Once and Future (WormxFate)

Amberion · Apr 23, 2024

There's only one thing that can save her - the holy grail!

Aldsan · Apr 24, 2024

A knight stood in the middle of the road. Broken spears and shields littered the area, evidence of battles past. He allowed none to pass by unless they defeated him in a joust, and so far, none had.

"A foul curse was set upon me," Pellinore told the girl. "I am trapped here until I am defeated."

"Then by my honor, I shall see you freed," the girl replied.

They rode against one another and their spears shattered. Again and again, they found themselves evenly matched, until the girl was unhorsed. She drew her sword and the knight rode against her, the full force of his charge against an opponent on foot. The girl's sword flashed with bright light, blinding as they clashed.

Pellinore was dismounted, knocked unconscious. The Sword of Selection was shattered.

❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Amy's room was dark despite it being almost noon. The curtains were drawn tight, not a hint of light let into the place. She groaned softly as I opened the door, letting the light from the hallway spill in.

"Vicky, I already told you I'm not feeling well."

"I am not Victoria."

Amy shot up at the sound of my voice, her eyes panicked. She had trapped herself in a cocoon of blankets, appearing nothing so much as an Amy burrito, unable to shed her wrappings to escape. "Elaine? W-What are you doing here?"

I shut the door behind myself, casting the room into darkness once more. The only light to guide me was that of Amy's computer and the digital clock near her bed.

"I think we need to talk after last night."

"....A talk, huh?" Amy slumped back into her bed. "Alright. I think I can guess, but is this where you tell me that you want to be just friends?"

"No. It is not."

"Oh… So not even that." Amy turned her face away. "So what, is this just to tell me to get lost then?"

"Amy," I said chidingly and sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Look at me."

She slowly, hesitatingly returned her gaze, fear written plain across her features. I smoothed a hand over her brow, brushing her hair back, before leaning in to press my lips gently to hers. She was deathly cold, whatever illness she had clearly taking its toll. For a moment, I found myself suppressing panic at the contact, even though I had been the one to initiate it.

"What–?" Amy asked, flabbergasted.

"I am not angry at you, Amy. I was taken by surprise last night, but not displeased."

"But you were crying and I–"

"It was an emotional moment for me," I said, cutting her off. "It was intense. More than I expected." I smiled slightly and caressed her cheek. "It caught me by surprise. However, if you're willing, I would like to give this a chance. Would you go out with me, Amy?"

Amy's mouth opened and closed soundlessly, like a fish pulled from the river. When she finally collected her thoughts, she looked down. "You don't have to. If this is because you feel bad for me or something, I'll be fine. You don't have to force yourself."

"I am not forcing myself. I like you, Amy. I want to try dating you."

"You'll probably regret it if you do. I'm a mess," Amy whispered.

"I will not regret it." Even if things ended poorly, I would not regret this choice. "Will you go out with me?"

"Yes," Amy whispered.

I smiled and leaned down to kiss her again, deeper this time, allowing it to linger as it had last night. Amy did not seem to mind. At some point, she managed to free her hands from the blanket burrito, tangling them in my hair, holding me there against her. When I finally came up simply for the need to breathe, it was with a swollen lip and the taste of blood in my mouth – she had bitten down at one point. Still, the small bit of pain was worth seeing the sheer ecstasy that painted her face, as though her greatest dreams had come true.

Gamemaster said:
Amor (Amy) generated (2d6+6) = 14
Bond with Amy increased to 7.

"Now," I said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I am going to go downstairs and make you some soup. Rest and feel better, Amy."

Amy barked out a laugh. "How am I going to rest after that?" She reached out and took my hand in hers. "I'm not really hungry though. Just stay here with me awhile?"

"As you wish."

I sidled onto the bed next to her, simply holding her for a time until she eventually fell asleep. Once she finally had, I slipped away. I barely made it two steps out her bedroom door before Victoria accosted me however.

"I see you and Amy patched things up," she said smugly.

I did not roll my eyes. It would be beneath my dignity as King to do so, no matter how tempted I may be. "I suppose you could say that, yes."

"I'm glad. The two of you are really cute together, and Amy deserves a bit of happiness."

"She does. I hope I can give it to her."

Victoria wrapped me in a hug. "Remember, I will leave you in a tree if you do anything to hurt her."

"I understand, Victoria. Do not worry."

"Good. Now, did Dean talk to you last night, like I told him to?"

"He did. I cannot believe he managed to keep that a secret from me for so long." It was honestly rather obvious in retrospect. Of course he would not be working an internship at some other company instead of the one our father owned – he was working as a Hero instead. A part of me had been tempted to hide my own career as a hero purely as a bit of petty vengeance. In the end, I had not. He had trusted me, so I had trusted him in turn.

Gamemaster said:
Gain a check to Trusting.

"Yeah, he's not always the most subtle guy around."

"No. He is not." I allowed myself a sigh. My brother had immediately started telling me I should join the Wards, citing safety statistics even after I assured him I was patrolling with Victoria. He was such a worrier sometimes. It was more or less what I had expected from telling him however. At least he had not told our parents and forced me to join the Wards with him.

"Anyway, it's not really related, but I could use your company for something if you're up for it."

I narrowed my eyes. "I have a premonition that you are about to say something that I will be unhappy with, Victoria."

"It's not that bad… There's a charity shoot coming up next week. It's supposed to be a bunch of heroes and disabled kids, you know the sort of thing? I was just hoping you'd go with me. You've done that sort of modeling work before, right?"

My mouth twisted in distaste. Elaine had, before her injury. Her – My mother had a fondness for submitting me to modeling shoots and pageants and such. I suspect there was a bit of vicarious living in her focus on the activity, though she had not pushed the issue since I awoke.

"Heroes – So I'd be attending as Pendragon then?"

"That's an option, though I could also just bring you along as my friend. There's going to be some actual amateur models there, so it wouldn't be that strange. Plus, if you come as yourself, I can introduce you to the other Wards as Gallant's sister and we can work to embarrass him together," Victoria grinned.

"My poor brother," I murmured. "I will give it some thought. In the meantime, I would ask a favor of you."

"Sure, what is it?"

"I require your services as a taxi."

❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

"Are you sure you want to be dropped off here?"

"Yes. I am unsure of the exact location I am looking for, so I will need to wander a bit. I would not keep you. I have my cell phone, so I will call you once I am ready for pick up. You can enjoy your day in the meantime."

"I don't really like leaving you out here, Elaine."

"I doubt there is anything out here that could seriously harm me, Victoria." I allowed my sword to appear in my hand as emphasis. "I will be fine."

"Alright," Victoria said, though she still looked dubious. "Be careful."

"I will."

With that, Victoria flew off, leaving me alone in the forest. I glanced around at the campsite that my father and I had briefly used a few months ago. It had been the height of summer then. Now, it was the beginning of autumn. The trees retained their verdancy, but a crisp chill had set in the air. The wind whistled through the trees in a low moan.

I began walking, retracing my steps from last time. There had been a few things that had worried me that day. There had been the wolves, the most obvious issue, of course. Starving despite the season. Unreasonably aggressive despite a lack of provocation. An obvious threat that needed investigating.

However, there had been something else I had encountered that day. An unnatural sense of primal fear. Something had warded off a part of those woods, claimed it as territory. I had my suspicions, but I needed to confirm them.

So, I wandered the woods until I found it again. A sense of pressure pushed against me, warding me off. I closed my eyes and felt the sensation, felt how it organized itself around me – and found I was correct. This was no mere instinct. This was a bounded field, intended to ward away intruders.

To a normal person walking in the woods, it would subtly steer them away. To me, attempting to run past it in fear of my life, it had increased in power to force me away. Now, that I was intentionally violating it, it was even stronger still.

Gamemaster said:
Valorous: 10 | 15 = Success

I pushed through it. This body was not resistant to magic as my past one had been, but I was not so timid as to be turned away by a warning such as this. I stepped to the other side and the feeling stopped, its hold over me broken. Magical energy swirled around me, and another bounded field activated deeper within, an alarm going off in response to my intrusion.

Gamemaster said:
Invoke Passion: Honor: 10 | 16 = Success
Hunting: 6 | 6 = Critical Success!
>Gain a check to Hunting.

I continued on. The forest wove itself against me. Roots tripped at my feet. Thorns pricked at my clothes. Thick branches cast the area into darkness. The land subtly sloped, the path of least resistance circling back the way I came and away from this territory. This too, I ignored.

I stepped into a glade. The wide sky opened above me, a sweet breeze lingered on the air. I did not allow myself to relax. Having broken through two defenses, I had no doubt there would be a third. True to my thoughts, a figure appeared at the far end of the grove.

It did not simply step out from behind a tree, nor suddenly appear as if by teleportation. Instead it stepped out of a tree, as though it were a part of the wood. Indeed, for while the figure was shaped like a woman, the similarities ended there. The creature's skin was bark, its hair made of leaves. Woven ivy made its muscles, its eyes were of liquid amber. It stared at me impassively, no mouth or nose carved upon its wooden face to give away emotion.

By all appearances, it was a dryad, a phantasmal creature from the time of faerie. However, I sensed none of the power of such a creature. A construct then. Something that imitated the shape, but lacked the fundamental nature. I stepped forward and the creature met me, its hands sharpening into wooden claws.

Elaine Melee: 1 | 15 || Dryad Claw: 5 | 15
>Dryad Damage (4d6) = 12 (13 AR) = 0 Damage
Elaine Melee: 10 | 15 || Dryad Claw: 4 | 15
>Elaine Damage (6d6) = 23 (10 AR) = 13 Damage (19/32)
>>Dryad Dexterity: 13 | 15 = Maintains Footing
Elaine Melee: 20 | 15 || Dryad Claw: 5 | 15
>Dryad Damage (4d6) = 16 (10 AR) = 6 Damage (32/38 HP)
>>Elaine Dexterity: 2 | 14 = Maintains Footing
>>Elaine drops her sword. Gains a check to Melee.
Elaine Dodge: 3 | 17 || Dryad Claw: 19 | 15
>Elaine picks up sword.
Elaine Melee: 7 | 15 || Dryad Claw: 3 | 15
>Elaine Damage (6d6) = 30 (10 AR) = 20 Damage (0/32)
>>Dryad slain.

My blade met its first strike, turning it aside. The thing was strong and tough, its wooden hide forming a natural armor that my blade struggled to cut through. However, at the end of the day, it was wood, not steel. My blade still found purchase. After that first blow, I danced a circle around it, testing for its reactions, how quickly it could respond.

The thing was slow, ponderous. It might overwhelm a completely normal person, a person with no training, but it failed to respond as my sword bit into its leg. It did not respond at all, in fact. Though my sword cut deep, there was no pain response, no flinch. The thing simply turned and punched at me. I quickly backed away, the dryad's claws scraping along my jacket, but the creature's motion pulled my sword away, the blade still stuck within the dryad's body.

Troublesome.

I slipped back in, weaving through its blows to grab hold of my hilt once again and yanking it free. The motion caused the thing to stumble a step. It was not much, but it was enough of an opening for me to leap forward. Taking my sword in both hands, I brought it down on the construct's neck. The first blow failed to sever completely. The second managed, and the creature collapsed to the ground.

Gamemaster said:
Glory gained Dryad slain = 30

A mote of green light escaped the dryad's corpse and raced into the forest. I followed it, the forest no longer barring my path now that its warden lay slain. It was not far before I found a proper path – and not a simple dirt path either. A paved road, wide enough only for a single car. The bounded field had hidden it, but I had no doubt that if I followed it back, it would take me straight to the city.

The owner of this place needed a way to come and go, after all.

I followed the road deeper into the forest instead. It did not take me long to find its destination. A large mansion sprawled out in front of me. It was an ornate place, the sort that would have been built an age past – Steeply pitched roofs and turrets rising above the trees. Sculptures and facades carved into the stone. A French château brought here to America part and parcel.

A rolling garden stretched out in front of it, tended by more dryad constructs, though these ignored me as I passed by. Flowers lined the main path, but I could see stranger plants, plants that I failed to recognize, deeper within. Marching forward, I approached the main door and knocked upon it.

The door opened hardly a second after my knuckles left the wood. Another creature stood there, though this one was not made of mere wood. This one was shifting shadow, hardly visible but for the butler uniform that constrained its form. It spoke, its voice a whisper that sounded as though it were coming from a great distance.

"Welcome. The Lady of the house is expecting you."

If she were not expecting me by now, I would have been deeply surprised. I bade the Shadow to lead on and followed it inside, the door closing behind me without anyone having touched it. The interior of the manor was as richly appointed as the exterior. Mahogany floors were covered by vibrant rugs. Paintings, vases and sculptures lined the walls. This was not the house of someone who was merely rich, as my own parents were, but instead truly wealthy.

The Shadow ushered me into a sitting room. A pot of tea sat at a table, two cups set out. One for myself and another for my host. She looked up as I entered, a flash of uncertainty on her features quickly replaced by firm resolve.

"Hello," Erin said. "You can take the helmet off, Elaine. I won't bite."

"Is that so? Your familiar out in the forest would say otherwise."

Erin waved her hand dismissively. "If you had called ahead, I could have disarmed it for you. How did you find this place anyway? It is supposed to be rather well hidden."

I closed my eyes, simply taking the time to process, before removing my helmet and setting it down. A moment later, I sat down across from Erin and met her eyes. "I ran into your outermost boundary some months ago. I was unsure of what it was at the time, but it was not so difficult to discern on closer inspection."

"But that's–" Erin frowned and crossed her arms in front of her. "No, that doesn't make sense. Not unless…" Her head jerked up and she snapped at the Shadow, "Sebastian, go check on our ward schema. Something is off here."

The Shadow bowed and left, leaving just the two of us alone. "So," I asked. "Where does that leave us?"

Gamemaster said:
Erin Bond: 7 | 2 = Failure

"What do you mean?"

"You are a magus. You approached me soon after I awoke from a coma. Why? What were you after?"

The emotions drained from Erin's face. She stared at me, cold, calculating. Every inch what a magus was supposed to be. "You already know the answer to that, Elaine."

"Tell me."

"Would Elaine Stansfield have known what a magus is? A bounded field? A familiar?" Erin scoffed, "You know exactly why I approached you. I'm the one who helped put those memories into you to begin with."

"Why?"

"The world is dying."

I reeled back. What?

"If the Endbringers continue to destroy things as they are, civilization as we know it will end within twenty years. Even if they are stopped, something is fraying at the fabric of our world. It is breaking apart. The world's lifeblood will burst forth, and the atmosphere will fill with ether. The world will lose its capacity to sustain life. The Atlas Institute puts projections for this event as occurring within the century."

"What – What does this have to do with me?"

"Under normal circumstances, when faced with an internal or external threat such as this, the World would deploy Heroic Spirits to eliminate the problem. However, we have seen no signs of such a deployment. More to the point, attempts to ritually summon and sustain Heroic Spirits ourselves have also ended in failure. No attempt to contact the Throne of Heroes succeeded. With one notable exception."

"The Fuyuki Grail War," I murmured.

Erin's eyebrows shot up. "Yes. How did you–? No, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that yes, using the limited container called a Servant, the Fuyuki Grail was able to summon a lesser version of Heroic Spirits. We are still not sure why it was able to reach the Throne while the attempts of others failed. However, the point became moot in the wake of the Fifth Grail War, in which the Fuyuki Grail was destroyed. Alternatives were needed."

A blackened hole in reality spilled forth mud unending. She raised her sword, a bright light that filled the horizon. "How does that lead to me then?"

"I'm getting to that. You see, there was another experiment in England – a particular family was obsessed with the legacy of King Arthur. They attempted to recreate the mind and body of King Arthur – it failed, for reasons that we don't need to get into, but it led to a bit of speculation. If we could not call the Heroic Spirits directly, then what if we attempted to use a living person as a medium. A Pseudo-Servant, if you would."

A sudden sense of clarity washed over me. I narrowed my eyes, staring at her. "So you took a brain dead girl and made her your experiment."

"Yes," Erin said simply. "I judged that it posed less risk of rejection. A greater chance that the Heroic Spirit's mind and memories would carry over in their entirety to fill the empty vessel. In the end, however, you were judged a failure. For though you showed signs of a behavioral change that could be attributed to a Heroic Spirit, you displayed none of its power. You were not King Arthur. Just a girl with his memories. Or so we thought."

My nails bit into my palms. My chest felt tight. Those memories sometimes felt more a part of me than Elaine's did. More real, more true to who I was. And they were… just implanted into me?

"I watched your fight with my Dryad, you know. She's not the greatest fighter, but she still managed to hit you once. Except, what would have left grievous injuries on any normal person left little more than a scratch on you." Erin straightened so quickly in her chair that she seemed to almost hop in place, a wide grin stretching across her face. "Your body has begun to transform, hasn't it? It's becoming a spiritual body capable of holding a Heroic Spirit's power."

"Yes," I whispered. She was right. It had not been noticeable at first, but I was changing. It wasn't just that I was relearning my skills with a sword far faster than what any normal person could – accomplishing in months what would have taken a normal knight years to master. My body itself had grown tougher, more resistant to damage. A bullet wound had hardly phased me and had healed within days.

"That's good." Erin smiled brightly. "I'll have to contact the others and let them know. It might help with their own projects."

I jerked my head up sharply. "What others? What other projects?"

Erin blinked. "Surely you didn't think I wasn't working alone? The fate of the world is at stake. We have an entire team of people collaborating – I specialize in the binding of familiars, as you can likely tell, but all of us have a role. Nor are you our only attempt – I had the idea of using someone in a coma, but the others had their own ideas to use our shared research on, and they're all attempting to reach the same goal in different ways."

"How many?"

"There are currently thirteen people like you across the world."

Gamemaster said:
Gain 100 Glory for completing the Forbidden Woods.

Parahuman Power has been shortened to simply Power.

It is October of 2010.

You are currently following the Adventure of the Haunted Storage shed, but Erin has promised to take over and help. In the meantime, what do you do?
[ ] [Adventure] The Adventure of Aggressive Animals
>The animals in the forest are acting strangely aggressive. It might be worth investigating.
[ ] [Adventure] Raid the Azn Bad Boyz
>A local vigilante, Haze, has offered to lead you to an ABB stash to raid them. It would certainly deal damage to their operations, and there may be the opportunity for looting.
[ ] [Adventure] Focus on your duties
>Do not engage in adventure this month.

When modeling with Victoria, do you want to go as Pendragon or Elaine?
[ ] [Modeling] Pendragon
>Get extra glory, socialize as a hero.
[ ] [Modeling] Elaine
>Get extra money, socialize as a friend of Victoria.

We'll also need to decide where you're patrolling with Glory Girl:
[ ] [Patrol] North End
[ ] [Patrol] The Docks
[ ] [Patrol] Midtown
[ ] [Patrol] Downtown
[ ] [Patrol] Stratham

Choose an activity to participate in:
[ ] [Activity] Focus on the Student Council
>You will be doing work for the Student Council regardless, this is to spend extra time devoted to the task.
[ ] [Activity] Study Group
>Spend some extra time studying for your classes.
[ ] [Activity] Party
>You've been invited to a house party by Chelsea and Morgan.
[ ] [Activity] Charity
>You could do volunteer work at the local homeless shelter.
[ ] [Activity] Sparring
>You have people you can practice your fighting with now.
[ ] [Activity] Dating
>Go on a date with Amy.
[ ] [Activity] Church
>Visit Father DiMaggio at his church.
[ ] [Activity] (Write-In)

Choose someone to spend time with.
[ ] [Social] Dean Stansfield
[ ] [Social] Victoria Dallon
[ ] [Social] Amy Dallon
[ ] [Social] Chelsea and Morgan
[ ] [Social] Erin Archelot
[ ] [Social] Theo Anders
[ ] [Social] Tammi Herren
[ ] [Social] Vedika Dhawan
[ ] [Social] (Write-In)

iamweirdo · Apr 24, 2024

[X] [Adventure] Focus on your duties
>Do not engage in adventure this month.

[X] [Modeling] Elaine
>Get extra money, socialize as a friend of Victoria.

[X] [Patrol] The Docks

[X] [Activity] Dating
>Go on a date with Amy.

[X] [Social] Amy Dallon

Martenzo · Apr 25, 2024

[X] [Adventure] Focus on your duties
[X] [Modeling] Pendragon
[X] [Patrol] The Docks
[X] [Activity] Dating
[X] [Social] Amy Dallon

Aldsan · May 1, 2024

Voting said:
[X] [Adventure] Aggressive Animals
[X] [Patrol] Midtown
[X] [Modeling] Pendragon
[X] [Activity] Dating
[X] [Social] Erin

Gamemaster said:
Recover 5 hit points via Natural Healing. HP: 37/38

The days after her encounter with Erin found me despondent. For a time, I did little beyond go to school. At home, I simply laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling. I think I worried my brother, for I had no explanation that I could rightly give him. I had struggled with my identity these past months, but I had believed that I was truly King Arthur reborn. Now, I knew that was a lie. I was merely a girl playing dress-up.

In the end, it was my promise with Victoria that roused me from my melancholy. No matter who I was, it did not change the duties I had.

I looked at myself in the mirror before I left. For months now, I had been gathering my hair up in imitation of how Artoria had once done so. I turned away, my hair still loose across my shoulders.

Elaine was dead. Artoria was a fantasy. All that was left was… me. I just had no idea who that was any more.

"Hey," Victoria said when I met up with her. "You've been a bit scarce lately."

"I am sorry," I murmured. "I have… had something on my mind." For a moment, the urge to call her Vicky, the way Elaine would have once upon a time, rises within me. I open my to do so, but my tongue stays still, frozen within my mouth. In the end, the moment passed, and I simply hung my head.

"You and Amy both. You two didn't fight again, right?"

"No. This is unrelated to Amy – What is wrong with her?"

Victoria frowned. "I don't know. She won't tell me. She's just been brooding a lot lately." Victoria tilted her head, a sly look entering her eyes. "Maybe it's because you haven't taken her out on a date yet. When are you going to do that?"

"A date?" I blinked. The thought had not occurred to me – Homecoming aside, I had become accustomed to going to the Dallons' house whenever I wanted to spend time with Amy. "Where would we even go?"

"That's for you to figure out," Victoria laughed, scooping me up to carry towards the sky. "I can't hold your hand for everything. You'll have to figure a few things out for yourself."

"You are correct, it is just…" I worried that my own judgment would make a mess of things, the same way it had our Homecoming date.

"You'll be fine, Ellie. I believe in you."

"...Thank you, Victoria." I let out a slow breath and recentered myself. "So, what should I expect at this photoshoot?"

"Well, the Wards are going to be there, and I'm sure they'll want to meet the new Independent Hero that's been making waves. Beyond that, there's some of the other models, teenagers, but the type who do this thing regularly. They can be a little stuck up. No offense."

"I did not take any." It was true Elaine had done this sort of thing in the past, but that had largely been her – my Mother's influence.

"Finally, there's the stars of today's show. There's going to be a few sick kids there. The type who might not otherwise get the chance to even go out much, much less meet heroes. They're why we're here, so you want to take the time to really make them feel special."

I nodded seriously. I could do that much.

❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

"So can you fly?"

"I cannot."

"Oh, are you super fast like Velocity then?"

"No, I–"

"You're super strong then, right?"

"N-No."

"Well, what can you do?"

I was glad for the motorcycle helmet I had purchased. It helped conceal my crestfallen expression. Why had I thought I could do this? Victoria was flying with one little girl clutched in her arms. Meanwhile, I was here with no notable powers to speak of. Even my costume was obviously homemade – little more than a jacket and helmet, with my scarf fluttering behind me – while both Victoria and the Wards had costumes that were professionally put together.

Gamemaster said:
Etiquette: 7 | 8 = Success

Summoning my sword, I planted it in the ground in front of me. "I am a knight. With my sword, I strike down those who would harm the innocent. With my sword, I protect those who cannot protect themselves."

The eyes of the boy who had been asking questions widened. "Cooool. Can I hold it?!"

"You may. Be careful however, for the edge is sharp."

The boy nodded and took the sword, almost dropping it, his arms trembling with the weight. "It's heavy…"

"Yes. Remember that weight. For that is the weight that any who take up the sword must bear. It is the weight not just of steel, but the weight of lives. The weight of every person that your sword protects."

"But I'm not a Hero."

"You can be. There are hundreds of heroes around us every day. Not just people who put on costumes and fight crimes either – Doctors, Firefighters, even normal people who just go out of their way to help someone else who they see is in trouble. All of these people are heroes." I tapped a finger to the boy's chest. "It is not power that makes a person a hero. It is their heart."

Gamemaster said:
Appeal: 2 | 14 = Success

A camera flashed nearby and the boy flinched back. I quickly reached out and supported the boy's grip on the hilt before he could drop the sword. Several people nearby began clapping. Again, I found myself glad for the concealment offered by my helmet. This time, it hid the visceral anger that cut through me. The moment of introspection I had given the boy was gone, lost amidst the adulation of the masses around me.

I closed my eyes. No matter. The smile on his face was happy. That was enough.

An older woman bustled up to me, though she wore her age well. Hints of make-up hid the wrinkles around her eyes, and there was no hint of gray in her hair, though I suspected dye may have been used. She smiled broadly at the two of us. "Hello, hello. Pendragon, was it?"

"Yes," I said, tilting my head curiously.

"Good to meet you. I'm Sylvia Gates, the manager for this agency. I'll admit, I didn't know what to think when Glory Girl showed up with you, but you certainly seem like a natural."

"Thank you," I replied neutrally. "I do all that I can to live up to the position I have been given."

"And I can see you're doing a good job so far. I'd like to have a little talk with you – Why don't we let little Jimmy here get back to the rest of the group. How would you like a turn up in the air with Aegis, Jimmy?"

"My name's Johnny."

"Yes, Johnny," Sylvia said dismissively, waving him off. "So, flying?"

The boy, Johnny, looked between us, obviously put off by the woman's attitude. After a moment however, the bribe of flight won through and he dashed off to join the others. That left me alone with Sylvia, the photographers and other support staff already moving on to greener pastures.

"So," she began. "You're a new up and coming hero, right? This is your first big PR event?"

"Yes, that is correct," I said, curious where this was even going.

"So how did you wind up coming here with Glory Girl? Anything saucy I should know?"

"We have been patrolling together – Glory Girl has been 'showing me the ropes,' so to speak."

"Well. You certainly have the PR neutral responses down. A shame. I was hoping for a bit of flair. Audiences love heroes with a bit of personality to show off, or failing that, a bit of mystery. Still, if you ever want to do another shoot, we'd be happy to work with you. We regularly do events with both the Protectorate and New Wave. We haven't had much work with any other Independents in town – not many to go around – but if you want to get your name out there, we're the ones to do it with."

I raised an eyebrow. "This is a recruiting pitch?"

"You can call it that. Think of it like a corporate sponsorship. You occasionally come in, get paid for your time, and in exchange we get to use your image for some of our photoshoots."

Somehow, I suspected the Protectorate did not use the services of any particular agency quite as much Sylvia would try and have me believe. They had their own Image and Public Relations department to help handle that. It was more likely just the occasional collaboration, such as this. Everyone knew that Capes were profitable however. It was why Sylvia was likely so intent on snagging me, as one of the few Independent Heroes in the city.

"I would need to see the terms of whatever deal we decide on. At the bare minimum, I would need control over how my image is used. I would prefer to avoid a line of Pendragon underwear," I said, referencing a product line I remembered one of the local heroes having put out nearly a decade ago.

Gamemaster said:
Fashion: 9 | 3 = Failure

"Hah!" Sylvia laughed. "Well, we can work something out. We'll probably settle on a pay-per-session structure while we see just how popular you are with the market, so you'll have full control over whether to accept or decline any particular shoot. We'll need to see about upgrading your costume though, it's a little plain right now, isn't it?"

My face grew warm and I glanced away from the woman. "I intend to add proper armor at some point, it is simply… a bit of an expense."

"Well, we can help with that! So? What do you say?"

"Your terms seem acceptable."

"Great! I'll see about getting the paperwork together. Why don't you go mingle while I do that?"

With that, Sylvia breezed away, leaving me wondering what I had just agreed to. Letting out a slow breath, I turned and made my way to the refreshments table that had been set up. I began reaching for a sandwich, only to pull back as I realized I would not be able to eat it with my helmet.

Suddenly, being an open cape like Victoria seemed much more attractive. She probably got to eat as many sandwiches as she wanted while in costume. Maybe I could sneak one while nobody was looking this way…

"Oh! Pendragon! Is that you?"

Damnation. I turned towards the voice and saw a small, petite girl jog her way up to me. "Madison?"

"It is you! The helmet is new, but I like it. You're doing the photo shoot with all the other heroes then?"

"I am. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, a friend of mine is an amateur model. She does this sort of stuff all the time – I was just here hanging out with her, but we heard the Wards were doing a shoot next door, so I thought I'd check it out. I'm glad I did, I got to see you again, after all."

"I trust you have been well since I last saw you? No more wandering down dark alleyways?"

Madison colored but nodded. "No, I've been safe. Just, um. I'd really like to pay you back for saving me the other day, so I was wondering – I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, but I was thinking maybe we could go get di–"

"Pendragon!" Victoria flew down, landing next to the two of us. "Hey, the others were wrapping things up, but they wanted to say hi before they left. You want to head back over there?"

Madison's jaw snapped shut, her teeth clicking with the force. Well, Victoria was a fairly famous hero for the city, so I cannot blame her for being nervous. Taking pity on her, I introduced her. "Victoria, this is Madison. She's a civilian I saved from a… mugging. Madison, this is Victoria."

"G-Good to meet you," Madison stuttered.

"You too," Victoria said brightly. "I'll head on back, let you two talk, but come join us soon, alright?"

"I will," I promised and waved her off. She smiled and pulled me into a hug before flying away again.

"You and Glory Girl seem close," Madison said, a hint of a question in her voice.

"Mm," I hummed an agreement, then paused, remembering what Sylvia had said about people liking heroes with a bit of mystery. "Well, perhaps so, but it is not something I should discuss."

"O-Oh?" Madison's eyes darted between me and the departed Glory Girl. "Well, she seems like a very friendly sort."

"She is. In any case, what was it that you wished to ask of me?"

"Ah." Madison went silent for a long moment. She stared down at her feet, her mouth moving as if silently trying to come up with something to say. Finally, she raised her head again and said, "Well, I was thinking – As a Hero, you probably need whatever information you can get, right? And I spend a lot of time online. I can be your – your eye in the sky as it were. The girl on call to help find things for you."

Gamemaster said:
Intrigue: 6 | 9 = Success

"Madison," I said gently. "While I appreciate the offer, I do not know how much help simply browsing PHO will be."

"No, it's true! People post all sorts of crazy stuff. Like, um. Circus has been hitting a lot of stores Downtown lately. Or the Damsel of Distress has been causing trouble in Durham lately. Lots of people talk about Hookwolf running dog fighting rings too!"

Gamemaster said:
Recognize: 8 | 6 = Failure

I… did not know who any of those people were. Durham was the closest town to us, on the other side of the mountain range that covered Brockton Bay's western side. It wasn't somewhere I could visit casually in an afternoon. I could, on the other hand, investigate whoever this Circus person and Hookwolf were.

Gamemaster said:
Adventure discovered: Takedown the Clown
Adventure discovered: The Dog Rings
Adventure discovered: The Damsel of Distress

"Very well." Madison's face immediately brightened. "It is true that I could use any information. I will not turn it down if you are able to offer – so long as you are not putting yourself in any sort of danger to obtain it."

"Of course! … I'll need some way to contact you though. Your phone number, maybe?"

That seemed reasonable. Fortunately, the studio had plenty of markers lying around for us to sign autographs with. I took one to instead write my burner phone's number on the back of Madison's hand. "There. I do need to get going, but try keeping out of trouble, okay?"

"If I do get in trouble, you'll come and rescue me though, right?"

She could not see it, but I shot Madison a very unimpressed look. That had been in fashion at one point during my – during Artoria's reign. Various ladies would conspire to be "kidnapped" so that knights could ride to their aid. It had been another product of the stagnancy of Artoria's later years. She had brought peace to the land, but not to the hearts of the people; and so they played at war with kidnappings and tourneys and anything else that would allow them to continue using their arms.

"I would prefer not to risk harm coming to you in the first place."

Madison giggled. "Don't worry. I'll stay safe. You go do what you need to do."

I felt not at all reassured, but ultimately decided not to dwell on it. Madison's choices would ultimately be her own. I left, walking back to rejoin the other heroes.

Today had been my first time meeting most of the Wards. Triumph, with his lion's head and roman armor. Aegis, dressed in a red bodysuit with a shield proudly emblazoned on his chest. Clockblocker, his helmet smooth and faceless, his only feature the spinning clocks that decorated his armor. Kid Win, in bright red and gold armor, a visor covering his eyes. Gallant, my brother, hidden within his tinkertech armor, blue lighting lending it a futuristic tone instead of simple plate. And finally, Vista, the youngest of the group. They had clustered together – it looked as though the kids had been taken aside for a group photo, so it left us free for the moment.

"--Can't believe the nerve of her," Victoria was saying as I approached.

"Hey," Dean soothed, his voice echoing a bit inside his armor. "Some people are just like that. It sucks, but punching her wouldn't solve anything."

"What happened?" I asked.

Victoria looked up, her expression stormy. "Some redhead bitch was making fun of one of the kids for being in a wheelchair."

My lips thinned. "Where is she?"

"Gone!" Dean quickly spoke up. "She's already left. Vicky scared her off."

Clockblocker laughed. "I thought she was going to pee herself at one point. It was pretty great to watch – even got it on video if you want to check it out."

Gamemaster said:
Forgiving: 15 | 10 || Vengeful: 12 | 10
>No change.

"No, if Victoria already reprimanded her, then let that be the end of it."

"Anyways, forget her," Vista piped up from where she was sitting, perched up on a table instead of a chair. "Tell us about you! We'd heard about you a bit from Velocity, but this is our first time meeting and we barely got to interact the whole time."

"Well, what is it that you wish to know?"

"What powers do you have?" Aegis asked.

"I am a Brute," I said, though I disliked the classification. "I am tougher than normal and heal quickly." It was true for how I was currently, though I suspected that might change soon as my body changed more and more to better match that of a Heroic Spirit.

"A really basic package, huh?" Clockblocker said.

"Classic," Aegis riposted with an easy smile. "Us Brutes need to stick together. We're the ones holding down the frontline after all."

"Indeed. I am sure that you perform perfectly well in a support role, Clockblocker."

"Oof," Clockblocker clutched at his chest. "The new guy's vicious."

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Victoria trying desperately to suppress a laugh. Dean, too, seemed to be looking deliberately away from me. I narrowed my eyes. Clearly another sparring session was in order.

"Why go Independent instead of joining the Wards?" Triumph asked.

"For similar reasons to most Independents, I imagine. I valued the ability to make decisions for myself rather than receive orders, and I did not wish my family to know about my powers. I am happy with the decision I made however. Victoria has been an excellent mentor."

"Aww," Victoria cooed. "You're a pretty great trainee yourself. You pick things up fast."

"She should bring you to patrol with us sometime," Dean chimed in. "We'd be happy to have you."

I scowled at him. Ever since I had revealed my identity as Pendragon to him, my brother had kept trying to argue for me to join the Wards or take safer patrols. It had grown annoying. "Perhaps, if we are in the area. Personally, I would prefer to focus on more dangerous areas of the city."

"Oh?" Vista leaned forward. "Glory Girl already told us that you made Oni Lee run the other day. So who's next to take down?"

Pausing, I met Victoria's eyes. Haze had extended the invitation to raid ABB operations with him. We could take his offer. Truthfully however, we had yet to sit down and make plans. We would need to if we had any intention of being effective. We could not just randomly patrol the city forever. Not if we had any intention to change it. I hesitated before finally answering Vista.

"Whoever stands in our way."

Gamemaster said:
Gain (20 + Appeal x 2) = 48 Glory
Gain Money (Appeal x 10) = $140
Gain a check to Fashion.

❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

The weekend finished and Monday arrived. With it came school. Apparently, a video of my conversation with Johnny had been circulating on Parahumans Online all weekend and it had set off a wave of gossip about Pendragon. Victoria had framed attending the photoshoot as doing her a favor, but I suspect she had actually tricked me into doing a favor for myself. She knew the power of Public Relations well.

Work in the Student Council had hit something of a lull. Midterms were this month, and everyone wanted to focus on that. However, there were plans to do a fundraiser next month, and so we had begun sketching out what we would need for that. Cookies and baked goods were typical, but a few other suggestions were offered.

Kayla suggested sticking me in a kissing booth, which I firmly denied. Not just for the impropriety, though I would have vetoed it for that alone, but because I had a girlfriend now. Something warm tickled my chest at the statement. Artoria had lived a cold life, with few personal attachments, but I did not have to be her. My mistakes were my own to make.

After we finished for the day, I wandered out to the football field and sat up in the bleachers. The field was deserted, leaving me to stare wistfully out at the setting sun. When Erin sat next to me, I did not bother looking at her. We both stayed there, not speaking, for a time, watching the sun slowly dip below the horizon. When darkness had finally claimed the school, I finally turned my head.

"What is it that you want, Erin?"

Erin frowned. "Is that any way to greet a friend?"

"No. It is not." I met her eyes. "But then, I was only ever an experiment, was I not?"

"Haah." Erin sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "This is why I didn't want you to find out to begin with. It's not as though I was carving you up for your secrets."

"Should I be thankful for that?"

"Yes! Maybe! You'd still be asleep on a hospital bed if not for me!"

Perhaps a part of me still was there, sleeping even now. I closed my eyes and asked again, my voice weary, "What is it that you want, Erin?"

"I promised you I'd help look into what was happening with the athletics equipment here. I have. You had a goblin infestation."

My eyebrows shot up. "That should not be possible. The Age of Faerie has long passed."

Erin shook her head. "I told you. The fabric separating the outer layer and the inner layer is fraying. Things are slipping through. Quite a few mages were happy with the development at first – forming a pact with an Other is an easy way to gain power – but the consequences are doomed to follow if it isn't stopped."

"What were they doing here?"

"Goblins like chaos and breaking down signs of civilization where they can. These ones were pretty minor. Civilization as a concept is fairly well-enforced in this school, so there wasn't much they could do beyond making things go missing. I suspect there's a larger nest of them somewhere in the city however. Somewhere filthy."

Gamemaster said:
Adventure discovered: The Goblin Nest

I scowled and stood up. "I will try and discover where they are hiding then."

"Elaine, I–"

"What?" I snapped.

Erin took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. For taking advantage of you. For using you. I did mean it though, when I said I wanted to be your friend."

Gamemaster said:
Trusting: 9 | 12 (10+2) || Suspicious: 13 | 8 (10-2)

I turned to look at her. She returned my gaze steadily, but her fists were clenched in her lap, trembling with anxiety. I could not maintain my anger. She had used me, it was true, but I could not deny the reasoning she had done it with. Artoria had suffered as much and worse from the people around her. Perhaps my difficulty in accepting this small betrayal was the truest sign of our differences.

"I accept your apology." Erin's face immediately brightened. "However. You will be honest with me from now on. No more lies or half-truths. No concealing the truth for my own benefit. If I am to trust you again, I must have that trust returned completely."

"I understand. I won't let you down a second time. I promise."

"Then let us begin anew." I smiled and took her hands in mine, helping her to her feet. "You have set out to save the world. Allow me to help you in what little way I am able. We shall do this together."

Erin wrapped her arms around me, her hug tight enough to drive the breath from my lungs.

Gamemaster said:
Bond with Erin increased to 3.
Gain 50 Glory for completing the Haunted Storage Shed.

I have made some updates to the available power progression, particularly to how Riding functions.

It is October of 2010.

We have hit a new Glory milestone.

First, you may increase any Trait, Passion, Characteristic, or Skill by one, ignoring any usual restrictions.
[ ] [Glory] (Write-In Increase)

Second, you get another Parahuman Power upgrade:
[ ] [Power] Chivalry (C)
>Gain an additional 3 armor and increase Major Wound threshold by 3.
[ ] [Power] Mana Burst (E)
>Deal an additional 2d6 damage on Melee and Charge attacks.
[ ] [Power] Instinct (E)
>Enemy attacks suffer a -3 threshold penalty.
[ ] [Power] Riding (E)
>Knockdown Threshold increased by 3.
[ ] [Power] Charisma (E)
>Roll Parahuman Power at -10. On a success, gain a +5 threshold bonus to any Social roll.
[ ] [Power] Magic Resistance (E)
>Roll Parahuman Power at -10 opposed to parahuman powers that target you. On success, the effect is negated.

You need to plan your date with Amy. Where do you go? What do you do?
[ ] [Dating] (Write-In)

Someone has requested the purchase of a Shield for Elaine ($200).
[ ] [Purchase] Buy
[ ] [Purchase] Don't Buy

Skitzyfrenic · May 2, 2024

I would be interested in taking Instinct, Magic Resistance, or Charisma.

The first two because it seems like we're starting to scale, and the latter because it'll help with social.

I haven't been keeping up with the thread for builds or the like, so I don't know what we should be spending Glory on. Seems like something social or investigative might be best from what I've seen us do well on and what we don't do well on.

I'm not fluffed about the shield either way.

I always felt the best opening date was an afternoon showing followed by dinner, so that you'd at least have the movie to talk about.

Or something like a walk on the boardwalk with a meal at some point. Cause you could always talk about what you're seeing or buying. Plus a lot more people watching. And you could have a nice view over the bay for dinner maybe?

But iunno.

Aldsan · May 2, 2024

Skitzyfrenic said:
I haven't been keeping up with the thread for builds or the like, so I don't know what we should be spending Glory on. Seems like something social or investigative might be best from what I've seen us do well on and what we don't do well on.

Generally speaking, you want to spend Glory either on raw Characteristics, like CON or SIZ, or on a Skill that's hit the soft cap of 15. Anything below 15, it's not really an effective use of your limited resources.

Martenzo · May 2, 2024

[X] [Glory] CON
[X] [Power] Magic Resistance (E)
[X] [Purchase] Buy

Aldsan · May 2, 2024

Just a small breakdown I posted on SB:

I'm trying not to influence voting too much here, but from the perspective of someone who's played Pendragon, I thought I'd offer a few points.

Glory's absolute best use is when it does something training cannot. It can bypass the usual limits that training imposes. Training cannot increase SIZ and cannot increase skills or passions above 20. Glory bypasses those limits.

The next best use is when it does something equal to training. Glory only gives a single point at a time. So it is equal to training when upping characterisitcs such as CON or DEX, pesonality traits, or skills that are above 15. You do still want to do this sometimes if you want a particular stat really badly.

The spending on CON up til now was not a bad choice. I personally like to get at least 18 CON on my Pendragon characters, as that's the breakpoint for 4 healing rate. The addition of bonus powers does help mitigate that need though.

Glory is at its worst spent on skills below 15, because at that point you're competing a single point increase vs the six points of skill increase you get from monthly training.

Skitzyfrenic · May 2, 2024

[X] [Glory] CON
[X] [Power] Instinct

I figure SB fills in the rest.

I am appreciative that you crosspost though, Aldsan. Questing on SB never really clicked for me. (It doesn't on QQ either. All of my quest participation seems to happen on SV, dunno how that worked out)

I like reading it here.

Aldsan · May 2, 2024

Skitzyfrenic said:
[X] [Glory] CON
[X] [Power] Instinct

I figure SB fills in the rest.

I am appreciative that you crosspost though, Aldsan. Questing on SB never really clicked for me. (It doesn't on QQ either. All of my quest participation seems to happen on SV, dunno how that worked out)

I like reading it here.

I crosspost to all three, but I definitely seem to get the most reader interaction on SB for whatever reason.

Aldsan · May 8, 2024

Voting said:
[X] [Power] Mana Burst (E)
[X] [Glory] SIZ
[X] [Purchase] Buy (Shield)

Gamemaster said:
Recover 5 hit points via Natural Healing. HP: 39/39

The following weekend saw Erin and I make our way out to the forest near her house, her shadowy butler tagging along silently behind us. The deeper we encroached, the darker the woods became, thick branches weaving overhead to block out the light, though the sun stood high in the sky.

"There's definitely something off here. Something punched a hole through from the inner side of the world – No wonder the outer layer of my wards got scraped clean."

"Any thoughts on what it could be?"

"No. Something decently powerful. I suspect it allowed quite a few Others through in the process before the world mended itself. It left a mark though. These woods have a narrative on them."

"A faerie tale," I said dryly.

Erin shot me a sharp look, though her lips quirked upwards. "You could say that, yes. A lot of Others have likely taken roost here – those related to predators or the wilderness."

"A good thing you did not bring a red cloak along."

"I think, if either of us is the archetypical red riding hood, it would be you, Elaine."

I grimaced. That was true enough. Elaine had several inches on me and her hair had the strawberry tint to it that mine lacked. "I generally prefer blue, given the option."

"Oh good. I'll let any and all wolves know that you're actually Little Blue Riding Hood instead."

"In that case, I have no further objections."

Erin laughed, though the sound was dampened, as though the oppressive darkness of the forest worked to deny any sort of joy. Silence settled on us as we walked, only the sound of our footsteps to break up the monotony.

As such, it was not surprising that we heard the wolves before we saw them. Though the beasts did not howl, they nevertheless were reckless and loud as they lunged through the underbrush, an entire pack of them. Like the one I saw months ago, these too were emaciated, their ribs showing through their pelts, though they did not lack for vigor considering that fact. A wild and crazed look dwelled in their eyes as they lunged at us.

Elaine invokes passion: Heroism: 14 | 16 = Success

Modifiers:
Elaine: Inspired (+5 to Melee) (+5 Opponents are Reckless) (-10 Multiple Opponents)

Elaine Melee1: 13 | 15 || Wolf1 Reckless Bite: 20 | 12
>Elaine Damage (8d6) = 32
>>Wolf1 takes a Major Wound.
Elaine Melee2: 11 | 15 || Wolf2 Reckless Bite: 14 | 12
>Elaine Damage (8d6) = 31
>>Wolf2 takes a Major Wound.
Elaine Melee3: 6 | 15 || Wolf3 Reckless Bite: 13 | 12
>Elaine Damage (8d6) = 28
>>Wolf3 takes a Major Wound.

We were immediately swarmed. This was no single wolf, but an entire pack. However, just as these wolves had joined together, so too did I have my allies. Erin immediately fell back, a thorny vine forming in her hand and striking at the nearest wolf like a whip, while her shadow shifted in front of her, protecting her from the ambush. It did not punch or batter the wolves, yet whenever it would touch a wolf, the wolf would simply fall over, as if its very life force had been drained from it.

Neither was I helpless. I was no longer armorless with a make-shift stick as my weapon. I had my sword in my hands, and with it, I lunged forward to meet the wolves' charge.

The first lunged for me and I ducked under it, allowing its weight to carry it past me as my sword cut upwards, carving a path through the creature's belly. The next pounced at my face. Still crouched, there was no repeating my previous action. Instead, I ripped my sword free of the first wolf and bashed the pommel into the second's snout. The wolf recoiled, pain interrupting its attack. A quick turn saw my blade pierce its neck.

I had hardly finished the movement when a third leaped for me. I kicked it, feeling teeth snap beneath my boots. The wolf fell, whimpering. My sword had lodged itself in the second wolf. Rather than fight to pull it free, I simply allowed it to vanish and reform in my hand, ending the third's misery before it could recover.

Erin had likewise finished with the three that had attacked her, looking none the worse for the wear. I glanced down at the viscera that had stained my jacket, and then back up at her.

"I do not suppose that you have any spells that aid in cleaning?" I asked.

"I have vinegar, laundry detergent, and bleach," Erin replied blandly.

"Tsk." I clicked my tongue and allowed my sword to vanish once more. "What is causing this then?"

"I mentioned before that some more minor Others likely escaped to our side with whatever caused the more major breach. I suspect one of them is responsible for the wolves. It's likely a spirit of hunger. A wendigo."

"Have you any thoughts on how we go about tracking it down and banishing it?"

Erin frowned and crossed her arms, tapping a finger against her elbow. "We won't be able to just track it through the forest. It takes solid form, but it is fundamentally a spirit. I'll have to design a spell to find it."

"Which means we will need to leave and return later."

"Unfortunately."

"Very well." I glanced out to the forest. The spirit may evade my retribution this day, but not forever. The two of us turned to begin the trek back towards Erin's mansion. "I have a theory about what caused the breach here."

"Oh? What's that?"

"When I was in England, over the summer, I happened to visit a certain lake…"

Gamemaster said:
Glory gained (3 x Wolf) = 75
Gain 50 Glory for completing the Aggressive Animals.
Adventure discovered: The Wendigo Spirits.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Erin was, understandably, not happy to know that Morgan had been able to co-opt all of her work after a single glance. She was even less thrilled to discover that Morgan had possibly chased me into the modern world and created her own incarnation. She had started muttering imprecations under her breath when I left her at her mansion.

As it turned out, her shadowy butler doubled as a taxi service. The dark-tinted windows of the Porsche hid the both of us from view as it made its way back into the city. It was a good thing, as I could not continue using Victoria as a personal taxi for meetings such as this. Hopefully, once my birthday came and I had my license, I would be able to transport myself instead.

I spent the rest of the afternoon at home, allowing my mind a brief respite, before setting out again once the cover of night had fallen.

"So, where to tonight? Victoria asked as she landed next to me, three blocks out from my house.

"Midtown." It was one of the safer areas in the city on average, but it was important to protect our current holdings, not just venture out to conquer new ones.

"Righty-o." Victoria crouched over and I hoped deep within my heart that no one was around to see as I clambered onto her back. We launched a moment later, gravity losing its hold upon us as we soared into the night.

Unfortunately, while I'd prefer there be no witnesses to my riding Victoria's back like this, I knew there were already a handful of photos circulating on Parahumans Online. Amy had outright laughed at us as we had returned from a patrol last week. The only consolation I had was that there had yet to be any photos of the times Victoria had instead carried me in her arms.

Fortunately, this late at night, no one was likely to see us once we were up in the air. We floated through the darkness, searching for signs of life on the darkened streets.

Gamemaster said:
Awareness: 3 | 3 = Critical Success!
>Gain a check to Awareness

A flicker of motion caught my eye. I frowned, searching for it again. There – Four monsters ran through the streets, individuals riding bareback atop them. I called out to Victoria, raising my voice to be heard over the wind, "I see something!"

"Where?"

"There!" I pointed, and Victoria flew in the direction I indicated. As we flew she squinted, finally spotting what I had.

"I recognize them! The Undersiders – They're a new group of thieves that popped up recently!"

"Then it is likely they are planning a heist tonight! Shall we interrupt them?"

Victoria turned her head to grin at me. "You know it!" she said before zooming downwards.

As we dove downwards, I tensed. We had the advantage of surprise and aerial superiority coming down like this. I could drop on top of one of these 'Undersiders' and pull them free of their mount before they even knew I was there. However, they all looked lightly armored. Only one of them even wore a helmet at all. Dismounting them would carry a high risk of injury under those circumstances.

Gamemaster said:
Dexterity: 10 | 14 = Success

I leaped from Victoria's back, landing not atop one of the Undersiders, but instead simply dropping into their chosen path. A whistle immediately went out, their mounts skidding to a stop. There was a moment of tense silence as I took them in.

Their vanguard was a tall, broad shouldered man dressed in dark leathers. A motorcycle helmet painted with a skull emblem protected him. Clearly, the most sensible one in the group. The next in line was a blonde girl in a tight-fitting purple catsuit. She smirked at me knowingly as my eyes passed by her. A boy wearing a loose blouse, twirling a scepter in his hands. A girl in a dog mask, her teeth pulled back in a snarl.

It was a motley crew, as bandits were wont to be. Still, it would not do to underestimate them. I turned to the man . "Good evening. I take it that you lead this group?"

"I do," the man said. His voice was hollow, echoing as if from a great distance away, though I had no trouble with hearing the words. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"Pendragon!" The blonde spoke up cheerily. "A new vigilante on the streets. Minor Brute – No flight powers, so Glory Girl is definitely waiting in the wings."

I summoned my sword to my hand and planted it in the street in front of me, resting both hands upon the pommel. "You have me at a disadvantage. You know who I am, yet I have not heard of you before now. Would you care to introduce yourselves?"

The group shared a look between each other, uncertain. Finally, their leader spoke up again. "I'm Grue. This is Tattletale, Regent, and Bitch," he said, nodding to each in turn. I tilted my head at the final introduction, but the girl in question showed no hostility – or at least, no more than she already had – so it must truly be her chosen name.

"Very well. As your compatriot pointed out, I am Pendragon. I am given to understand that you are a gang of thieves. As such, I must ask that you surrender yourselves into my custody."

"Fuck off," Bitch said.

"Yeah, what she said!" Regent called out a moment later.

"You make me sad. So be it."

Tattletale snorted out a laugh. "I think you're on the wrong side of the road for the Black Knight routine."

"True enough. Still, if it must be said: None shall pass."

"I'm afraid we'll have to pass." Tattletale's eyes glittered as she placed a hand over her mouth, a taunting smirk hidden behind the gesture. My hackles rose. Why was that so familiar?

What makes you think you can protect a country, when you can't even protect yourself, Sister?

A cold laugh, colder than the one Tattletale had made. But that gesture. I recognized that gesture. I grit my teeth, my hands tightening on my sword's hilt. Tattletale's eyes widened, realizing something was wrong even before I had lifted my weapon.

"Crap – Grue! We need to split! Now!"

Elaine invokes passion: Heroism: 11 | 16 = Success

Modifiers:
Elaine: Inspired (+5 to Melee) (-10 Blinded)

Elaine Melee: 18 | 5 || Tattletale Evade: 20 | 22
Grue Brawling: 7 | 16 || Elaine Unopposed
>Grue Grapple (6d6) = 22 || (Elaine's SIZ) 13
>>Elaine is Thrown (1d6) = 1 Damage (38/39 HP)

Grue's head swung around to look at Tattletale. I charged, raising my sword, but a dark cloud had already begun spilling out of him, obscuring the street in inky black. There was no light, no sound, nothing but the sensation of paved asphalt beneath my boots. However, I remembered where they were. If I could make a strike before they could escape, I could take at least one of them prisoner.

I struck – and hit air. Those monsters they rode must be more agile than they looked. Before I could attempt a second thrust, a pair of arms encircled me from behind. I squawked my indignation, but Grue – and it must be Grue as I felt myself lifted into the air – did not hesitate to spin and toss me to the ground.

I bounced once, twice before rolling to a stop. I immediately scrambled to get back to my feet, but – there was no follow-up. No attack to take advantage of my vulnerability. When the darkness cleared to reveal Victoria also lying in the middle of the road, the story had become clear.

The Undersiders had taken their victory in our exchange and then fled.

Victoria met my eyes and gave me a weak grin. "Sorry. I flew down to try and help once they put the cloud up, but something went wrong with my flight. I crashed. You alright?"

Sighing, I offered a hand to help her to her feet. "Tis but a flesh wound. Worry not. We went in underprepared this time. We will be more successful when next we encounter them."

"You got that right. We'll need to ask Gallant if he knows anything about them."

I pursed my lips. "It feels so strange calling him that."

"Just a part of cape life you'll need to get used to, Pendragon," Victoria winked at me. "Anyways. Climb back on and let's get back to it."

Silently suffering the indignity yet again, I climbed onto Victoria's back and we shot off once more into the night.

Gamemaster said:
Adventure discovered: The Uncatchable Undersiders

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

The next day saw me knock on the Dallons' door. To my surprise, it was not Amy or Victoria who answered it, as was usually the case during the day. Instead, their mother looked down at me with an eyebrow raised.

"Elaine? What are you doing here?"

"Ah… Hello Carol. I was looking to take Amy out for a bit."

Carol frowned at me. "She hasn't mentioned anything to me about going out with friends."

"It is not a planned excursion. Just something spontaneous on my part," I replied, though I tilted my head slightly. Friends, Carol had said. Had Amy not told her we were dating yet?

"Hmm. Well, alright then. Amy does need to get out of her room more. Just make sure not to stay out too late."

"Would it be objectionable if she ended up sleeping at my house?"

Carol pursed her lips, thinking it over, before finally answering, "That's fine, just make sure you call me if you end up deciding to do that."

Yes, Amy definitely had not told her anything. If Dean had asked something similar for him and Victoria, there was not a chance this side of Hell that Carol would have allowed it. I would not ruin her secrecy however. If she had chosen not to tell her parents, then that was her secret to share, not mine.

Gamemaster said:
Honest: 4 | 11 || Deceitful: 6 | 9

In truth, I had not told my parents either. I had heard a few too many comments over the years about homosexuals being sinners to feel comfortable in broaching the topic. Perhaps they would accept me. Perhaps they would not. For now, I allowed the topic to lie undisturbed.

"Amy's upstairs. You can go ahead and head up to," Carol said, letting me inside.

"Thank you." I nodded and stepped past her into the Dallons' house. The clinking of cookware came from the kitchen – it must be one of Mark's better days. Most of the time I was over, he stayed in his room and left us teenage girls to fend for ourselves. I vaguely knew the reasoning behind it. A chemical imbalance in his brain leading to lethargy.

In Artoria's day there had been similar individuals, but they had believed to have been fae struck, consumed by ennui in the absence of whichever fae had enchanted them. Individuals struck this way often just wasted away, age catching up with them faster than it had any right to.

Pausing, I stared at the kitchen, before turning away to head up the stairs. As much as I pitied the man for his affliction, there was little I could do to aid him in it.

Reaching the top of the stairs, I found Amy's door jammed shut again. I put my weight against it and shoved, forcing it to slide open. Once again, the room was dark, the curtains closed, though this time Amy was in front of her computer instead of in her bed. She yelped as I stumbled into the room and hurriedly turned off her computer's monitor.

"Ellie! I didn't know you were coming over today!" she said, voice oddly high-pitched.

"I thought I would surprise you." I stepped forward and leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. "And perhaps to take you out for a bit, if you are willing."

"Take me out?"

"On a date," I said, smiling.

"O-Oh." She shot a glance at her computer and surreptitiously placed a finger over the power button to shut it off entirely. "Yeah. That sounds good."

"I am glad you think so. You may wish to consider changing clothes before leaving the house however," I said, glancing meaningfully down to the overly large shirt and little else that she was wearing.

Amy turned scarlet. "Yep! Got it! Just uh. Just give me a minute to change and I'll be out!"

A laugh escaped me as I stepped back out into the hallway, closing the door behind me. Amy really was just too easy to tease.

Unfortunately, my plans went awry from almost the moment the two of us stepped out the door. Amy squinted against the harsh glare of the sun, a frown of displeasure crossing her face at having to brave the outdoors. I crossed off my plans to take her for a picnic. Instead, I took her to a cafe on the Boardwalk.

Well, more accurately, my family's chauffeur took the both of us. Once again, I found myself eagerly awaiting the moment I could legally drive myself instead of relying on others to taxi me everywhere.

We took a seat by the window, looking out towards the Bay, the shimmering forcefield of the Protectorate Headquarters shining in the afternoon sun. Perhaps the food was not to Amy's taste, however, as she seemed to mostly just pick at it.

"Are you still not feeling well?" I asked.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"After Homecoming, you were sick for a while."

"Oh, that. No, I'm feeling great lately, honestly. A bit of insomnia – I can't seem to fall asleep at night, which means I'm tired as hell during the day usually. Weekends are nice, they let me sleep in. None of that's really new though."

"Is that so?" Elaine had always been a morning person and Artoria had hardly slept at all to begin with. The current me, whoever she might be, seemed to fall closer to Artoria's side of things. I got a bare four hours of sleep a night and found it a tremendous luxury. I knew however, that I was not the norm in that respect.

Reaching across the table to take Amy's hand, I said, "Perhaps I simply need to tire you out during the day then?"

"Please, no more batting cages."

"Very well. No more batting cages. Perhaps we could instead–" Something caught the corner of my eye. I turned to look, scanning the crowds of the Boardwalk. There, a girl with long, dark hair and large glasses was staring at Amy and me. I did not recognize her. She was no one I knew. So why was she…?

Her eyes met mine. I was held in place, pinned by that stare. Then, the crowd shifted, hiding her from view. When the space opened up again, she was gone.

"Elaine? You okay? You just cut off mid-sentence there."

"I – Yes, I am fine. I apologize, I just thought I saw something."

"What is it?"

"Nothing," I shook my head. "Just my imagination. Are you ready to leave, or would you like to stay a bit longer?"

Amy frowned and took one last long slurp of her coffee before setting it on the table. "I'm ready. Let's go home."

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

We spent the night at my house, curled up in bed. My laptop sat to the side, playing movies, but Amy did not seem particularly interested in what was on the screen.

"Nn–" I let out a groan of pain as her teeth sunk into my neck once again. "What is your obsession with leaving hickies on me?"

Gamemaster said:
Chaste: 11 | 10 || Lustful: 15 | 10

She had gotten somewhat handsy once we had gotten into bed, but I had put a stop to that. It was not… unpleasant, by any means, yet I had found myself tensing up with every caress, memories of Artoria's one experience during her life interfering with my own enjoyment of the situation. Amy had settled for kissing me enough that my lips felt bruised, before moving on to my neck.

"Mm… It's kinda hard to explain. You don't really go on PHO at all, do you?"

"No?" I said, wondering where this was going.

"There's all sorts of weird speculation on there. A lot of people shipping you with Vicky. As a couple, I mean. That recording of your voice during the modeling shoot started making the rounds and some people thought you were a younger guy and started shipping you with Vista instead, even though the two of you have barely even met."

"Why should that matter, Amy?"

"It doesn't. It shouldn't. It's just… I'm your girlfriend. But I'm a normie girlfriend. I can't go on PHO and announce we're dating, because that would out you. So all these strangers get to go around imagining you with anyone they can except for me."

I sighed and spun around so that I could wrap my arms around Amy. "You know I am not interested in either of them, yes?"

"I know. It's just… this is my way of putting some small claim on you. Of announcing to the world that you're mine. Even if no one is going to see it."

"I imagine some people are going to see it at school," I said dryly. Amy had not been shy about how far up my collar she had left her marks.

"Good. They can know you're spoken for and back off also. You're mine," Amy growled.

Ice trickled down my back.

You're mine, Sister. Now and forever.

I awoke in the middle of the night. Amy was noticeably absent – my bed was not made for two people, but we had squeezed in anyways. Groggily, I raised my head, only to notice her standing by the window.

"Amy…?"

She turned towards me, cool wind causing her hair to dance behind her. Her eyes seemed to almost glow in the moonlight. "Go back to sleep, Elaine." There was an odd note to her voice, pitched as though she were singing. "I'll rejoin you soon and be yours come morning."

"I–" I am not sure what I intended to say. Sleep claimed me first. In my dreams, Amy kissed me with bloodsoaked lips and caressed me with fingers of ice.

The memory was gone come morning.

Gamemaster said:
Gain a check to Amor (Amy).

It is October of 2010.

What adventure do you pursue next?
[ ] [Adventure] Raid the Azn Bad Boyz
>A local vigilante, Haze, has offered to lead you to an ABB stash to raid them. It would certainly deal damage to their operations, and there may be the opportunity for looting.
[ ] [Adventure] The Damsel of Distress
>The villain known as the Damsel of Distress is causing trouble in a nearby town, Durham.
[ ] [Adventure] The Uncatchable Undersiders
>The Undersiders have proven to be masters of escape. Can you catch them?
[ ] [Adventure] Takedown the Clown
>Circus is out robbing various stores. A clown can't be too hard of an opponent, right?
[ ] [Adventure] The Dog Rings
>Hookwolf supposedly runs dog fighting pits. Close him down.
[ ] [Adventure] The Goblin Nest
>There's a goblin infestation somewhere in town.
[ ] [Adventure] The Wendigo Spirits
>Spirits of Hunger are stirring things up in the woods.

We'll also need to decide where you're patrolling with Glory Girl:
[ ] [Patrol] North End
[ ] [Patrol] The Docks
[ ] [Patrol] Midtown
[ ] [Patrol] Downtown
[ ] [Patrol] Stratham

Midterms are here. You currently have two relevant passions to be used, but six classes to pass. You'll need to decide which classes to use them on. Choose TWO options:
[ ] [Midterm] English Literature
[ ] [Midterm] Math
[ ] [Midterm] Biology
[ ] [Midterm] History
[ ] [Midterm] Computer Science
[ ] [Midterm] Physical Education

Choose someone to spend time with.
[ ] [Social] Dean Stansfield
[ ] [Social] Victoria Dallon
[ ] [Social] Amy Dallon
[ ] [Social] Chelsea and Megan
[ ] [Social] Erin Archelot
[ ] [Social] Theo Anders
[ ] [Social] Tammi Herren
[ ] [Social] Vedika Dhawan
[ ] [Social] (Write-In)

iamweirdo · May 8, 2024

[X] [Adventure] The Goblin Nest
[X] [Patrol] Downtown
[X] [Midterm] Math
[X] [Midterm] Biology
[X] [Social] Amy Dallon

Aldsan · 2024-05-18T21:38:27+0100

Voting said:
[X] [Adventure] Raid the Azn Bad Boyz
[X] [Midterm] History
[X] [Midterm] Physical Education
[X] [Social] Erin Archelot
[X] [Patrol] The Docks

Gamemaster said:
Recover 5 hit points via Natural Healing. HP: 39/39

I arrived at school the next day wearing a scarf tightly wound around my neck. It garnered a few odd looks. The weather was starting to cool off as we moved deeper into Autumn, but it was still warm enough that a person did not require more than a light jacket. Moreover, I was wearing the scarf indoors.

"Sooo," Chelsea said, falling into lockstep next to me. "Who's the guy?"

"What are you talking about?" I replied, glancing at her out of the side of my eye.

"Pfft, the scarf is like, the most obvious way of covering up a hickey ever. If you wanted to disguise it, you should have at least gone for a turtleneck or something instead."

Was it really that obvious? "There is no guy."

Chelsea's fingers hooked into my scarf as I stepped away and the whole thing tugged free, exposing the many bruises Amy had left behind. Chelsea's eyes twinkled and she gave me a wide grin. "Oh Em Gee! He really did a number on you, huh? Come on, give me the deets."

My cheeks burning, I hurriedly snatched the scarf away from Chelsea and wrapped it back around my neck. "I am going to class now."

"Later then! You've gotta share!"

Quickly walking away, I shook my head. I could only imagine how many people had seen that. Knowing teenagers, the rumor would be through the school by lunchtime.

I made my way to my first class of the day. Midterms were supposed to start this week, but real or imagined, I could feel the classes' eyes upon me during the entire test. That surety that somehow they knew burned in the back of my head. I suspect I flubbed my English test as a result, which was somewhat embarrassing. I was never so glad for the bell to signal the end of class as I was today.

With my first class over, I sped my way to a bathroom. I needed a moment to center myself. It was not like me to grow so easily flustered. So what if everyone in school was aware that my girlfriend was… especially enthusiastic? It was hardly – Gah, I could already feel the blush creeping into my ears.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. No. Focus. I slowly released the breath, forcing my body to stillness in its wake. One could not fight on the battlefield with a distracted mind, nor rule effectively as King. Perhaps I was not Artoria, but I could still use her lessons as needed. The shame and embarrassment were unnecessary, and so I locked them away.

The rest of my classes that day went smoothly.

Midterms said:
Honor: 12 | 16 = Success
Station: 10 | 12 = Success

English Literature Academics: 13 | 12 = Failure
Math Academics: 9 | 12 = Success
>Gain a check to Finance.
Biology Academics: 9 | 12 = Success
>Gain a check to First Aid.
History Academics: 8 | 17 (12+5) = Success
>Gain a check to Strategy.
Computer Science Academics: 12 | 12 = Critical Success
>Gain a check to Technology and Academics and gain 14 Glory.
Physical Education Energetic: 14 | 19 (14+5) = Success
>Gain a check to Energetic.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

"I wonder that they do not have anything better to talk about," I grumbled.

Erin gave me a conciliatory smile. "You've become something of an idol, you know? You burst onto the scene and immediately got elected as president – that means you're popular pretty much by default. And people like talking about celebrities."

The two of us were sitting on the school's roof, watching the setting sun. My scarf lay discarded behind me, the uncomfortable warmth shedded now that it was just me and… my friend, though I was not sure if I could call her that still. Even if I had forgiven her, my trust was still bruised. She was, however, my confidante at the very least. She knew who and what I was; more so than even my family.

"Still, I'm surprised," Erin continued. "You didn't seem particularly interested in finding someone to date last time we talked about it."

"I would not say I found her, so much as she found me."

"She?"

"Amy." Erin looked at me blankly, so I added, "Dallon."

"Oh! Really?" Erin tilted her head and eyed my well-used neck. "I wouldn't have thought it of her. She always struck me as the overly shy type. Not that we've ever talked much."

Pursing my lips, I shook my head. Amy was not particularly social, but I did not think shy was the right descriptor. She simply did not like being around people most of the time.

"Enough about me," I said, turning to look at Erin. "Have you been well lately?"

Erin shrugged. "Had a call with my Mom the other day that didn't go too well. She didn't really approve of me moving out to America to pursue a pipe dream. Not sure how she can complain when she's never home anyways."

I raised my eyebrows. "What do you mean by that?"

"She's just always busy somewhere else. Don't know why she cares all of a sudden. I mean, it took her this long to even realize I wasn't living in England anymore."

"Just now? You have been here for months."

"Over a year," Erin scoffed. "She's noticed I wasn't home, of course, but I always just told her that I was away traveling and that's been enough until now. Not sure what tipped her off."

"What?" I blinked. "How did you buy a house without her noticing?"

"Hm? Oh, the family already owned the house. We've got a couple of them around the world. We've got a summer stop in L.A., a chateau in France, a penthouse in Japan, a beach house in the Bahamas. Nothing that unusual."

I stared at Erin for a long moment. The wealth was staggering even by the standards of Elaine's family. "What was it that your mother did again?"

"Well, she got really into music. She was a pop singer back in the day – She likes the term Idol, from when she toured in Japan. The family business is tied up in the military though. Weapons manufacturing, fighter jets, that sort of thing."

A moment of temptation niggled at my mind. For months I had been scraping together my allowance so that I could purchase equipment without my parents being any the wiser. With those kinds of resources at my command, I could easily arm and armor myself.

I shook the thought free. Asking a friend for handouts was inappropriate. It would be a stain on both of our honor.

"That is… Well, putting that aside, not everyone has the qualities to be a parent." I gave Erin a bitter smile and reached over to squeeze her shoulder. "I know this better than most. However, that does not mean she does not care for you."

Not once did I despise you.

Erin frowned. "I suppose you would, wouldn't you?"

I gave Erin a grim smile. There were few examples of parenting that could possibly be worse than Artoria's memories. I – She – had failed in that role, just as she had failed in her role as King.

"What was it you mentioned before about chasing a pipe dream?"

"Oh uh." Erin glanced away, embarrassment written clear across her features. "I told you before about the prediction that Atlas put out regarding the world's end, right? The problem is generally agreed on. The solution… is not. When my group first submitted the proposal regarding the creation of Pseudo-Servants, we more or less got laughed out of the Clocktower."

Furrowing my brow, I asked, "Why?"

"Well, putting aside the issue of the Endbringers, the thinning of the barrier between the Outer and Inner world isn't the sort of thing you can fix by just waving a sword at it. They have a point too, we don't even know rightly what is causing the issue. The only thing we know, and my group agrees on, is that Heroic Spirits are fundamentally the World's defense system against threats – and something is preventing their summoning."

"So, your reasoning was that because something is preventing the defense from being deployed, then the defense must be necessary?"

"Yeah. I know it sounds a little silly, that we went through all this effort based on just that–"

"No, I understand." The thinning membrane is something that could happen naturally. The Endbringers could be attributed to Parahumans. However, the block on the summoning of Heroic Spirits was an anomaly. There was no good explanation for that – other than enemy action. The only question was who could possibly manage something like that and why?

"Clearly, not everyone embraces your theory. What were the alternatives offered?"

"Mm. The most popular is that the rise of Parahumans, particularly the "Hero" and "Villain" culture reduced the mystery of the ritual and rendered it inert. Heroes simply became too mundane and common. I think it happened too quickly for that to be the case though. There are records of Spiritual Evocationists in the 80's – people who would commune with spirits to discover information – who reported issues even back then."

"That does not explain the other problems however."

"No, but those can be attributed to Parahumans too. Endbringers are just Parahumans whose powers went out of control. The thinning barrier is because Parahumans somehow draw upon it or are reducing mystery – or increasing mystery, or anything in between. The truth is, we simply don't know enough about how Parahumans do what they do."

"Even after thirty years?"

"Even after thirty years, and who knows how many magi devoting their life's work to studying the phenomenon. There have been dissections, vivisections, observational studies, attempts to cause powers to manifest, and we're no closer to understanding it than mundane science is. They're almost certainly using magical energy, but they don't match any known thaumaturgical foundation. They have the ability to casually do things that should be impossible, if only for the sheer amount of energy it would require. They defy all reason."

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back. It was suspicious, terribly so, but it was not something I was equipped to handle. I knew the basics of magecraft, things that Artoria had picked up from Merlin, but she had never studied it in-depth. Instead of a Knight, they should have summoned a Magus, someone peerless in the art. Merlin would have been a good choice. Failing him however… My lips twisted in distaste. Artoria's sister would be an even better choice speaking purely of her skill in the art.

We could leave that as a last resort. I was not the only attempt at a Psuedo-Servant. Perhaps another who was more suited would be summoned.

"I am sorry. I have led us somewhat far afield with my questions."

"Don't be. It's kind of nice being able to get it all off my chest. I haven't really had anyone to talk to about all this?"

"What about the rest of your mysterious cabal?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Erin snorted. "It's nothing so grand as that. But we each split up to pursue our own theories. We check in with each other now and then, but none of them are in the Bay area with me."

It seemed a lonely existence. Why had they chosen that route rather than working together? Had personalities clashed, or was it just typical magus secrecy at work?

"You are not alone anymore. No matter what your peers or even your mother might say, I will stand with you on this, Erin."

Erin blinked and turned her face away, trying to hide the wetness on her cheeks. This time, I was the one to hug her instead.

Gamemaster said:
Bond with Erin increased to 4.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

"You're finally ready to do this then? I was starting to think I'd have to go all by myself."

"I wished to make sure I was prepared," I replied, my voice clipped. Getting shot the one time had been more than enough. It had taken time to scrounge the money, but I had purchased a proper shield – this one off the internet. I had not been so lucky as to find another pawn shop selling armaments.

Gamemaster said:
Gain a check to Prudent.

Haze snorted and tugged at his hoodie to pull it a bit lower. "Sure. If you're done pussy footing around though, I'd like to do some actual damage to the ABB for a change."

I glanced over at Victoria, who didn't seem to appreciate Haze's attitude any more than I did, though she had been just as eager to leap into combat during our flight here. The three of us had scheduled our meet up in a small, dingy alley in the Docks. Abandoned warehouses lined the streets, remnants of a better time.

"We're here, aren't we?" Victoria replied. "Where's this ABB stash you supposedly know about?"

"About two blocks from here. It looks like a legitimate business out front, but the back is filled with gangbangers. We'll need to bust in hard and fast, keep them from calling for help."

"Do you have any information on their numbers?" I asked.

Haze shook his head. "I'm not really sure. Probably just a few."

Gamemaster said:
Strategy: 5 | 3 = Failure

I shared another look with Victoria. She gave a minute shrug. It was less intelligence than I would like for raiding an enemy encampment, but there was something to be said for a rapid strike. "Very well. We will follow your plan then, Haze. Hard and fast."

"Great. Let's get moving then."

The vigilante led us out of the alley and down the street. Victoria chose to fly up above, keeping an eye out for anyone else who might be on the streets at this hour. When we reached our destination, I could not help but raise an eyebrow.

"Quick and Fast Loans?"

"I know how it looks," Haze said defensively. "But they really are set up here."

"Is there an employee entrance in the back?"

"Yeah, there should be."

"Then we'll go that way. Glory Girl can keep watch for any attempting to flee."

Gamemaster said:
Awareness: 12 | 3 = Failure

Haze nodded and the two of us trod our way through a suspiciously clean alley to the business' back entrance. My lips thinned. A metal door, with a heavy security lock. This was not something we could break through easily, not without calling upon Victoria and her prodigious strength, at least.

"Don't worry, I've got this."

I could hear the grin in Haze's voice as he lifted a hand. There was a shimmer in the air, a distortion, and the door began rusting, corroding as though it had been dropped in acid. A dangerous power, more dangerous than it looked at first glance. Once I deemed the damage sufficient, I lifted a foot and kicked the door inwards.

Elaine invokes passion: Heroism: 1 | 16 = Success

Modifiers:
Elaine: Inspired (+5 to Melee) (-10 Multiple Opponents)

Haze: 8 | 16 = Success || 12ABB Ranged: x | -2 = Auto Miss
>Haze Damage (8d6) = 32
>>ABB12 takes a Major Wound.

Elaine Brawling: 4 | 9 = Success || ABB11 Brawling: 15 | 8 = Failure
>Elaine Damage (2d6+6) = 17
>>ABB11 takes a Major Wound.
Elaine Brawling: 1 | 9 = Success || ABB10 Brawling: 4 | 8 = Success
>ABB10 Damage (2d6+4) = 12 (16 AR) = No Damage
Elaine Brawling: 15 | 9 = Failure || ABB9 Brawling: 11 | 8 = Failure
Haze: 18 | 16 = Failure

Elaine Brawling: 17 | 9 = Failure || ABB10 Brawling: 12 | 8 = Failure
Elaine Brawling: 15 | 9 = Failure || ABB9 Brawling: 13 | 8 = Failure
Elaine Brawling: 10 | 9 = Failure || ABB8 Brawling: 20 | 8 = Fumble!
Haze: 9 | 16 = Success
>Haze Damage (8d6) = 25
>>ABB10 takes a Major Wound.

Elaine Brawling: 14 | 9 = Failure || ABB9 Brawling: 1 | 8 = Success
>ABB9 Damage (2d6+4) = 14 (10 AR) = 4 Damage (35/39 HP)
Elaine Brawling: 13 | 9 = Failure || ABB8 Brawling: 14 | 8 = Failure
Elaine Brawling: 11 | 9 = Failure || ABB7 Brawling: 6 | 8 = Success
>ABB7 Damage (2d6+4) = 15 (10 AR) = 5 Damage (30/39 HP)
Haze: 9 | 16 = Success
>Haze Damage (8d6) = 35
>>ABB9 takes a Major Wound.

Elaine Brawling: 13 | 9 = Failure || ABB8 Brawling: 4 | 8 = Success
>ABB8 Damage (2d6+4) = 8 (10 AR) = 0 Damage
Elaine Brawling: 17 | 9 = Failure || ABB7 Brawling: 2 | 8 = Success
>ABB7 Damage (2d6+4) = 10 (10 AR) = 0 Damage
Elaine Brawling: 2 | 9 = Success || ABB6 Brawling: 15 | 8 = Failure
>Elaine Damage (2d6+6) = 16 Damage
>>ABB6 takes a Major Wound.
Haze: 14 | 16 = Success
>Haze Damage (8d6) = 28
>>ABB8 takes a Major Wound.

Elaine Brawling: 7 | 9 = Success|| ABB7 Brawling: 6 | 8 = Success
>Elaine Damage (2d6+6) = 11 Damage (17/28 ABB7HP)
Elaine Brawling: 8 | 9 = Success || ABB5 Brawling: 20 | 8 = Fumble!
>Elaine Damage (2d6+6) = 18 Damage
>>ABB5 takes a Major Wound.
Elaine Brawling: 15 | 9 = Failure || ABB4 Brawling: 2 | 8 = Success
>ABB4 Damage (2d6+4) = 12 (10 AR) = 2 Damage (28/39 HP)
Haze: 1 | 16 = Success
>Haze Damage (8d6) = 26
>>ABB7 takes a Major Wound.

Elaine Brawling: 9 | 9 = Critical! || ABB4 Brawling: 4 | 8 = Success
>Elaine Damage (2d6+6+2d6) = 23 Damage
>>ABB4 takes a Major Wound. Gain a check to Brawling.
Elaine Brawling: 5 | 9 = Success || ABB3 Brawling: 10 | 8 = Success
>Elaine Damage (2d6+6) = 15 Damage
>>ABB3 takes a Major Wound.
Elaine Brawling: 8 | 9 = Failure || ABB2 Brawling: 15 | 8 = Success
>Elaine Damage (2d6+6) = 11 Damage (17/28 ABB2HP)
Haze: 11 | 16 = Success
>Haze Damage (8d6) = 34
>>ABB2 takes a Major Wound.

Elaine Brawling: 6 | 19 = Success || ABB1 Brawling: 4 | 8 = Success
>Elaine Damage (2d6+6) = 18 Damage
>>ABB1 takes a Major Wound.

We were immediately greeted by a hail of bullets. I leapt in front of Haze, my shield manifesting to take the brunt of the fire. Much like most previous gang members I had fought, none of these men were particularly accurate. The shield was enough to protect us in the moment. However, no one won a fight by staying on the defensive.

Charging forward, I saw the air warp in front of me, striking at one of the gang members. The man went down screaming, his flesh burning from his face. I grimaced. Battle was never pretty, but that was an injury that would stay with the man his entire life, assuming he survived.

The rest of the men dropped their guns as I fell into their midst. Whether because they were afraid of shooting each other, or simply because their shots had proven ineffective against my shield, it mattered not. They came at me with little more than brass knuckles, but quantity could prove a quality all of its own.

I immediately jabbed my baton in the sternum of one man, turning to take the blow of another across my shield, but I soon found myself fighting defensively. A blow landed on my helmet, the man's brass knuckles rattling me despite the padding, and another found purchase on my back.

Spinning, I cracked my baton across a man's wrist, bashing another in the face with my shield. I could see men going down, their skin searing where Haze struck them, but there were enough packed into this small room that his attacks only slowly whittled down the group.

Still, it was enough to turn the tide. Soon, there were only a handful of men, and I struck them one after another. A blow to the head, circling to bash my shield against another's knee, before sweeping out to knock another's feet from under him and hit him in the stomach before he could get up.

Gamemaster said:
Glory gained capturing ABB gunman (x6) = 90

When the last of the men lay on the ground, I looked back to Haze, my displeasure clear in my voice. "I thought you had said there would only be a few?"

"I guess I was wrong." Haze stepped into the room, his power shimmering around him. "Still, I wasn't wrong about the ABB being back here, was I?"

"Hrm." I turned away, scanning the room. The door towards the front stood open. It seemed someone had run out while we were fighting. We could only hope that Victoria dealt with them. I stepped through to check the rest of the building.

The next room was little more than a set of tables, packet upon packet of white powder laid out on it. A drug of some kind, I suspected, though I did not know what. I turned back towards Haze – who was going through the gangster's wallets, pulling out any cash he could find.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

Haze looked up at me, as though he was confused I had said anything. "I'm taking the gang's money."

"You cannot do that!" Independents were not allowed to simply take money they found. If it was related to gang operations, then taking it would be evidence tampering. If it was not, then it was theft. In either case, it was illegal.

"It's dirty money. Better that we have it than the gang does, right? Don't worry, I'll save you your share."

My lips tightened. Looting and holding Knights for ransom was a common practice in my – in Artoria's time. However, it was not the law of the land now. On the other hand, if I made an issue of this, it was unlikely Haze would want to continue working with me in the future. If nothing else, his information on the gang's hideout had been accurate.

I met Haze's eyes as I made my decision.

Gamemaster said:
Gain 50 Glory for completing the Raid the Azn Bad Boyz.

It is November of 2010.

We have arrived at a rest period.

First is to tally checkmarks.

Checkmarks said:
Energetic: 3 | 14 = No Increase
Prudent: 7 | 11 = No Increase
Trusting: 2 | 10 = No Increase
Amor (Amy): 10 | 14 = No Increase
Awareness: 3 | 3 = No Increase
Hunting: 17 | 1 = Increased by 1
First Aid: 8 | 3 = Increased by 1
Fashion: 7 | 3 = Increased by 1
Academics: 15 | 12 = Increased by 1
Finance: 12 | 1 = Increased by 1
Technology: 1 | 0 = Increased by 1
Strategy: 6 | 3 = Increased by 1
Brawling: 19 | 14 = Increased by 1
Melee: 17 | 15 = Increased by 1

Next is training and practice. You may select any one of the following improvements:

Training said:
Change a Personality Trait
You can add one point to a Trait, decreasing its opposite by the same amount (subject to an effective minimum value of 1).
-OR-
Change a Passion
You can add or subtract one point from any Passion.
-OR-
Change a Characteristic
Players may add one point to any one of STR, DEX, CON, or APP.
-OR-
Train Skills Up to 15
Add 6 points to any number of Skills under 15 in any combination—all points may be added to one Skill, divided between two Skills, or more—as long as the values are not raised over 15.
-OR-
Train a Skill Up to 20
Increase one Skill over 15 by one point, up to a maximum value of 20.

Please structure this vote as:
[ ] [Training] Skills 1, Skills 2, Skills 3, etc.
>As a reminder, Elaine does have midterms this month.

Next, you receive your monthly allowance. Given your status as a Wealthy Heiress, you earn $100.

Remember, if at any time you wish to buy something from the shop, please do a write in as below, and I will add it to the next vote.
[ ] [Shop] (Write-In)

What adventure do you pursue next?
[ ] [Adventure] The Damsel of Distress
>The villain known as the Damsel of Distress is causing trouble in a nearby town, Durham.
[ ] [Adventure] The Uncatchable Undersiders
>The Undersiders have proven to be masters of escape. Can you catch them?
[ ] [Adventure] Takedown the Clown
>Circus is out robbing various stores. A clown can't be too hard of an opponent, right?
[ ] [Adventure] The Dog Rings
>Hookwolf supposedly runs dog fighting pits. Close him down.
[ ] [Adventure] The Goblin Nest
>There's a goblin infestation somewhere in town.
[ ] [Adventure] The Wendigo Spirits
>Spirits of Hunger are stirring things up in the woods.

Choose an activity to participate in:
[ ] [Activity] Focus on the Student Council
>You will be doing work for the Student Council regardless, this is to spend extra time devoted to the task.
[ ] [Activity] Study Group
>Spend some extra time studying for your classes.
[ ] [Activity] Party
>You've been invited to a house party by Chelsea and Morgan.
[ ] [Activity] Modeling
>You were offered to make regular appearances with the modeling agency. It would be good for PR, maybe, and they'd pay you.
[ ] [Activity] Charity
>You could do volunteer work at the local homeless shelter.
[ ] [Activity] Sparring
>You have people you can practice your fighting with now.
[ ] [Activity] Dating
>Go on a date with Amy. Victoria's been trying to get you on a double date for awhile now.
[ ] [Activity] Church
>Visit Father DiMaggio at his church.
[ ] [Activity] (Write-In)

Choose someone to spend time with.
[ ] [Social] Dean Stansfield
[ ] [Social] Victoria Dallon
[ ] [Social] Amy Dallon
[ ] [Social] Chelsea and Megan
[ ] [Social] Erin Archelot
[ ] [Social] Theo Anders
[ ] [Social] Tammi Herren
[ ] [Social] Vedika Dhawan
[ ] [Social] (Write-In)

Haze has offered to share the spoils of the raid with you. Taking the money isn't strictly legal, but it's not an uncommon practice among vigilantes.
[ ] [Looting] Yes
>Take the money. Even if it's illegal, no one actually cares if you do, and it'll hurt the gang.
[ ] [Looting] No
>Don't take the money, but don't stop Haze. Better not to rock the boat.
[ ] [Looting] Stop it
>Stop Haze. If he's working with you, he can't be committing crimes.

The Student Council needs to begin fundraising for their next event. What idea do we have to fundraise?
[ ] [Fundraising] (Write-In)

Once and Future (WormxFate)

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