Lone Star

Janis was doing some shopping in Midtown, when the sound of an electric guitar filled her ears. Could that be...? Quite possibly. She was wearing a cute spaghetti strap top, pink, with modestly cut shorts. She had just gotten back from the auto shop, and the parts she ordered for her car had just arrived. Soon, her hot rod would be road-worthy. A big smile appeared on her face when she saw the guitarist, and she walked over to see him. I hope he doesn't still think I'm a creeper! she thought. Holding both of her bags under her arm, she waved at Warren.

He felt his fists ball up in sudden anger, but he thought better of starting a fist-fight with Corbin's girlfriend. "I realize my mistake, Quo-Dis. It's hurt Jessica a lot. I don't know if I can repair our relationship." Blake leaned against the wall, and ran a hand through his hair. "I know what I've done wrong. My indecision and deception of my best friends could have hurt a lot of people. I guess I just assumed that I had them under control." He looked at Quo-Dis, his eyes tearing up. "I screwed up, okay? It's already tough enough that I don't have a home or a job or a girlfriend. Sympathy is the last thing I need right now. I dug my own grave, and now I've got to pull my way out."

Blake paused for a moment, trying to think up the most diplomatic solution. If he said the wrong thing, he had no doubt in his mind Quo-Dis would hang him from the highest flagpole in the city. "Uh, first off, let me say it's nice to see you again, Quo-Dis. It's been a while! And secondly..." He looked around for possible exits in case he upset her. "It wasn't my fault. I didn't actually want them back. During the...event two months ago, The Unspeakable One tried to use me as a weapon against the city. The attempt failed, but it left me with my weird powers once again." Blake figured the story about how he kept it from Jessica for two months could wait.

"Having you go over would probably be the best...if I showed up there again, she'd probably shoot me on sight. I would greatly appreciate that, buddy." He scratched the back of his head with the toothbrush. Blake was split between wanting to get back with her and moving on. On one hand, she was his first girlfriend and certainly the most supportive person he had ever had in his life. On the other hand, if she broke up with him because he made a mistake, things probably weren't meant to be. He also realized that Jessica, during their relationship, had been supporting him financially. It wasn't that it wasn't nice, but he was ready to live his own life. "Hey, uh, Corbin?" Blake said. "Do you think Claremont would take me back? If I explain that I was just being a stupid kid, maybe they'd understand. I was being a stupid kid. If I wanted to go into entrepreneurship, it would have been a smarter move to at least wait till I was out of college."

"Thank you, Nick. Your hospitality means a lot to me, but I'm actually crashing at Corbin's place tonight. I may take you up on staying at the Parkhurst for a little bit, at least until I can get back into Claremont. Oh, here he is. I do appreciate the offer, Nick. I'll give you a call tomorrow. Get some sleep, man." He smiled at Corbin, and rushed over to embrace the big guy. "Thanks, man. I do so totally owe you one. And no, unfortunately all of my crap is still at Jessica's place. It might be a little more than awkward to show up again. I think-" he reached in his pocket, and showed Corbin his empty hand. "I don't have anything on me. Oh wait." Blake reached down and picked up a stick, and held it in his hand. His hands flickered with eldritch power, and the stick was transformed into a toothbrush and a travel-sized tube of toothpaste. "I like to think ahead."

Blake smiled in relief. He had the best friends of his life, and they were only a phone call away. "Thank you so much, Corbin. You don't know how much this means to me. You don't know how much you mean to me, man." His voiced hitched a little, and he quickly corrected this by clearing his throat. If nothing else, Blake didn't want Corbin to hear him crying over the phone. He was his best friend, but Blake was too proud to have that happen. "And I am totally okay with having a room away from your bedroom, preferably as far away as possible. No offense, but I heard enough of that at Claremont, hahaha." It felt good to laugh out loud, especially after tonight. He wiped away his tears, and stood up. "I can be there in a couple of minutes. I totally got teleportation with my new powers, so that makes moving places a lot easier. I still like the wings...they're a bit more dramatic. I'll see you in a few though!" Blake held out his arms, and shouted triumphantly "Cthulhu f'thagn!" He didn't care who he woke up at this point. Mystic sigils lit up the dark street for a moment, and Blake was on his way. He arrived at Corbin's house in a few minutes, and Blake resumed human form. "hey man, im outside" he texted Corbin.

Blake was sitting on a park bench outside of his girlfriend's condo. "Would it be cool if I stayed over tonight? I can totally cook breakfast or give you some money whenever I can hit up a bank...I think I've got a little bit in my checking account. Or I'll do some housework. I know this totally sounds like I'm squatting, but it'll just be for tonight." He needed to get his life together. Blake realized he was homeless now, without a job, or even a degree from Claremont. It was time to stop being so reliant on others. His relationship with Jessica, although fun, did not teach him anything about fending for himself. Since his "ghostbusting" company had sunk, he was completely reliant on Jessica until tonight. God forbid I have to get a real job.

Blake sat down on a bench near the building, his expression glum. "So I told Jessica. She kind of kicked me out of her place. I'll just need to crash for one night, I promise. I'd never mooch off of my best friend." He ran a hand through his hair, and leaned back a little. Okay, so things weren't good with Jessica, but he'd deal with that in the morning. There was plenty of time for that after some rest. "Things did not go well, of course. Just my luck, I guess. Or something like that." Right now, he was just trying to get over the shock that his girlfriend kicked him out of her apartment. It had been one hell of a night, and he would have to a lot to tell Corbin. He wiped a tear from his eye, and sniffled a little. Blake closed his eyes for a moment, and knew that things couldn't get any worse than this.

Player Name: Lone Star Character Name: Vigilance Power Level: 10 (227PP) Trade-Offs: -4 Attack / +4 Damage (Unarmed), +2 Attack / -2 Damage (Ranged) -0 Defense / -0 Toughness (or "None") In Brief: An impatient and cowardly fool who desperately wants to have superpowers. Alternate Identity: Michael Vaughn Identity: Secret Birthplace: West End, Freedom City Occupation: Unemployed, super-criminal Affiliations: None Family: Description: Age: 32 Apparent Age: mid-forties Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5’ 11†Weight: 240 lbs. Eyes: Dull blue Hair: Black Outside of his costume, Michael is a rather thin man. He has aged prematurely with the amount of drugs he’s consumed, and it is immediately evident. Even though he’s in his early thirties, his hair has started to thin, and his face is slightly wrinkles. However, his body maintains a significant amount of muscle from the Max steroid. His battlesuit, a former AEGIS suit he modified with heavy-caliber machine guns and rockets, is a tarnished silver. The armor has gaps in it where his muscles stick out. Power Descriptions: Michael can use the abilities he’s gained from the amount of Zoom and Max he’s taken to gain massive amounts of strength and high speed. His battlesuit’s weapons are military-grade armaments, and are capable of great destruction. History: From a very young age, Michael knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. He wanted to fly alongside Freedom City’s superheroes, and fight crime. As a young child, he collected autographs, and was always delighted when he saw his favorite superheroes on television or in magazines. He grew up a fairly well-adjusted young man, and went through his formative years with few problems. However, bad grades and heavy drinking led to him dropping out of Freedom City University. Michael simply shrugged his shoulders and thought back to his childhood dream of getting superpowers. Having no mutation-based abilities of his own, he recklessly threw himself into dangerous situations, hoping the fear of getting injured would spark his abilities that he knew for so long he possessed. He quickly tired of this and started looking for other ways of gaining superpowers. About this time, the street drugs “Max†and “Zoom†appeared on the underground market, and Michael sought every opportunity to get these. The first hit of Zoom he took was incredible. He felt as light as a feather as his feet took him across the city. Cars and buildings rushed by, and he finally felt he had gained what he had been looking for his whole life. Max gave him incredible strength, and he felt on top of the world taking both of them at once. He finally got what he felt he had deserved for so long: superpowers of his very own! Every action has a consequence, and soon Michael felt the effects of the drugs take their toll on his body. He gained a powerful addiction to the two, and started to act out among his friends. Soon, no one wanted to see the manic Michael, as the combination of the two drugs melted what was left of his rational mind. His funds were running out quickly, and he needed a quick way to make cash. Michael’s dealer gave him a way to do so: steal a decommissioned AEGIS battlesuit from its storage facility. Michael agreed, and after shooting up with Max and Zoom, he arrived. He shrugged off the bullets, and clobbered the guards, and made his escape with the case of the battlesuit in his muscular hands. He had a little surprise for his dealers. As the dealer opened the door to his apartment, Michael opened fire, killing the dealers in a wave of machine gun fire. Personality & Motivation: Michael is a man consumed by rage and addiction. His only motivation is to get more of the drugs that sustain his powers. It has become the only beacon of hope in his otherwise miserable life. Powers & Tactics: Michael will take any cheap shot he can. Catching his opponents off guard, then ripping out his machine guns usually does the trick, although he’s certainly not beyond using his muscles to wear his opponents down. The combination of his battlesuit and powers from Max and Zoom make him a formidable opponent. If available, he will take hostages and tends to run when the odds are against him. Abilities: 0 + 0 + 0 + 4 + 0 + 0 = 4PP Strength: 10/38 (+0/+14) Dexterity: 10/30 (+10) Constitution: 10/30 (+10) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 12 + 16 = 18PP Initiative: +30 Attack: +6 Base Attack, +6 Melee, +12 Ranged Grapple: +20 Defense: +10 (+8 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +0 Flat-Footed Knockback: -10 Saving Throws: 2 + 2 + 4 = 8PP Toughness: +10 (+10 Con, +0 [Other]) Fortitude: +12 (+10 Con, +2) Reflex: +12 (+10 Dex, +2) Will: +4 (+0 Wis, +4) Skills: 36R = 9PP Craft (Mechanical) 6 (+8) Knowledge (Current Events)8 (+10) Knowledge (Streetwise) 8 (+10) Notice 8 (+8) Feats: 6PP Attack Focus (Melee) All-Out Attack Dodge Focus 2 Move-By Action Power Attack Uncanny Dodge (visual) Powers: 29 + 28 + 20 + 20 + 19 + 27 + 29 = 172PP Hard-To-Lose Device 7 (Modified AEGIS Battlesuit, 35PP, Feats: Indestructible) [29PP] Impervious Toughness 10 {10} Weapons Array 12 (24 points; PF: Alternate Power) {25} Base Power: Blast 8 (machine guns; Extras: Autofire) {24/24} Alternate Power: Blast 8 (rockets; Extras: Area [40-ft. Burst, General]) {24/24} Enhanced Strength 28 (Max Strength; to 38/+14) [28PP] Enhanced Constitution 20 (Max Toughness; to 30/+10) [20PP] Enhanced Dexterity 20 (Zoom Quick Perception; to 30/+10) [20PP] Super-Strength 8 (Max Super-Strength; Power Feats: Bearhug, Breaking, Stratospheric Punch) (effective Strength 68 with Enhanced Strength; heavy load, 1600 tons) [19 PP] Super-Speed 5 (Zoom Speed; Speed 5 (250 MPH / 2,500 feet per Move action), Quickness 5 (x50), Improved Init +20; Power Feats: Wall Run, Water Run) [27PP] Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 29 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Mach. Gun 80 ft. DC 23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Ballistic) Rockets 80 ft. DC 18 Reflex Area DC 23/19 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Explosive) Totals: Abilities (4) + Combat (28) + Saving Throws (8) + Skills (9) + Feats (6) + Powers (172) - Drawbacks (0) = 227/227 Power Points

Blake's mouth opened for a moment, then shut. "Fine." he said, turning his back and walking towards the elevator. "So be it." As the elevator brought him to the ground floor, Blake sighed to himself. He knew he was stupid for not telling her. If their relationship ended, it would be because he kept that from her for so long. He put a hand over his forehead, and closed his eyes for a moment. Everything's cool, everything's cool...so where am I gonna stay tonight? His hands moved to his pockets, and pulled out his wallet. Nothing but a couple of dollars and a coupon. "Damn!" he shouted, stomping his foot. The elevator doors opened, and he walked out of the parking garage. What the hell were you thinking, Blake? You could have told her this two months ago, and in daylight! You woke her up and kept a secret and now she's probably gonna break up with you! Way to go, genius! He pulled out his cell phone, and hesitated for a moment. After taking a deep breath, he dialed his friend Corbin. He hoped he wasn't already asleep. "Uh, hey Corbin?" Blake said. "Think I could crash at your place tonight?"

Blake paused for a moment, and took a deep breath. "Okay. I know it sounds terrible, but there is a reason I didn't tell you. I didn't know they would be permanent. I thought after the whole big event, they'd fade away. I've already tried talking to my mystics friends who know a little bit about The Unspeakable One, but they've just shrugged. Besides, I didn't want to scare you, Jessica." He put a hand to his forehead, and paused again. "Did that sound stupid? I'm just trying to explain myself, it's not that easy. I just want us to still be cool, alright babe?" He put a hand on her shoulder.

Blake opened his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I know it may seem strange, Jessica. I know this whole damn thing sounds stupid. But the reason I'm not freaking out here is because I've accepted my powers. Maybe I was able to retain my personality and my sanity because I was meant to be Kid Cthulhu. There are some new powers I've gotten, and I know the mystic community will back me up and support me. As a matter of fact, I just got done talking with two of my best friends, who have mystic powers, and they're sticking by me, unlike you, it seems." His eyes narrowed, and more than a flicker of resentment rose up in his voice. "I can't help that I have these damn powers! The least I could ask of you is that you at least be there to support me!"

He paused for a moment. Blake didn't have any actual evidence that Doktor Archeville was a part of the event, so he decided he wouldn't go further on that subject. "Well, Jessica, how do you expect me to react? I mean, I didn't have any choice in the matter, and it doesn't look like they're going away anytime soon. And you know how difficult it was for me to come and tell you all of this? I'm ashamed of myself, Jessica! I come here with my tail between my legs and you don't know what to say?"

Blake, now human, sat down next to her. He figured an arm around her shoulder wouldn't be appropriate at that moment. "I didn't cause this, or do anything to intice the Unspeakable One. God knows I didn't even see it coming. But like I said, during the event where Doktor Archeville went psuedonatural and weird, the powers of the Unspeakable One rose within me. It was trying to use me as a weapon against the city, and I fought back. It released its grip on me, but I still got my weird powers back. I just wanted to tell you, Jessica, because I love you and I want you to know what's going on in my life." He really hoped that went over well.

Kid Cthulhu, eager to show the other mystics his worth, stretched out a green arm. The robe folded back, revealing serpent-like scales on his skin. "I...wish I had an appropriate pun to use!" he said, a ball of eldritch fire forming in his hand. He aimed it at one of the Grue Arcane, and the energy of the spell increased, until the flame was the size of a basketball. He released the energy, and six spheres of otherworldly fire sped towards his enemy.

For a Standard Action, Kid Cthulhu will use his Eldritch Fire Blast on Grue Arcane 2. 1d20+11=21. If it hits, that's a DC 26 Toughness with Autofire damage. Edit: Reroll! 1d20+11=27 Much better.

"I'm not exactly sure. I figured it would be worth it to check the situation out. It's worth assuming that our dealers called ahead. I figured we'd check out the guy's apartment, and see if we can get any evidence on him. If we find anything...who this guy is, where he's going, maybe we can search him out. The amount of Zoom he needed can't be for anything good." Mad Dog opened the doors to the apartment complex again, and walked in with the King of Suits. As before, the apartment complex was completely silent. "I'm a bit suspicious, unless he gave them the wrong address. Let's go upstairs- that's where the guy said our buyer was." The two of them walked up the wooden staircase, which creaked beneath their feet. The walls of the hallway were covered in graffiti, and some of the doors were off their hinges. At the end of the hallway, they found their room. Mad Dog looked at the door for a moment, then turned back to the King of Suits. "So, you ready?"

Janis disappeared in a bolt of lightning, her body transforming into electrical energy faster than the eye could see. She stopped under the frisbee, and caught it with her feet. Thinking quickly, she grabbed it from between her shoes and hurled it back, the frisbee flying out, then headed sharply towards the Earth. "Crap! The wind got that one!" She said as she teleported back down to the Earth. It was good to spend time with her roommate- the two of them had been so busy with their respective classes that they hadn't really been able to see each other. "So what do you want to do after this?" Janis shouted.

September 18th, 2:44 PM. Weather, pleasantly warm. Janis was outside in the fields behind her dorm, playing frisbee with her roommate. This was no ordinary game of frisbee, however. They made it a point to throw their shots as wildly as possible, and teleported to grab the frisbee. Janis threw a high shot that soared towards the trees, and she smiled gleefully. It was the day before she went back to classes, and all of her homework was done. "You got that one, roomie?" she shouted, while at the same time preparing for her return shot.

Kid Cthulhu nodded. "Yes, it's me. I'm sorry I had to come in like this...but I couldn't think of a better way to tell you." He looked down apologetically, his eyes lowering. I know it's a bit of a shock. During that event with Dr. Archeville, my pseudonatural powers came back. I'm lucky they didn't control me altogether. But yeah, I'm Kid Cthulhu again." He snapped his fingers, and Blake was standing in Kid Cthulhu's place. "I'm so sorry, Jessica. I just had to tell you as soon as I could."

Mad Dog nodded. "A few of 'em, yeah. I'm...pretty good friends with Gossamer." Having a secret identity wasn't something he liked- Gossamer's "public" boyfriend was Gregory Matthews, his secret identity. He imagined he'd tell the King of Suits, but that would a story for another day. "I don't remember any other names, I guess I don't know that many superheroes!" He laughed quietly to himself. "I'll head down there and check things out. Stay up here for a second until I get back." He took the fire escape down to the bottom floor, trying to make as little noise as possible. It wasn't easy- his heavy biker's boots made clomping noises which he could have sworn echoed across the street. Mad Dog paused for a moment, and for about a minute he stood there, listening for any people stirring. Luckily, he didn't hear anyone, so he made his way to the ground. Once there, he walked towards the entrance to the apartment. Mad Dog opened the door, and peered inside. Nothing unusual, just a crappy apartment. The ground floor was completely silent, apart from the chittering of roaches crawling across the floor. He cautiously stepped into the foyer, ready at a moment's notice to fight. Despite his alertness, no junkie armed with a .44 sprung out at him. He let his fists down, with nearly a hint of disappointment. Mad Dog walked back outside, and waved his arm at the King of Suits, beckoning him to come down to the ground floor.

September 1st, 12:30 AM. Weather, cool and windy Kid Cthulhu flew at a great height, the moon illuminating his eldritch wings. He knew what he had to do. His previous meeting with Nick Cimitiere and Cobalt Templar made him want to talk to Jessica right then. There was no point in putting off what had to be done. He swooped down, landing in the parking garage. A sigh escaped his lips, and he made his way over to the elevator. He entered, and clicked in the combination that would allow him to her floor. As the elevator went up the building, he tapped his foot impatiently. At the very least, he was glad to get this out of the way. No matter how she reacted, he knew being honest was always the best policy. The doors opened, and Kid Cthulhu emerged from the elevator. He held his hands out, and smiled. "Cthulhu f'thagn, baby?"

Mad Dog watched as the King of Suits tied up the gunmen, and nodded approvingly. "Excellent work, King of Suits. I'd be more than happy to lead." He pulled out his cell phone and updated the coordinates for the buyer's place of residence. "Hmm. Well, that's interesting. Let's hit the road." The two heroes leapt from rooftop to rooftop, making quick time to their destination. Within about half an hour, they arrived. It was a seedy apartment zone, rarely used, and dilapidated from years of neglect. The building itself looked ready to crumble, and they could practically smell the illegal activities oozing out of the walls. "Nice place he's got." The buyer lived on the fifth floor out of eight. Mad Dog surveyed the scene, and looked to the King of Suits. "You ready for this? I don't exactly know what this guy's got here."

The man in the suit did something neither of them expected- he started to cry! "Oh, oh please. Don't hurt me. Don't beat me up." he said between hitching sobs. "Oh for the love of-" Mad Dog started, putting a hand over his forehead. "It's not for selling. Well, I say that. This guy wanted it. Just one guy. I just heard his voice over the phone. I swear to God, I'm just a rich kid from uptown! Don't beat me up!" Mad Dog took the young man from the King of Suits hands and grabbed him by his collar. "Eek! He's in the Fens! The guy you're looking for is in the Fens! The address is on my phone!" Mad Dog reached into the man's suit jacket, and pulled out his phone. "Thanks, kid. You've been very helpful to us. Now stay here until the police arrive, or we'll be forced to take drastic measures. He nearly cracked up at the last line, but the young man took him seriously, and obediently sat on the floor. "So, King. Up for a little more fun tonight?

"Thanks, guys." He saluted the two of them. "I'll be sure to call you guys if I get any strangeness from my powers. You know, other than the normal amount of strangeness. I imagine we'll have to have another mystic team-up again sometime soon...I miss those. You guys be sure to keep me in touch, okay? I think I'm gonna go see Jessica right now." The Eldritch Boy Wonder took off, his strange leathery wings propelling him into the night sky. As he flew higher and higher, his silhouette made him look like a strange gargoyle flapping his wings in the night sky. It was simultaneously a bizarre and inspirational sight.