Redemption Quest (Exalted/Worm) (Elements of Peggy Sue).

[MageOhki]

Bringer of Ends vs. an Avatar of The End​

How do you kill someone who has already died? If the question had ever occurred to Eidolon, he might have paused in his merry flight towards the Brockton Bay docks. His mind, however, was filled with scenarios by which he might most spectacularly strike fast and hard, and transform the so-called "Exalt" into a greasy paste as an example to those who would defy Cauldron.

Cruising over the docks silently above it was trivial to get a handle on who was out and about. No one ever looked up. Even if they did, it was unlikely that they could do anything about him. His brute powers were rated high enough to take direct hits from an A-10 Thunderbolt's main gun, and demonstrating surviving a tank shot and a near-miss from an artillery strike in his past, while harrowing, proved his nigh invincibility. Unlike these so-called exalts, he had survived fights with Behemoth, Leviathan and, most recently, the Simurgh.

He wasn't about to let some puffed-up upstarts usurp his authority or force Cauldron to subordinate themselves to the Dockmaster and his murderous wife.

It only took fifteen minutes for him to spot her coming out of one of the buildings. She had two of the elementally-marked super-soldiers with her, the so-called dragon-bloods. It was almost too easy. The triviality of his strike was almost disappointing, anticlimactic even. The burst of force slammed down to the earth, causing Bloody Owl to smash face-first into the earth as her two escorts were blasted off their feet and carried through the nearest walls, unmoving. Him landing on her back with his knee to a sickening, satisfying crack as the former Annette Hebert's spine snapped was music to his ears, accompanied by the panicked screaming of the dockworkers who were suddenly fleeing.

Eidolon's satisfied smile was concealed behind his glowing mask, and he got up and walked forward, intending fully to let the challenge of "Do something about it" live large in the minds of the bystanders who just watched him murder the Dockmaster's wife.

He didn't hear the sickening popping of Shadowy Wings' body as he sauntered away. He didn't see her get up with a twisted smile on her face or the black sun burning and blackening into her forehead as though someone was branding her with hot iron. He didn't realize that, to the Chosen of Oblivion, the avatars of Apocalypse Itself, Wounds Mean Nothing.

The thunderous crack and the colossal shock of the heavy slug slamming into his back and the explosion of a vividly cold nothing detonated squarely in his spine as he caromed face-first into the pavement. As he spun and rolled, he saw the Abyssal walking forward, an impossible nightmare revolver aimed at him, with her signature black blade resting easily over her shoulder. The damn thing may as well have been a sharpened car door, so absurd was its size, and yet she wielded it in her left hand with the ease of a rapier.

"You don't get to hit me with foreplay like that and leave me unsatisfied." She grinned evilly as the black sun on her forehead began to bleed.

His back HURT, a sensation he'd almost forgotten as the Abyssal came at him firing, eyes wild, with a rictus grin of the damned on her face, her black-star anima beginning to ignite with a void that seemed to consume the very light and landscape until only she could be seen within. With each shot fired it was as though her void consumed the world itself more and more, leaving only him, and her. The ice-cold grip of screaming terror began to settle in his heart.

Somehow, Annette Hebert chilled his soul worse than the most horrifying moments battling even the Simurgh could.

She was on top of him inside the beatings of his frantic heart, and he found himself suddenly on the defensive as an immense pressure from that not-light anima void battered his swings aside, slowing his force, and forcing him on the defensive as Shadowy Wings abandoned subtlety entirely, listening to the whispers in the grim utterdark and exulting in the oncoming reaving of life.

She was toying with him.

He desperately struck aside her pistol before it could bark again in his face, sending the shot into a building, whose wall did not so much explode as be devoured by the black lightning that consigned brick and mortar to nonexistence. His wild swing was turned aside merrily by the blunted edge of her massive blade, then slapped away casually like an unruly child being struck too hard with a paddle.

His force blasts struck her, hit her, hurt her, but not enough to matter. She bled from the nose and ears as well as from the effigy of the black sun on her forehead, that sigil announcing the horror of her existence even as the screams began around them.

Barely thirty heartbeats had passed, and Eidolon found himself fighting for his life and rather than being the centerpiece of the battle, he found himself facing an opponent who was becoming more joyous, exultant with each wound he struck against her. Each broken rib, the kick that took her knee, each time he landed a strike that damaged her greatly, the would literally broke back into place, like an unholy marionette doll being repaired by its mad creator as fast as he could break it.

As the void-black, bleeding owl raised its wings above the docks high in the sky and Shadowy Wings began her leaping, spinning, arcing backhand Eidolon could almost feel and see time slow to a crawl.

He was out of position, off balance.

She was toying with him.

And now, she had finally decided to kill him, with that hot and bothered gleam of exultation on her face burned forever in his mind.

He was going to die.

Somehow, his salvation from oblivion hurt worse than dying would have as a hand almost larger than his torso gripped his leg. Suddenly Eidolon found himself arcing over the massive, twenty-four-foot-tall, mercury-silver-sheathed form of the massive Dockmaster. The orca-man smashed him bodily into the pavement, cratering and shattering a sidewalk, before whipping him upward and over to shatter the ground on the other side.

He barely had the time to spit out broken shards of his own teeth and mask as he went bodily through a brick wall. The concrete street barrier seemed to rush at him with almost lightning speed as Dockmaster flung him over a hundred yards with trivial effort.

As Eidolon rolled over to recover, he realized the massive, multi-ton monster was in the air, and was about to land on him, burning argent as the fight started all over again.

As Eidolon resolved himself to a very bad day, the thought that went through his mind before he leapt up to meet this new attacker was simple. "At least it's not that nightmare void…"

Shadowy Wings, for her part, stared. She understood and would let Danny have his wrath, but he was going to have to make it up for her. After becoming a Chosen of the Void, being denied a kill was almost worse than bad, unsatisfying sex.

QMN: Eddy, Eddy, Eddy… and this is part 1 of Eddy's really bad day.

 

[MageOhki]

Exalted grok Politics​

AN: First of the two last side story bits. Sorry it took so long.

Shadowy Wings leaned against the wall of the half-destroyed building she had settled against as she watched Danny land on Eidolon. As she watched the squishing, she titled her head and whistled as she picked up the sound of screaming jet turbines.. "So… Dragon's arriving."

The nearly 15 meter long dragon shaped aircraft slammed, crushing the remains of the destroyed warehouse, and a voice rang out. "Stand down!"

The 24-foot tall, silver Orca-man turned looked at the Dragon, pointed and uttered the words, "Fuck off."

The blast from Eidolon rocked Dockmaster a little bit before the monster in liquid silver darted forward at too-fast speeds to snatch up Eidolon as he tried to fly by the ankles before the cape could get away and whipped him around like a flail, punishing cars, concrete and random objects for the mere crime of existing while bystanders were recording on their cell phones from what they thought was a safe distance. Several Dragon-bloods were doing the same.

The dragon mecha tilted her head one way, then the other, then lowered it, and a giant sigh came though it's external speakers as its head touched the ground. "At least don't kill him."

"Danny's going to do what Danny wants." Shadowy Wings' voice was clearly picked up by Dragon's external mic. "He won't even let me put paid to that asshole for attempting to murder me. I'll admit he's kinda sexy when he's pissed off."

A hatch opened on the top of the mecha's head, and an average-seeming woman slithered out, wearing a bodysuit and a domino mask. Spiriting over to Shadowy Wings, she looked her dead in the eye. "We can't have him kill Eidolon." Dragon shook her head after saying that and then added, "Not that I think Eidolon is in the right, and the kill order is right now in front of a judge being revoked…"

"Self-Defense is absolute, and we don't need anyone willing to kill their own allies from ambush for the funzies." Shadowy Wings looked Dragon in the eye. "I will honor the legality of no execution orders, ever, especially not against my family, and neither will Danny. Do you fully understand me?"

Dragon looked her dead in the eye. "I came intending to make dammed sure Eidolon didn't execute an illegal kill order he got the President to sign off on, using a loophole in the law that wasn't cleaned up, even after the last time it was brought up. Because bluntly, I don't approve of kill orders at all, and this is why-"

Dragon and Shadowy Wings were forced to dodge out of the way abruptly as Danny exploded out from the wall they were next to, ducking debris and angry orca-man as the Lunar skidded to a halt fifty feet away, his claws rending a twelve-inch furrough into the ground as he arrested himself. Danny shifted into a moonsilver bird and shot into the air impossibly fast, almost like a moonsilver bullet, chasing his prey into the sky at impossible speed.

"Eidolon made his bed, he gets to lie in it. If Danny kills him, I'm not going to stop him… and neither are you." Shadowy Wings set herself easily, but firmly, between Dragon and the Mecha. "You pays your money, you takes your chances." It was an odd turn of phrase coming from a woman who had once been an English teacher.

Dragon simply looked at Shadowy Wings. "It isn't that I really care if Eidolon lives or dies. After his latest stunt, I'd cheerfully throw him in the Birdcage. Or, if he got the death penalty from a jury, not care when they electrouted him." She shook her head. "It's the politics of the situation…"

Almost as though to point out the utter irrelevance of the politics, Eidolon and Dockmaster's warform cratered the concrete together, Dockmaster on top, and the almost petulant way the Lunar jumped up and down, repeatedly stomping on Eidolon reminded Dragon of an angry child or a cartoon.

Dragon looked, saw that Eidolon was still breathing, and shrugged. "As much as I hate to admit it, Eidolon occupies a role we can't fill… yet." She smiled toothly. "But I'm sure you realize what'll happen very quickly once that changes. You aren't stupid, nor is your husband… are you still legally married?" Dragon paused and shook her head at that irrelevant thought.

"If Danny was going to kill Eidolon he'd be dead already, which is why I'm irritated. I was going to kill him, had him dead to rights, and I was gonna send his head to the president with a treasure map to find the rest of him, scattered across the US. Danny's teaching a lesson. His claws can shear through Chobham armor like it's made from tinfoil. We tested this. He can kill Eidolon's shard at any second." The Abyssal huffed. "He's going to need to work long and hard to make this up to me."

Dragon shook her head. "I'll cover it." She eyed the Abyssal. "Like I said, we need him alive… for now."

"GANGWAY COMING THROUGH, 'scuse me ladies." The Dockmaster had a battered and visibly bleeding Eidolon in one hand and was doing a linebacker rush through derelict buildings as he passed them, before spiking the "ball" in the end zone of a trashed Chevy car which promptly caught fire and merrily burned.

Danny stomped on the fire, and Eidolon, repeatedly to put the flames out. "Had enough, dipshit?" The last stomp was clearly petty.

The orca-man reached down and pried Eidolon's limp and unresisting form out of the wreck, while beginning to walk towards the forming line of PRT officers, Eidolon swinging easily in his grip by one ankle.

It was morbidly fascinating as the two women followed Danny to the PRT and watched him open a containment truck, fling Eidolon in hard enough that the truck lurched forward, and look at the agent in charge. "I'm pressing charges of attempted murder. Care to argue with me?"

Piggot stomped forward, and eyed the man, glaring at him. "First, I *can't*. Not won't -- frankly, this was bullshit, and Chief Director Costa-Brown has already contacted me." She shook her head. "But given that he acted -- at the time -- under a kill order, no charge will stick. And you now know it." She blew out a breath. "Frankly, I'd be fine with him dead." She then returned to glaring at the Lunar. "But fucking politics."

"Put him on a leash. This is not a request. If anyone else comes after me and my family, let me make it abundantly clear: I will kill everyone in the chain of approval that attempts to serve a kill order on the Docks or the people under my protection. I do not care why it was issued, or by whom. I will let my wife use their dead asses as fuel for a soulsteel forge afterwards. All of them."

Danny leaned forward and Piggot became noticeably pale as the silver-burning exalt got terrifyingly close. "Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear."

"You wouldn't actually…" Dragon began.

"Absolutely would."

Piggot waited a full minute, squaring off with the first being to ever stand against Eidolon and batter him aside that wasn't an actual Endbringer. "We can still kill you. There are plans to use MIRVs on cities. And before why not kill orders on say… oh, the Butcher, or to use MIRVs on the Slaughterhouse Nine, I don't know." Her hissing was clear, as it was clear she wanted to use another example.

"The Slaughterhouse Nine is about to have bigger problems on their minds rather shortly, I would imagine." Dragon walked up to Piggot as the Director spoke. "And threatening even nuclear arms is unlikely to move the Exalted. The Celestials have all mastered techniques to negate such an attack." Dragon sighed.

"More importantly, Heartbreaker triggered the exaltation of an Infernal. And maybe another, but I'm sure of one, and it's why I'm saying the Slaughterhouse Nine is going to have problems. I can show you the chatter. If they're even remotely as quick on the uptake as the local circle, you're likely to get reports of a new endbringer as he or she figures out and masters their first battle-shintai." Dragon paused. "And the Infernals invariably are born from angry individuals who failed to make a difference. If you think the Nine aren't about to have nightmare fuel level problems, you are sorely mistaken. An Infernal can kill anything that exists… including the Siberian."

The Abyssal snickered. "Be accurate, Dragon. Any Celestial Exalt, hell, any Exalt can kill anything. How we go about it differs… and I was coming to tell Danny it appeared that a Solar also lit off. Clear Anima display or so PHO video shows." Dragon sighed and nodded.

"... Another one?" Piggot scowled. "How many are there?"

Dragon shrugged. "I don't know," She lied bluntly. A bolt of light had landed next to Eidolon and was remaining quiet.

"I do!" Shadowy Wings' expression was pure evil. "There were three hundred Solar Exaltations made. About a hundred of them were corrupted into the Abyssals, and another fifty were altered in ways that would make you cry by the creators of the universe they rebelled against to make Infernals… three hundred lunars, a hundred Sidereals, as many Alchemicals as the Maker chooses to light up, and Dragon-blood exaltation spreads by breeding!" Her cheerful, evil smile absolutely lit the area with Piggot's despairing sigh.

"Fuck me running." She shook her head. "But… there is one thing that makes me happy." Everyone who was listening turned to her. She smiled. "You aren't parahumans, and with the possible exception of the… Infernals?" She received a nod from Dragon. "And maybe Abyssals, by your own documentation…" She smiled. "You're sane -- high energy, high tempo, driven to do things… but not broken." She looked at Shadowy Wings dead in the eye. "And you wouldn't believe how happy that makes me. Do you do murder requests?"

"Nope!" Shadowy Wings smiled. "I'm no one's assassin. Buuuut if you ask very nicely, I might consider teaching the occasional lesson on why it is unwise to shit in the collective Wheaties of the city."

Piggot smiled cruelly. "I'll get the kill order and bounty on Nilbog set up if it's not already there."

"Director, if I may? I just sent you markers to identify an Infernal. While they can be just as human as you or I, and just as willing to help as we are, until they prove they haven't lost their humanity, treat them as a First Contact with alien life from any morality standpoint you understand." Dragon looked at Piggot seriously. "Figure out what makes them tick and come to an arrangement, and you suddenly have a very high amount of firepower working for you rather than against you."

Piggot raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Understood, but I doubt we'll get permission to at least try…" She shrugged. "But worth a try."

"This is not a choice we get to make, Director," Shadowy Wings responded. "If we get an opportunity to get one on our side, we cannot afford to piss away that kind of firepower. I've SEEN the memories of the battle shintai of things dead before Rome was a wet dream in Romulus's mind. If we can come to an arrangement, it's the equivalent of turning an endbringer on an endbringer. And if not? They are exactly what the Exalted were created to bring down."

Piggot was about to say something, but was cut off when a battered van careened though the lines, missing everyone, and stopped a few feet from her and the Exalts. The driver's door popped open,and an exhausted young man slid out. "Yo. I'm Jean-Paul… and I figure you know something about this?" He flashed a golden circle with a dot in it. "Besides some neat tricks I figured out that replaced my old powers." Several small heads were seen though the windows.

"I think we need to put a cork in the discussion for now, Director. Need to have a chat with Bullseye here on what not to do and how to keep from crapping on your cereal." Dockmaster shifted down to his human, fleshy form to take charge of the situation before the PRT director could argue.

Bluntly… Piggot didn't want the headache anyway.

AN: Sorry we're late with this… Those asking for Eidolon to be depowered… or killed, read the title. And why did Regent show up? Circles are *drawn* together.

 

[MageOhki]

Getting Reamed is bad for the Ego. Getting crushed by a Lunar is bad for the Body. Both is just the cap on a shitty day.
​

Early Morning, Sept 4th, 2009
Private Room, University of Texas Hospital, Houston, Texas

"What. Were. You. Thinking?!" Rebecca, back from Yu-Shan and shutting down the kill order. "I told all of you that I was going to investigate and they had already agreed to at least attend Endbringer fights, and generally at least not oppose the PRT." She hissed and added. "There's only one good thing. They proved they can beat your ass like a drum."

Eidolon groaned, on painkillers, but not enough to impair his thinking. "They couldn't kill…" He was interrupted by Legend.

"They could and, frankly, should have." Legend's voice was cold. "You went behind our backs, got the President to sign an illegal order, and pissed off the entire state of New Hampshire. Attacking those who eliminated the Nazis and a brand new supremist gang getting into sex slavery doesn't look good."

"Then why did…" Eidolon was cut off again, this time by Rebecca.

"Not kill you? Not destroy your powers? Because Dockmaster is apparently very astute politically." Rebecca, the sometimes-costumed heroine, snorted. "But, make no mistake, the moment they think you're not needed as a showpiece… they won't hold back… IF there is a next time… which there better not be." The dark haired and dark eyed hero looked her fellow in the eyes, boring a simple truth. "Or I will kill you."

Legend turned and looked at her, while Eidolon shrank back. "Rebecca…" Legend responded after a moment.

Still glaring at the man in the bed, she answered Legend. "Exalted are that potentially powerful. We have been hoping for people to trigger, exalt, what have you, with the powers needed to do what we know has to be done. We have them. And no buts, Eidolon. I might have been successfully lied to, but we just got a clear cut example of just how powerful they are, and they can grow. Not every Exalt is a skilled liar, nor would they all lie."

"Then why…" Eidolon's voice was cut off this time by Legend

"Didn't we exalt? We weren't worthy by the standards. You just proved why, I suppose." Legend shook his head.

"No. Siderials are meant to by fate. Solars by doing great deeds, or just trying the impossible, Lunars by fighting and fighting. Not sure on the Dragonblood selection. Abyssals are those who just refuse to die, and Infernals… not sure there, either." Rebecca hmmed.

"We fight…" Eidolon weakly shot back.

Rebecca shrugged and shot back. "Only so many exaltations to go around. I got a distinct impression some were preselected and 'guided' to the point they'd exalt."

Legend raised an eyebrow. "The … gods can do that?"

Rebecca shrugged. "I have a feeling it was only possible with those who'd have met the conditions otherwise, but maybe later. I think it really applies to the Solars… which means they have very good precognitive ability… or time travel. And I couldn't get a straight answer out of anyone."

"So… how is the PRT going to…" Eidolon shifted the conversation.

"Respond to you being curb stomped? By doing nothing. I'll publicly admit you convinced the President to issue an illegal kill order, which a judge agreed with, and demote you, as well as say that Dockmaster and Shadowy Wings have agreed to attend Endbringer fights." Eidolon's eyes grew wide with shock.

Legend answered for Eidolon. "Isn't that a bit much, Rebecca?"

"No. In fact, it's having the kill order system seriously reviewed by Congress, plus an article of Impeachment filed to be acted on by Congress for the President." She blew out a breath. "I have to fix this mess. And figure out how we're going to handle Contessa dying, because she fucked up." Rebecca looked at Legend. "Didn't we tell her to stay out of Brockton Bay?"

Legend hmmed. "It's quite possible her path didn't tell her where she was going."

"Shit." Rebecca CostaBrown ran an hand though her hair. "Just… not good."

"We should make…" Eidolon tried to interrupt the thoughts of the two again.

Legend snorted. "Make them pay? For killing a sex-slaving yaukza wannabe, for killing someone who was drawing a bead on them or those they're working with? While I am not as convinced as Rebecca… though I'll admit a lot of my doubts have been settled, I can't see where they went wrong. If they're the solution, we don't need to keep the bullshit up. We can start fixing shit."

Rebecca nodded. "The next Endbringer fight will be… interesting." She smiled. "That will be our final proof."

Legend nodded, but Eidolon sighed. "They won't be able to kill one, I tell you, but you all won't believe me."

"Then you'll get to say I told you so. But I suspect if they don't kill one this time… they will the next time." Rebecca's face was serene.

Legend eyed Rebecca. "We should at least have you undergo M/S screening… just in case…"

"... Finally having hope may screw that up."

Legend and Eidolon had nothing to say to that.

 

[MageOhki]

The Dreaded Youth Guard attacks! ​

AN: Hardest part was thinking of options...

Mid Morning, Sept 9th, 2009,
Dockmaster's Office, Docks, Brockton Bay, NH.

"Boss?" Kurt stuck his head. "A … Karen Douglas is here to see you. Says and showed she is from the Youth Guard." Kurt's voice was amused.

Danny raised his head from the paperwork, and sighed. "Actually expected them earlier, so… eh. Send them in." He looked at Shadowy Wings who was now snickering as well as his daughter and friends. "They waited til you got back, of all things."

Taylor spread her hands, and had an innocent look on her face. "Aren't we Exalted, not parahumans?"

"Powers are powers, and they're all parahuman." A haughty voice interrupted the joking conversation. "And you're being exploited!" A brown haired middle aged woman walked in, wearing a power skirt suit in gray, her heels clicking on the floor. The Abyssal yawned at the clear power play attempt.

Taylor turned to Emma, clearly puzzled. "Am I being exploited? How'd that work?"

"Not sure. Are we being paid?" Emma hummed. "Maybe that's what they're talking about? But I don't even remember agreeing to work for anyone."

"You poor children…" Karen's voice oozed sympathy. "They won't be throwing you up against killers again." Taylor and Emma shared a look, only to have Jean-Paul interrupt, amused.

".. Y'know, I've heard better fake sympathy from my sister, the sociopath." The French-Canadian hummed. "And more importantly, the killers came to them, or so the videos show…"

"And that's why I'm filing papers with the family court to have all minor's custody transferred to those who'll properly care for them." The woman sounded smug.

Danny leaned back. "You do realize we have lawyers that'll laugh at you in court. First, you have no authority over my daughter or her friends." He suddenly snapped forward, and trapped her eyes with his steel gaze. "We are not, certified by the PRT, parahumans." He let his inner monster show though his eyes. "Second… which judge in Brockton Bay would go against us?" He leaned back, breaking the lock. "You realistically have no real grounds, given Brockton Bay, and no proof I, my wife, or my friends are endangering our children."

A long moment passed though the room, broken by four teenagers munching popcorn, and the adults turning to them. "Carry on." Taylor imperiously waved. "Entertainment such as this is pleasing to this God-Queen." The ravenette sniffed imperiously. "It always amuses Us that some people believe they have authority over Us."

Emma facepalmed. "Taylor, I know I should have stolen that book you read last night…"

Sarah and Taylor dissolved into giggles as Shadowy Wings snickered while the Youth Guard representative simply stared.

"... You should take this seriously! They're using you! Making you a child soldier!" the woman screeched.

Taylor stood up, and looked down on the woman. "I am, first and foremost, a priestess of the Unconquered Sun. I am Solar. I am Zenith." She paused, her eyes burning with passion and conviction. "No one makes choices for me. I am Exalted. The one thing all Exalts have is choice. If you think my parents would change from trying to protect me as they always did, you are wrong-" A snort from her mother interrupted her, and Taylor snapped her head and glared at her mother.

"What?" Shadowy Wings shrugged. "I'm not crazy enough to get in a Zenith's way. You all earned the titles 'Golden Bulls' and 'Hammers of Heaven' for a reason." Taylor sniffed and turned back to the Youth Guard member who was beginning to gather herself.

The representative puffed herself up. "You've been brainwashed! They're making you think that way, and doing it on the PRT's behest or to use you in her murderous ways…" Before she could finish, Danny broke in.

"I'm stopping you here and now." His voice rumbled as he stood up and began to loom over the Youth Guard member. Karen Douglas got a facefull of an irritated silver tattooed Dockmaster. "You don't seem to understand. Your remit only covers parahumans. I have told you once. I have told you twice, now, we are not parahumans." He growled.

The Representative somehow managed to muster up the strength to interrupt… "But…" She was cut off hard by Danny's next statements.

"There will be no third time telling you. You seem to think we are broken individuals, because that is what Parahumans are. Let me assure you: We are Unbroken. We gained our powers because we refuse to break. There are maybe five people Taylor will listen to, much less obey, and they are all in this office. There is, as I proved by smashing Eidolon around like a poorly inflated football, no parahuman that has a chance to control her, or us. If you try, you will fail. And, bluntly, you will become our enemy." Danny ground the point in with his next statement. "And we, the Exalted, don't play games. Your choice on what you do next, but do it elsewhere."

Before the woman could speak, her arms were clamped by her sides, and she was carried out the door, then pushed. "Alley oops!" Jean Paul cheerfully stated as he slammed the door behind her.

"... Jean Paul..." Sarah finally spoke. "That's going to come back to bite us."

Danny shrugged, not letting the newest Solar answer. "She came here to browbeat us and win her little game. She is now going to go to court and find out that the judges won't be amused unless she goes upstate… and even then, they're not going to be too amused."

Shadowy Wings eyed her lunar. "And how do you know the latter?"

Danny just smiled. "Oh, I'm sure the injunction Alan got when the courts opened will amuse the Youth Guard." He looked at the narrowed eyes of the others and grinned. "What, you think I wouldn't spike their wheels before a meeting?"


Vote:
[ ] Discuss more about the Youth Guard!
[ ] Skip to the first day of Arcadia and Vicky attacks!
[ ] Skip to the first day of Arcadia and nothing happens.
[ ] The New Merchants decide that the Docks will be their bitches!
[ ] Write In.

 

[MageOhki]

Taking your product leads to bad choices!​

Late Afternoon
Dockyard, Docks, Brockton Bay

Taylor was reading a book when an alarm went off: a short, two-long-one-short blast. Her father and mother sighed and looked at each other.

"Who is it this time?" Shadowy Wings shook her head. "I mean… are there any real, organized gangs left?" She paused. "Not that I mind it, mind you, but I'm still annoyed you killstole." Danny looked at his wife with a long-suffering look.

Kurt strolled in, shaking his head. "Eh. I set off the alarm when I got a call. The moron that took over the remains of the Merchants… Skidmark?" He shook his head at the snickers from everyone else. "Anyways, he's about 10 minutes away. Apparently, the girl who called us stated he acquired a tinker a few weeks ago and has collected about a dozen technicals. Armored Technicals."

Danny and Shadowy Wings shared a look. "Anything else?"

Taylor shared a look with Emma and then both smiled. They turned to look at Kurt as Jean Paul leaned forward himself. "Yeah, apparently the girl thought a pair of them would be decent light tanks. Bit of a hassle to munch on, so I'm having Drake pull some LAWs out of where we hid them."

The Abyssal stood up and smiled. "I do love it when dinner comes to me." Danny just shook his head and sighed.

"Right. Kurt, get everyone to their positions." He turned and looked at the four teenaged Exalts. "No. Not against tanks. Grab some guns and snipe." Jean Paul nodded, though the pouts of the three teenaged girls made Danny chuckle.

"Let Shadowy Wings and us have some fun, kiddos?" Kurt snarked. Jean Paul raised a finger.

"Are we going to call the PRT and BBPD?" He was answered by laughter.

Ten minutes later.

Taylor and Jean Paul were behind big rifles which were poking out of carefully hidden snipers' nests. Sarah and Emma were next to them and as quiet, as Danny's voice came over the radio.

"Kurt, she said technicals, right?" Danny's voice was bemused as a pair of tracked vehicles made of thick scrap steel and having fairly big tubes sticking out of turrets came around the corner. "I'm going to have to quibble with that."

"Eh, she did say they had a tinker." Kurt's voice came back. "Vehicle one apparently?" Kurt's statement was phrased like a question, but his tone indicated he had seen the vehicles, and had already come to a conclusion.

"I'd not be that surprised." Danny's voice was dry. "Those LAWs we have… we have enough?"

The darkly amused tones of Shadowy Wings came though. "We have four." The amusement and glee in her voice indicated her thoughts. "Just means we get to tear them apart by blade and claw!"

"Right, if this goes bad, fire on the wheeled vehicles, people, my wife and I will kill the tanks." Danny then shifted to his 24 foot tall form, and loomed over the oncoming vehicles. "LEAVE OR DIE!"

Before anyone else could respond a trio of PRT armored trucks sped from another street corner, sirens blaring, and the turrets on the Merchant's vehicles screeched as they turned towards them, and the tanks opened fire joined by all the APCs at the PRT vehicles.

"HAHA, TAKE THAT CUNTSUCKERS! THESE ARE MY DOCKS NOW, COCKSWALLOERS!"

The first vehicle exploded in fire as almost all of the merchants focused fire on the armored truck. The occupants were dead before they realized they had engaged. Fortunately for the PRT soldiers in the back of the other two, they were able to hunker and get out as the vehicles lost their engines and their drivers. One truck slammed into a barricade while the other tilted on its side and skidded.

It was testament to the training of the PRT that the eight survivors of the ten men in the back were able to escape the vehicles that began burning. A bearded man, with a golden half disk on his forehead, rallied the PRT troops to get under cover and protect themselves. However, there was no cover on the docks that could withstand 25mm fire.

When the Exalted and dockworkers opened fire, the merchants lost a vehicle as a LAW slammed the ancient-seeming Bradley in the side and transformed the occupants into a fine paste. Several others lost their heads, only belatedly realizing that it might be smarter to close the hatches and top covers of the vehicles.

"YOU FUCKING NUMPTYS GONNA PAY FOR THAT SHIT, YOU COCKSUCKERS!" The voice was amplified above the gunfire from all the vehicles as an third fucking TANK came around one of the corners and joined the fray.

"HEEEERE, DOCKY, DOCKY, DOCKY! Fuckin' Cunt!" The tank fired as it accelerated, shell slamming into Danny's silver chest and transforming the dockworkers around him into a fine mist.

"That's a fucking tank. The rockets aren't going to breach that!"

"Where the fuck did these assholes get an actual tank?" "What the fuck, man?" An explosion caromed off the plates of the vehicle in question, missing the tracks and hitting the skirt of the sides. "LAW ain't gonna cut it!" The radio was erupting with voices.

"I can!" Taylor ignored her orders and simply dropped from the window and ran forward as her father came up roaring. The orca-man charged the nearest APC in a fury, simply opting to tear the front glacis plate off completely before smashing the vehicle to scrap.

Taylor's mother darted past him, swinging that black-iron sword that was more akin to a sharpened car door, slashing through three of the four wheels of the salvaged LAVs before jumping up on the roof and using the unholy sword as a prybar sending the turret flying. She hopped right into the vehicle with an adroit grin. The screaming began as it suddenly went out of control and off one of the empty berthing piers into the water.

Taylor used her father's distraction to her advantage as the cannon blasted him sprawling off of his feet again. A slight trickle of blood was coming from his nose to mar his silver skin as the Lunar was under constant fire from all of the surviving vehicles. He was the largest and most obvious threat on the field, and his ability to avoid such massed fire was limited.

The Zenith didn't realize that Sarah and Emma were beside her as she made a beeline to the nearest vehicle. She came around the back of one of the eight-wheeled, amphibious transports, and her panic over her mother and father made thought irrelevant as she smashed through the armored back hatch, tearing it away to several shocked faces inside. One of the Merchants was mid-line of coke as Emma went caroming into the vehicle, claws out and yowling like a spotted wildcat.

One of the Water Blood Exalts was shearing a hole in one of the APCs when the turret of the next one turned, and suddenly one of the supersoldier Dragon-Bloods disappeared in a spray of blood as a 25mm Bushmaster cares not if one was chosen by the Gods or not.

Taylor let Emma rip and tear, rushing for the tank again as the gunfire focused on her father again. As she made ready to charge the next vehicle, Sarah sheathed herself in pure gold, flesh transmuted to armor as they prepared to attack.

Colin, Armsmaster, had rallied his troopers and they were maneuvering around one of the LAVs they had immobilized by blasting the wheels on one side, as he shattered the rims with a massive, electrical hammer.

As the battle continued, the merchants finally wised up and debarked, the surviving LAVs disgorging the "Infantry" they carried to fight. The drugged up gangers started shooting wildly as some of the heavy guns turned from Danny to other targets…

[] The Merchants are deeply outclassed and it turns into a rout
[] Danny is put out of the fight by massed fire finally overwhelming him
[] The merchants discover the "Surprise"
[] Reinforcements arrive
[] Tragedy happens
[] Write-in

AN: Current dead allies: 2 unnamed Dockworkers, 1 dead Waterblood (The one who exalted popping Lung, alas Mr. Drake…) 6 PRT troopers. Welcome to what can tear even essence 4 exalts a new one. This is a for real threat and even Celestial Exalts can and will die.

 

[MageOhki]

Ferrets end up in the Strangest Places!​

Taylor ducked and dove for cover instinctively as one of the APCs disgorged drugged out junkies who were firing wildly. These 'infantry' were using a motley collection of weapons to target anyone they thought was an enemy, with little success. The rest of the vehicles followed suit as the restored tanks began thundering fire at Dockmaster again.


It was almost too easy, and Taylor shut out the brutality of the combat. Her golden beamklave flashed, ending several lives as she hopped onto the vehicle her victims had just exited and speared her blade though the top hatch of the turret, melting the armor and killing the gunner. Moving on, she did the same to the driver and his hatch, and looked for more targets.


Sarah, with her golden skin, roared a Kiyai and kicked the nose of one of the APCs up. The vehicle impossibly flipped lengthwise, landing on the Merchants it had just disgorged. The young exalts were beginning to fully cut loose as Emma, the humanoid cheetah, darted between the merchants, tearing them to ribbons with her claws.


Everywhere around them the battle turned, hard, against the Merchants as the dockworkers suddenly had targets they could shoot at and kill. The sad excuse for "infantry" deployed by the gang began to get slaughtered as by disciplined fire from veterans and hardened workers trained by them sluiced through the Merchants' Ranks.


Corsair's Jade revolver thundered once, and pierced a hole through one of the LAVs' glacis plates, killing the driver before the young Dragon-Blood blasted several holes through the turret and the gunner.


Shadowy Wings reentered the field, systematically dismantling one of the smaller tanks. She blasted one set of tracks off the vehicle and carved the other off with the sharpened car door she used as a sword. As she climbed to the top of the immobilized vehicle, she wrapped her hand in black lightning that erupted and began dissolving the hatch with a thousand years of corrosion before dropping in to the sound of screams.


By the time that Taylor charged the largest tank, the battle was already over. All that was left of the mop-up. She leapt on the last tank, her blade sliced though the barrel, then though the commander's hatch, and she ripped it off, expecting to find more people.


What she wasn't expecting was the sheer concentration of laced smoke and enhanced weed that overtook her after she tore apart the crew, and the cursing British man that screamed, unintelligible in the noise of the battlefield except for his scream of pain. Black and gray material quickly flowed around the tank. A female scream was cut off, and a thud was heard, indicating the end of that tank crew.


Shadowy Wings found her daughter in the commander's seat of the tank a few minutes after the battle, her eyes glazed with a red tinge as she stared at the sky above. A silver-marked ferret that was equally stoned out of her mind rested in her hands as she absently cuddled it.


"Young Lady, you are grounded." The Abyssal gave her daughter an annoyed look. "So are you, you, and you." She pointed at Sarah, Emma and Corsair.


"What did I do? I actually stayed where you told me to!" The Dragon-Blood protested


"You didn't stop them," the Abyssal stated as if it was obvious.


"You can't even stop them, so you don't get to blame me for it, and I'm not grounded." The blue-haired man shot back.


The Abyssal formerly known as "Mom" glared at the young man.


"Hi, Mom." Taylor waved up at her. "I found a ferret in the box here. She was locked in." Taylor had never been stoned before. She also had never contemplated weed with enough concentration of THC to overcome a battalion of marines simultaneously. She was well and truly mellow.


Shadowy Wings reached in and hauled Taylor and the ferret out and away, already feeling lightheaded and pleasant as the smoke billowed out, threatening to incapacitate her with the contact high as well. Shadowy Wings shook her head and muttered. "Poison resistance training. We need to do that.." She shook her head as her caste mark flared.


Dockmaster strolled over, his steps shaking the ground slightly. "I'd say so." He turned and snarked. "Late, always the PRT is…" The groans from everyone indicated the joke was successful as people spread out to treat the wounded, leaving the Merchants, some still screaming or moaning, for last. The tall Orca-man's frame was dotted with holes and seeping wounds that were closing one at a time, clearly showing intense healing.


Kurt strolled up, keeping his white and rocky anima away from people. "We lucked out. Only three dead, Danny." Danny looked down and seemed quizzial. Kurt sighed. "You drew all the fire, even when they spilled out of the APCs and started shooting wildly. Some more wounded… But."


Danny looked at the three fallen. "Richard, Lewis and Jackson aren't going home." His voice was sad and a bit angry. "Do you have locations for their stashes?" Kurt simply nodded.


"Already on it, and we'll… interrogate Squealer, who your daughter left alive, to see if we missed any. Good payment for their families." The Earthblood looked sadly at the bodies as well.


"Good." Danny didn't shrink as a PRT sedan stopped a few feet away from him.
Emily Piggot, still the Director of ENE, stomped out of the Sedan, a bit gray. "Do you have to slaughter a gang a week?"


Danny looked down at the sickly stubborn woman who was glaring up at him. "... well, if they didn't attack…"


Shadowy Wings interrupted as she held the stoned Ferret by the scruff of the neck. "Change to your warform." The Ferret tried to play innocent only to get tapped on her silver markings. A sigh and a huff, and as the ferret was released, suddenly 7 foot tall weasely-furred young girl stood in front of the Abyssal, staggering slightly and still clearly stoned.


"How did…" The lunar was cut off by the Abyssal.


"We have two lunars, now you're the third.… I knew more would show up.… Just how did you get caught in an ammo box?" The dark woman looked up at the furry menace.


The Lunar seemed to stare off in space, then focused on the woman in front of her. "I snuck in, planning to well… rip and tear at a right time… then they closed the box…" She paused, trying to explain.


"You're a Lunar." The Abyssal wasn't impressed. "Why didn't you just change?"


"... couldn't." The girl admitted.


Shadowy Wings just looked at the Lunar. "How?"


"I don't know!" The Ferret girl looked embarrassed.


Taylor broke in. "They had a lock on it! I cut it off!" Still quite high, she sounded cheerful. "I was curious why it was thumping around." The Ferret girl growled at the Zenith.


"You nearly cut me." The girl shifted out of her warform, revealing a black preteen with straight hair. "That would have hurt."


The Abyssal hung her head, muttering something too quiet for anyone to hear, then looked at the newest Lunar. "Your Name?" She noted Cosair's green glowing finger poking first her daughter, who began to sweat profusely, and then poking the Lunar.


Emily Piggot broke in, clearly unamused. "Aisha Lebron, I presume. Reported missing two weeks ago." Aisha shrugged, the drugs clearing her system via her sweat.


"Call me Blackfoot!" Anything else she'd have said was cut off as she froze at the sight of the pretty boy Eclipse helping to treat the rest of the wounded. "Wow…"


[ ] Aisha attacks Regent!
[ ] Aisha pounces and hugs Regent.
[ ] Skip to the first day of school (Tomorrow morning) at Arcadia with exalts!
[ ] PRT throws a bitchfit and wants the Dockworkers to stop looting the new Merchants stashes.
[ ] Write in.



Vote for path of Training for Taylor/Emma, pick one
[ ] [T]Path of the Dawn (Physical attributes/Dawn Caste Ability, combat)
[ ] [T]Path of the Zenith (Social attributes/Zenith Caste Ability, Social/Defense)
[ ] [T]Path of the Twilight (Mental Attributes/Twilight Caste Abilities, Knowledge/Crafting)
[ ] [T]Path of the Night (Physical Attributes, Night Caste Abilities, Stealth and Athletics)
[ ] [T]Path of the Ecisple(Social Attributes, Ecisple Abilities, Social/Vehicles)


Vote for 2nd training area for Taylor/Emma, pick one
[ ] [T2] Martial Arts
[ ] [T2] Sorcery
[ ] [T2] Melee (For Emma this is warform training)
[ ] [T2] Essence Training

 

[MageOhki]

Anima Banners make for good shotguns if you are so inclined. Big Brothers are.​

AN: This scene just didn't really want to come. Happens, I suppose.

Blackfoot was staring at Regent with a look that Taylor wasn't sure she could explain, though she had seen it once or twice in Emma's eyes when Emma looked at her. Before anything else could happen, the half ferret-half girl had lept on Regent, pinning his arms to his side, while getting him to look up, and looked him in his eyes. "Mine."

Regent's arms were pinned so he couldn't raise one, but his words gave the sense he wanted to. "Don't I get a say in this?"

Danny was snickering and shook his head as Aisha had shifted to a full blackfoot ferret with silver streaks throughout her fur. The Dockmaster answered the question though for the poor Solar. "No, no, you don't. Lunars know who their Solar is." Regent's eyebrow raised a bit and Emma took over.

"Each Lunar has a Solar… or Abyssal, or Infernal, as their bond mate. This bond can be friendship, mentoring, parenting, older sibling, or even lovers." She was reciting something clearly. "It's meant to give the Lunar something to keep his or her humanity in the face of our ever changing natures while giving the other part of the bond someone to hit them over the head or keep them grounded as well." Emma paused. "Or so I was told anyways."

Aisha's furry little head titled one way and then the other, ,odded once, and looked down from the crown of Regent's head, then started to do a Weasel War dance on his head.

Taylor for her part just boggled. Her father was laughing, however, and finally the Zenith just shook her head, turning to Corsair who had cleared up the drugs that she had inhaled. "... You did clean me out, right?"

Corsair nodded. "I can understand why you'd think to ask, however." He was also watching the War Dance. "But can I suggest you go take a shower?" Taylor nodded and trotted off to do so.

Taylor didn't see a young black man in a muscle t-shirt and sweatpants jog up, looking at Regent with a dancing ferret on top of his head, as she went into the building, followed by Emma.

"Aisha!" The young man shouted. Danny and Shadowy Wings turned to him, shifting their positions slightly and becoming more threatening. To their surprise, his response was lighting off a yellow and white anima, glittering and sharp-edged.

"I have no beef with you, but I have some words for that boy that my sister is on." The young man spoke with an threat to his voice. "I'm not going to tolerate him taking advantage of-" He was interrupted by chittering laughter from the ferret and guffaws from the giant orca-man.

Regent had the perfect answer. "I presume that this is *your* headache?" He plucked the Ferret off his head and ignored her gnawing on his fingers as he held her out to the young man. "I'm clueless." The man nodded, only to have the ferret shift back to her warform and pout at both teenaged males.

Sarah was the first to actually say something after the threat and the response. "I swear, the Maidens have an unusual sense of humor." The older brother of the newest Lunar looked at her. "I'm sure you have some questions… and we have some answers. Want them?" She grinned as the young man just looked at her, his body language screaming that the answers better be good.

AN: Short, but realistically, it covers what it needs to, and I'm just really wanting this over with.

Vote:
[ ] To the first Day of Arcadia!
[ ] As above, but a Glorious Girl Attacks!
[ ] Sarah explains to Brian.
[ ] Write in!

 

[MageOhki]

Exalts in High School… isn't that a comedy show?​

Morning, Sept. 10th, 2009
Arcadia Parking Lot/Front Entrance, Brockton Bay

"I don't see why I have to wear this." Taylor pulled at the skirt's hem slightly. "I mean… why?"

The Lunar snickered as Lisa shook her head. "While I don't really agree with Emma." Lisa turned a slight glare onto the unrepentant girl, then continued. "She's right. You do need to dress as the God Queen you are, and you're not ugly at all." The blonde Sidereal shrugged, waving her hand at Taylor's outfit: thigh high white socks fitting into Mary janes, a black colored A-line pleated skirt that was cut above the knees, and a long sleeved black turtleneck. "Plus, the outfit works on you."

Taylor shook her head. "But this makes me look like I'm…"

"No, it doesn't. It just means you take pride in how you look." Emma cut her off, then continued. "And we're Exalted. We have to put away any of our childhood that remains. We have more important things to do, and if you don't dress as a mature young woman, you won't be taken seriously by those that matter, enough so that you won't be able to get them to listen to you… and that's your job."

Taylor looked over the other two. Shorter skirts, heels, and tighter shirts with hints of cleavage showing. "... and yet you two…"

Emma brushed her hair back. "We're the distractions. You're the little dagger that slips in unseen." She sighed. "Sure, we're still underage by mortal laws, not a question." Lisa nodded. "Nor are we interested in playing that game at all, but again, it's all making an impression."

Taylor's eyes narrowed as she looked at the Lunar. "But people should …"

"Listen, right?" Lisa snorted. "They might listen to your dad now, and they are scared of your mother… and they'll be too busy looking down at us, even if they don't mean to, and they'll overlook you, if you keep that style or similar. At least as someone they should feel threatened by. Or consider brainless, or childish."

Taylor blew out her breath. "People are …. Ugh. Why can't it be easy?"

"Because it wouldn't need Exalted if it was easy, would it?" Emma inquired amused.

Taylor raised a finger to respond, only to be cut off by a shout. "You!" Taylor's eyes snapped to the speaker, a blonde in a pretty sundress, who was clearly fuming.

"Yes?" Taylor blinked. The blond was the one that was in the department store. "Didn't you get healed by Corsair?"

The blonde gritted her teeth for a second, then nodded. Taking a deep breath she spoke. "Can you thank him for that… But… why are you here? Why aren't you in *jail*?"

Taylor blinked and turned to Emma. "Why would we be in jail?"

Emma facepalmed. "Vicky… your mother is a lawyer, like my dad. Why would we be in jail?"

"You murdered people." The blonde hissed. "My mother would never defend murderers!"

Taylor tilted her head. "Um, Emma? Didn't Uncle Alan say we aren't being charged because it's defense of self and others?" Emma nodded.

"That's what Dad said the DA stated on the various fights we were in." Emma shrugged. "They were using guns, and all that. We aren't bulletproof." Emma shook her head and shot at the older blonde. "Stop that."

Taylor blinked, realizing she had felt her essence stir. "... what's she doing? Um…" Taylor paused and looked at the blonde. "... Who are you again?"

A brown haired girl who had walked up bent over laughing. Vicky fumed a bit more but seemed to gather herself and control her temper. "Victoria Dallon. Emma never mentioned me?" Taylor shook her head, but before any of the Exalts could speak, Victoria interrupted them. "Glory Girl. Heard of me now?"

Sarah had found a bag of popcorn and started munching instead of backing up Taylor or taking the social arena over. Emma looked at her, curious to what the Sidereal was up to, only to get a wave to stay quiet.

Taylor tilted her head. "... Not really?" Victoria's jaw dropped.

"But…" Emma had draped herself over Taylor while laughing her head off, and Sarah had started to choke on the popcorn, only to have the mousy brown haired girl help her and steal some of it from her bag.

Taylor pushed Emma off and shook her head. "I don't think it's that funny." Victoria nodded, then spoke.

"Doesn't matter. You killed people! They're saying you're 'heros'! What did you do, bribe the PRT?"

Taylor shook her head. "No, we were acting in defense. If you mean the Nazis… they came with guns and Hookwolf."

"Who didn't have a kill order!" Victoria raised her voice, then lowered it. "He shouldn't have died! Nor the rest of those you killed! They didn't have kill orders on them! We aren't the law!"

"Hookwolf won't kill anyone else." the brunette shot back, beginning to get irritated. "He sure as hell tried to kill me. I didn't, and don't have a kill order on me. And the law allows for self defense!"

Victoria Dallon drew a deep breath, released it. "We can't just kill people, even if it's self defense! Heroes don't do that. Mom says you claim to be heroes! If you are, heroes have to be better than the villains so people respect us and don't fear us." She paused for a second then nodded. "And what do you think Villians will do if they know you'll go all out from the get go?"

Taylor rocked back on her heels. "... If they don't want us to go all out, not commit murder and kill people? Heroes don't let innocents get attacked, hurt or killed! At what point does mercy to the guilty become cruelty to the innocent?"

Victoria paused, her eyes flashing, clearly remembering something. "... I can't argue that the guilty don't need punishment." She nodded once. "However… what happens when you take the law into your own hands?" She looked firm. "I'll tell you, Villians will hunt you down and kill you when you're not expecting it! They'll think they have nothing to lose. They wont' even care about innocents or like. You can't just run around killing people, because you become just as much of a problem, in a different way, as the villains are. There' are rules. Heroes enforce them, we don't make them up. Otherwise no one would trust us! No Villain would surrender!"

Taylor paused, turned to Lisa, who was still munching popcorn, and got a slight shrug and even slighter nod in response. Vicky blinked as Taylor turned back to her and looked at her, opening her mouth, then closing it.

"And when villains kill? Keep escaping it again?" Taylor finally responded. "What then? I can… I see your point." Taylor wounded how many heroes would now not trust her to bring them together. "But if…"

The blonde cut her off knowing what the brunette would say. "No buts. Heroes are supposed to protect the system: The laws, the courts, the things people put their trust into." She nodded at Taylor who was about to speak. "Yeah, I'll give you Hookwolf should have had his kill order, and the courts hadn't caught up to it." The blonde heroine shook her head. "But if we act as bad as the villains, we become them. Heroes are better than that. Are you a hero? Are people going to trust you to do the right thing?"

Emma stepped up only to be cut off with a look from Sarah. The Sidereal was letting this go on for a reason.

Victoria Dallon looked Taylor in the eye and stated, calmly, seriously and with full intent. "At the end of the day, when people look you in the eye, what do you want them to feel? Fear? Awe? Trust? What do you want to give them? Because, I can tell you… way you're going? It'll be the first."

Taylor looked at the young woman in front of her, who clearly had come to some epiphany, while Taylor was thinking on what to say… but before the Solar could answer, the New Wave cape spoke.

"Yeah, I can guess what you're about to say. The system's broken. All parahumans do is fight…" Vicky's voice was soft. "Hell, I think this is the first time I've admitted it." She looked into Taylor's eyes. "If you want to change it, you have to have people trust you. If I want to change it… people need to trust me… If we work together… it'll be easier, if we trust each other, won't it?"

AN: Vote below. As noted, it's a critical vote, several things can happen here, depending on how you vote, and it will shape things and the story for a very long time.

Also: Sorry it took so long, I have reasons, but I'm not going to make excuses.

Vote wisely.


Vote: (This is a *critical* vote.)

[ ] Taylor agrees with Vicky
[ ] Taylor doesn't agree with Vicky.
[ ] Taylor takes another tack to defend her circle and their actions.
[ ] Surprise Interjection (Write In)