the thin police cordon and inside the crowd of spectators and simply disappeared under his eyes. The whole law-enforcement group scrambled and searched for her in vain. Even blocking for a time the planes' departure, looking at the video surveillance network, and cordoning the metro didn't bring any clues about the away path and location of Zia the Bright Raven.
Meanwhile, a teenage American boy clad in a pair of jeans and a leather jacket was listening to a pair of headphones while following quietly his family to their plane for Los Angeles. Everyone could see he was related to the couple with another teenage girl. The staff at the checkpoint, encouraged by an invisible cloud of Essence, practically let them pass after looking at the adults' passports.
In the past, the Solars were master chameleons donning disguises and attending the fetes of the Raksha, to hear them confess their nefarious plans for Creation. Using her Essence, Zia extraordinarily changed her appearance: She changed her gender, boosted her apparent age by 4 years, altered her height by a few inches up, changed her ethnicity to Caucasian, adjusted her voice to a male register, and altered her accent.
And just in case they managed to bring Tsubasa, the Spaniel puppy, or more probably other K9 units, she changed her scent. This disguise simply couldn't be pierced by mundane senses. Nor could it be thwarted by inhuman sensory acuity, such as the nose of a hound or the eye of a hawk. Only senses heightened to supernatural levels had a chance to pierce this deception. Even magic able to pierce this effect would only reveal that the Solar Exalt was not what she appeared to be.
Still, Zia was a little worried. She had managed to safely board a plane, but not the one she wanted. Once she landed at Los Angeles LAX in 10 hours, she will have to take a train to the East Coast. A plane would be faster but with the accrued risk of being discovered.
The main problem was that Los Angeles was the fief of Alexandria aka PRT Chief Director Rebecca Costa-Brown, the epitome of Earth Bet FISS (Flight Invulnerability Super-Strength) type of Parahuman. Yes, FISS instead of Brute as the PRT Threat rating named them. Recognizing the threat convention would mean recognizing Alexandria as a hero and… well, she wasn't. Alexandria package, her ass. Comparing that utter bitch to Superman? Yeah, right.
Zia the Bright Raven will have to count on anonymity to pass this hurdle. After all, how much info was there on her?
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International Diffusion (under Parahuman Treaty rules).
Date: 31 July 2009.
Origin: Tokyo Metropolitan Police District.
Destination: US PRT main Office and US Protectorate main Office.
Motive: New Parahuman traveling to probable US destination.
Name: Zia (no last name).
Cape Name: Bright Raven.
Country: Unknown (Peru possibly) Flawless Japanese language and possession of a Yonaguni Island animal show a probable long-time living on Japanese territory.
Affiliation: Hero (no other affiliation for now).
Sex: Female.
Age: Estimated to be 10 to 12 years old (parents are probably deceased, no known guardian, possible adoption by Yaguchi family).
Description (photos included): 145 cm height, estimated 35-38 kg weight, brown skin (Quechua ethnic), green eyes, long and thick black hair in a straight style, orange dress (Peruvian design), golden headpiece, golden wrist cuffs, and a golden medallion.
Known facts: Rescue of cargo ship Kobayashi Maru (code Sea Okinawa Civilian 200907856). Unconfirmed number of self-defense kills of heavily armed Red Shark pirates. Rescue of Diet member Yaguchi and his family from the Red Shark pirates (code Sea Okinawa Civilian 200907987). Confirmed self-defense kill of Parahuman Red Shark (Shaker 3, telekinetic). Apprehension of terrorist Kumaro Akira (code Land Tokyo Civilian 20090710023).
Assessment (photos and videos included): Probable Thinker with a specialty in Field Combat Medic. Probable Shaker/Blaster with fire-bird aura side-effect indicating a possible fire/plasma specialty. Possible Tinker or association with a Tinker with a nautical and/or solar specialty. Possible Master/Mover with a small horse from Yonaguni Island. Confirmed Martial Artist Master (unidentified style, Thinker power assist). Confirmed Shaker with Pocket Dimension (can block EM emissions). Probable Stranger (possible Thinker power assist).
Disposition: Friendly, polite, and very competent in a variety of skills (Stealth, crafting, navigation, ship piloting, medical, cooking, tailoring/weaving, swimming, and military weapons). Loves animals and nature. Extensive knowledge. Do not like killing but doesn't hesitate to use Martial Arts knowledge to neutralize opponents. Emphasis on protecting defenseless people.
Recommendations: Non-hostile contact. Soft sell of any propositions. Have a psychologist from Child Services present in any encounters. Protect at all costs from criminal recruitment. Caution: Show intelligence and wisdom beyond her physical age, do not underestimate her.
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Notes:
Rando Yaguchi is from the movie "Shin Godzilla".
About Himeyuri Memorial, I used it in the original story and… Well, I also visited Oradour-sur-glane when I was young… Nuff said.
Having the "control spell" tag is useful for all the spells in Exalted. I think I'm going to give that particular mechanism to some of the spells Zia will use. Only on some since having, for example, butterfly silhouettes rising from her shadow when her emotions run hot isn't very discrete, right?
The dream sequence was extracted from the "Exalted 1° edition Core book". I couldn't find a comics page with a relevant Night Caste.
No, I don't like Alexandria. How did you know?
Yes, that much information could have been gathered from where Zia acted with witnesses. It would have been worse with Tinker-tech scanners or Thinker-assisted analysis. And yes, you can laugh at her.
As always, if you have suggestions, remarks, or questions, don't be shy. Post and I will do my best to answer.
In the next chapter, Zia is confronted with Alexandria, takes a direct train to Boston, and a bus to Brockton Bay for an arrival in style.
verycoolname
Not actually cool
Ditto. I would absolutely love to see Zia beat Alexandria at her own game.
Alsor Daechir
Self designated potato.
- Location
- Probably hiding in a corner playing an idle game.
Is there a specific reason they aren't assuming her age to be higher due to her knowledge? After all some capes are known to not change their appearance after they trigger. Notably Alexandra herself. And with an appearance of the immortal firebird that can rebirth itself from the ashes then grows up again...
- Location
- france
An interesting idea.
Hum... I don't think so. Those seem to be exceptions rather than the rule.
After all Tattletale and Uber don't show a change of age... That said if they appear more intelligent, you can't say the same for wisdom.
And another point: This is the first time a fire-bird is seen on Earth Bet.
Alsor Daechir
Self designated potato.
- Location
- Probably hiding in a corner playing an idle game.
There are references to the fire-bird in history ever since 800 BC and Earth Bet is technically supposed to be the majority of the same as earth's history till mid 1900s.
But character wise the closest to myth references I can think of are Myrddin, Scapegoat being somewhat a reverse satyr, and Lung going lizard dragon in some fanfics. All three of which don't actually conform to their lore in ways that would make it likely for someone to point out the lore of the fire-bird in a way that would bring up said age either.
Just found it interesting that someone who looks like a 10-12 year old but shows political awareness via not getting roped into Japan's politics, can make the sensible decision to target the detonator and put it somewhere safe that won't trigger the bomb, then speaks with a much greater professionalism than anyone that age that I've known of while including legal knowledge of being a parahuman isn't throwing more doubt into her actual age.
- Location
- france
Oops, I meant seeing an actual firebird among the parahumans. The Phoenix myth and all other myths do exist.
This is more speculation so it wouldn't appear on an official document. Now, if Zia was clothed like Phoenix Jean Grey people would write about it. However, Zia has only one visible item with a sun emblem: her medallion.
Not many would note that.
They did write about her abnormal intellect and wisdom. They can't yet draw a conclusion about her actual age. The Thinker label is murking the waters: Is her wisdom and intelligence the product of powers or was she like that before she triggered?
Marsyas
Surprisingly Jellicle
- Location
- Undimensioned and Unseen
Seems a little weird to start stacking additional castes on top of her existing one. A single solar exaltation already possesses effectively unlimited potential. What's even the point of template stacking here? Infinity +1 is a meaningless distinction. Infinity + infinity is still infinity.
Edit: Consider that the ability to Stunt *by itself* is a pretty damn good superpower, and that's the default level that all Exalted function at in *everything they do* even before they apply their magic. A single Excellency on top of stunting in any combat skill? For as long as your essence pool lasts, you have literally impossible, supernatural levels of skill that no combat-thinker can match. A starting level Solar is more than a match for almost any street level hero or villain, and a Solar's natural rate of growth will render whatever bonus was gained from template stacking effectively irrelevant within a couple of years at most. So. What's even the point?
Edit: Consider that the ability to Stunt *by itself* is a pretty damn good superpower, and that's the default level that all Exalted function at in *everything they do* even before they apply their magic. A single Excellency on top of stunting in any combat skill? For as long as your essence pool lasts, you have literally impossible, supernatural levels of skill that no combat-thinker can match. A starting level Solar is more than a match for almost any street level hero or villain, and a Solar's natural rate of growth will render whatever bonus was gained from template stacking effectively irrelevant within a couple of years at most. So. What's even the point?
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- Pronouns
- She/Her
It's for mythos reasons? Like, solar exalts aren't really… designed to work alone, so she kinda needed something to fill that hole?
Marsyas
Surprisingly Jellicle
- Location
- Undimensioned and Unseen
Eh. Solars can work without the assistance of other Exalts just fine if they cultivate the skillset for it.
Every caste has its own methods of solving problems, and any of them can work well for a story like this. The type of Exalt that genuinely can't work well alone is the Dragonblooded.
Alsor Daechir
Self designated potato.
- Location
- Probably hiding in a corner playing an idle game.
Ah, but it isn't the villains that she is going to end up having more trouble with. It's the endbringers, scion, and whatever the R.O.B decides to throw in her path.
Edit: And while most lower level parahumans won't be a major issue for her, she already had somewhat trouble against one with just a 3 rating. Don't be so sure an exalt will necessarily win, especially when she doesn't have the goal to just survive but to fix the broken world.
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Marsyas
Surprisingly Jellicle
- Location
- Undimensioned and Unseen
An essence 5 Solar should be able to defeat Scion, though. Dealing with beings like him is exactly the sort of thing they were designed for. Maybe it's through sheer force of arms. Maybe they are just so convincing they talk him into killing himself, or maybe they cause him to genuinely fall in love with humanity. Maybe they forge a hundred-fold ritual to bind him at the center of the world and repurpose Shardspace to create the afterlife where none existed before. Maybe they subvert control of his shards and make them tear him apart from the inside. Maybe they unite all parahumans and lead them as a perfect general and defeat him like Taylor did.
The point is, there's a ton of ways to deal with a being like Scion when you get to the heights of power that are available to any Solar Exalt. Stacking essence 1 charms and caste abilities aren't how you get to those heights. Expanding horizontally isn't gonna get it done; you need to go *up*.
Edit: also, blocking telekinetic attacks? That's doable to anyone capable of Stunting. Doesn't even need a charm.
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- Location
- france
*shrug*
It's one of the options from the Worm CYOA vers 6. I also didn't want to complicate my story with a full circle of characters.
It would take too long a story to reach that point and I tend to lose my creativity with time.
She kinda needs to take the roles of a whole circle.
Especially with the multitude of exotic effects. The Parahumans are many and many, each different. So far, Zia has ONE familiar.
Yes, absolutely.
And thank you for the ideas.
She will, she will. Be patient. I just need her to be a jane of all trades at Essence 1 before specializing.
Yes, but in my story, I needed her to struggle and acquire this particular charm.
Arc 1: Essence One. Chapter 8: Thank you, Captain Oblivious.
- Location
- france
YOU ARE (AGAIN) EXALTED!
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story.
Notes:
Zenith Caste power set:
Anima powers:
• For one mote, the Zenith's anima leaps from her hand to a corpse she's touching, igniting it in Solar flame. This power incinerates the corpse and ensures the soul of the deceased will not return as a hungry ghost (or be taken by Glaistig Uaine or the Butcher, or a power like that. It also completely eliminates any biological or power-related lingering dangers). In addition, the Zenith may perceive the strongest Intimacies of the deceased and may choose to accept them. When she is ready, she may pay one mote, touching a target of those Intimacies to pass on feelings of peace, love, and assurance, shedding them in the process. She may also transfer them to an object, allowing it to convey comfort or a sense of duty to the subject. Conversely, she may touch someone who caused the deceased to suffer, paying one mote and rolling ([A social Attribute] + Presence) with three automatic non-Charm successes against their Resolve to transfer pain suffered by the deceased back on the one who caused it. The Storyteller is free to dictate the length and weight of such attrition.
• For 10 motes, one Willpower, the Zenith channels her Essence into an aura of divine retribution, surging around an attack. This power supplements a successful decisive attack against a creature of darkness, preventing the Solar's Initiative from returning to its base value after the attack. When the Zenith's anima is at bonfire level, reduce the cost of this power by five motes and ignore the Willpower. This power may only be used once per day, resetting when the sun is at its zenith.
• For seven motes, the Zenith may order a dematerialized spirit to manifest using a (Charisma + Presence) persuade action with (Essence) automatic successes. All spirits inherently recognize the Unconquered Sun's authority in the priest-kings and are compelled as if by a Defining Intimacy, but may still have Defining Ties or Principles that counter this advantage. If successful, the Zenith's very command draws the spirit into the material world, so that it does not need to pay the cost to materialize.
Attributes: Charisma (+1): 5.
Abilities: Performance (+1): 4. Socialize (+2): 5.
Charms (limited to Essence 1):
Integrity: Stubborn Boar Defense and Integrity-Protecting Prana.
Performance: Masterful Performance Exercise, Respect-Commanding Attitude, Perfect Harmony Technique, Graceful Reed Dancing, and Battle-Dancer Method.
Presence: Listener-Swaying Argument and Tiger's Dread Symmetry.
Socialize: Mastery of Small Manners, Motive Discerning Technique, Shadow Over Day, Quicksilver Falcon's Eye, Viper-Scenting Method, Energic Influence Technique, Rancor-Raising Spirit, and Intent-Tracing Stare.
Spells: Flight of Separation.
Willpower: 8.
Exp points: 7. Solar points: 8.
Thank you for the suggestions in the forums.
A big thank you to SwiftBlitz who, courageously, continues to edit my chapters.
Arc 1: Essence One.
Chapter 8: Thank you, Captain Oblivious.
Chapter 8: Thank you, Captain Oblivious.
2009 August 1st. Morning. United States. California. Los Angeles. LAX airport.
LAX was… In her past life, Zia the Bright Raven traveled through Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (Roissy Airport) and… She never saw so many different people. Following the info panels, she gained the center of the airport and the observation deck which provided an outdoor space with breathtaking views of the runways. It was also an excellent spot to take in the sights and sounds of LAX and see if everything was all right for her.
The black-haired, green-eyed young girl sat on a bench, slowly sipping and savoring a cup of black tea. She was almost there… It was curious, she already accomplished some exploits with the gift of Exaltation from the Unconquered Sun, and yet… It was only now that she could say to herself that she was committed, that she was going to do it.
As someone else sat on the other side of her bench with a big cup of iced coffee from a Starbucks and began to read a newspaper, a whisper came to the brown-skinned, orange-clad Solar Exalt's lips. "Fix this world for it is broken." She blinked. There was a giant poster of Alexandria just in front of her.
The picture with a slogan showed a woman in a black and light gray costume with a skirt, knee-high boots, and elbow-length gloves. Her symbol on the chest was an image of a tower. The costume also featured a wide, heavy cape that flowed over her shoulders and draped onto the ground beside and behind her. Finally, she was wearing a closed steel helmet somewhat similar to an ancient Spartan helmet in design. Her long black hair was spilling out of the back of the helmet, and her black eyes were visible.
She softly giggled thinking about the reaction of a certain Edna, catching the attention of her bench-neighbor. Her eyes narrowed as she read out loud the slogan. "Be a hero. Do the right thing?" She shook her head and snorted both at herself for her lack of awareness and at the so-called heroine.
"You don't like Alexandria? That's rare, especially for a child in the city she's protecting."
Well, talking about a lack of awareness. She turned to the tall, muscular woman with long, straight black hair. She had black eyes behind a luxurious pair of sunshades that matched her costly business suit and was visibly Hispanic. Dark amused sparks were dancing behind her eyes.
Zia sighed. She didn't like Alexandria, the character from Wildbow. Did she like the person represented on the billboard? Perhaps talking to a fan of the heroine would clarify her thoughts.
She tilted her head. "...I pity her." Well, she managed to shock her interlocutor. The Eclipse pointed at the slogan. "What is a hero?"
"Well…" The Hispanic woman seemed a little flabbergasted.
Zia continued. "It shouldn't be the definition coming from the legal books of the PRT and Protectorate: 'A hero is a Parahuman working for their legal government.' The others are labeled Rogue if they manage to work legally for themselves and Villain for all those left regardless of circumstances."
She turned to the woman she called "CEO" in her mind. "According to the Oxford definition, a hero is: One, a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Like when you are talking about a "war hero". Two, It's the chief male character, but we will include also the female ones, in a book, play, or film, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize. Like reading about the "hero of Kipling's story". And three, in mythology and folklore, it's a person of superhuman and supernatural qualities and often semi-divine origin, in particular one whose exploits were the subject of ancient Greek myths."
The CEO raised an eyebrow, sipped a little coffee, and pointed at the poster. "Isn't that the exact thing printed here, miss?"
Zia smiled and nodded. "Call me Zia, please. Yes, this image is about all three interpretations of the word hero: The real person behind the mask, the Comic Books character they evoke, and the link to the superhumans of myths, like King Arthur or Cú Chulainn for the Parahuman side."
"I'm Reyna, nice to meet you, Zia. Well, where is the problem if the correct message is passed?"
The Bright Raven sipped her tea. "The problem is about Propaganda and Public Relations. The message here doesn't concern the true meanings of the word "Hero" but the legal definition adopted by the government from the Parahuman Law Enforcement agency." She sighed. "Alexandria is nothing more than a political tool, a toy on this poster."
The CEO was frowning so she continued. "It doesn't inspire Heroism. It doesn't bring Hope. Doing the right thing? How? With what? About who?"
She finished her tea and carelessly threw the empty cup in the nearest trash can 5 meters behind her, without looking. "Actions always speak louder than words. But, we can't see her or the Triumvirate properly acting. Everything visible is carefully planned or doctored and the actions that should count, like the Endbringers fights, are censored."
Zia the Bright Raven shook her head. "We simply can't see them helping outside against evil Parahumans, a label that they use like a hammer. Where are the little and big acts to help the average citizen? Even Scion is doing more by helping cats down trees."
Reyna rolled up her eyes. "There's a good reason to censure Endbringer Fights apart from age. People at large would rapidly lose all hope if they did that. They are already evil individuals taking advantage of what is shown. And the Triumvirate is doing many projects to help the world. And Scion… is Scion."
Zia giggled and bitter-sweetly smiled at Reyna. "Lying to a child or even an adult won't make any of the Endbringers go away. But I agree that they are doing what they think is their best… by themselves. The Parahumans could represent, at best, 20% of Humanity. They're a big minority but the passed time proves they can't solve all our problems."
The young girl blinked and remembered that she wasn't here to discuss philosophy even if it indeed helped to clarify her thoughts and pointed at some paths to help Humanity against the Entities. "My, but I was ranting a little on my soapbox here. Thank you for listening to the fears of a child, Reyna. Let's say that I pity Alexandria because this poster is like publicity for a product. It's too ostentatious, too obvious to be anything but propaganda. And since I need to catch my train, I bid you a good day."
Reyna looked pensively at the giant poster and finished her coffee. "Have a good day, Zia."
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"Welcome back, Director Costa-Brown. How was your Frappuccino today?"
Rebecca Costa-Brown aka Alexandria waved back at her secretary. "Excellent as always, Nancy. As long as they don't change the Barista at LAX, of course. Was there something new during my break?"
"The standard international mail package. Three emails from the White House, all regarding Blasto becoming crime lord of East Alston in Boston. Two emails from Chambers about the same thing and also about the newest Ward in Brockton Bay. It seems Vista doesn't like the costume they made for her and is making some waves. Finally, Legend called to reschedule your next meeting together to the next day at the same hour because of an unexpected event with his local Elite cell."
The tall, long black-haired Hispanic nodded and entered her opulent office. Her soundproofed opulent office which was a good thing because she was laughing up a lot, a rarity those days, after reading one specific dispatch and one particular photo. "It was actually her!? I just can't believe it! I missed recognizing her by an hour top. And, of course, she didn't recognize me either."
She giggled as she focused on a written phrase. "Do not underestimate her, indeed. To think, she had the gall to lecture me about something like Parental Guidance with raw footage of an Endbringer fight. That said, there were a few pearls. Out of the mouths of babes indeed."
Rebecca shook her head. Encountering this young girl had lifted her mood after the fiasco concerning the Thinker Hiccup and the Simurgh early retreat. "Naive and idealist. Still, I'll have to thank her in the future because I certainly don't want to project such an image as Alexandria… No, it'll be more fun for me if I left Chambers thanking her while arranging her image."
Her hand hovered over her phone. "She was still clothed in that orange dress. It shouldn't take too much effort to find the train she took. I'll even warn her probable destination."
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Zia looked at her reflection in the small mirror of the toilet inside the sleeper train she just boarded. A brilliant golden circle, shining like the noonday sun was achieving to morph back to her Eclipse caste mark. She had been lucky to be in the rented roomette of the train she took at Union Station when it manifested. A little use of Essence had helped her to buy a place in the sleeper train without an adult.
A direct sleeper train to Boston, with 3,000 miles from coast to coast. According to her ticket, it should take 3 nights, without stopovers. So her arrival in Boston should be on the morning of the fourth of August, then 25 miles to Brockton Bay via a Greyhound Lines bus. Piece of cake.
She looked at her dissipating Caste mark. "Still, why did I receive the Zenith blessing now? I don't think I did something worthy of that gift except for whispering one phrase."
She shook her head. "Probably the ROB again playing with me." Oh well, she did appreciate the powers obtained and the memories and visions given by Panther, one of her favorite Zeniths in the Age of Sorrows.
"You've bullied everyone within ten miles of this forest. You've demanded illicit worship. You've extorted human sacrifices. Yet, every appeasement just makes you bolder. I'm here to put a stop to it!"
"I've no time for jokes. Crawl away home before you make me angry."
"I'M NOT JOKING AND I'M NOT LEAVING!"
'Sigh' "Very well. Kill him."
'WHUD!!!'
"FOOL! I'm not playing either."
"How dare you? I said…GET OUT OF MY FOREST!"
"You're not listening! You're going to answer for your tyranny."
"STARTING RIGHT NOW!"
'CRAAAK!!!"
"I've no time for jokes. Crawl away home before you make me angry."
"I'M NOT JOKING AND I'M NOT LEAVING!"
'Sigh' "Very well. Kill him."
'WHUD!!!'
"FOOL! I'm not playing either."
"How dare you? I said…GET OUT OF MY FOREST!"
"You're not listening! You're going to answer for your tyranny."
"STARTING RIGHT NOW!"
'CRAAAK!!!"
Well, she had three days and nights of free time. At least she could let out Yona a few times. The poor familiar would go crazy in her Inventory… As long as the mare made no noise. She didn't think that saying she snored like a horse would buy it.
She took on meditating on her Essence during the relatively calm trip. Why, there were only two separate incidents during it…
During her first night, a man intercepted her coming back with a cup of tea from the restaurant car. A man in a trench coat who opened it, displaying his blatant nudity while snickering. "Hey, girl. I scare you, huh?"
Zia blinked nonplussed, facepalmed, and sighed. "Oh, come on, now…" She then introduced the sole of her right sandal with a sensitive part of his anatomy taking care to not spill her tea, it would have been a sacrilege to spill it for this trash. After he managed to crawl back to his berth, the man didn't bother anyone for the rest of the trip except for asking for some ice.
The second incident could have been a little more serious. Zia spotted a pickpocket among the passengers on the second day. Frowning, the Bright Raven tailed him incognito and unremarkable during the whole day, putting back everything he stole and ensuring his own pockets were empty but for his ID papers, train ticket, and enough money for the bare necessities. Flawless Pickpocketing Technique for the win.
The poor man looked completely lost for the rest of the trip as he couldn't complain to the company, especially with his false luggage (an ingenious system that enabled it to swallow smaller luggage). Smirking, the young girl also ensured herself that his compartment didn't have any stolen goods left with a little dose of Essence to hide her presence and a Lock-Opening Touch. It had been a fun exercise.
Zia smiled as she arrived at Boston South Station. It looked strange to not see the construction site of the South Station Tower. It was the largest railroad station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston and New England's second-largest transportation center after Logan International Airport. So, of course, there was a big crowd, especially with the PRT and Protectorate teams drawing attention from the Bostonians and tourists.
Wait. What!?
Essence flowed to her senses, capturing fragments of conversations with her name, seeing agents consulting some photos of her, and examining everyone who was either a young girl with black hair or a small person with orange clothes.
She took a deep breath to center herself. "They know about me and they knew I was coming here." She felt like she should emulate Admiral Ackbar. It wasn't important right now to know how they received such info. She had to make a decision based on their intentions.
She tapped her lips and continued to observe them under the temporary cover of a kiosk. "They're not hostile. This is a recruitment operation. So, what to do now? Stay, confront, and perhaps fight. Or evade, hide, and flee."
The trouble was she was also seeing people not members of the PRT looking for her. Some, due to their identical neat apparel were probably from the intelligence network of Accord. The others were most likely from gangs like the Teeth or the Elite. She was also sure the FBI had one or two teams here.
The Bright Raven smirked and began to assess her surroundings more precisely, especially where the CCTV network lacked coverage. After all, there was a very good reason why she was using whole tea leaves every time she could to make herself a cup of tea.
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Bastion, leader of the Boston Protectorate, was an imposing figure in modern plated armor complete with a knightly helm and modern eye protection. His power could create a variety of force fields and deflector fields. He even had a clairvoyant awareness of his fields, including what affected them which was useful in the field. He walked with certainty, projecting confidence and waving at his fans... At least externally, he appeared happy.
Internally, he was feeling irritated. Why should they deploy so much strength for ONE child? A team from CPS supported by a Ward and a Standard PRT team would have sufficed.
So, of course, Director Armstrong decided to go for the soft sell… with a full complement of the PRT, a Ward, AND 2 Protectorate heroes. Soft sell, yeah, his foot. He knew he was short-tempered, his psychologist said that much so he wasn't the best man for recruiting young teenagers. Hidden by his helm, he softly sighed and hoped his Ward had a better opportunity.
Weld was a Case 53. It meant that he was an amnesiac Parahuman trapped in an abnormal body tattooed, or in his case, branded with an Omega symbol. He sure wasn't someone who could go downtown incognito.
From skin to hair to bone, he was all metal and alloys of varying types. He could be described as being mostly a textured dusky dark gray though whether this was his natural or "default" coloring or because he absorbed a large amount of such metal was unknown. Of note was the silver tracery that defined his very prominent musculature. His eyes were also silver, two lines came from the outer corners of his eyes down his cheekbones and to the sides of his jaw. Compared to some of his peers, it could have been worse. Nonetheless, he was still recognizably a teenager… With obsessed fan-girls and trolls.
Being capable of near-instantly bonding to any metal touching him was such a pain in the ass. Too many times he had been photographed with cutlery or doorknobs slowly being absorbed by his skin. The memes, oh, god, the memes.
Oh well, he was here to be the token "future colleague in the Wards" for a potential recruit. He consulted anew his PRT cellphone for the file they had on her: Zia aka Bright Raven. An authentic Quechua young girl with either a grab-bag portfolio or a misinterpreted power like Thinker or Tinker. He would have preferred her to be in Brockton Bay because of her young age as they recently gained a new Ward, a girl named Vista who was a month shy of eleven years old… Well, at least, she had a nice smile.
Having a peer of the same age would be better than him playing the big brother. He was amnesiac after all and some cultural subtleties still baffled him despite the help of his teammates. Oh well, he now had the opportunity to verify how she would feel about recruitment since she was walking to him, haloed by the sun and smiling.
Wait. What?
Weld could only watch as Zia the Bright Raven stopped in front of his bewildered self who was still trying to reach for his radio. The smiling Solar Exalt raised her hand for a handshake. "Greetings, Weld. I am Zia the Bright Raven and more recently from Japan. It's an honor to meet you. I didn't think anyone was aware of my destination."
Weld was feeling a little nervous. The new Parahuman didn't even try to avoid them. Was that a good or bad sign? He hesitantly reciprocated the handshake. A firm hand. "Ah… Err… Hello, Bright Raven. Give me a minute I'm trying to reach Bastion…?"
"Take your time. I'm not in a hurry." She stayed smiling in front of him, hands visible at her sides.
Weld smiled back even if it was a little forced. This was an awkward situation… Well, he felt awkward and contacted the Boston Protectorate leader… to pass the buck. "Thanks, Bright Raven... Bastion? Weld here. I just made peaceful contact with Bright Raven… We're near the backside platform… No, she approached me first… Well, I don't know, we didn't have time to discuss it before I reached for you… Yes, I understand… Of course, I'll follow protocols… Yes, sir… Yes, we're waiting for you…"
He looked bitter-sweetly at the young girl. "Sorry about this. We wanted to make contact without alarming you."
Zia raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "With 2 full PRT teams, two Protectorate Capes, and one Ward?"
He nodded. "We didn't want to miss you and Boston South Station is rather large."
She looked around, noting she still had a few minutes until reinforcements were there. "Yes, I grant you that. So, why did you want to contact me?"
He smiled genuinely. This, at least, he could do. "To propose you a place within the Ward program, of course. I don't know if you would stay in Boston or be assigned to another city, but we are here for you."
Zia nodded back. "In your own opinion, is it something I should do?"
Ah, good. She was interested. "Yes. Whatever your difficulties, they want and can help you. I acknowledge that some have abused the system to take control over a few Wards in the past, but it's the exception, not the rule." Better to nip in the bud some rumors about press-ganging right now than later and too late.
Sadness tainted Zia's smile. "Ah, Weld. If only we could have met in better circumstances."
Uh oh. Weld pressed one of the hidden buttons on his radio set, not the one about imminent danger, but the one concerning flight risk. He hoped she wasn't going to do something stupid.
"You see there are two problems with me joining the Wards. In fact, joining any organization, civilian or not, criminal or not. First, I have access to a reliable precognition method that clearly predicted that I would be a catalyst for the downfall of any group who recruited me."
Weld frowned. Precognition? "Reliable how?"
"Reliable enough for me to break away from the Yaguchi family who wanted to adopt me. I would have been the cause of their future destruction. And second, because I'm a criminal myself."
Weld's eyes widened. "What…?"
Her smile turned to a small smirk. "I'm an underage illegal alien in the US territory with a heroic inclination."
As a running Bastion came into direct sight with 3 PRT agents, Zia promptly waved at them and fled in a nearby passage.
Weld raised his arm to stop her, but too late. "Hey! Wait! We're not going to do anything and that's a dead end!" He sighed and waited for Bastion and his group to enter together the passage where they expected to find an embarrassed trapped girl… Perhaps with a horse.
They only found a flock of birds that fled at their sudden approach.
Half an hour later, Bastion was forced to recognize that yes, the child had escaped them completely. There wasn't even a trace anywhere on the CCTV network even outside South Station. A network that didn't cover that particular passage, of course.
He shook his head. "How did she do it? She wasn't hidden there since I searched the entire passage with low-intensity fields, even up. We just saw a murder of crows and the walls were too tall and abrupt, especially with the time she had until we entered the dead end for her to climb."
"Ravens."
Bastion turned to Weld. "What?"
Weld nodded at the Boston leader. "Ravens, an unkindness or flock of ravens. Ravens have large size, a heavy beak, long and slightly pointed wings in flight, and a fairly long wedge-shaped tail. Crows have a slimmer beak, a shorter tail that is squared off at the end, and broader and less pointed short wings than ravens."
He shrugged. "We, the Wards, watched a documentary about them and the entire Corvids family on the Discovery channel last week."
Bastion looked incredulously at the Ward and facepalmed. "Weld… What was the cape name of this young girl again?"
Weld frowned. "Bright Raven… Oh…"
Bastion sighed. He didn't look forward to the future discussion with Director Armstrong. "Yes, oh. Well, at least we can give her a Changer rating now or she has a very consistent theme."
Weld scratched his head. He felt they had been victims of a prank. "She was also polite and non-hostile. I think if we can confirm this precognition, she'll cooperate fully with us… Well, if we manage to make her a US citizen, of course."
Eight miles outside Boston, Zia the Bright Raven was riding Yona on a forest trail in the direction of Brockton Bay. Her Eclipse caste mark was shining on her forehead as Essence was ensuring that they could gallop at high speed while ignoring the various obstacles on the trail.
Zia indulged herself in a little Evil Laugh TM. "Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen." Making contact with the PRT/Protectorate on her own and calling herself a criminal as an illegal alien had enabled her to seize the narrative. She just had to now act as herself in Brockton Bay to anchor a good reputation and an almost unassailable position… If everything went her way… IF.
Flight of Separation was the name of the spell she used to escape from the Parahuman law-enforcement group. She cast it discreetly before meeting Weld, holding it within her will until it was needed. By just softly singing a short song of praise for things both small and many, Zia could disintegrate her entire body into a flock of dozens of diminutive birds, like magpies or ravens. Her consciousness then diffused across the many bodies, becoming the flock's guiding intelligence.
After that, she just had to designate a location within 10 miles and began flying toward it. Of course, she was limited to taking only movement actions and dodging and the speed was a mere 16 miles per hour, but it was discrete and relatively safe except against area effect attacks. And while she could end the spell anytime, the destination was fixed.
She sighed. It didn't solve the problem that the PRT and Protectorate already knew about her. She greatly underestimated the international cooperation regarding Parahumans.
And, of course, because of the various moles, she could be sure that everyone on the other side of the fence knew about her. She nibbled her lips. Well, she had to proceed as if people already knew everything she used so far and planned accordingly as such.
She refocused her willpower as the city limits of Brockton Bay slowly came into view. She just finished her epic travel from Yonaguni Island to Brockton Bay.
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Notes:
I think I properly described Alexandria taking a break from work and indulging in the questions of a child who should like her. By the way, Reyna means "Queen".
Zia has only the various pictures by many artists of Costa-Brown's appearance, so, of course, she didn't recognize her.
Using her powers on Alexandria? Why since Zia didn't know she wasn't an ordinary person? Of course, she's due to an impressive spit-take in the future and calling herself an idiot.
The memory came from the comic strip about Panther "explaining" things to a naughty Forest Spirit and two Wood Spiders in "Exalted Corebook 2° ed".
We won't talk about the mechanisms behind a horse taking care of its business in a sleeper train. Nope, we won't.
I don't know if the PRT forces were too small to survey the Boston South Station even with modern means. Someone has an idea?
The PRT analysts are going to have some difficulty properly delimiting Zia's powers. Unless they use the superpower of common sense and simply ask her… Should Zia answer with a part of the truth?
In the next chapter, Zia finally enters Brockton Bay and already puts herself in danger, not once but twice!