EternalPhoenix

Samaritan had been out on an patrol. It had been boring. Not even a mugging. To be fair, it was that sweet spot when the late night crowd had gone home and the early birds hadn’t left yet. But still. Nothing? Anyway, he jogged out of an alley, backpack slung over his shoulder, and went into Claremont. It still kind of amazed him that this place did double duty as a normal school and a superhero school. Headmaster Summers must have a lot of practice keeping his secret identity back in the day, whatever it was. A quick change of clothes, and it was off to the cafeteria. He was in line getting a snack, when unexpectedly pink hair shocked his eyeballs. “Wha? Pink?†Though, truth be told, he’d seen more outrageous things back in NYC. Buuuut that was New York, and this was Freedom. Weren’t too many people with different tastes in hair dye around here. Not even at Claremont. “Whoa. Cool.†And the chick was wearing was this cool looking wetsuit, which appealed strongly to his inner techie. And she was talking to another girl who was actually Asian, maybe even actually Japanese. This needed further investigation, oh yes it did. He stepped closer. “What’s up, ladies? Finding your way around all right?†Man…Vonnie would forever be a New Yorker, but he liked Freedom more and more every day.

You wish is my command. Though...I was planning on doing that anyway.

Rain and wind whipped against Queenie. She’d been feverishly working in the Southern Queen’s kitchen not five hours ago. She knew people would need help down here. Once she was finished with her cooking, she packed it all up in a big hiking backpack and flew it down here at top speed. The winds had been a special kind of hell, but she’d fought though them and arrived. It was like an the apocalypse she’d learned about in Sunday school, only with less fire. Maybe Noah’s storm was a hurricane? Nevermind that. Focus, McQueen. Somebody here needs help. Someone here needs a good meal. Let’s do this.

Here I am.

Terrifica raised an eyebrow under her mask as the newcomer girl hogtied the thieves, but said nothing. She tossed the pistol to the newcomer girl, and smirked, finding her inexperience amusing. “Hold that for me, would you? It seems there’s a call for me.†She took one of the radio comms units off the thieves and keyed the mike. “Unfortunately, your men were idiots who had no idea what they were looking for. They were making quite a mess when I was kind enough to offer my assistance. For daring to be sane and helpful, they tried to shoot me.†She glanced around the room and winced internally. If this had happened at MIT I’d be considering murder right now. Perhaps I could make some repairs before I leave, but I doubt there’ll be time. A pity. “Trying to shoot me is invariably a poor decision. And now, the room is a mess and everything is so broken I could cry.†The sarcasm was thick enough to cut with a knife. “However, since you’ve called…perhaps you are a person of intelligence. A thoughtful woman who makes well reasoned, logical decisions. And so perhaps, just perhaps, you might respond to my offer of aid without resorting to gunfire.â€

Terrifica frowned. Hard. She hated, hated, leaving mysteries unsolved. And what had happed to Takuma was currently a big mystery. However. The missing girl was first case in line and with all the information they had, the greater stakes attached to it. She adjusted her attitude, and removed the frown from her face. “I would prefer to have Glamazon’s might available should rescuing the girl come down to a fight. I just don’t like leaving loose ends like that lying around. They always come back to haunt you.†With a pointed look at Glamazon, she added. “Knowledge is my primary weapon, warrior, and I’d prefer to be as well armed as possible. Not all of us can bench press a truck.†She held up a hand to forestall any responses. “However, for now the girl is more important.†She started her motorcycle. “Is everyone transport capable? I suspect we’ll need speed, and speed I have.†She revved the engine for effect.

Nice work, McQueen. Really made a good impression there. On the other hand, that gosh darn wannabe Parisian jackenape craps on everyone’s best work. Nothing’s good enough for that little… Maybelle sighed quietly. “I’m sorry. I’ll let the folk with who know more than how to work a kitchen do the thinking. I don’t know much of nothing else but that. But on the bright side, if anyone needs a snack while we’re working I can whip something up in a flash.†She flashed a radiant grin and patted the small backpack on her back. “Never leave home without it. Well, Freedom, anyway. About Redback and his crew…just point me at the one that needs a McQueen style makeover.†She wandered over to the monitors and just started watching one. While floating to keep it at eye level.

“Somehow, I think your childhood and his were very, very different.†Terrifica stood, grasping the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. “Just a guess.†Her tone suggested it was anything but. Gods save me from impulsive children. Her hand dropped as she heard the helicopter’s blades beating the air. Back up? Possible. Others could have comms. Rescue? Just as possible. Rivals? Other heroes? Hah, no. Getaway? Yes. I like getaway best of all. After all, there are no coincidences in this line of work. No happenstance, either. “I don’t normally carry rope, no. But I think we may soon have extra company, regardless. There is a chopper in the neighborhood, and there is no such thing as coincidence in our lives.

Hell, I'm in. It's even a reversal of the Smurfette principle.

The League of Seven Overview Group Name Leader & League Member Prominent Members Blackgate Pirates Yori Newgate Nayan Zuberi Wafula Layla Khan Devil Hunter Society Kiske, of the Thousand Zuki, The Thunderer Rina, The Iceheart Kino, of the Stars Turgenev Mercenary Group Ruslan Turgenev Tatsuya Gushiken Bellona Accardo Reyna Oleastro OWN (Operatives Without Names) Daisuke Uehara Nagesh Malik Aidan Killian Shanyuan Baoli The Cult of The Light Lakis Hasapis Lestari Reina Wong Holter (Aerin Grosvenor) Ninguem Shazza Ferreira Cecilia Bridges Santiago Valdés Raquel Fernandes Knights of Karelia Baroness Valia Jade Knight (Ma're Iryen) Miss Mimic (Francesca Zanetti) Oväder (Linnéa Sjöberg) Strażak (Jedrick Jagoda) Princess Audrielle Eliska

Reflex save? 1d20+7=19 Success! Toughness save? 1d20+7=13 Well. At least one of them went well.

The newcomer flattened her target with one shot. Terrifica acknowledged her with a glance while moving. Thug #4 ate a right handed Superman punch, dropping like a sack of potatoes. She pivoted on her right foot and swung her left in massive, speedy arc. The crack of boot against Thugface echoed throughout the room and down the hall as the final thief was rendered unconscious. Terrifica straighted out the cuffs of her longcoat. “Honestly. Some people just refuse to be helped. Not that it matters. They needed to be removed sooner or later anyway.†She looked at the golden, floating, girl. Certainly underage. She doesn’t appear to be an idiot. Perhaps I’ll let her tag along.“That was a decent punch, girl, but your technique could use a bit more work.†She picked one of the energy pistols and looked at it. “I take it you’re new in town.â€

Who needs a good punching? That guy. Over there. Just Take 10 and lemme do it. DC 22, in case you forgot about it.

Well, considering Light left him in a heap at the bottom of the stairs to the second floor and I actually told you this earlier...he shouldn't be that hard to find. :D

Red Rat & Revenant “All right.†Said the man in black. He stepped up and slammed his fist into Revenant’s face. It did exactly nothing, not even move her head. “So, the stories are true, then. The Revenant. Life challenged and impervious to bullets, blades, and fists. Well. We’ll see about that last one.†He tossed a glance back at the house. “Dunno who you are, but stay outta this.†He cracked his knuckles. “I haven’t had a decent fight in ages.†Blue Jay For the first time, Olive displayed something other than playful confidence. Irritation. She said something in a language Jay didn’t know, but it sounded like profanity. “You want me to confess my sins, chica? Are you stupid? Use your pea brain. The Franklins have money. My associate and I want it. They love their little girl to death. Aunt Esther thinks there’s a cure for being undead, and their lawyer has a big gambling problem.†She muttered a few more syllables in that other language, which could have been Gaelic. Or maybe Welsh. “Do you get it now, dummy chica?â€

Olive's not going for the win, so to speak. She's just playing around. So, with Jay dazed for this round, she doesn't do a blessed thing. Update time! Ferretti's House6 rounds gone, 16 remaining Delano Light-Uninjured-Villain Red Rat-Uninjured and Hidden-1 HP Revenant-Uninjured-1 HP Outside Esther's Apartment-4 rounds gone, 16 remaining Blue Jay-1 Bruise and Dazed-1 HP Olive Cartridge-Uninjured-Villain I am fudging the time over at Feretti's a bit. Basically you've got until Olive and Jay are done. Also, I'mma fiat that Light hits Revenant, so have a HP Tiff. However, it will fail miserably to penetrate her impervious. So there's that. Cape? You're up!

They do in fact miss. For the record. Heri, it's all you!

Terrifica didn’t quite snarl when the men dropped what they were carrying. Oh, that does it. There’s a reason thugs aren’t allowed to handle the equipment. She moved forward, fast. The roundhouse kick she used to smash the “Waste her†speaker unconscious started to make her point. Pivoting on that very foot, a spinning backfist sent the one who hadn’t spoken into lala land as well just as he was fumbling with his pistol. The whole thing didn’t take six full seconds. Her tone was sharp enough to draw blood. “The only things you’re wasting are tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment and my even more valuable time.â€

Second verse, same as the first. 1d20+13=31 Well, almost. DC's the same.

Well. Sombody's getting a Power Attack boot to the face. 1d20+13=32 Whew. DC 22, plus Takedown Attack is on the table.

That is a fine roll. A fine one. However...1d20+14=21 is higher.

Terrifica was disappointed. She had followed them in, carefully sticking to the shadows of the closed building and overhearing them talking. She knew what the equipment was, and had several solid theories as to why they needed it. The disappointment came in when she realized they had no idea what there were looking for. Proper scouting is key to any operation on unfamiliar ground. I thought this was a smart, savvy bunch. Instead, it seems they’re just well instructed idiots. I should interrupt them now, buut….I’m curious. Will they find what they look for or not? And as before, finding out who’s behind this could be very useful information.They are making a hell of a mess though. That’s sensitive equipment they’re tossing around. So she waited, as they fumbled around through the physics department’s mess. A few fruitless minutes later, the irritation with the mess they were making finally overwhelmed her curiosity and she stepped out of the shadows. “Now, now, boys. Is that anyway to treat equipment worth more than all of you put together? I know a thing or two about physics.†She smirked. “Maybe I could help?â€

Terrifica had said nothing more until they were outside. After listening to both Mikala and Emily, she held her elbow with one hand and her chin with the other in classical Thinker fashion. “Hmm. That’s…problematic. I’m the only one who knows how to spot that trail, but I’d like to investigate Takuma’s apartment. There might very well be an important clue there.†She seemed to decide what to do rather abruptly, but in truth she’d gone over every option a dozen times over in her speedy brain. “Miss Stanford and I will go to the Waterfront. Agent Mikala, can you go to Takuma’s apartment with Glamazon? I’m going to trust that your investigative skills are adequate to the task of figuring out what’s happened to him. I can’t be in two places at once-â€Yet, anyway“-and the finding the girl takes precedence. Miss Stanford‘s firepower would be better served against the kidnapper than a potential pitched battle on the FCU campus. Glamazon, from looking at her, is a skilled and physically powerful fighter, and she knows and is somewhat fond of you.†She hopped on her motorcycle. “Sound good?â€

Terrifica was absent for much of the actual building work, stating that she did have a life of her own to tend to. However, when she was there she made her presence felt. She was a harsh but fair taskmistress. Thoughtless work was banned under penalty of a tongue sharp enough to make grown men cry. However, those who simply did not know what they were doing and asked for help were patiently and terrifically instructed in exactly what to do. She held multiple conversations with Butch and he quickly learned that her knowledge of carpentry rivaled his own. It was her that planned the work shifts around the veterans’ various eccentricities and/or disabilities and placed each college student where he or she would do the most good. This increased productivity to the point where the project was running ahead of schedule. It was her structural modifications that would allow a greater workload for the various attractions. Her knowledge of Asian horror added a disturbing new element to the R-rated section. And she was instrumental in getting the Freedom League’s bots up and running again, along with reprogramming their AI. With much of the design and physical construction complete, she banished the volunteers (excepting those with engineering or electrician training) from certain segments as she personally set up the electrical systems that would make everything work. She didn’t appear during the day and allow her selected few to do a few basic tasks exactly as she instructed. By this point, every volunteer feared her displeasure and thus fulfilled her instructions to the letter. At night, she worked feverishly, completing in a day what would have taken others two or three. Her designs were ingenious. Multiple redundancies prevented anything essential from shutting down should a fuse blow, a circuit breaker trip, or some wiring fail. It was also energy efficient, consuming 20% less energy than it should have been. Her security camera network had no real gaps in its coverage, and the monitor room was perfectly placed. Even the loudspeakers were well done, able to be heard from anywhere in the building. In short, the electrical systems were a masterwork. The professional electricians were suitably awed. On the last day, she appeared to have even made a few modifications to her battlesuit’s design. Though, as she quickly explained, this was just dressing it up. Changing it would have been too much of a pain in the butt. She had applied a polymer coating that had turned the blue parts black, and a second one to turn the orange stripes blood red. Both were almost moist to the touch and had the added effect of somehow making her invisible to peripheral vision. Meaning she could just step into someone’s line of sight without them knowing she was there beforehand. She explained that the compound wasn’t particularly practical. It took hours to make, hours to apply, and broke down when exposed to air for too long. And that was with a good batch. It was exceedingly difficult-and expensive-to make, as well.

OR DOES SHE HAVE ALL THE PROBLEMS? by Thevshi Queenie's getting her own Complication rejigger.