KnightDisciple

Raven Stealth: 18. uuuuuggggghhhhh

I'll keep it since Charlie botched it. We can write it as Alek's foot hitting a loose brick that drops or something. He can run distraction or something this round. 

Micah couldn't help the huge smile that split his face as Pan not only asserted himself against disappearing, but seemed to help shift the narrative of his home world. Dimension. Whatever. He looked Pan in the eye, a sparkle back in his own that hadn't been there since almost as soon as they arrived. 

"Next time you want me to come visit your house, just ask, okay? Anyway, I think we ought to see about swinging by my place later, get some pie. My mom makes great pie."

With that declaration, Thunderbird turned his own eyes to the doorway in the heavens, spread his glowing wings, and took off like a bolt of thunder. He'd be at the gate in moments. 

Right. 

Knowledge Streetwise (Int+4, +5 from Jack): 12.

Alek has no Streetwise, but he has Jack of All Trades and Beginner's Luck. I think that'd let him spend an HP to roll the check with +5? At a glance at his Feats I don't think I have another combo that'd let him do that better.

(Really need to buy him ranks in this).

William Cline was mostly out on the West Coast these days, having graduated fully and entered the workforce. He had a steady girlfriend, one who he'd introduced to his family, and the full breadth of his life, not too long ago. He was often genuinely busy now, instead of the "busy" of a teenager or college student who was too "cool" to be with his parents much. 

But when his father sent him the text, Will knew things were serious enough he suited up to make the run back. When he was a few dozen miles outside of the city, he felt the sudden distress of his mother over the background psychic link he'd opened himself to. He immediately pushed every ounce of power he could into running fast. He might not be the fastest person on Earth but he was beginning to enter the same league as those individuals. 

So it should not have been a surprise to his parents and the other two heroes when Thoughtspeed skidded to a halt in a half-spin, ending up perfectly in front of his mother with twin humming blades of crackling green-black light casting eerie reflections off of his black helmet.

"A melodramatic robot for me to beat up? How'd you know I needed some stress relief? You shouldn't have!"

Guest Star! A Wild Thoughtspeed appears!

Initiative: 24.

Sense Motive: 26.

Hm

Initiative: 6. Ugh

Notice: 22.

Micah knew Eira well enough now that he hid his sadness at her angry rejection of being something besides metal and plastic. He could appreciate she wanted to choose her own future, but he remembered the screaming and anger when they'd visited her home. It seems she still needed to find peace with parts of herself. Instead, he just smiled at his friends as his powers faded away. 

"We didn't defeat this place, Eira. We defeated Hook, but as for Never...well, I guess Foreverworld? Seems like we saved it."

He smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. 

"Seems like a good start to a new book, yeah?"

Micah looked up at the Crocodile, then looked out at the approaching wave of white light. He felt sadness at the thought of what was going to be wiped away, but a tiny bit of relief. Perhaps these people would find the next...season...of life here less traumatic. It was hard to tell.

"Really hope the crocodile doesn't need to eat us for this to go down. Not an experience I want."

He turned to his friends, his face softening as he looked at Eira. He laid a hand gently on her twitching shoulders.

"You're more than a shadow, Eira."

His gaze turned to Pan.

"I'm glad to stand beside you, my friend."

He bowed his head, and wings of gently glowing emerald motes circled all three of the teenagers as the walls of white closed in. 

Raven stepped into the room at the front of a triangle formation, with Nevermore and Madame Raven flanking him. He smelled the strange gas that Red Death had deployed, grit his teeth, and gave a slight snort as he shook off the brief feeling of brain fog. He took in the chaotic scene in moments, then spoke, his voice tenser than normal thanks to actively ignoring the psychotropic drug in the air. 

"Nevermore. Madame Raven. Aid Watchdog. Patriot has the big one handled for now. I'll take Red Death."

His right hand reached to his belt and withdrew what seemed to be the hilt of a traditional shashka, made in black and dark silver. A flick of his wrist and press of a button had a blade extending out with a whirring, clicking blur of motion, before a shining silvery blade curved through the air. 

Even as it was deploying, he strode forward, his entire posture that of a man who owned the space he was in. He moved with ease, as if simply walking in an open field. Pieces of debris were sidestepped or stepped over. His cape billowed behind him in the pseudo-winds kicked up by the combination of the base's air systems and the wakes left by the speedster moving about the room. His footfalls echoed with more weight than his frame might suggest, lending a gravity to his presence. His gait seemed like a casual walk, yet in moments he was standing between the Vice-President and the ghastly visage of Red Death.

"I thought I already taught you what happens when you come into my city, Red Death. You're not even going to touch her."

The sword in his hand suddenly blurred through the air, and struck at the gas dispenser in her hand. The steel of the sword held true and all but swatted the gun from Red Death's hand, much like a parent disciplining an unruly child holding something they shouldn't.

"Stand down."

The "or else" was implied. 

Right, let's see.

Free Action: Give the sidekicks apprentices orders. Chop chop kids!

Free Action: Extra Effort! I'll pay the HP next round (as I believe that's when it happens). 

Standard Action: Set my Gadgets to:
Extending Sword
Damage 4 (Feats: Mighty, Variable Descriptor 1 [Piercing, Slashing, or Bludgeoning]) [6PP]

Move Action: Get up next to Red Death.

Standard Action: Disarm Attempt! Melee Attack: 27. Disarm Strength Check: 31. (Strength of +5, Mighty 4 for sword, and +4 from Improved Disarm, for total +13). That's on Red Death's gas gun. 

"Sounds like you're just scared, Hook. Scared of losing. Scared of being...irrelevant? Scared of change?"

Micah stood there, his energy-wings folded on his back. A scowl was on his face, enhanced by his goggles. His hands flexed open and closed several times.

"So because of that fear, you just...what, violated everything? Performed atrocities? The war you started, the things you did to your own crew! But the thing you're most wrong about, is the thought that someone like you will ever win."

He stepped closer and leaned over Hook.

"People like us will always stand in your way."

Raven went slightly stiff at the dual warning. He nodded, even as a few odd presses against his suit changed its outline. The cape extended, the strange sheen went away, and hard plates extended out. 

"Help her get to the Unkindness, we'll move to a Roost until we can get her to a League psychic. I will cover your path."

He turned and moved to the edge of the roof, his cowl's eyes glowing as he scanned the streets below. 

Raven nodded at his counterpart's acceptance of the suspicion. 

"Let's have you show up in your full gear, at least to start with. We will have some medical resources on hand to assist you when you're out of it, if need be."

At the mention of taking on the criminals on the streets below, he smirked.

"Well, if you insist. I think I will do just that. I'm rather not a fan of people shaking down shops, after all."

Gabriel (Titanium)

A New Member of the Family: 5 IC Posts

Posts to Thunderbird

Raven III (Titanium)

The Shadow of the Doomforge: 1 IC Post

Unkindness in the Shadow of Doom: 2 IC Posts

We Ain't Going Down Like This: 1 IC Post

Posts to Thunderbird

Thunderbird

Return to Neverworld, Never/Forever: 2 IC Posts

Guide Point to Thunderbird.

Initiative: 21.

Fortitude: 11. Going to spend an HP to reroll: 13, which becomes 23 due to reroll.

There was a sudden rumble in the sky, and a cloud formed above Hook's ship. Then, the deck was bathed in emerald light as the Thunderbird rose on wings of crackling green lightning, shaped like a terrible bird of prey. He paused for a moment a few dozen feet above the ship's deck. His right hand reached skyward, and a bolt of energy was simply in his hand. Then in a flash and a crack of thunder, he was on the ship, standing such that he, Pan, and Angelic formed something of a triangle around Hook. Micah reared his hand back with a snarl on his face and cracked goggles over his eyes.

"I think you're a-" several Cherokee words his mother would blush to hear "-and that all you represent is tyranny. Just another white man with delusions of grandeur. Me? I'm the storm, Hook."

HIs arm snapped forward, and the bolt flew true. 

Reroll is 20, and I think that's a 30 after the HP reroll bonus?

I'll write an IC tomorrow, but.

Thunderbird's gonna fly up to the deck alongside Angelic and Pan and shoot lightning at Hook. 

Standard Action: All Out Attack for +5 Attack, -5 Defense (Defense is now +9 until next turn). Attack Roll: 16. If that somehow hits, DC 27 Toughness Save. 

Raven nodded faintly. 

"Understandable. Dimensional variances can cause a lot of changes from small shifts. But yes, we will start the..."

He paused, then shrugged, seemingly resigned.

"The vetting process. As I said, we have some resources to draw on. We're going to request their assistance before you are allowed anywhere near the more...vulnerable...members of our family."

He reaches into his belt and withdraws a small pad of paper and a pen. A quick scribble gives Sable Raven an address, which happens to not be far from his own "roost". 

"I'll be there in two days with one of my...apprentices. From there we'll start helping getting you checked out, to make sure your trip didn't leave any unwanted effects on you or your gear."

Gabriel tapped a couple of commands on the tablet that had been to one side. A soft tone sounded in the hall outside as he turned to Ashley with a smile. 

"Up three floors, turn right from the elevator, fourth door on the left. There's guide-lights in the halls outside to make sure you don't get lost. Thank you again for your time, Patriot."

At the mention of tabloids, Gabriel gives a smile that's somehow completely devoid of warmth.

"I know how to handle people who would besmirch the profession of journalism, and attempt to slander our own membership."

Carson sat there quietly for the next couple of minutes after Stesha clarified that her pregnancy was, essentially, self-induced. He was happy for his friend to be happy, there was no question; her daughter was a delightful child, and he was confident Stesha would ensure her second child was raised just as well. But he couldn't help but be at least slightly uncomfortable with the potential ripple effect that the self-resurrecting plant-controlling metahuman woman bearing a child conceived without the aid of a father might have on the communities on Sanctuary. Particularly among those who already regarded her with near-worshipful attention. 

'Probably need to sit down with some of the monks and gently speak about it. She's going to be showing so much soon that there's not going to be a way to hide it. Just to try and think about how to deal with some of the questions from those who attend our services.'

Outwardly, he smiled at Stesha.

"I'm happy, Stesha. It seems like you've found a bit more....I don't know if 'balance' is the right word. But I'm glad you're finding your own way again instead of staying in something of a holding pattern. Let me know if you need help with things around the house as the time gets closer."

Gabriel had relaxed as Patriot pushed back again, and had even given her a nod. He clearly respected her resolve in the face of their questioning, and seemed at least generally satisfied with her response and that of the governments. Even if it was obvious the fugitive Revere bothered him a great deal. 

"We know how to contact you if needed. We really do appreciate your time, Patriot. Have a good rest of your day, and do not hesitate to request assistance with the...situation...if you feel it is needed. All of us would be more than happy to help capture this individual."

He smiled but was not over-gregarious as Fleur began to share just a bit about things. Patriot was headed out the door, so he was less concerned about being "too open". He'd been on and off of Sanctuary but this was a busy season for him. Perhaps busier than it ought to be, considering what he'd missed. He laughed a bit at the mention of school visits. 

"We all know I was doing more than half of the school visits anyways. I'm a walking, talking shiny object to keep the kids distracted. But yes, we'll let you take whatever sort of relaxation you need. Though hopefully you aren't finding our showers of congratulations and questions to be too much? This isn't some reaction from the incident with that strange fear-monster, is it?"

Alek just blandly raised an eyebrow a the sudden alarm. He was polite enough to wait until Ashley was out of the door before voicing his thoughts.

"Truly, I am shocked there is a problem."

If his wit was any drier, Callie and Charlie would be at risk of spontaneous desiccation. Alek walked to the door, glanced around, then nodded as he closed it. 

"Right, hope your dress-up drills have been going smoothly, children. I'm buying us just a minute with this, and then we're going to have to hope they're too busy to compare videos to eye-witnesses."

He pulled his smartphone out and clicked the button on the side 5 times in rapid succession. The screen flashed, and suddenly the light on the camera observing the room went dark, then blinked in rapid sequence, and then went dark completely while the camera itself rotated toward the plain floor. Alek's free hand quickly snapped out part of the tune of "My Shot", and an overhead ventilation grate suddenly swung down. From the perhaps-too-large air duct, one of Charlie's drones flew in. It was one of the ones shaped a bit like a raven. Alek clicked his tongue and the drone landed on his shoulder as he tucked his phone away and turned to his apprentices. 

"Well. Let's get to it, everyone."

The sheer chutzpah of the moment was worth the money he'd poured into getting the dimensional-pocket storage boxes the drone carried. Even as he swiftly extracted his own gear-box and moved to a corner of the room, Alek was rather pleased with himself. The next step would be a self-donning suit, though.

'Need to work on that for next time. Maybe in the watch?'

Such thoughts were locked away, and all too soon, the Raven stepped into the hallway, his form fading as his active camouflage engaged. He was fully in his element now, even as the spoofing script he'd uploaded to the security system simulated the trio of "helpless civilians" moving along unoccupied corridors to escape to safety away from the base. It even included a post-enemy-intrusion simulated entry for the trio of heroes, who clearly had been on high alert today thanks to a visit by the Vice President. 

"Time to get to work."

"I think every one of us who wears this cowl knows the feeling of not thinking you can pass it on, at least for a time. It's part of the job. Let's just say that your counterpart here has a bit more...perspective...on things."

Raven waved off the apology for the strange sound.

"We all use voice alteration to some degree. I try not to laugh around non-criminals in the suit. Even without the active alteration the neck armor shifts things a bit. As for your current base, we can work to set you up and get you looped in."

He smiled, genuinely, at the mentions of family and teaching.

"You'll find we're pretty used to odd circumstances bringing in members. One day I'll tell you how I and my apprentice joined the fold in full. As for teaching....hm. Even if I don't use that exact model, I'm always willing to learn more techniques."