[Masks] San Fransapporo: After Dark

[Mr. E]

Moonshadow
Conditions: Angry, Insecure, Hopeless
Potential: 3/5

The panels cut abruptly, shifting from the utilitarian steel of the team's lair to peaceful swirls of water. A stylized border of swirling lines blends smoothly into dark blue ripples, as shallow waves brush against the wooden posts of the old wharf. The timber is grimy, tinged green by algae and encrusted with barnacles at the waterline, but the sun is warm and golden nonetheless. A seagull is perched atop one post, an eye cocked at the reader, while Moonshadow leans back against one of the posts, a foot dangling off the edge.

Her knife is resting on the deck beside her, momentarily discarded, her head tilted back and eyes half-closed. Both earbuds are in, the sound turned up loud enough to be clearly audible from a couple of meters away. In front of her, the sea stretches out, faintly rippling and glittering in the sun. A few seagulls are hovering, eyeing the cardboard container of fries tucked in her lap. The one atop the post cautiously hops closer, and Moonshadow fixes it with a glare, one hand protectively hovering over her precious cargo.

Munching one, Cindy squints out at the horizon, watching a bulk freighter slowly negotiate the bar. To the right, the high-rises of the central district break up the sky, and beyond them the river mouth bustles with traffic, small vessels racing around the cruise liners waiting for their turn to dock at the promenade. Further on again, the cranes move back and forth, like spiders weaving a web across the cargo terminal. Here, however, separated from the development of today, the old wharf is quiet. A few fishing vessels are tied up, paint chipped and hulls battered, but another fifty could come alongside without seriously inconveniencing the rest. Indeed, at this time of the afternoon, Moonshadow has the whole wharf to herself.

A gentle breeze blows across the ocean and tangles the few stray hairs that have escaped from Cindy's braid. She sighs, then looks down at the phone in her lap, checking the time. Retrieving another chip, Moonshadow tucks her Nifo Oti back into her belt, then gets up stiffly, feeling the bruises seize. Pausing her song, she bundles her headphones and tuns around, heading slowly back to pick up her sister.

[Razade]

Pool: 1


Tsunami, Ronin, Hikari: The Forge

With your meeting finished Hikari, and Ronin and Tsunami waiting, the road is clear to the base. Most Teleportals key into the secret base's own and those that don't are generally near ones that do meaning that the base is rarely far from any of you. Once there, and briefed, there's only one place to go. To see The Smith and the only portal that goes to her is, as one might imagine, in the base itself.

No one, not even Tsunami, knows where it leads. To The Smith's base...or one of them at least...that's for certain. Where that is, however, is shrouded in mystery. The air is hot once you've teleported in, dry and full of noise. As one would expect from a place called The Forge. Molten streams of orange and reds pour from spigots in the ceiling, casting the whole place in dim and sooty light. Weapons and armor litter the walls, the floor burnt and rough on the feet. More polished and refined parts extend past the portal room, the central area dominated by an anvil the size of a family economy car and at it. The Smith.

She dwarfs you all, towering easily over ten feet in height (305cm for non-US readers), with shoulder length hair pulled back into a tight knot. Her skin is blasted and bronzed, covered in scars and hideious burns, tattoos of ancient cultures clutter the remaining space. When she turns to look at you, she receives her splash page. The giant woman swings her hammer over her shoulder, a scowl on her face as The Lava Smith is etched in molten rock. The words "Let's Hammer it out" underneath it all. "You've brought friends." Her voice is like two boulders grinding together. "Let's not trouble ourselves with formalities, you've troubles. Speak."

Her gruff nature is not a surprise, not for any of you really. While not an icon in San Fransapporo like The Guardians or even the Warlords, the Smith was vital in the defense of The Monsoon during the Ball Room Blitz. She's had dealings with all three of you. Tsunami's is obvious. Hikari was present for the Ballroom Blitz herself and wields two swords forged by The Smith. That leaves you, Ronin. What was your first interaction with The Smith, what makes you yearn for her respect?


Moonshadow, Sunburst: Kintsugi HQ

After your harrowing story, Sunburst, the rest of the meeting goes on without much incident. It's the usual story with most, loss of control of powers though nowhere near your level...today at least...difficulties at home with family and friends. The general fear that they may lose control and murder everything and everyone around them. Theurge and Miss Honeycut are, through it all, supportive and helpful and without the typical trouble makers, the meeting ends on a fairly high note.

Moonshadow is outside waiting for you as she often is. Theurge offers a warm smile as she spots the other hero, extending a hand in greeting. "Cindy, it's nice to see you again." Her tone is as warm and gentle as it was in the meeting but her actions are obvious. Miss Honeycut lurks behind, looking over the younger woman's shoulder at you Moonshadow. You know she's looking for an opportunity to sell you the same pitch. You've helped your sister so much, she'd always say to you, why not bring your skills to the meetings? They could always use another hand after all. Theurge has taken to playing interference when she's able, not only a friendly face for Sunburst.

"Your sister told us all about the battle, I hope you stayed out of it. It's best to leave the fights to the professionals." She gives you a once over, the words dying in her throat as she sees the state your in. 'Well..." she finally manages, motioning back to the meeting room. "We best prepare for the next group. Lanuola, make sure you get your sister to a hospital to look over her? I'll see you Saturday bright and early, don't forget. I'll be texting you Friday night just in case."

With that...you're both alone. Do you take some time to chat? Is that saved for the walk? Is it saved for any time at all? Nothing beats family time like long awkward silences am I right? Where do you go, regardless. No word from your team at least, it seems the heat was left at the battle site.

Spoiler: Moonshadow

Show

You can clear Insecure I feel, as you took easy relief.

Theurge is also using her Influence on you. She's saying that the fight isn't where you belong. Shift Mundane up and Savior down or roll to reject.

Ground Zero: Waterfront

The entorge does indeed pause, a few hands do go for weaponry but Tempest merely lifts a hand. "Its customary for a gentleman to kiss a lady's hand." She extends it though the guard duty makes it quite clear that that won't be a wise move, even through dark sunglasses you can feel their gaze upon you. She retracts her hand a moment or two later with a laugh. She does not take yours on offer. "You'd like to ask me some questions about this city? A strange turn of events, I suppose. Are you with the film crew? I don't generally give interviews without some credentials. Or is this for your private collection?" Her tone remains playful even as she steps past her guards to get closer.

"I think it's only fair if I get to ask you some questions as well, Kai. Why don't we make a deal? For every question you ask I'll ask...mmm....two. Fair?" She glances around, the rest of the photo shoot pulling in from the refreshment break. What she's looking for isn't clear though her gaze falls back upon you even as Nessa steps in close behind you as she's pushed forward by the gathering crowd.

[Catastrophic_B]

Ground Zero
Conditions: none
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

Freak: +1
Danger: +3
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

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In a China Shop: When you directly engage a threat, you can cause significant collateral damage to your environment to choose an additional option, even on a miss.
Physics? What physics: When you unleash your powers to barrel through an insurmountable barrier, roll + Danger instead of + Freak.
-Defender: When you leap to defend your love or rival in battle, roll + Danger instead of + Savior to defend them.

Kai can't help but feel a spike of nerves as everyone around focuses their attention on himself and Tempest. But he quickly gets it under control and keeps an easy grin on his face as he lets his hand fall back down to his side.

"I'm one of the talent they hired for the shoot, but my questions are for my own curiosity. And I'll play ball. Go ahead and ask your two questions. Ladies first, that's the 'gentlemanly' thing to do right?" he says as he takes a half step backwards and holding his arms out to the side as if to say "I'm an open book," while he uses his telekinesis to stop his shirt moving again.

As Kai takes in all the cameras flashing around the two of them, he can't help but think that this was probably going to get more coverage than the fight at the River Market.

[Captain Jak]

Ronin
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +0
• Danger: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X] I'll Show Them: When you defend someone who doesn’t believe in you, you can always take Influence over them, even on a miss.
• [X]All The Best Stuff: You’ve compiled access to caches of equipment and weaponry other supers have hidden in the city. When you access a cache, say whose cache it is. If it’s a hero’s, roll + Savior. If it’s a villain’s, roll + Danger. On a hit, you find a tool or intel useful to your situation; the GM will detail. On a 7-9, you leave evidence that you’ve been here. On a miss, you tripped an alarm and they’re coming; prepare to explain yourself.
• [X] Always Prepared: When you have a chance to restock your supplies, hold up to 2-gadgets. When you unleash your powers by producing a brand new minor invention or gadget from your supply, spend 1-gadget and roll + Superior. When you reach 0-gadgets, mark a condition.

It was sweet of Max to be concerned about taking up Miho's time; like she had anything else to do other than being a colossal engineering nerd or, well, stuff like this.

Coming into the immense presence of the Smith, however, isn't just another day at the office, such as it is. Miho had – of course – taken the prudent step of encasing herself in the Ronin armour rather than appearing frail and broken, but even so she can't help but feel just that. The Smith casts a long shadow, both physical and metaphorical.

Frankly, she's just as impressive as the first time that Miho had come face to face with her. Or, rather, helmet to helmet....

Flashback panels, indicated by the lower saturation of colours. It's the Ronin armour, but obviously an earlier model, being both smaller and cruder in appearance. It's one of Miho's first forays out in her powered suit, her first attempts to show to the world that she can be a hero rather than just a bad seed.

It's...not going well.

Facing off against two low-level super powered non-Warlord gang enforcers, she appears to be outgunned as well as outnumbered. Speaking of guns, she holds a rifle of unconventional design; in this case, a sonic canon. Unfortunately for her, the business end has been partially crushed and twisted, rendering it useless for more than an ungainly club. Portions of her armour are scorched and there's a good-sized dent on one side of the breastplate.

Her opponents – a heavily built man with skin the colour of stainless steel, and a rather rodent-like woman wreathed in wisps of smoke – have her bracketed between them, taking feinting lunges in her direction as she swings awkwardly about to try and meet the abortive attacks. The metal man gets close enough to swipe the rifle from her grip entirely, sending it clattering away –

Until it fetches up against a truly massive foot, encased in even more massive armour.

Shock lines radiate from the heads of both of the enforcers, and a censored speech balloon nonetheless manages to convey the woman's general meaning.

The altercation is brief, and extremely one-sided, leaving Miho standing slack-jawed in her damaged armour. This. This is what she aspires to be, and the brilliant inventor feels decidedly foolish and impetuous for having sallied forth to fight crime in what is clearly an inferior suit. Needing rescue from a full-fledged legend isn't exactly a prime outing.

Having bound the pair with some sort of advanced tech unfamiliar to Miho, the Smith turns back to regard the much smaller and shabbier suit of armour before her.

"You have spirit, as well as some skill if you constructed that yourself," she had rumbled. "I prefer integrated weapon systems myself; and if you're not already using carbon nanotube actuators – which from the performance levels I observed, I don't believe you are – you should look into them." And with that surprising critique and bit of advice, the Smith took hold of her prisoners and departed at speed, no doubt to....

Well. Miho imagines they'll be turned over to the proper authorities, but frankly she doesn't know enough about the Smith to rule out other possibilities.

The woman was...inspiring. And seemed to approve of what she was doing. And gave some building tips!

How amazing was that....

Back to the present – this time in the Smith’s own workshop, intimidating as all-out! Amazingly, she appears to actually do her work as a classic blacksmith, with forge, anvil and hammer – her powers must be involved to get her to the level of crafting powered armour, because it wasn’t like you could just build a suit out of scraps over a fire in a cave, after all.

Grateful that her own armoured shell conceals her nerves, Ronin steps up, and steps forward.

”Thank you for having us, Smith,” she begins, just having to start with a touch of courtesy before jumping right in. ”We encountered something...significant...in our altercation this morning,” she went on, confident that the Smith was well aware of what had transpired.

”Significant enough that someone died for it, despite our best efforts.” She produces the disc and offers it to the Smith, then goes on to explain her testing and her conclusions, then hesitates. She would have Chisei throw up the recording of the holographic words on a screen, but the Forge was decidedly devoid of such thing.

”It projected a message,” she goes on, and reads it off as Chisei scrolls it on her HUD for her.

”We decided to employ wisdom beyond our years and seek input from someone we trust,” she concludes. She had almost said ‘advice’, but she would rather come across as a colleague than a supplicant. Makes a better impression.

[The_Specialist]

Tsunami
Conditions: None
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +0
• Danger: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X] Been Reading the Files: You’ve learned about the superhuman world through your mentor’s resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll + Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you’ve learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge; the GM will tell you why.
• [X]Be Mindful of Your Surroundings: When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.
• [X]Venting Frustration: When you directly engage while you are Angry, you can roll + the label your mentor denies (Mundane) and clear Angry.

Max takes the time before Hikari arrives at the base to get out of what is essentially pajamas, the standard, generic clothing on hand for anyone unfortunate enough to need the decon shower without any new outfit immediately on hand. He doesn’t bother getting back into uniform, though even his normal attire is fairly utilitarian, consisting of a bomber jacket, cargo pants, and a different pair of combat boots. He’s probably still wearing some form of body armour beneath the clothing as well, being just a little overly careful that way.

Once Hikari has been adequately filled in, Max takes point in leading the trio through the teleportal again. He’s never brought any of them to The Forge before nor even considered doing so, but this does seem like cause for exception. As much as he’s eager for a chance to get The Smith’s input, he also finds himself somewhat nervous, unsure how pleased she’ll be with guests on such short notice. He hopes she’ll see that the urgency was warranted.

Despite feeling a bit awkward to be entering The Forge not alone for once, the hot air that buffets his face as he exits the teleportal is a welcome familiarity. While it might not be the most comfortable environment, it is one that inspires him, and also makes him feel inherently safe. And while The Smith certainly isn't someone who would ever coddle him, he trusts she’ll help them.

"You've brought friends."

In an instant he feels a pang of guilt and embarrassment, thinking back to the text he sent and realizing he was not actually explicit enough in explaining that he wanted to bring the team with him to receive her help.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so vague in my message, Smith,” he apologizes, quick to acknowledge and accept responsibility for the faux pas. His tone is sincere but calm, recognizing the fault without groveling. “This is Hikari, and Ronin, two of my team mates,” He proceeds to introduce them swiftly so as not to be rude, though allows Ronin to take over explaining, wagering that Miho can probably explain everything the most coherently and in depth regardless as she was the one to experiment on the disc. And actually understands what those tests were.

Max watches The Smith’s face while Ronin speaks, though the mention that someone died causes his gaze to drop momentarily to the soot covered floor. His eyes lift again as Ronin begins to recite the ominous message that the artifact had projected, observing his mentor closely once more given that she’s typically difficult to read and he’s desperate for insight.

“...Coyote Knight was undeniably looking for this, one of her own was trying to smuggle it who knows where... and we aren’t certain, but Lightbringer might be involved somehow too...” He mutters a little softer.

[Mr. E]

Moonshadow
Conditions: Angry, Hopeless
Potential: 3/5

Moonshadow smiles as Theurge approaches, handing the remaining half of her chips* to her sister as she does so. She takes the other hero's hand slightly stiffly, fumbling the initial grip, before her hand clamps around the other. She smiles again, uncertain, before it clicks and she leans back slightly. Still her voice, if not quite as warm as Theurge, is not cold as she replies to her greeting.

"It's nice to see you too."

And, if the matter had stopped there, such a statement might have even been true. Instead, of course, Theurge keeps talking, and Cindy's face slowly sours. Her shoulders hunch slightly, and she rams her hands into her pocket. For a moment the beginnings of a frown crinkles her face, and then she smiles brightly, in the same way that neon bulbs are bright**. Grinning, she flicks her braid over one shoulder with one hand, then shrugs lightly.

"But, I am a professional," Cindy adds, in a tone that's just not quite light and joking enough, "professional sister handler and kick-ass! Isn't that right, sis?" She slings an arm around Lanuola's shoulder, not waiting for a response. "Anyway, we gotta go. Team business." Turning to go, she makes to drag her sister with her, pulling away from Theurge and Miss Honeycut. "Don't you worry 'bout me," Cindy throws over her shoulder, exaggerating a swagger, and trying to mask the stiffness in her walk, "cause, like, I'm bulletproof."

*Actually, it's closer to a third, but she did intend to leave half

**Cold, washed out, and definitely not sunny in the slightest to be precise

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Right, I'm pretty sure this isn't sufficiently badass to qualify 'prove them wrong', which was my initial plan. Instead I think Cindy is shifting mundane down and shifting danger up, a decision I'm sure I won't regret when I next try and comfort and support

[Razade]

Pool: 1


Hikari, Ronin, Tsunami, The Smith: The Forge

The Smith waves off Tsunami's apologies, finding a place to sit as Ronin moves forward to lay out the goings on and produces the disk. The look that flashes across her face is a complex one, one of surprise and worry and fear, all at once revolted and then all the more dark as you read out the message. Her hand moves, fingers reaching for the device though slow. As if it might burn her on touch.

"It is an Elemental Repository, akin to our own video tapes. This one seems to activate on voice." Her words come out craggy, subdued and annoyed as she plays with the disk between large digits. It's a wonder the thing doesn't break, with how light and simple it is. She doesn't press on what was said for the thing to pop out its message, either not caring or perhaps thinking it doesn't matter. The mention of Lightbringer brings her eyes up and focused on Tsunami.

"You shouldn't have bought it here."

The words too almost feel like they hang in the hot air, the Smith standing with a grunt as she moves to her anvil. "If what you say is true then I cannot help you in this. I am sorry. The road ahead for all of you is difficult. War will rip through your city as it rips through all cities in time. I can however place your feet upon the path for there those who can help you. I will keep this Repository here for safe keeping. Many forces and more would seek it, but none would dare take it from me." She places the disk on the anvil before turning back to you all, her eyes once more falling on Tsunami.

"You should stay here with me Max. There's nothing you can do for this. Nothing you should do. The fires will rage and you'll only find yourself hurt." She then glances to Ronin. "You are a smart girl, you should find somewhere else to roam. Your troubles will solve themselves when this matter is finished. I've an apprentice, but if you'd take leave of this folly I will find someone to recommend. As for your other..." The Smith's gaze falls finally upon Hikari.

"This is where you belong. Tell your teammates this message. If they would persist upon this path, the Wukong Industries holds a Hierophant. I believe they are being housed in Monkey Island...that eyesore of a building the Old King built. They will doubtlessly let you speak to them if you send my regards. That is all I can do, the path is open to you. You walk it at your peril."

Spoiler: Tsunami

Show

Choooo choooooo Influence Train! She's totally using her influence over you. Raise Savior by one and lower Danger by 1 if you agree with her assessment that you should stay out of this. She's totally telling you that you're too valuable as a hero to waste yourself on a fool's errand. Or roll to reject.

Spoiler: Ronin

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Choooo choooooo Influence Train! She's totally using her influence over you. She's saying you're too smart to just toss away your life for this nonsense. Raise Superior by 1 and lower Savior by 1 if you agree or roll to reject.

Spoiler: Hikari

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Choooo choooooo Influence Train! She's totally using her influence over you. She's totally telling you this is where you belong. She's seen you fight. She's seen your darkness. Raise Danger by 1 and lower Savior by 1 or roll to reject.

Ground Zero, Nessa et all, Tempest of Glavnos: Pierside

"I see...I suppose I have time for a question or two." Tempest gives you another look up and down, frowning every so slightly in what can only be a poutey way. "Oh, how gracious of you. I'll ask one and then you can go, that's very sporting." A few of the guards chuckle, an inside joke perhaps. "Am I to presume you've heard those vicious rumors as to my motives, dropping you're a friend of the exiled Prince?"

After Dark: Insert 2

The Panels cut back to Impact. Not much has changed. Impact is still hanging from her prison hoola hoop and Master Sun is sitting, annoyed.

“My dad never spoke up about the whole “my daughter is a super hero” deal. Probably thought it made us look worse to the community. We had one talk, the day I got my powers, and that was it. Never use them. Hide them deep and somewhere dark. Bury them away, lock them up tight and forget you have them. You’re going to be a Doctor, he’d say. So proud. Or a lawyer or any number of things. Not a hero though. Never a hero.”

Impact scowls, the dark tattoos that run the length of her arms pulse. “I did what any self respecting angsty teen would do. I rebeled. Hard. I was about fifteen when it happened and boy were people eager to be my friends after they heard I’d got powers. The Warlords weren’t a thing back then but there were plenty of small time crooks looking for muscle. I didn’t start with that right away...mostly just sneaking out and drinking and letting awkward boys paw at me to make my parents angry but eventually...drugs and debts started to add up. A few friendly hands wanted to help me out, out of the drugs and out of the debts. Around that time my dad’s business was knocked over by those same friendly faces. My mom’s shop never made us a lot of money so...I took to doing simple work to help pay for my family. It started out as revenge but once you’ve got a reputation for smearing Z-List villains you used to work for...other people started calling.”

Master Sun nods along at the last words, raising a hand. “Everyone in the city is aware of your work with the Junior Guardians and the patronage of Lightbinger, Lucy. It was well documented that you betrayed the team and your superior and only came back to the Light after the fall of Karakuri Town. I don’t really think we need to go over this.”

Impact shakes her head, tongue clicking against teeth in annoyance. “I told you you’d need to hear all of it. The team you know...the history of it that you know...changed.” The words on the page are written in the same style as the tattoos that continue to pulse on Impacts arms. “Yeah there was Arcshot and Phantom, Miss All Sunday and Turbulance...and me. But the team had a sixth member. It’s where all of this started. It’s where I met him, and where the start of the Lost History begins. The downfall of the Junior Guardians was the foundation on which the current stagnant hell that is San Fransapporo rests. Karakuri Town...the Innominate....maybe even the Storm King and the Black Emperor. All of those events point back to the Missing Day and the History that went with it.”

Master Sun’s face remains...annoyed. Perhaps for the first time in a long time, the fact that none of this syncs up to what he knows sticks in his throat. Master Sun, the man who knows everything under the Sun or so they say, finds himself in a strange position. On one hand...all of this sounds false. It goes against the history he knows. On the other...wasn’t he charged to find the true history? What’s to say this isn’t it?

“Who is this man, to have so much pull that he would bring you to the Dark and plunge the world into a dream?” His words are measured, slow as he reads Impacts face.

“I was always of the Dark, Master Sun. He just showed me the truth of it. He was a true hero and they called him Eibon.”

[Comissar]

Sunburst
Conditions: Guilty, Hopeless, Angry
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +1
• Freak: +2
• Savior: +0
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Burn and Flares

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Held Burn

0

Shielding

You call up a fast protective field to stop a danger. Spend 1 burn to defend someone else from an immediate threat, rolling +Freak instead of +Saviour.

Moat

Spend 1 burn to create a barrier that will hold back threats as long as you keep your attention on it. The GM may call for you to spend another burn if the barrier is threatened by particularly powerful enemies.

Reality Storm

You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling +Freak instead of +Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another burn.

Snatch

Spend 1 burn to use your powers to seize any one object up to the size of a person from someone within view.

Lanuola spends the rest of the meeting sitting quietly. She remains attentive during the stories the others offer of how they've been coping since they were last present, the talk of progress and worries simultaneously helping her feel more comfortable about her concerns, and making her feel guilty about her lack of control. When the meeting does finally end, she heads out to find Cindy already waiting for her. She offers her sister a small smile, giving a grateful "Thanks." as she accepts the half-plate of chips.

She's halfway through her first mouthful when Cindy and Theurge get to talking. She pales a bit, wincing as the conversation takes a turn for the uncomfortable. Without really meaning to, she flinches a little as Cindy's arm comes down around her shoulder and she finds herself starting to be steered away. Hurriedly, she calls out "I-I'll be there!" to Theurge as she's lead away.

As they move away, she gives her sister a concerned look, taking in all the scrapes and bruises she'd managed to acquire. Once she was sure they were out of ear-shot, she asked, "U-umm... Are you sure you're ok..? It's just, uh... You do look kinda hurt and... Well... I-if you are hurt, maybe we should drop by a doctors..?"

[Captain Jak]

Ronin
Conditions:
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +0
• Danger: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X] I'll Show Them: When you defend someone who doesn’t believe in you, you can always take Influence over them, even on a miss.
• [X]All The Best Stuff: You’ve compiled access to caches of equipment and weaponry other supers have hidden in the city. When you access a cache, say whose cache it is. If it’s a hero’s, roll + Savior. If it’s a villain’s, roll + Danger. On a hit, you find a tool or intel useful to your situation; the GM will detail. On a 7-9, you leave evidence that you’ve been here. On a miss, you tripped an alarm and they’re coming; prepare to explain yourself.
• [X] Always Prepared: When you have a chance to restock your supplies, hold up to 2-gadgets. When you unleash your powers by producing a brand new minor invention or gadget from your supply, spend 1-gadget and roll + Superior. When you reach 0-gadgets, mark a condition.

War? There is always violence, even gang conflicts with injuries and deaths...but it’s fairly clear that the Smith means more than this with her words. War is coming, to her city, and there will be death and destruction and suffering.

Still feeling uncertain of herself, the Smith’s words strike home, playing to her own vanity and lack of apology for being the smartest person in the room. No, she doesn’t really need to throw herself in the way of this; she can prove she’s a hero anywhere, and it would certainly be easier to do so out from under the direct and negative influencer of her family.

But...war was coming. To her city.

”I appreciate your concern, and your compliments,” Ronin replies, a slow certainty washing through her and stripping away her doubts. ”but the smart move isn’t always the right one. This is my home, these are my people, and these are my teammates,” she goes on, gesturing to include Tsunami and Hikari in he reply. ”If any of us are in this, then we all are, no offense to your mentorship,” she tells the massive woman unreprentantly.

Was there a deeper motive behind the Smith telling her to stay out of this, or is it legitimate concern? Unfortunately, she doesn’t know the giant hero well enough to determine.

”If you have any more information that might help us, we’d gratefully hear it. But we’re not backing down, we’re not hiding, we’re not running away.” Her head tilts slightly, her smile unseen behind her helmet.

”That’s what heroes do.”

Spoiler: CRUNCH

Show

Reject Smith’s Influence: 8 Clearing Insecure
Pierce the Mask, Smith: 4 Nope.

[Mr. E]

Moonshadow
Conditions: Angry, Hopeless
Potential: 3/5

Cindy keeps her arm slung around sis's shoulders as they walk off, before sliding her hands into her pockets as they round the corner.

"Nuh, uh," she replies to her Lanuola's concern, still forcing casualness into her bruised body, "I'm good." Grinning, Cindy looks over, lightly poking her sister in the shoulder as she does so. "Didn't you hear me tell them I'm bulletproof?" She jabs her sis again for emphasis, then softens her tone slightly. "Today was, like, super rough, though. Not like, getting hit, but everything that... happened, I guess." Moonshadow pauses uncomfortably, searching for the right words, before she continues awkwardly, yet softly and kindly. "You good?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Just a quick post to keep the conversation going. After Lan's attempt to comfort Cindy bounces off her bravado, will Cindy's equally unlikely attempt also succeed?

+1 Mundane -2 angry +1 from influence: (2d6)[6]

I reckon, if Raz will permit it, that I'll spend a team to bump that up to a seven, but I'm not sure this counts as 'working with the team' when there's just two of them.

[Catastrophic_B]

Ground Zero
Conditions: none
Potential: 4/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

Freak: +1
Danger: +3
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

Show

In a China Shop: When you directly engage a threat, you can cause significant collateral damage to your environment to choose an additional option, even on a miss.
Physics? What physics: When you unleash your powers to barrel through an insurmountable barrier, roll + Danger instead of + Freak.
-Defender: When you leap to defend your love or rival in battle, roll + Danger instead of + Savior to defend them.

Kai takes a moment to size Tempest up. Trying to get a read on her. Only to discover... that he has absolutely no idea what is going on in that head of hers. Man, this chick must be lethal when it comes to poker.

"People talk, I hear things, and you're a hot topic right now," Kai says with a dismissive shrug. "But a lot of people have a really bad memory for details at times, and often have no real idea what they're talking about. Which is why I wanted to talk to you in person. Honestly I just name dropped Mosi to stop you brushing me off. I could have just as easily referenced my run in with Lightbringer this morning," as he says this, he gives a subtle nod towards the injury he knows Tempest spotted. If she'd seen the news reports on the River Market attack, then she would probably know Lightbringer had nothing to do with the injury, but if she hadn't, then planting the idea that he had a 'run-in' with Lightbringer, and walked away with such a minor injury, might get her to start taking him a bit more seriously.

"Now it's my turn," Kai said with a smile. He knows what's expected. How could he not? He asked for her opinion on San Fran, she followed up with a questions about the rumors about her. Logically she would expect him to ask about either the Warlords or the Imamu, and in this public venue, he'd get nothing but the official stance. As much as he preferred throwing hands to asking questions. Kai wasn't an idiot. She would say something appropriately lawful in regards to the Warlords, but not so much that she risk insulting them. And if he asked about the Imamu, she would likely turn this impromptu interview into an impromptu press release, openly inviting the Imamu to come talk, in the sort of public invitation that would make it incredibly rude if the Imamu declined.

At least that's what Kai would do in her shoes. In situations like these, sometimes it's better to throw the curve ball no one expects.

"Do you have any interest in..." Kai starts, and he can feel the tension in the air as the spectators eagerly anticipate the second half of his question. But he ignores them, focusing entirely on the red-haired woman before him. " joining me to watch the sunset over the city from the roof of the Hakari Shrine?" Kai finishes the invitation with a smirk.

There! A question so ridiculous that he could easily laugh it off as a joke if shut down, and if she accepts, then he'll have a much better opportunity to get some honest answers out of her. He may be punching above his weight, but to hell with it! Kai Kinsey didn't put all that effort into getting back here just to live a quiet life.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Rolled +Mundane to try pierce the Mask. Rolled a 6. Marking potential.

[Comissar]

Sunburst
Conditions: Guilty, Hopeless, Angry
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +1
• Freak: +2
• Savior: +0
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Burn and Flares

Show

Held Burn

0

Shielding

You call up a fast protective field to stop a danger. Spend 1 burn to defend someone else from an immediate threat, rolling +Freak instead of +Saviour.

Moat

Spend 1 burn to create a barrier that will hold back threats as long as you keep your attention on it. The GM may call for you to spend another burn if the barrier is threatened by particularly powerful enemies.

Reality Storm

You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling +Freak instead of +Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another burn.

Snatch

Spend 1 burn to use your powers to seize any one object up to the size of a person from someone within view.

Lanuola grins as Cindy re-asserts that she's bullet proof. Her confidence certainly was. She picks at the plate of chips as Cindy pauses, then hesitates in return as she's asked the same question back. The discomfort in her chest nearly makes her speak up. She finds herself wanting to share her fears and worries. But they felt foolish. Childish. Why would she complain about having powers and being scared when Cindy could be brave without them..?

So instead she fixed a bright smile to her face, giving a slightly too enthusiastic nod. "Y-yeah, I'm good." Though she knew it wasn't what her sister had meant, she moved quickly onward, "The meeting went well." She turns her attention back to her chips, "Umm, I've volunteered to help with the clean up of the fight." She throws a brief glance up to Cindy to catch her reaction, "I, uh, I figured it'd be a good way to help out. So, uh, so that'll be my weekend."

[Razade]

Pool: 1


Moonshadow, Sunburst

Spoiler

Show

Totally cool with you two tennis'ing a bit. No...spending a team here doesn't really make sense.

Ground Zero, Nessa et al, Tempest of Glavnos: Pierside

Tempest nods along, the reasoning understandable if not perhaps a little self serving. The mention of Lightbringer doesn't seem to register anything and while Tempest is well known to be a shrewd and Machiavellian sort, it doesn't seem to simply be a mask even if you can't see behind the very obvious one she "wears" so flawlessly. You missed your mark there, it seems. The bold question does seem to take her by surprise though its quickly covered by laughter, not cruel but...certainly dismissive.

"My, so bold. If all you San Fransapporians are like this I may never leave. Wouldn't that be fun? I'm afraid I will have to decline your most gracious offer. Perhaps you'll take the night to read up on the customs of my people. A man must earn the right to ask a lady's hand. In Glavnos, we honor the strong and sing praise of victors. If you'd care to, I'm most certain my guard would offer you a challenge if you wish to make good on your request. I'm not sure where you'll find a goat curry however. I'll reserve resturaunt recommendations for later in this little game of ours. I do believe I have three questions now? Tell me, is this Mosi friend of yours as they say? Brave and righteous and a well respected leader of his people? What of the others he surrounds himself with? Are there others like yourself he likes to keep company with? That is one question remaining for me."

[Catastrophic_B]

Ground Zero
Conditions: none
Potential: 4/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

Freak: +1
Danger: +3
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

Show

In a China Shop: When you directly engage a threat, you can cause significant collateral damage to your environment to choose an additional option, even on a miss.
Physics? What physics: When you unleash your powers to barrel through an insurmountable barrier, roll + Danger instead of + Freak.
-Defender: When you leap to defend your love or rival in battle, roll + Danger instead of + Savior to defend them.

Kai laughs along with her when Tempest laughs at his invitation. Then as she goes on to describe the traditions of Glavnos, his smirk returns with a vicious edge at the prospect of challenging fight. He might claim it was because he didn't get to take on Coyote or Bruja as Sunburst took down both with a single shot, and the hydrokinetic, for all her talk, went down like a bitch. But the truth was, between hearing of the woman who had died in front of Tsunami, and the intense pressure and dominating display of power from Lightbringer, he was feeling a weird mental itch. A feeling of inferiority that was just present enough to be annoying, but not enough to directly affect him. The sort of thing that called for the sort of catharsis only a good fight could provide.

"First!" he declares as he hold a hand in front of him with his pointer finger raised. "Mosi is my rival, not my friend. Second!" he raises another finger "I haven't seen him around 'his people' so I got no idea whether he's well respected. What I do know, is how he acts as a hero. As a hero he definitely wants to do the right thing, and while some might call how he tries to achieve that brave, even I consider some of the stuff he does crazy. And I'm not a guy known for thinking things through. Third!" another finger raised "There is no one like me. But if you're asking if he likes to kick it with metahumans, then yeah, he hangs with a couple of them: Tsunami and Sunburst."

With that her questions are answered, but Kai isn't done yet. "Fourth! We're not in Glavnos, we're in San Fran, and you know what they say about 'when in Rome'. That said... last but not least; when you're done with asking your last question, you better call your head-of-security and get him to have a replacement guard ready. Cause soon as we finish this shoot, I'm gonna be knocking one of those suits out like a light."

[Mr. E]

Moonshadow
Conditions: Angry, Hopeless
Potential: 3/5

Cindy looks at her sister with a surprised expression, then smiles suddenly and abruptly, stealing a chip off the plate in Lan's hands.

"Nice! Does this mean that you won't spend your weekend hiding behind a screen? That's gotta be a first," she teases lightly, pretending to hunch over a keyboard as she strolls along. "Do you want me along? I don't have any plans, but I was kinda enjoying that." Rambling along, Cindy pauses for a moment, then turns a little more serious. "You're doing this 'cause you want to, right? This isn't some kind of weird guilt-trip? 'Cause I think you did good this time and I reckon we'd all say that."

[The_Specialist]

Tsunami
Conditions: Hopeless
Potential: 4/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +0
• Danger: -1
• Savior: +2
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

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• [X] Been Reading the Files: You’ve learned about the superhuman world through your mentor’s resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll + Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you’ve learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge; the GM will tell you why.
• [X]Be Mindful of Your Surroundings: When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.
• [X]Venting Frustration: When you directly engage while you are Angry, you can roll + the label your mentor denies (Mundane) and clear Angry.

The fact that the artifact seems to earn both surprise and concern from The Smith immediately has Max on alert. For a moment, he even thinks he catches a glimpse of fear in her expression, but he’s not entirely sure. He’s never seen her afraid.

He can’t even imagine what could actually make The Smith hesitate. Because of that perhaps, some part of him had unrealistically expected (despite what they’d witnessed) that she would tell them it was all nothing to fret about. Political, perhaps, but trivial. Or maybe he’d simply hoped that. She hasn’t even spoken yet to answer Ronin, and already Max feels a tingle of increasingly building uncertainty creeping up his spine. He tries to tell himself the only reason she is so careful when handling the artifact is that she’s afraid of breaking it.

When her gaze snaps to him at the mention of Lightbringer, the words that follow catch him by surprise and are instantly followed by confusion.
"You shouldn't have bought it here."

“Why?” Max presses immediately, before he can fully process the weight of her tone. His brows furrow as it sinks in however, his gaze following her, intense with questioning. This was not the answer he expected; after all, with everything he’d witnessed, he couldn’t imagine anywhere but The Forge to bring it to.

“Smith-...” He tries again as she starts to move towards the anvil, though her words cut him off briefly. “What do you mean, you can’t help?” His tone is is a mixture of alarm and incredulity. Not that of a spoiled child not used to getting his way; he would be hard pressed to demand anything of the Smith nor did he ever expect anything to simply be handed to him. Instead, the words are born simply of a sincere lack of understanding and imagination as to what could possibly keep The Smith from lending her aid in a matter that seems to be so dire.

Max grows quiet as she continues to speak, seemingly burdened to silence under the weight of his own bewilderment. He doesn’t argue about the notion of The Smith keeping the Repository at The Forge, he still more than trusts her to keep it safe, even if he cannot reconcile her warning and simultaneous unwillingness to help beyond that.

The young man actually seems to jolt slightly when she addresses him specifically and tells him he should stay, his eyes growing wide in alarm. He isn’t even hurt that she’s said to his face there is nothing he can do to help, not much at least, he’s more in shock by the entire notion, that he should or would ever turn his back on his friends and ignore a crisis.

There is some part of him certainly, that would love it if things were so simple that he could merely stay at The Forge and work away as her apprentice in the craft alone. He could be even closer to The Smith, and maybe become a truly remarkable smith in his own right. Max enjoys the craft immensely as it is, but he’s miles behind her forging skills and light-years behind her level of technical comprehension. He can’t even understand half the things that Ronin talks about when it comes to the more complex mechanics of power armour and the like.

That The Smith has so freely offered and asked him to stay makes him feel that she does genuinely value his skill and believes in his potential, something he has a hard time seeing in himself, always. She wants to save him from hurt, a reminder that she genuinely cares about him, yet another thing he has a hard time accepting at times, through no fault of hers. And that kind of approval and kinship with a mentor figure is something Max craves more deeply and often than he wants to admit.

But it isn’t so simple, and regardless of what’s coming for San Fran, the world will never be that simple. And he could never forgive himself if he turned a blind eye to a crisis, nor can he even truly fathom doing so. That isn’t Max. Even so, it hurts, to have to turn away from The Smith’s insistence to stay, because there was a time in far too recent history where that was all he ever wanted, from his then current mentor figure. But there are still so many questions he has; he can’t comprehend why she insists she can’t help. It’s obvious in his eyes, she’s his hero.

Max finds himself staring at the anvil rather than the owner as he struggles to process and reconcile all his thoughts, swallowing thickly against an uncomfortable tightness that has taken hold of his throat. He starts to become aware that Ronin is answering The Smith, and he’s grateful, both because it ensures the focus isn’t on him as he awkwardly struggles not to show emotion and process it at the same time, and because her words remind him of where his morals do truly lie, far above any selfish desires. She speaks for all of them, and while some stubborn bone in his body might normally protest to anyone speaking for him, he won’t deny her words. He’s proud of them, he’s proud of Ronin for saying them, and so unapologetically, to someone she surely respects and must disagree with at the same time, currently. He’s grateful she can be a voice for him in that moment.

When Max does manage to lift his gaze again to The Smith, it’s decisively less steady; the questioning has never really left his eyes. “Baasan...” The name he uses to address her this time seems more familiar, familial even. “Don’t ask me to choose between family.” When he speaks it is soft, more vulnerable than Max genuinely allows. The team is his family, and so is The Smith. True, it isn’t as though she’s said he can’t still be her apprentice if he doesn't stay, but the whole matter is confusing in itself, and he’s never openly defied a request of hers before. “You know I can’t just stay...” He still sounds almost painfully confused; surely she couldn’t possibly think he could ever do as she is asking him to? Surely she understands who he is, why he can’t simply stay.

“I would never abandon my team.” He struggles to keep himself as controlled as he’d like, and in truth he’s far from his usual collected state, but that’s been rather the theme for the day. “If there really is a war coming, then they’re going to need all the help they can get down there. I can’t just run away from a fight I’ve already started on.” It annoys him that something about his wording still sounds like he’s trying to explain it to himself as much as her, like it’s an excuse. So he finishes more simply.

“I won’t.”

It should have been a valiant statement, but it still falls flat to his ears. More like a sulking child than any sort of sturdy hero. It sounds like how he feels, deep down- that he’s in denial. Because the fact that there is something so daunting that The Smith won’t help and won’t explain it does truly frighten him. And he doesn’t know if he’s fit for it, if he’s going to be able to help. His mentor has essentially told him he’ll both be useless and at incredible risk. He definitely didn’t help today, and a glimpse of the dead knight limp in his arms flashes in his mind’s eye again. What if it’s just going to be like that, over and over again? Dead ends and dead bodies? Can his endurance hold out?

In the end, the answers don’t matter. They’re inevitable, because he won’t change his mind.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Rolled 4 to reject The Smith's influence, so marking Hopeless as a condition and raising Savior by 1 and lowering Danger by 1.
Also, giving Ronin Influence over Max because she's really showing herself to be aligned with his morals here at a crucial moment.

[Comissar]

Sunburst
Conditions: Guilty, Hopeless, Angry
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +1
• Freak: +2
• Savior: +0
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Burn and Flares

Show

Held Burn

0

Shielding

You call up a fast protective field to stop a danger. Spend 1 burn to defend someone else from an immediate threat, rolling +Freak instead of +Saviour.

Moat

Spend 1 burn to create a barrier that will hold back threats as long as you keep your attention on it. The GM may call for you to spend another burn if the barrier is threatened by particularly powerful enemies.

Reality Storm

You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling +Freak instead of +Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another burn.

Snatch

Spend 1 burn to use your powers to seize any one object up to the size of a person from someone within view.

Lanuola wasn't sure how her sister would react to her news that she'd be carrying out community service, but petty food theft hadn't featured as a possibility. She couldn't help but let out a surprised laugh at the action, "Hey! E le fetaui^*!"

A translator's note sits unobtrusively in the bottom right corner of the panel, reading '*That's not fair!'

She maneuvers the plate, trying to make sure it was no longer in easy reach of her sister. At her continued teasing and light offer of accompanying her, she sticks her tongue out at Cindy. "Not if you're going to keep being a jerk about it."

At Cindy's shift in tone, her joviality quickly drains away. With her free hand she pulls her borrowed jacket a little further over one shoulder. "I mean... I-I blew up a building... I don't, uh, I don't think that's 'doing good'..."

[Hans Free]

The Lion
Conditions: 2, Hopeless (-2 on unleash), Insecure (-2 to reject)
Potential: 2/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +1
• Danger: -1
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +2

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X]Words of the past: When you seek the guidance of one of your elders or a member of your legacy, tell them a problem you face, and ask them a question about the problem. They will answer it honestly, and tell you what to do. Take +1 ongoing if you listen. If you go your own way, mark potential.
• [X]Never give up, never surrender: When you take a powerful blow from someone with far greater power than you, use this move instead of the basic move. Roll + Savior. On a hit, you stand strong and choose one. On a 7-9, mark a condition.

We turn the next page and leave Lanuola, to see the Lion still standing before Lightbringer.

Close-up on the Officer beside them. A bead of sweat DRIPS down his brow as Mosi ingests Lightbringer's words.

"Yeah... you're probably right about me, Lighbringer. Assuming that is, that we ever really decide anything. Sadly, that seems to run contrary to my personal experience."

He lets out an embarrassed chuckle and sighs, visibly melting into non-hostility. The Lion reaches a burly arm behind his head, scratching his mane, his eyes closed -- a "typical" Mosi expression. He pats the nearby officer on the back, pulling himself in, and makes a big show of reading his name tag -- except he's staring at the officer's badge.

"Officer... Sapporo, was it? Fran... Sapporo? Hahahaha, sorry. I couldn't help myself -- you just have such a catchy name -- I kid!" The Officer is caught off guard by Mosi's sudden 180. "You said you and the missus had a trio of beautiful twin girls you wanted to introduce me to... somewhere far, far from here. And..." As Mosi says the last bit with a flourishing wave, all color drains from his face. "Oh. Sekh-met... my spear! I-I just realized I left on some boat in the middle of the river. Mami's gonna kill me!"

Mosi practically falls onto the officer in mock despair -- something of an issue given the size of our boy -- but he has done this before as a joke to a variety people, and invariably the targets of said joke tend to be smaller than Mosi, so he easily holds the effort of keeping himself standing. The Lion walks off with the officer, continuing his song and dance of self-caricature as long as Lightbringer is in view. Out of sight, Mosi's eyes snap open as he stands on his, back turned to lighbringer, as she goes out of focus behind him. They glow gold with the power of Sekhmet, locked into a dangerous maliaise, his lips curl into a snarl, as if to say

"Don't you dare think I'll forget this moment."

Cut to the PRESENT, where Mosi sits on the rooftop of the restaurant, his head in his hands. Behind him, the swirl of the teleportal in the doorway. Mosi sniffles. He swipes at his face with a beefy forearm and an OOMPH. Groans, having smacked his glasses into his face, he lays back against the tile. Looks up to see his outstretched hand has shattered one of the tiles. Groans again, lifts back up, all the tiles beneath him have cracked as well. Sekh-met!

He wonders if the team is having as much fun today as him. He opens his phone, hoping one of them has messaged him. He smiles.

ONE NEW MESSAGE.

And... it's not from the team. One new message, from Asha. Mosi hesitates to respond to his sister. But, with no contact from the team, and with no excuses otherwise... even though Mosi could think of a million places he'd rather be; with the team, dancing, getting sandwiches, surfing, watching the trains go by... Duat, even getting the crap beaten out of him on camera by Coyote would be better than going back to

The Hospital.

We get a big juicy splash of the facade of one of San Fran's best hospitals. It's all wood and steel, East meets west, a fusion designed to radiate splendor and glory, holistic architecture.

Inside, we see an open elevator. it's empty.

Mosi backs out of a nearby door and bumps into an orderly, sending papers flying everywhere. Mosi starts to help him, before spotting the elevator doors open.

"Sorry!! I am sorry, I promise I will come back to help with that!" He picks up into a sprint. The orderly looks at him in frustration, then in bewilderment as he looks at the sign in the room where Mosi emerged from:

A Maintenance Closet, closed for... maintenance. Meanwhile, Mosi checks his phone and groans. Another text from Asha. He looks up to see a bed in front of him, being moved. He leaps over it with one hand! He looks back and gives and apologetic wave -- as the elevator closes shut behind him.

"Wait, wait, wait!" He hits the button, hits it again. Hits the button again.

"Maybe, I don't know, try the stairs?" The orderly says. Mosi gives the man a thumbs up, and runs through the door. The Orderly goes back to picking up papers, rolling his eyes.

IN THE STAIRWELL, Mosi sees a sign indicating he's on the 1st floor. Only 10 to go. No sweat.

In one fell swoop, The Lion jumps onto the railing and unbuttons his suit jacket.

Then, with a powerful kick -- The Lion rockets himself with a leg push to the opposite railing above him. We get a one page splash only possible in a comic, covered in a multitude of Mosi's, a golden, ghost like trail of energy drawn purely to animate the path Mosi takes to scale the stairwell level by level. As he does, his mind drifts from the mission. And before the mission. And after the mission. At each floor he jumps to, we get a small panel of Mosi's expression, showing the gradual shift as he goes from business to pleasure.

But it all ends too soon, and as he reaches the 11th floor his gut sinks.

Cut to the HALLWAY; a shot of beautiful American family, cheering and crying. Then, in the hallway, we see Mosi walking. Another panel of Mosi walking. And another. An old man walks passed him into the arms of his family, who cheer and cry, seeing him walking for the first time in five years thanks to advances in medical science... and if you couldn't tell -- now that he's at the doorway (literally), Mosi is trying his damndest not to go in. Or at least to go in as slow as possible.

Just like Lightbringer said, open with one hand, slam shut with the other. He puts the older hero out of his immediate thoughts, and knocks on the doorframe of room 402. Mosi looks back at the American family and smiles, before entering the room dedicated to the Lion family.

Darkness in the room, vertical blinds closed all the way shut, but not enough not to let out thin slits of light through, casting long blades onto the room -- dividing everyone and everything up in multiple vertical slices. The Chiaroscuro obscuring our vision, but we can clearly hear the BEEPS and WHIRS of medical equipment.

Parked in a chair in the corner of the room is Mosi's sister, Asha. She's curled up like a cat, wearing a non-Mami regulation crop top with a artistically designed skull on it, her hair is defiantly cornrowed, a septum ring popped into her nose. She watches a video, snickering.

Mosi doesn't need to hear it to know it is probably him, maybe that's because he can see news coverage of the River Market Battle on the small flat screen in the corner of room. Particularly footage of him getting kicked in the face.

"You know, I did get some good hits in before that happened." He doesn't look back. It takes a second for Asha to respond, but before she does, her lips curl into a smile.

"Riiiight. I'm sure Mami is gonna care about that, and not that you and one of your 'lady friends' destroyed the market. Speaking of which, the costume looked good on camera! Even if you... did not. Props to whoever designed that, I'm sure she was a very talented young woman who ought not to be dressing like a macabre hooligan, and..." She clicks her tongue. "And, oh wait... that was me."

"Funny. Is that my sister I see? Because I could have sworn that I heard a fly buzz. And the buzzing seems to come from some sort of evil jester speaking in the corner of the room, covered in grease paint. How troubling, and un-princess-like." He shakes his head in mock disapproval -- they both tut, emulating Mami. Then laugh.

He knew she was just teasing him, as she was want to do. They put each other down like that to keep each other's egos in check. A relic from their time in Imam as its royal family, now turned to coping mechanism to reduce the stress of living with in San Fran, in a completely different world. When their family was completely different. Now they do it to avoid the quiet of a broken home, and to work through the pain of losing two family members. First Benghani, then... Father.

Neither sibling speaks, Asha quieting down, as she notice's Mosi's attention drift to the center of the room. Asha's face goes from a smile to a half-frown and she pretends to go back to her phone, trying to let Mosi have his moment -- but she can't help watch and study the pained expression on the young giant of a boy-prince's face. The younger Lion looks completely disarmed, as he stares at

MIOS PRIDE-IMAMU -- former Guardian, dethroned King of Imam, Black Lion, trapped between life and death. We get the typical splash page, but it is instead of action, Mosi's father simply stares up at the ceiling -- his vacant eyes sunken into his face, lined with wrinkles and coated in greying stubble turned almost entirely white, matching his rapidly greying dreads. He looks peaceful, but long lost as the vitality is drained from him day after day.

We cut back to Mosi. His hands down at his side, he looks adrift. We zoom into his still unbuttoned suit jacket opens to reveal a trace line of blood staining his white button-down. X-Ray below, in true comics-style to see his muscled core GLOWING, his wound shuts itself entirely and disappears.

Mosi was glad he wasn't wearing his helm. For if he were looking out of the Mane the Hunter, he would be able to see the pollen like array of golden spores floating about the room, drifiting from King Mios to his children. A reminder of the transference of the last vestiges of the Black Lion's power to his children. That his condition wouldn't get better -- and theirs would. Maybe it was no different than the promise made by any parent to their child, but certainly it was more literal. Mios's fate was immediate and at the same time, brutally slow.

We cut to a sweeping hand, pulling the pouch from Mosi's waist. In one swift motion, the Spear of Sekhmet is flung into battle mode, stretched into a blur, motion lines following its pathway --

Down onto Mosi's head, the blunt end lands firm but not hostile.

"Acccccck!!!" Mosi's eyes go white and he grabs his head, crumpling to his knees.

"What if I were a villain, come to attack you at your weakest moment?"

"Mami! Hahaha, uh, I guess I would probably be dead." He laughs and scratches his dreads, closing his eyes. Back in the corner of the room, Asha rolls her eyes.

Mami -- Former Queen and Black Lioness, Efe Pride-Imamu -- stands lithe and proud in a battle stance with the spear, her cane parked against the doorframe. Her stance honed by a lifetime of practice with the ancestral weapon that was entrusted to her on the completion of a brutal childhood inside an Imamu monastery, learning to become the tribe's greatest warrior. Her childhood was one without love, without affection; a far cry from either of how her children were raised.

The Black Lioness still has her training, if not her pride. And that she can pass that down to her children, even if they grow to hate her for it. Despite her strictness and insistence that they become superheroes -- Efe swore she would not let Asha and Mosi suffer the same fate as her and Mios. Not again at least.

The room is SILENT. Mosi now sits on the floor, smaller and lower than the women in his life, and under the shadow of his father.

"I saw something really awful today, Mami. Lighbringer... she... she hurt a super-villain." He looks up at his sister. "She killed her. It was... awful. I had forgotten what that felt like... seeing someone die." He looks up, and back to his father, shakes his head.

He sinks lower, before looking up at Mami, hopeful she will comfort him, even though she hasn't in quite some time.

[Razade]

Pool: 1


Ground Zero, Nessa et all, Tempest: Pierside

Tempest can barely stifle a laugh, the guards looking all the more frustrated with you the more you speak. "My, so eager. I'm afraid we'll have to take a raincheck however. I'm a very busy woman with many places to be. I cannot give you the fight you're looking for today however if I might be so bold? I'll forfeit my last question to offer you a wager. I'll be leaving this city in a week's time. If you can do something worthy of my time I'd be happy to let you go at all of my bodyguards if it'd please you. This of course means I simply must turn you down on your previous offer as well."

Tempest gives only the barest of pouts as one of her bodyguards leans in to say something in her ear. "Yes of course Yakov, this won't be another Epic moment. I know how father dislikes helping the Yankees." She then turns her smoldering attention upon you once more. "I'll be looking forward to hearing of your exploits...Key...was it?" With a flick of her hair the entourage is off leaving Nessa and pretty much everyone else with their mouths near the floor.

Not every day you meet a foreign dignitary! You didn't get to the bottom of much but maybe it'd be good to give your friend Mosi a heads up? There's the rest of the shoot as well and you've not heard from the Science Team in quite a while. What could the hold up there be? What do you do.

The Lion and his Pride: Hospital

Even in the vibrant, green and loud city of San Fransapporo there are places stripped bare. Sterile. The hospitals of San Fransapporo each a cold little place outside the sprawling verdant storm just outside its walls. Things haven't run as well since Lan, the Finch passed away. Tendrils of the madness worming their way in with get well cards, flowers and affectations that the former hero would have banned outright. Even with the somber air, the former Empress of the Imamu stands regal in a dress of blue that matches the defiant foliage that sits so near to your father. A lotus flower, the scent not near strong enough to fill the room with all its chemicals and medicines and clean, crisp air. She offers what could well be the only warmth in the entire hospital wing though scarce enough that it cannot pierce the tumult of emotions within you.

"She is a warrior, my son. What would you have me do?" It takes far longer for her to say those words than what it seems like on the page. Minutes tick by in silence, the slow breathing of your father, the clicking and ticking of machines keeping him doing the former, the soft breathes of your sister as she watches the glacial argument begin. "It is hard enough finding a place here. You must find a way to fill the space left for you without questioning their status quo. A patient hunter knows when it is time to strike at the herd. This "villain", she caused harm? Do you question the actions of a Warrior? Would you have protected Lightbringer, if she had been lax?" No comfort indeed. It's stress of course. But understanding why someone is the way they are, in the moment they're in, does little to soften the blow of their words. "Would you?" she repeats. "You are headstrong, like your father. It serves you well in battle but in these matters you must take time, the Lion does not hunt as the Hyena."

Spoiler

Show

Hey look, Influence time. She's giving you some praise...on the back of her hand. She's saying you're a strong warrior, honorable and with a good mind to it but...not for diplomacy and using the noggin when you're dealing with the locals. If you agree, Danger up, Superior down. Roll to reject otherwise.

[Catastrophic_B]

Ground Zero
Conditions: none
Potential: 4/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

Labels:
Freak: +1
Danger: +3
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

Show

Moves:
In a China Shop: When you directly engage a threat, you can cause significant collateral damage to your environment to choose an additional option, even on a miss.
Physics? What physics: When you unleash your powers to barrel through an insurmountable barrier, roll + Danger instead of + Freak.
-Defender: When you leap to defend your love or rival in battle, roll + Danger instead of + Savior to defend them.

As Tempest's procession walks past him, Kai pulls out his phone and types up a quick text to Lion.

Expect a Tempest within the week. ~GZ

This is quickly followed by a message to Sunburst.

How did the meeting go? ~GZ

And as an afterthought, he sends out a message to Ronin.

Any updates? ~GZ

With that done, he puts his phone away and turns to Nessa with a smile. "I think that went pretty well. What about you?"

[Mr. E]

Moonshadow
Conditions: Angry, Hopeless
Potential: 3/5

In response to Lan's accusations of chip theft, Cindy merely sticks out her tongue and steals another. The conversation, however, turns to serious matters, and she frowns at her sister's response, brows drawing together and wrinkling in the middle.

"Oh, so it was you that - actually, never mind," she says, as her brain catches up with her runaway mouth*. "Um, anyway, I don't think, like, you should blow up buildings, but, like, nobody died. I mean, I guess compared to, you know, Lightbringer," Moonshadow pauses uncomfortably, suddenly not sure that her words are going to help, "you haven't, you know, killed anyone."

Cindy closes her eyes for a moment, the panels cutting to an image of her sister. Dressed as Lightbringer, Lan floats in space, beams of light surging from her hands to incinerate some unseen foe. For a moment the picture hovers, colours distorted and warped, before disintegrating as Moonshadow shakes her head in revulsion, banishing the thought.

*Currently attempting to make its fortune in the city of unfortunate revelations, as far as she can tell...

[Comissar]

Sunburst
Conditions: Guilty, Hopeless, Angry
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +1
• Freak: +2
• Savior: +0
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Burn and Flares

Show

Held Burn

0

Shielding

You call up a fast protective field to stop a danger. Spend 1 burn to defend someone else from an immediate threat, rolling +Freak instead of +Saviour.

Moat

Spend 1 burn to create a barrier that will hold back threats as long as you keep your attention on it. The GM may call for you to spend another burn if the barrier is threatened by particularly powerful enemies.

Reality Storm

You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling +Freak instead of +Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another burn.

Snatch

Spend 1 burn to use your powers to seize any one object up to the size of a person from someone within view.

Lanuola's too busy with her own introspection to catch Cindy's arrested comment and it's meaning. Instead, she listens along to her sister's reassurances, catching herself mentally applying a 'yet' to the end of her last comment. She's uncertain what to say, hesitant to comment in case she said the wrong thing. Perhaps fortunately, then, her phone rings out with its text tone. Fishing it out, she's surprised to see the message is from. Fiddling with her phone one handed makes privacy difficult, but she's not particularly worried about Cindy seeing anyway.

She starts tapping out her response, Went ok. Just left. Will be cleaning up fight on the weekend. She hesitates a moment, turning the phone subtly away from Cindy before adding, How are you?

[DreadPirateH]

Hikari
Conditions:
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +1
• Danger: +3
• Savior: -1
• Superior: +1
• Mundane: -1

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X] Devil or Angel on My Shoulder: When you provoke a teammate to violent action or drastic measures as your Hero Persona, roll with your Alias Label. When you discourage a teammate from going overboard or making an action they can’t take back as your Alias Persona, roll + your Hero Label.
• [X]Save the Light: When you step in to intervene, help a civilian, or stop a threat roll + your Hero label. On a miss, you’re made to look the fool. Mark a Condition and give ground. On a hit, you’ve got someone’s attention. Use it as an opportunity or provoke them to action. On a 10+ your foe must respond in kind or flee.

Hikari stands further back from the Smith behind the others, half shrouded in flickering shadows. She wears the swords, Chidori and Honoo, comfortably and openly, sheathed one on either hip. They were made here, by the Smith in her Forge, but for someone else. The Smith has made it clear before that she disapproves of Hikari's having them. She stays silent throughout the exchanges, just watching. Ronin and Tsunami are more than capable of making their own decisions, and they prove it.

"Looks like you have your answer. We'll bring your regards to this Hierophant. We should be going. Thanks for your help."

This is going to complicate things.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Accepting the Influence, raising Danger and lowering Savior.

[Mr. E]

Moonshadow
Conditions: Angry, Hopeless
Potential: 3/5

"Are you ignoring me to text your crush?" Cindy demands, as her sister pulls out her phone, striking a tone between teasing and exasperated. She leans over Lan's shoulder, using her superior height to be a nuisance, before drawing back as Sunburst leans away. Accepting her sister's desire to move the conversation on, she continues immediately, voice light and joking. "You just don't respect me like a younger sister ought. Don't you know who's the boss here?"

For all her jokes, Moonshadow watches her sister's face closely, trying to read Lan's responses. Not that she had anything against Kai personally, but there were certain responsibilities that came with being the eldest in the family.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

I believe that Cindy is trying to Pierce the Mask here: (2d6+1)[8]

In that case, I think what Cindy really wants to know is: what do you intend to do? (with your hot teammate's rippling abs...)

[Razade]

Pool: 1


Ground Zero, Nessa et All: Pierside

It takes a moment for Nessa..and really most everyone else to pick their mouths off the ground. "She's going to kill you and you're going to enjoy it." Nessa finally breathes in her usual dry manner, turning back to the cameras. "I call dibs on your sets. Bring some condiments to the fight, I hear Glavnos women eat their mates." With a flip of her hair she's back to the shoot as it resumes. Leaving you with a phone.

You do get a buzz though it's only to throw back your message to Ronin. Not even a "didn't send" notice. An outright return from the carrier, Ronin's phone number seemingly disappeared into the ether. Wherever Ronin is, she's not anywhere with any kind of service.


Ronin, Hikari, Tsunami, The Smith: The Forge

Hikari's words ring true, the Smith's eyes narrowing by degrees. "You walk ever deeper into the shadows, little bird, with no one to guide you." Her gaze however breaks from Hikari to size all of you up en mass. "It is folly. I'll have you know this before you leave. If you've made your minds up to this fool's errand then so be it but it is not a decision I can join you in. The world rests upon mighty pillars, foundations built by time and trust but they're still fragile things. You'll learn this but I fear it will be a lesson too late."

She then turns back to her anvil, and thus her back to you. "I will inform Wukong that you seek an audience with their guest. They will know where to contact you. Many will oppose you, Lightbringer most certainly will be among their number. You've no hope against the likes of her, if the time comes that you all must cross blades...run. I won't forgive you if you kill my only student." She glances over her shoulder as she moves to lift her mighty hammer. "Be safe, Max. I've nothing more to say to any of you while you remain stubborn. You're dismissed."

The stern tone brooks little argument, The Smith placing the Repository nearby as she goes back to whatever task you interrupted. Each ring of her hammer can be felt in your swords Hikari, as if they remember the strikes the hammer lay on them even now.

[Comissar]

Sunburst
Conditions: Guilty, Hopeless, Angry
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +1
• Freak: +2
• Savior: +0
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Burn and Flares

Show

Held Burn

0

Shielding

You call up a fast protective field to stop a danger. Spend 1 burn to defend someone else from an immediate threat, rolling +Freak instead of +Saviour.

Moat

Spend 1 burn to create a barrier that will hold back threats as long as you keep your attention on it. The GM may call for you to spend another burn if the barrier is threatened by particularly powerful enemies.

Reality Storm

You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling +Freak instead of +Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another burn.

Snatch

Spend 1 burn to use your powers to seize any one object up to the size of a person from someone within view.

Lanuola lowers her phone guiltily, pocketing it hastily enough that she inadvertently sends off a message of fffddfsggd to Kai as she does. Her cheeks are lit up as she shakes her head, "H-he messaged me first! I... I-I mean..." She looks quite clearly embarrassed, "H-he's not, uh, not my crush!" Her tone starts to shift from embarrassed to defensive, "A-and it shouldn't matter anyway. I-If I like someone, I-I should be allowed to talk to them."

There's a beat panel. Her face has lit up further from the previous shot of her, perhaps realising how her words could be misconstrued. "B-but that d-doesn't mean I have a crush on Kai!" She lightly swats at her sister's shoulder with her free hand, "Tapuni loa^*... I-It's just a text."

*Translator's note - "Shut up..."

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Lanuola's not totally sure herself how she feels about Kai or, by extension, what she's going to do. She had been planning to just talk a bit and try and feel out his thoughts and maybe get a clearer idea of how she feels herself, but with Cindy clearly showing that she's watching the situation, nothing short of death threats will get her to get her phone back out now

[Hans Free]

The Lion
Conditions: 2, Hopeless (-2 on unleash), Insecure (-2 to reject)
Potential: 2/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +1
• Danger: 0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: -1
• Mundane: +2

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X]Words of the past: When you seek the guidance of one of your elders or a member of your legacy, tell them a problem you face, and ask them a question about the problem. They will answer it honestly, and tell you what to do. Take +1 ongoing if you listen. If you go your own way, mark potential.
• [X]Never give up, never surrender: When you take a powerful blow from someone with far greater power than you, use this move instead of the basic move. Roll + Savior. On a hit, you stand strong and choose one. On a 7-9, mark a condition.

We pull away to a panel of another family's drama -- of the standstill in the room of the Pride-Imamus, as Mosi processes his mother's "compliment", still sitting on the hospital floor -- his back parked against his father's bed. He yanks the glasses off his face, His brow furrowing. He look up at his mother, a little hurt in his eyes. Headstrong.

"You--!" He breathes, sighs, and relents from his instinct to be defensive.

Mosi rubs at his eyes. It felt like a life time since he had been the eager Liddle Mosi who had hung on the every word of his parents and Imam's Elders. He missed that feeling, of knowing he could trust those above him. He missed the comfort of that feeling and the innocence of his youth. He needed to stop trying to find that same feeling here, because he was never going to get it back, not the same way, at least. He looks up to his mother.

"Yes, my son?" She asks. Mosi puts his glasses back on, cursing under his breath so she won't hear him. He laughs at himself.

"I should have just followed my team, but I stayed. I was proud. And stupid. And..." He groans. "You were; you are... right. I was headstrong. I should be... no, I am a hunter. Not a thinker and not a diplomat." Silently, muttering a bit to himself, he thinks, But I am not a warrior. At least not the kind of warrior Lightbringer is or who Benghani strove to be even when he was... him. He propels himself up from the ground with a single, mighty palm-thrust -- avoiding using his father's bed to pick himself up.

"I-- we might not have come to this city by choice, but I came seeking something, and I need to learn patience if I'm ever going to..." He stops short, not saying that he wants to find a way to free Benghani of the shackles of Brother Beast, or at least try to make him see reason if he really has just... lost himself to resentment and anger. But Mosi knows that isn't what she want to hear, having already written off Benghani -- at least from his perspective -- and so he thinks of his team. "...If I am ever going to find my place here. I need to stop overthinking things and just.. trust in the pack I have made."

Vtttt--Vtttt!!!

We x-ray inside Mosi's jacket pocket, his phone screen reading that he has just gotten a text from Ground Zero. He glances downward, before stopping himself -- not wanting to disrespect Mami.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Mosi accepts her influence, he was being an idiot, and he misses feeling good about accepting someone's authority. Shifted my Danger up and Superior down.

[Captain Jak]

Ronin
Conditions:
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +0
• Danger: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X] I'll Show Them: When you defend someone who doesn’t believe in you, you can always take Influence over them, even on a miss.
• [X]All The Best Stuff: You’ve compiled access to caches of equipment and weaponry other supers have hidden in the city. When you access a cache, say whose cache it is. If it’s a hero’s, roll + Savior. If it’s a villain’s, roll + Danger. On a hit, you find a tool or intel useful to your situation; the GM will detail. On a 7-9, you leave evidence that you’ve been here. On a miss, you tripped an alarm and they’re coming; prepare to explain yourself.
• [X] Always Prepared: When you have a chance to restock your supplies, hold up to 2-gadgets. When you unleash your powers by producing a brand new minor invention or gadget from your supply, spend 1-gadget and roll + Superior. When you reach 0-gadgets, mark a condition.

Hearing such disapproving and dismissive words coming from the lips of someone she so respects...hurts. Not that the Smith is incorrect; no one of them is a match for someone of Lightbringer's capabilities, even with the sheer power some of the team has.

But that's just it; it's not just one of them. It's the whole team, and they're greater than the sum of their parts. Even if the Smith can't see that yet.

”Thank you for the assistance you are able to give us,” Ronin replies, trying to keep her manner from coming across as too stiff. ”We will stand by one another, and use this opportunity to rise to the challenges that shall present themselves.” The only solution for not being strong enough to stand against their opposition...is to get stronger.

This being more Tsunami's turf than any of theirs, she waits for him to lead the way back. Not at all how she could have wished for this encounter to have gone, but...there will be others. She will show the Smith that she is a peer worthy of her respect.

Eventually.

[The_Specialist]

Tsunami
Conditions: Hopeless
Potential: 4/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +0
• Danger: -1
• Savior: +2
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• [X] Been Reading the Files: You’ve learned about the superhuman world through your mentor’s resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll + Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you’ve learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge; the GM will tell you why.
• [X]Be Mindful of Your Surroundings: When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.
• [X]Venting Frustration: When you directly engage while you are Angry, you can roll + the label your mentor denies (Mundane) and clear Angry.

Max glances belatedly towards Hikari after The Smith seems to give her some form of warning, but his focus is only half there. His head turns stiffly back towards The Smith as she sizes up the trio, that confusion and questioning in his eyes yet to be reconciled, still yearning for something more from his mentor. When she insists they are on a fool’s errand, one she can neither condone nor assist in, Max shakes his head. As The Smith turns her back on them, Max takes a sudden step towards her, as if unable to simply accept the answer that has been given. It is a single step, but a defiant one.

The Smith resumes speaking however, and he doesn’t manage to bring himself to speak over her. His expression becomes incredulous once more as his mentor suggests they run from their opposition. She isn’t wrong, none of them are a match for Lightbringer. But the cool honesty hurts.

"I won’t forgive you if you kill my only student.”

If it’s so unforgivable, then do something to make sure it won’t happen!! Help us.

Max is practically chewing on his lips to keep them closed, his jaw working under tension as he has to fight not to start an argument with his teacher in front of his team mates. It is in his body language however, even as she glances over his shoulder, he does not or cannot disguise it. He’s practically leaning towards her, all his weight resting on his forward foot, fingers curled into frustrated fists.

“Be safe, Max.” She tells him. For a moment, the words of urging are a minor salve, but it hardly softens his stance. It just gives him a glimpse of hope, that there remains yet some small avenue for discussion. The next words dismiss him solidly however, and finally his weight shifts to the back foot, the young man taken aback slightly. He’s not normally one to defy The Smith, nor does he resent when she gives him an actual order. In most cases. But given the dire nature of the warnings she has given them all, it feels particularly cold, burying any sense of caring beneath the frosty finality of her tone.

Max merely stands silently for a few moments while Ronin speaks, turning to look over his own shoulder only belatedly. As if he’s surprised to see his team mates still there, waiting for him. He turns around awkwardly, giving Ronin and Hikari each an unreadable look before staring anywhere else. Tsunami marches in between them, leading the way silently back to the teleportal and stepping through it without a word, seemingly trusting that they will follow through.

Once on the other side, he’s already peeling off his jacket, throwing it blindly towards his locker. It seems a bit pointless, a reversal of logic even, given that it was far hotter in The Forge. The simple tank he’s wearing beneath would have been far more suited for the previous locale, comfort wise.

“...We should get the others caught up to speed. We have to act on this as a team,” Max speaks without looking over his shoulder, his tone a bit too calm almost, on autopilot. Unless otherwise stopped however, he seems to be making a bee-line for his own forge.

[Razade]

Pool: The Pool has been Reset. The Pool is now at 1



Ground Zero: Pierside

The shoot goes on though after your stunt you're not particularly needed since your set is finished. With a week to impress and who knows what else from the sisters, detail what you spend the rest of your night doing. Either way, expect to be brought up to speed by the Forge Team.


Sunburst and Moonshadow: Walking

After your sisterly bonding, where do the two of you go? Do you meet up with GZ Sunburst? Do you go home to face the family who have no doubt seen the destruction on the news? What about you Moonshadow? Either way, you eventually get brought up to speed by the Forge Team.


Hikari, Tsunami, Ronin: Base

That meeting certainly could have gone better but anyone would be a fool to think the three of you have left this matter to rest. You have the information you need however and the next place to go. Monkey Island. After you get the word out to the team, where do you go? What do you spend doing until tomorrow? How do you wash the taste of this all out of your mouth?


The Lion: Hospital

Not pressing the issue seems to have been the best idea, no doubt the Lioness would have said more. The rest of the afternoon and evening stretch as they often do. No signs of improvement. No signs that your father is getting worse either. A gray, sterile purgatory where there are few answers and even fewer comforts. Eventually the call comes from the team. Wherever they'd run off to hadn't been much help either. Tomorrow however...

The Next Morning

The Team, Sans Hikari: Monkey Island

The call comes to Tsunami first. The contacts with the Wukong Industries personnel that The Smith promised has gone through. The sky is overcast and the rumbles of thunder ring off the shores when the team convenes at Monkey Island. Many San Fran natives in the team would remember when the imposing building didn't dominate the skyline, rivaling The Monsoon for eye space. Old Man Wukong came on the scene only five or so years ago, a major weapons manufactorer and an immediate celebrity from overseas. The building and the land were purchased to some rather angry outcries from the public that came to little. Monkey Island, as its known, stands now as it did then. The security however is new, men and women in suits patrol the grounds with weapons visible at their hips. The Guardian's ensigna which was a mainstay during its formative years no longer shadows the place. The Old Monkey King is gone now, the throne warmed by his grandson. A former member of The Worst Generation and a Hero in their own right, Zodiac was present at the fall of the Storm King though seems to have little time for heroics now what with the massive company to run.

All of that is history however. The present is now and the future is murky at best. A one Miss Shu arrives to collect the six of you, Hikari...somehow not present for what might well be the most important moment in the team's life to date. Dressed in a form hugging green Qipao and standing a full head taller than even The Lion, her graceful movements screaming trained fighter. It would seem even if you're guests the company is playing this safe. Miss Shu remains silent as you're led to a large elevator, which when it jerks to life speeds down.

Happy music plays over a speaker as several security cameras press in on all of you, more waiting to watch when the doors swing open several minutes later into a more vault-like series of hallways and large heavy doors. A Miss Wei and Wu, identical to Miss Shu save for their respective blue and red qipao, are also waiting. When the elevator doors close with a hiss, your guide finally speaks. "Our employer regrets not handling this matter in person. We have been placed in your care. Should you have questions, we shall facilitate you in through any means we are able." Heels click on tiled floors as Miss Shu joins her twins, the three bowing low. "It is our understanding that you are here to speak with one of our many valued guests. They have been informed of your coming and have requested, since there are so many of you, that they greet you two at a time. We will give you time to decide who will be going when. Misses Wu and Wei will take the other teams into their care while you wait. Take your time."

The three then stand motionless, barely even seeming to breath as they wait. You've got this far without any kind of push back. One might be paranoid at how well greased the wheels are here. They are asking you split up however. Two by two by two with a baby sitter for each team. That surely isn't suspicious? Not to mention they've not given you any real information on who you're meeting. The Smith didn't either. Maybe some questions are in order before you all start drawing straws? Either way, the mission is simple.

Mission: Monkey Island Mayham

- Split into teams, two each.
- Speak to the Hierophant
- Get out safely.

Silk, Tumult, et all: Not too far away

Instructions are fairly clear, coming from the Koga. Be here, bring this, do this, say this. All very simple. All very direct. No ambiguity. So when you get a text from Tumult with the location of the meeting it's brief. Whatever you told your team, however you convinced them you couldn't meet this "Hierophant" is what it is. Perhaps the Orphanage needed some help and you couldn't get out of it in such a swift time frame. Maybe A Banditry needed to speak with you concerning your past invovlement with them. That would be an easy lie, the gray clothed personal army of The Chickadee more than present in the news following Lightbringer's press release about the deaths in the square. They're calling it the River Market Massacre. The Guardians hit back against both the name and the methods Lightbinger used. The Warlords too declare the, frankly, brutal response a threat to the city.

Few argue either point. The Authority has no comment.

But that doesn't really matter to you. You've got a job to do. Tumult and a few unfamiliar faces are waiting for you at Dr. Lee's Korean Chicken and BBQ. It's a local fast food chain, scattered around the Bay and up through the rest of San Fransapporo. The location downtown is known to cater almost exclusively to the Warlords and their kin so seeing a villain in their outfit isn't all that strange. Tumult doesn't even bother to wave you over, in discussion with the rest of his "team".

The first face, unfamiliar to you as noted, is not to the readers. Dark skinned with eyes like opals, a name is finally given to her face. The pages forgo the general splash, text boxes over the villains instead. This young woman is noted as Tiger Shark. Her outfit matches though in reverse to her namesake. Black, form hugging with sharp blades on her wrists and back with jagged and angry orange lines that glow like they were some sort of LED. Her face is not obscured though a mask sits in front of her in her hands.

The second is a dark purple haired youth, arms draped over the back of the booth they've picked. Polaris hands over his head, a similarly tight suit of whites and purples and greens. The symbol of The Rogue is tacked onto his nameplate. He seems the only one to have actually ordered food, lazily picking at a plate of kimchi fried rice and spare ribs while Tumult and Tigershark converse strenuously with the final face. Or mask as the case may be. Suited in heavy knightly armor with a deer themed helmet. The Huntsman, the card reads. The three grow silent as you sit, whatever argument not for your ears or your time. Tumult is then quick to produce a slip of paper and place it for all to read on the table.

Your Mission

- Retrieve the Imperial Key from Wukong Industries.
- Do not get caught. Do not fight if you are caught. Run.
- Bring the Imperial Key to the South Side Bay upon retrieval.

You however Silk have some additional objectives, slipped into your pocket en route to your job.

- Get the Imperial Key first.
- Take out Polaris and Huntsman if they become a threat to the real mission.

Any questions? If not, the entry into Monkey Island is easy. Some guards were paid off, cameras disabled. The way in is open and clear. The way forward is not. As soon as you're in, some waiting room or former office, your group splits up. The Key could be just about anywhere at this rate, Tumult explains, and splitting up is the safest method of getting around. You, Silk, are left with Tigershark and the Huntsman to search the archives below while Polaris and Tumult move upwards into the various offices and more personal areas of Monkey Island. The descent down through elevator shafts and air ducts is slow but you eventually find yourself in a cavernous storage area.

"This seems your area." Tiger Shark drawls in the gloom, both standing guard behind you. "Not sure why they brought us along if we're not allowed to let loose. The two of us could probably just smash our way through and find it. How hard could it be?"

The Huntsman remains silent as Tiger Shark begins to weave a powerful lattice of water that emits from her fins. "You've gone after it before at any rate. Any ideas why they brought it here of all places?"