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From the world of Capeworld Comics.

http://www.capeworldcomics.com/capeworld-worldbuilding/

(You don't need to read the extra lore to enjoy the quest. It's like how you can read Kingdom Come without knowing anything about the superheroes and enjoy it, but if you read some old comics, you'll be like "Ohhh, that's why the salt shakers were shaped that way in Planet Krypton. Neat!")

In another time, another place...

You’ve always had a hard time figuring out what you wanted to be when you grew up.

Normal kids, basic kids, kids without any powers, they can’t do anything. They can’t do math, they can’t write, they can’t do anything, yet they can imagine. And because they can imagine, they desire. They want. They want to be firemen, policemen, supermen.

They want to be everything, because they can do nothing.

But it was different for you.

You could do everything.

Depending on who you were near, you could fly, shoot beams out of your hands, read minds, teleport, etc, etc. MIrabolists, the guys that study superpowers, have a term for you.

Speculo. Mirror. You mirror the powers of those around you.

You could do everything. And so you wanted to be nothing.

Not a fireman, not a policeman, not a superman. Nothing.
>>
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>>5523772
You remember, when you were around eight or so, telling your mom that you didn’t want to be anything when you grew up,

What were you good at? That depended on who you were around.

So for most of your childhood on Beck Island, you drifted through life without much ambition.

Really, lazy was what you were.

Oh, Beck Island. Yeah, that’s where you grew up

Once they figured out you were a speculo, they moved you to an island.

Well, they had to make the island first.

They had a superhuman named Dancing Star stack some rocks out in the Atlantic, basic stuff, they did it all the way back in the late 30’s with the containment strategy against the Axis powers.

So you grew up on an island. But you weren’t really lonely. They wanted to see how your powers worked, so they gradually introduced you to various superhumans so you could copy their powers. Some of the superkids became your friends. One in particular, a dude named Sam Kinsley, became your best friend.

All the TIMS people (telepathic institutionalization and medical services) got lots of data on your powers, enough to fill gigantic libraries, of you know, a single thumbdrive, but it’s cooler to say gigantic libraries. But even though they knew a lot about how your powers worked, you still were too much of a little godling for them to trust on the mainland, though. They feared a It’s A Good Life situation. You can’t trust anyone under 10, especially when they can copy powers.
>>
>>5523775
Were you sheltered? Well geeze, is anyone with a computer really sheltered these days?

Maybe you were a little sheltered. But you had it better off than if you had been born in Earth State, that’s for darn sure. They chip kids in Earth State. From birth. They just pop a little pinball looking implant on their spine and call it a day--well, day for everyone but the one getting chipped. They call it a life. They gotta.

So anyway, you grew up a (maybe) sheltered kid with the power to copy powers, and you never really figured out what you wanted to do with yourself. Even when the TIMS people said “Yeah, you’re good, we trust you and everything, go to the mainland and have fun doing teenager stuff.” you were content to stay on Beck Island playing video games, watching movies, and keeping to a sleep schedule normally reserved for vampires and coffee addicted street vigilantes.


You didn’t want to be anyone or do anything.


But then the people that run Martin’s School in Rhode Island got in touch with your mom, and they told her about this crazy curriculum they had tailor made for you. They picture you as becoming a sort of super factotum, a dude that can go anywhere, copy any power, and make himself useful. They aren’t just talking about making you a superhero. They’re talking about making you a superhero that can, depending on the circumstance, be a super surgeon, a super engineer, a super scientist, a super diplomat, etc etc.

And it did sound kind of cool to you. You got to learn what a factotum was, so that alone was kind of neat. So you decided to travel to Rhode Island and enroll.


And it’s not like you could have said no anyway. Mom put her foot down.

No work, no video games. And don’t think you can sneak it past her either. She’s a technopath. Your phone will NARC on you. It’s done it before.
>>
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>>5523776
Martin’s School. Joyous Harbor, Rhode Island.

It’s not only the first school for superhumans in America, it’s the first school for superhumans in the world. Before Martin’s, back in the old masked mystery men era, superhumans kind of had to school themselves, because FDR heavily regulated superhumans as “unfair competition” to basic workers under the NRA, and that meant superhumans operating in public without proper certification were DOA, RIP, in short, toast.

World’s a lot nicer to superhumans now. Well, outside Earth State.

The school itself is a big ol’ building, and a big old building too. 100 floors. You saw it looming back on the boat. They started building this thing when the Worlds War broke out in the late 1930’s and finished it before it ended in 1949. It looks sort of like a big pile of sand, or a melting birthday cake. It’s got a lot of recessions and ledges that make it look like it’s carved out of bone or something. It’s useful for the flying classes. In fact, you can see some flying kids swarming about the ledges like little clouds of insects.

Clouds of insects? Geeze, you think you could have called them something else. But that’s what they look like next to the building.

It’s a little overwhelming as you walk up to the building. Okay, it’s a lot overwhelming. Overwhelmingly overwhelming. There’s all these kids and adults walking, running, flying, running at super speed, running at super-super speed, running at speeds so fast you can’t even tell they’re there (but they totally are), jumping out of portals, jumping out of the ground, jumping out of thin air, how they’re not all colliding with each other you don’t know, you feel like you’re going to go splat right into someone and you aren’t even moving,
>>
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>>5523782
And hey! A little robot wheels up to you on retractable heelies.

It’s one of those MS’s. Modular Systems. They can load all sorts of cool gadgets into their bodies and somehow it all fits through teledimensional stuff. It’s neat!

“Oh hi! My name is Dewey, I help people new to the school.” he says. “I’m not saying you’re new to the school, but you’re kind of standing around like you’re new. Or dazed. New or dazed?”

>

(Hey! See that carrot up there? That means it's your turn to take over! What do we do? What do we say? It's up to you. Take the wheel of adventure!)
>>
Okay, I guess we're new?
>>
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"Umm I guess I'm dazed then again this is new to me so I guess I need to get used to" I look at dewy. "Tell me how long have you been here?" I asked
>>
qm i would suggest you came with some options yourself, besides just taking write-ins.
>>
(boy, can't wait to get another Anon run over)
>>
>>5523823
First time using 4chan
>>
>>5523818
You're an absolutely, 100 percent new freshman. You've spent most of your life on Beck Island and now you're here because mom wants you to try this special course Martin's has designed for you.

Come to think of it, you're new to Rhode Island too. Not North America, you lived in Virginia when you were real little before you started going all "baby godling."

>>5523820
"So how long you've been here?"

"As long as I've been an MS!" Dewey smiles.

"How long is that?"

"Since I was made."

Ah. Going to school forever. You aren't sure you want to do that...

"Well, since you're new, may I ask for your name?"

"Izzy Skenazy."

"Oh no, not your supername, your birth name."

"...That is my birth name."

Dewey's eyes tick like railroad lights for a moment.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! That's quite a name! I see you in the files now. Speculo, huh? Neat power!"

"Ha! Only as neat as what's around me!"

"Well, you're going to have a really neat power then! Lots of neat friends are waiting for you at Martin's!"

Yeah, and you can feel them.

It's hard to describe telepathic stuff. But you can feel powers within about a mile. They float like bubbles in the back of your mind. Being around this many superhumans and this may superpowers makes your head feel a little tingly.

Is this how it is to drink? To get a little alcohol buzz? You wouldn't know Mom would kill you if you knew.

"Alright Izzy! Principal Plaras just chatted with me over the noosphere, he says that for today, just relax, roam around, check out the campus and the town. Get yourself oriented, then go up to his office and talk to him about your experimental curriculum...oh, I hope you don't mind it being said that way. Experimental..."

"Naw, it's good. My whole life has kind of been a big experiment."

>

>>5523823
You got it.

Let's see, where to go, where to go...

>Dormitories. Let's see where you're going to be doing most of your sleeping for the next year.

>School store. Get yourself some SPIRIT.

>CRS. Controlled Reality Simulation. This is where they run superfights and stuff. You want to see superkids fight dinosaurs and ninjas and other things they will likely encounter in their adult lives? Here you go.

>Rooftop Gardens. You like gardens. You kept a few on Beck island along with several tide pools. Those crabs were cute, but delicious.

>Boardwalk. You want to check out Joyous Harbor and get a funnel cake. You heard funnel cakes are good.
>>
>>5523826
No worries about that.
Because we have a name!

One day, they're going to burry you on Beck Island, and the little crabs will eat your body.

The Circle of Life is built on payback.
>>
>>5523835
>>Dormitories. Let's see where you're going to be doing most of your sleeping for the next year.
>>
yeah, Dorms
>>
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>>5523888
>>5523928


"The halls are nice!" you remark as Dewey leads you inside the building. "Somehow, I thought the ceilings would be higher. Some of the people outside looked they could leap the building if they did a running jump."

"Really? None of the students have ever tried it. Oh, I hope they don't try doing that...do you think they would try that, it seems so...foolish?"

"Well, maybe. I don't know. I just got here. How would I know more than you? You've been here your entire life!"

"Because you are a teenager."

"Yeah, but I'm not like most teenagers. I bet I stand out even in this school. I grew up on an island. How many do you have like that?"

"Hm...well currently, not many..."

"...Wait! You actually have some kids that grew up on islands. Like, with no one but themselves and their family?"

"We had a few more last year, but they were seniors and graduated. There's this one girl named Amy. Her experience was similar to yours."

"Oh cool! I hope I can talk to her later."

"You'll probably be able to. You'll probably be able to talk to quite a large number of the students later given how accelerated your curriculum is."

"Well, I can't promise my grades will be good, but I think I'm going to have a blast."

The ceiling suddenly rises as an enormous battleship with legs rushes.

Yeah. Battleship with legs. You aren't trying to be vague, that just seems to be the best way to describe him. He even has smokestacks and one of those antennae things. He's a battleship with legs.

"Excuse me! Pardon me! Coming through!"

Oh wait, it's a girl battleship with legs! You couldn't really tell that until she talked.

"That's Lilly Siegel." Dewey says. "Supername Dreadnought."

"Does the ceiling rise like that often? It feels like the second floor just shot into space."

"Oh yes. One must make due with the space one has, that's what they tell everyone on the MS team. Fortunately, space has many dimensions, so the ceiling can rise here, but not outside or on another floor."

You look up and scratch your head. How does that work exactly?

"Don't worry. You'll learn all about it in interdimensional mathmatics."

Ah, darn. You never liked math. Especially when it gets to stuff you can't visualize in your head.
>>
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>>5523960
Dewey leads you to a round black door that slides to reveal spherical interior lined with soft padding, handrails, and motivational posters.

REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO, THERE YOU ARE!

And it's got a picture of Captain Marvel holding up the planet. As in the actual planet, they have to zoom in on him with a magnifying glass.

Cute and wholesome!

"This is the omnimover. Before the 1980's, the school used conventional elevators, but when the school made contact with the Hubardo Dreamlords and their universe, we upgraded. The Hubardo let us use their universe, which we call the blueprint, to create a fast and efficient omnimover system. The omnimovers, you see, don't travel through our universe. They cut through the blueprint. So in a blink of an eye, you can get in this omnimover and be on the 100th floor, 50th floor, sub basement 5, wherever you want to go."

"Why is it called the blueprint?"

"Because when you're standing in it, our world looks like white lines on an endless expanse of blue. You can see through things. It's a telepathic effect, so you can will yourself to see through as many layers of reality as you want. You can see through skin, through walls, through buildings..."

"I take it access to the blueprint is restricted?"

"Oh, absolutely. So much so that we use the blueprint to store sensitive materials. The blueprint is where, for instance, student records are kept. And the sleeping corpus of vampire children."

>Anything you want to say?

>Move on with the tour?
>>
>>5523978
>Move on with the tour?
>Rooftop Gardens. You like gardens. You kept a few on Beck island along with several tide pools. Those crabs were cute, but delicious.
>>
>>5524033
"Hey Dewey, can we stop by the rooftop gardens after we go by the dorms?" you ask. "I want to see the multiverse plants."

"Sure thing. Now, if you want to use the omnimover, you either use vocal commands or this keypad over here to select your location."

While Dewey gives his explanation, your attention is caught by the abandoned bric-a-brac littering the wall-mounted cubbies.

Someone left their umbrella. Another someone left a coke can (unless they were the same someone, in which case they're a very forgetful person). And then there's...

Oh. This is neat. Looks like a notebook of some sort...

>Check it out!

>"Hey Dewey, what's this?"
>>
>>5524105
>>"Hey Dewey, what's this?"
>>
>>5524105
>Check it out

damn QM you move fast
>>
>>5524111
>>5524137
I want to go even faster if you can believe it.

>Vote for the tie breaker!
>>
>>5524171
That be a breathe of fresh air place has become quite slow
>>
>>5524183
Tell your friends to participate! The more people that play, the faster I can go.
>>
>>5524105
>>Check it out!
>>
>>5524105
>Check it out!
>>
>"Izzy Skenazy."
So we're a girl?
>>
>>5524105
>>Check it out!
>>
>>5524474
We can be whatever we want to be.
>>
>>5524105
>>Check it out!
>>
>>5524105
>"Hey Dewey, what's this?
>>5524474
I thought we are a boy, because of this
>They picture you as becoming a sort of super factotum, a dude that can go anywhere, copy any power, and make himself useful.
>>
>>5524474
>>5524624
We're a boy.


>>5524343
>>5524469
>>5524524
>>5524587
Back on the island visitors would leave stuff around. It was easy to to do. There's a lot of steep parts to the island, so people often put things down and forget to come back for them.

You're kind of just used to picking other people's stuff up.

You aren't nosey. Oh no. Not you. You're helpful.


...Well okay, maybe a little nosey.

EDITH OGDEN

Okay Edith, let's see what you've written.

Oh hey! There's a doodle of some guy you don't know. Either that or he's a robot. It's hard to read a doodle. And given the people at the school you'd probably have to coinflip human vs robot even if was a photograph.

Oh, a poem!

THEY SAY THAT LIFE
THROUGH THESE SEASONS OF STRIFE
DRAGS ON AND ON
BUT I SAY LIFE
WHEN IT CUTS LIKE A KNIFE
DRAGONS

....

Okay, you didn't really get that one, but you've never really been a poetry person and Edith didn't publish this so you'd feel like a dick critiquing it.

"...And that covers the emergency instructions." Dewey said.

Aw shit. You can probably catch up through a book or something.

"I have to respond to a plasma leak on floor 13. Your dorm is on floor 33, room 3."

What are the odds? You hope 33 3 is a good portent of things to come and not like, the place where some kid died and is haunted by their ghost.

Not that you don't like ghosts. You aren't mansphobic. It's just that you'd rather not have a room mate.

Dewey presses a button.

BEEP BOP.

'See you later!" He waves good bye as teh door closes, leaving you alone in the omni-mover.


>What now?


>IZZY'S NOTES

>Some girl named Amy grew up on an island too. What are the odds? You'd like to meet her.

>You got some girl named EDITH OGDEN'S notebook.

>Your room is room 3 on floor 33

>You want to check out the rooftop gardens.

>Oh shoot, did Dewey say plasma leak? You kind of want to see that...
>>
I then began to think about Amy a girl who grew up on the same island as i did "I really would like to meet her again" I said to myself.

>Some girl named Amy grew up on an island too. What are the odds? You'd like to meet her.
>>
>>5525098
>You got some girl named EDITH OGDEN'S notebook.
>>5525135
She's from a different island
>>
Switched back to Princi-Pal. Won't need to be a ref until the sports arc.

Which, depending on our choices, might be soonish.

>>5525135
Amy didn't grow up on our island. We would have noticed her. Unless she was invisible, intangible, microscopic, etc. She grew up on another island, and her similar circumstances makes you want to meet her.

Maybe she projected a death-field or something? Or had a power that tossed everyone in 10 feet into the sun? You don't know. You want to know.

>>5525145
You want to rifle through the notebook some more? Try and locate some sort of room number?

>Look through the notebook more?
>>
>>5525152
I want to check out our room first so we can get settled and know where we live before hijinks ensue. Of course we can do it after though.
>>
>>5525152
I want to ask around to see if anyone knows her. That way we can return the notebook.
>>
>>5525200
>>5525219
No reason we can't do both at once!

They say we're very multi-talented, after all.

Well, potentially multi-talented...

But if you want to ask around about Amy, the dorms aren't a bad place to look!

BEEP BOP

The first thing you notice is that this floor has a very nice, welcoming commons area.

Is that a pinball table? You've never played a pinball table before!

And is that a fireplace next to the sofas? You made plenty of fires back on Beck Island. Young boy on an island within spitting distance of the sea, you kind of get the temptation to play with fire from time to time and smoke some crabs. But you never seen an actual fireplace. They're so old-timey in this day and age of space travel and multiverse physics. You thought there extinct, like buffalo or something.

The second thing you notice, and it's only because you had to make absolutely sure it was really him, is your old pal Sam Kinsley!

Oh man! You knew he was at Martin's studying to be a superhero, but you didn't expect to run into him so soon!


"Hey, if it isn't the king of the island!" Sam hugs your shoulder. "Great to see you man. how you been?"

"I've been pretty good! This place has quite an atmosphere. Like Alice in Wonderland meets Wayside School or something. I dig it!"

"Every does, in time. Even the multiverse kids warm up to the place. When everyone and everything is weird, no one is, you get what I'm saying?"

"Sounds like I won't have any problem fitting in then!"

"Naw man, you won't. A speculo from an island, that's nothing, that's nothing at all. You know the biology teacher, Ms. Garret?"

"No, I just got here."

"You won't miss her, she's the hot bio teacher. Fairy princess man. According to the rumors. Like legit unseelie court turn-you-into-an-apple fairy."

"Wow! I've never seen a hot bio teacher before!"

You and Sam share a laugh.

"It's good to see you." you say. "So is that your supercostume you're wearing or just your street clothes?"
>>
>>5525286
Sam was big into SE Hinton and Rebel Without a Cause. Something about greasers really did it for him. You aren't surprised he copied the look--white shirt, blue jeans, a yellow and black jacket you think he took from The Wanderers (mom got so upset when she found out you watched that film with him),and greased back hair (of course, it would be downright weird at this point the hair wasn't greased back).

"It's both man. That's the fashion for superheroes these days. You want something a little bit of a step down from Captain Marvel, a little step up from The Question."

"So did you really go with Rumblefish as your supername?"

"Nope." Sam turns around points to what's on the back of his jacket. "Check it out. Rumble."

RUMBLE in a big cartoon smoke cloud, the kind cartoons make when they, well, have a rumble. And around it, one of Sam's power rings.

Oh yeah, that's his hyperstasis: he can create rings of energy, and inside these rings he can create fields of turbulent force.

Rumble rings, if you would. They're as strong and stable on the rim as they are chaotic and turbulent on the inside.

Sam used to share his power with you back on Beck Island. You used to play sky pinball. One ring was the pinball, and the other rings were the bumpers and flippers.

You still feel bad about that bird one time, though...

>Just Rumble now? You kind of liked Rumblefish...

>You can dig Rumble.
>>
>>5525292
>You can dig Rumble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P9HCPAEc48
>>
>>5525292
>Whatever is fine. It's his name anyway.
>>
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>>5523772

A QUICK ASIDE (relatively speaking) ON SPECULO ETTIQUETTE

BE A SUPER FRIEND, NOT A SUPER THIEF!

Now's the time to talk about copying powers.

What? You're wondering why we're covering this now?

You think you're going to be in a fight or something?

No no no no. How would you get in a fight in the dorms?

Anyway, some ground rules for being a speculo:

1. Don't copy powers without permission. When Alf Landon became president in 1936, he introduced reforms to protect superhumans from government oppression, and part of these reforms dealt with superpowers being considered property.

That means if you copy without permission, you're copying property without permission.

Don't copy someone's power unless you have permission--which in the case of Sam, you do, because Sam is your bro.


2. Just because you copy a power, doesn't mean you know how it works. Though in the case of Rumble Rings, you know exactly how they work because you've been using them since you were a kid.

3. You can steal a power and stack it on top of your copied power, resulting in you having an even stronger power.

For reasons that probably don't need to stressed, this is very dangerous. Don't do this outside of an absolute and total emergency. People will get pissed at you if you jack their powers.

4. You can copy the powers of technology, magic books, orbs of infinite power, etc, etc, but you feel funny doing so, and the powers you get are harder for you to contorl.

5. You can copy only parts of a superpower--for instance, a Rumble Ring without a turbulent center, or just the center of a Rumble Ring without an edge...which creates a bomb, so be careful with that one. Pulling this move requires you to have experience with a power. Trying this on a power you've only heard about but never used can result in weird stuff.

>>5525294
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL-u3kAywRk

This is more Sam's speed, though he does have jock energy.


>>5525294
>>5525317

"I dig Rumble!"

"Good! Man, I tried to get Rumblefish, but no one got it."

"Really?"

"I know, right? It's a classic! They kept asking me if I could breathe underwater or something. And some of the Thule kids got upset. You know, a kid that can create telekinetic constructs calls himself a fish, they didn't like that, thought I was making a comment about them or something."

"...That they're rockabillies?"

"Man, I don't know, I switched to Rumble to avoid that mess. And because I got tired of explaining what a Rumblefish was to everyone."

Thules are interesting guys. You go down below the mantle of the planet enough, you reach this zone of liquified ringwoodite, that's where the Thule evolved. Each and every one of them can create telekinetic bubbles they can see through called "eyes." They had to evolve those bubbles. No telekinetic bubbles, you don't last long down there. They got continent-sized leviathans and stuff.
>>
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>>5525367
There's a couple of Thule kids at Martin's owing to Joyous Harbor having a large Thule population. Back in the 40's these superheroes called the Fisherman took an experimental Nazi sub-driller down to the ringwoodite layer and met the Thule. They had all kinds of adventures fighting Nazis after the secret of Thule eyes, very Barsoom meets Pellucidar, and some Thule women married with the Fishermen and since then the ranks of the Fishermen have been filled with Thule and human-Thule hybrids.

They're alright. Most of them are of course, in the superhero track, but a few aim for other careers. Some are into biology as their eyes can make very precise environments inside them when they get skilled enough making them. You're kind of curious to see what a Thule terrarium looks like with your own eyes. You think there might be a couple at the rooftop gardens.

Don't call them fish people. They hate that. Wouldn't you hate to to called a monkey person?
>>
>>5525371

"Anyway Sam, I got my room!"

"Oh cool. On this floor?"

"Yeah. Room 3."

"Awesome! I got room 2!"

"Cool! We're room neighbors! You think they set it up that way?"

"Maybe. They do like doing things like that. It's the people here man, they make it work."

"The people?"

"Yeah. Even the real competitive types are pretty nice. There's a couple of assholes, but like, real small population, and it's not hard to pick the out either. Worst is probably Harmony Hascoe."

"Hascoe...that's the name of the big park downtown, isn't it?"

"Yeah, close to the boardwalk. That's her family. They eat, sleep, breathe money. She's a Thule girl. Hot as hell, but real mean. Spreads rumors."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She told people I hated Thule."

"What a bitch!"

"Yeah, but hot though. It's a shame..."

That's when someone comes flying down the hall and tackles you to the ground...

>WHUP!

>SOCK!

>POW!

>BAM!

>WA-KLUD!

(Hey, can you name another quest that let you pick the sound effect? I bet you can't!)
>>
>>5525377
>>BAM!
>>
>>5525377
>SOCK!
Never new articles of clothing were dangerous. Also how far away can you copy a power? How long does it last? After you copied a power once can you use it again. Without having the person nearby?
>>
>>5525377
>"HAKUNGFUIE!!"
>>
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>>5525380
>>5525391
>>5525428
HAKUNGFUIEBAMSOCK!

You see a red, scaly claw pinning your shoulder to the ground.

You first think "Crabs?" then you think "Uh oh, I might be in danger here."

Then you look at the arm the claw belongs to and follow it up to...

A girl, in a purple jumpsuit, and a curtain of red hair that looks like it could use a trim and brushing.

"You jerk! You stole my notebook! Thief! Thief!"

"Where? Where's the thief?" Sam looks all around.

"Wait. You mean Izzy?"

Sam sees the dragon girl on top of you.

"Edith! Get off him! You're causing another scene!"

The dragon girl leers down at you. "You stole my notebook! Give it back, you jerk!"

Ow! Those claws are sharp! You can feel them tightening on your shoulder. You hope she didn't cut you.

>Use WORDS!

>Use POWER!
>>
>Use WORDS!
>>
>>5525454
>Use Talknojutsu
Also can you answer these questions plz >>5525391
>>
>>5525391
>>5525474
>How long can you copy a power?

You can copy a power for about 3 hours until you need to copy it again.

>How far away can you copy a power?

Your max range was recorded at 400 yards (they put Sam on a boat to test that one), but that's with you focusing really, really hard and spending minutes meditating. You typically only sense powers within 50 yards.

Right now, you can feel everyone in the building.

Note, while you can sense powers, you can't tell what they actually are until you try them. You can detect where Sam is, because you know his power, so it sticks out to you in the sea of bubbles in the back of your mind.

>After you copied a power once can you use it again?

Absolutely. You wouldn't have been able to play all those games of sky pinball with Sam if you couldn't re-copy.

>Without having the person nearby?

Nope, You need them nearby to re-copy.
>>
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>>5525459
>>5525474
>Use WORDS!

"Hey, I'd give you the notebook back, but it's back over there where I was before you tackled me. Wow, you knocked me some distance!"

"Why did you steal it? Were you in my room? Did the BOL send you?"

"Can you get off me first? Please?"

Oh great. There's a crowd now.

You got to give the school credit. They train their kids well.

Several powers activate to separate you from Edith and contain you. You find yourself covered by a purple oval, a giant blue hand, a blue wave of energy, some spider-web gunk (you hope that doesn't stain), and you're pretty sure some stuff you can't see with your eyes have you too."

"Guys! Guys, no! That's Izzy!" Sam comes to your defense.

Everyone looks at him. And then at Edith.

"He had my notebook!"

You're gently lowered to the coach. Off goes the energy fields, and a kid in a shiny yellow and black costume covered in web designs sprays something on you that dissolves the spider web gunk.

"Sorry 'bout that." he says. "Name's Ben Cooper. The Web Man."

"Okay." Sam picks up Edith's notebook. "Let's get some explanations. Edith, you talk first."

"He stole my notebook!"

"When did you see him last with it?"

"It was in the omnimover! I was helping clean up a plasma spill on floor 13 and the door opened and I SAW HIM WITH MY NOTEBOOK and I saw the thing above the door saying he was headed to floor 33 so I ran to the stairs and flew up here!"

Sam hands Edith back the notebook. She hugs it close. "Oh, I was worried someone would read you!"

"Now, Izzy, how did you get the notebook."

"I found it in the omnimover."

Everyone stares at Edith.

She blushes.

"You left it there again, Edith?" Ben asks. "Come on girl."

"Don't come on girl me, Ben! You left your robot spiders in there!"

"Like, once."

"W-Well who is this guy anyway?"

"Izzy. Izzy Skenazy." Sam says. "Remember? he's the new guy. They made that announcement?"

"N--No one listens to those! And how was I supposed to know he was that guy and not some BOL guy sneaking around?"

"The BOL are after your notebook?"

"They do weird things! Maybe! Maybe they recruited a Notebook Thief Man! They do things like that!"

"This is why we need ID cards for visitors on campus..." Edith grumbles.

"This is why we need to not jump to conclusions. Even if we had cards for visitors, he's not a visitor, he's a new student. His room is 3 and he's here to get oriented and talk to Dr. Plaras about his curriculum."

Edith's tail curls nervously around her leg. "Okay...I screwed up...again. I'm sorry, Izzy. I'm just very protective of my things and--OH!" Edith squeals. "Oh man oh man oh man I'm sorry!"

You follow your eyes to your shoulder.

Your shirt is torn and there's scratch marks..

"Man down." Ben says.

You look at your shoulder. "No big deal. Would probably bleed if I squeezed it."

You squeeze your shoulder to see if it will bleed.

"Eh, guess not..."

"Izzy I am SO, SO SORRY!"
>>
>>5525573
I don't know what possessed me to make the Ben Cooper Spider-Man a character in the game, but here he is.

If you have no idea what the hell Ben Cooper Spider-Man is, check this out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST5WwIFo1TM
>>
>>5525573
"You're going to turn into a dragon now that she's scratched you." Ben says. "That's how it works."

"IT IS NOT!" Edith snaps.

The omnimover opens.

Sam covers your shoulder with his hand.

Dewey steps out of the omnimover. "Ah. Sam. I see you got a crowd to come meet Izzy. Good!"

>You can't fool these MS's. Tell the truth.

>EVERYTHING IS OKAY!
>>
>>5525580
Don't yell about it, but tell the truth if asked.
>>
>>5525623
Support, honesty is the best policy. It rhymes therefore its true
>>
>>5525623
>>5525651
"Yes sir." Sam says. "Just showing him around the dorm."

"Edith. Why are you in the boy's dorms?" Dewey asks.

"Ummmm.....UMMMMMM..."

"We called her up to get her book." you say. "I found it in one of the cubbies in the omnimover."

That's partly honest, you feel party good about yourself.

"Edith, you know we still need you on floor 13."

"I'm sorry Dewey, I should have said something before taking off, but I really really wanted to get my notebook back." Edith says.

"Edith. You know better. Anyway, Izzy, shall we continue the tour? I believe you wanted to see the rooftop gardens next?"

"Actually, Izzy was thinking about having me show him around." Sam says. "Since we're friends and stuff."

"Don't you have classes to get to, Sam?"

"Um, I got a free day today. From Mr. Sykes. Because I did extra homework."

"Oh, he gives out so many of those. Well, if it's alright with Izzy, go right ahead and show him around. Just remember Dr. Plaras needs to see him about his curriculum this evening."

"I'll make sure he doesn't miss it, Dewey!"

Dewey wheels himself back to the omnimover. Those retractable wheels all the MS's have really are handy!

Everyone relaxes as soon as Dewey leaves.

"Okay. First thing we need to do is get you a new shirt." Sam says. "All of mine are kind of big for you, though. Hey Ben! You're about Izzy's size. can he borrow a shirt."

"I get a better quick fix solution."

Black webbing sprays from Ben's fingers.

A little on this shoulder, a little on that, and now you got yourself a costume!

"It looks weird." you say.

"Aw, but does it stand out?"

"Hm. Good point."

"I know you wanted to see the gardens, but I think the first stop we need to make is to the school store. And hey, while you're down there, you can get some stuff for your room."

"Izzy I am SO, SO SORRY!" Edith says. "Let me buy you a new shirt! It's the least I can do!"

>Accept
>Decline.
>>
>>5525664
>decline
Begone thot. Spiderboy already took care of it and I wish to see the Garden.
>>
>>5525664
>Decline
>It's not a big deal and this apology starting to dragon ;)
>>
>>5525664
>Accept
>>
>Accept
>>
>>5525664
>Accept
>>
>>5525674
>>5525682
>>5525755
>>5525806
>>5525831

"Eh, sure." you say. "It's no big deal though, it's just a shirt. And now its a costume. I'm Captain Spider Web Epaulettes or something."

"I uh...don't carry my purse with me, and I don't have any pockets, just tell me how much I owe you later and I'll pay you back. I really got to go now, Dewey is going to be upset if I keep cutting out on cleaning up the plasma I spilled, I mean the plasma that spilled."

"Later, Edith."

Edith zips to the omnimover.

"So, now you're met the hallway meteor." Sam says.

"She was a nice meteor. I'm going through the high school experience checklist at lightning speed. I got beat up. I got a girl to touch me. I kept an embarrassing secret from adults."

"So let's get to the school store. Unless you really want to be Captain Spider Web Epaulets."

"Hold on, hold on. This place is so disorienting. I came up here to see my room and I want to see it!"

"There's not much to see. All the rooms look the same until you start putting stuff in them."

"I still wanna see!" you walk up to your room and try the handle.

"It won't budge, Sam."

"You got to say open sesame."

"Open sesame."

Sam laughs. "Oh man, really? Come on, now. It's voice controlled. Just say your name and if Dewey put you in the system, it'll open."

"Izzy Skenazy."

The door swings open on its own.

"Oh neat! Why do they have doorknobs though?"

"Because a sliding slab instead of a door seemed kind of prison-like."

"Hm. Yeah, I guess it would."

You walk inside to find...

"Your bed. Your kitchen. Your bathroom. See, not much right now."

You flop on the bed and close your eyes.

"Does it pass the Izzy test?"

"It passes the Izzy test. Wow...this is all so much bigger than my room back home! This is like a tiny house!"

"I think they call those apartments."

"Miracles of extradimensional technology, I guess."

"Not all of it is modern." Sam gestures to a black screen on the wall.

You get off the bed and examine it closely. "What is that? Is this so they can spy on us?"

"It's a television."

"A television?"

"Yeah. From the dark ages before noosphere projections became common. Around the 60's, 70's, they put these in all the rooms and never bothered to take them out."

"Turn on." you say. "Turn on, please?"

Sam opens the cupboard below the television and takes out a remote of some kind. "You use this."

"You actually have to press buttons? That's so retro!"

"They got a keypad in the omnimovers."

"Yeah, but I figured that was so they could log fingerprints of who goes where."

Same shrugs. "Eh, you're probably not wrong."

"What's this hole in the back for?"

"Believe it or not, that's where they used to put the batteries."

"No way!"

"Yeah. Chemical batteries. See, the springs right there are so they can be held in place."

"I feel like I'm holding an artifact. Every room has a television and remote?"
>>
>>5526196
"Every room. It's one of those things that reminds you that Martin's goes all the way back to the 1940's. Check out the museum on the 2nd floor sometime. They got pictures of how things used to look back then. Some of the girls man, they rocked those skirts, made me wish skirts would come back in style, though the hairstyles were kind of, eh."

You hold the remote out in front of you like it's Excalibur, like its the hammer of Thor.

"The television is keyed to most major noosphere hubs. It's like a noosphere projector but you know, in a tiny box."

"Neat!"

>Turn on the news. Let's see what's happening in the world.

>Turn on cartoons!

>Turn on history programs.

>Turn on Martin's News

>Turn on sports

>Turn on drama

>Turn on westerns
>>
>>5526204
>Turn on history programs.
>>
>>5526204
>Turn on Martin's News
>>
>>5526204
Screw TV! Go see the garden now!
>>
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>>5524171
>>
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>>5526212
>>5526235
>>5526374

"Oh, let's see what's on the Flashback Channel!"

"...At the end of the 1950's, supercrime began to soar, prompting the formation of several superteams to stem the rising tide. Many debated on whether or not to ban the writings of Francis King, Frederick Nietzsche, Dwight Adams, and others, which they saw as influencing the spread of the ideas of the Brotherhood of the Lion."

"Ah, the BOL."

Sam smiles. "You know, my mom thought you were going to grow up to join them."

"Ah, really? Come on! She really saw me as supervillain material?"

"Hey, you did kind of implode out there on your island. You didn't want to go anywhere, do anything. They say that's how it starts. First you get restless. Then you get depressed. Then you get mad. Then you're wearing an ant costume and turning downtown into an anthill and making everyone wear ant hats."

The Brotherhood of the Lion. They take their name from some lines by Nietzsche, and they're probably the only lines by Nietzsche most of them have ever read.

"With the advent of rejuvenation technology, men could live forever. With the advent of teleportation technology, men could go anywhere, Yet many found life unfulfilling. Men journeyed to the stars to find races older and wiser than himself who had mapped the multiverse back when the sun was young and blue. Back on Earth, man found a wealth disparity like none before. Immortal billionaires had no need to invest in a family, and the natural churn of wealth caused by natural death froze. There was no adventure in the stars and no treasure in the Earth. And as for Earths beyond, man found an infinite multiverse, one with an infinite number of heavens and an infinite number of hells. As Francis King observed in his controversial book The Joke Of Man, no matter how many worlds were saved, no matter how many lives were touched, the amount of suffering in the multiverse remained infinite."

"I like it better when they talk about wars." Sam says.

"Many young men were left without hope, and without hope, they became without fear. The BOL told them to take their frustrations and pour them out over the uncaring world. Create value, no matter how weird, silly, or meaningless. If they had anything, they had their aggression, and aggression was enough to force attention. In a room full of helpless people trying to go about their daily lives, they could be God for a few minutes."

You change the channel. You're curious what Martin's News is like.

You see a woman made of steel standing next to a form graphic.

"...Don't forget to include your name on the form as well as your supername. We aren't going to hunt through the records to identity you. If you can't follow simple instructions, we don't want you on the team."

"Who's that?" you ask.

"One of the ERC coaches. Steel Dolly. She's old-school old-school. Fought in the Worlds War. Met the Black Terror and Fighting American."

"She's--

>Cool!

>Hot!

>Intimidating!

>Old!

>Shiny!
>>
>>5526578
>Shiny!
>>
>>5526578
>Shiny AND Hot!
>>
>Shiny AND Hot!
>>
>>5526578
>Shiny AND Hot!
>>
>>5526583
>>5526587
>>5526594
>>5526596
"She's shiny...and hot!"

"Heh. Actually, she's pretty cold to the touch."

"How would you know?"

"She's a very hands-on ERC coach. Threw me threw a window once."

"Cool!"

"Please stop asking admin when team selections will be finalized. You will know when we know." Steel Dolly continues.

"What's she talking about?"

"We're doing a little competitive ERC with Ishinomori School from Japan."

"Oh, for real?"

"Yeah, we do it every year. Two teams of eight, 2 v 2 rounds, winner takes home the trophy."

"Are you going to try and be on the team?"

"Yeah. I probably won't be though. Only the best of the best make the cut. But I'm gonna try anyway. Who knows what'll happen."

"I'll be cheering for you if you make it in, Sam."

"Thanks, Izzy."

You look close at the television. "Hey, neat! If you stand really close you can see it break down into dots!"

"Don't stand so close, it'll fry your eyes."

You jerk back. "Oh, for real?"

"That's what my grandma always said about them, anyway. Come on. Let's go to the gift shop."

"You mean the gardens, right?"

"Gift shop first, I can't stand walking around with Captain Spider Web Epaulets."

.....

As you walk through the halls, you talk to Sam about Edith.

"So...the hallway meteor often forgets things?"

"Yeah...it's an ADHD thing."

"And is she always so protective about her stuff?" You scratch at your shoulder.

"That's a half-dragon thing. Dragons are notorious hoarders. They imprint memories on objects, a kind of mnemonic device deal, and when they enter their period of cosmic hibernation, they sometimes wake up, stares at the items, and refresh their memories for their dreams."

"Oh...shit. Was this like I was stealing her memories to her?"

"Don't be so dramatic. Edith is only half a dragon. She doesn't do the big sleep thing, but she's still very possessive. And messy. Don't tell anyone I told you this, but one time one of her girlfriends opened the door to her room and BOOM, big flood of junk, all on the floor."

"I feel bad about the notebook now."

"Don't be. She didn't even realize she left it until she saw you with it. Anyway, that's probably not why she jumped you. Or only like, half of it."

"What's the other half?"

Sam pauses and bites his lip.

"Can you keep a secret?"

>Yes
>No
>Maybe
>>
>>5526662
>Absolutely
>>
>>5526662
>Yes
>Unless it's a secretly want to destroy the world secret
>>
>>5526662
As long as it's not hurting anybody.
>>
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>>5523772
Quick announcement--we have a theme song!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8dxR4sAaVA

I'm ready to live my life again
Like there's a chance worth takin'
I'm ready to love you like I can
Like my heart's not breakin'
Wherever you are, wherever you are, red, white and blue
I'll keep waitin'
But the missing hero is you

The Midnight is great. Ever heard Deep Blue? Vampires? Great stuff.
>>
>>5526729
Nice.
(Also these 1-2 hours between updates are killing me. Also when do sessions normally stop?)
>>
>>5526676
>>5526681
>>5526690
"Is this a destroy-the-world kind of secret?" you ask.

"Nope."

"Is this a hurting-somebody secret?"

"Oh now come on!"

"Then I can absolutely keep a secret."

"Okay then. You remember how a month back the BOL attacked the school?"

"Yeah." you remember it well. It was all on the news.

The school's only been attacked 5 times, counting what happened last month, in its entire existence.

Supervillains will do stupid stuff.

From what the news told you, the BOL managed to get bugs inside the school somehow which shorted the defenses. Then a mob of supervillians got inside, rioted, and get tossed back out by the teachers and a few of the students.

It was all so Mr. Blue, another speculo, could get to a student to copy her abilities. He wanted to go out into the multiverse, and so he copied the powers of a girl who could make windows into other worlds.

It never really crossed your mind until now how nice Martin's is not to make a fuss over you being a speculo. Other places probably would have.

"They bugged the place by using Edith."

"How?"

"They had a shapeshifter. Weird, creepy guy from the Astral named Glass. He kidnapped her, stuck her in the tunnels beneath Joyous Harbor. While he was disguised as Edith, no one really questioned why he was flying around here and there, because Edith does that."

"Was she okay?"

"About as okay as anyone would be after being trapped in a glass cocoon underground for a week."

"Damn. Poor girl."

"So yeah. She doesn't make a habit of cutting people. She's just under a lot of stress."

"She didn't even cut me. It's not being cut unless you draw blood. If gotten more banged up from crabs."

Sam laughs. "Oh man. Remember that time you got one on your pinky?"

You groan. "Oh man, don't remind me. I thought it was broken or something."

"But don't tell anyone I told you about this. Edith's aware she's...different from other girls. She doesn't like to be singled out more than she already is. And she feels guilty about it."

"Why the hell would anyone feel guilty over being body snatched?"

"She thinks is she wasn't so...herself, Glass wouldn't have targeted her."

"Let her be herself. Not her fault crazy shapeshifter man abducted her. No one's fault but crazy shapeshifter man."

"But promise you won't tell anyone."

"I promise."

"Oh, by the way Izzy...thanks for coming to Martin's."

"Eh, thank my mom. She pushed me into it."

"I will. Some kids have stopped coming to school. They're worried it isn't safe."

"I can understand the non-superhero kids doing that. But I'm going to be a superhero. And a super doctor. And a super engineer. And a super whatever they need me to be. I don't be those things if I'm afraid of supervillains, you know."

Sam smiles. "I know. Mom wanted me to stop coming to school."

"Ah, your mom's crazy."

"Heh. Says you. Your mom talks to Ataris."

"Colecovisions, actually. the Ataris cop an attitude."
>>
>>5526733
>There 1-2 hours are killing me
I'm trying to pick up the pace. It's a combination of me typing a lot, bronchitis, and me wanting to have at least like, three responses before I start.

>When do sessions normally stop?

They don't.. We got too much for our boy Izzy to do to come to a stopping spot now.
>>
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>>5526745
Forgot my Mr. Blue pic.

Not all speculos are good people like you.

This one in particular is a dick.

He's out in the multiverse causing god-only-knows what kind of damage. The only silver lining here is that his BOL pals didn't know he was going to blast off into parts unknown, so they hate him like everyone else does.

You hope you never have to fight him. But you think you could take him, speculo against speculo.
>>
(Mr. Blue is a turd and got punked HARD by Clotho, and it was the greatest moment of my hero RPG life)
>>
>>5526748
Sucks to hear that, hope you get better. Also I meant like at what point during the day +timezone do you usually stop posting rather than end of a thread.
>>
>>5526745
"Hello!" the MS at the counter greets you with a wave. "My name is Sullivan, welcome to the school store!"

"Hey Sullivan. I'm Izzy." you take a look around. You see a lot of stuff with the Martin's logo--shirts, pants, jackets, pendants, backpacks, coffee mugs, etc, etc. You also see Pyroman action figures, got to have those, Pyroman founded the school.

But what's with the cat?

You see a weird looking gray cat on a few things. It even has its own plush. What is that?

"Oh, that's Smokey." Sam says.

"Smokey the cat? Is he like the mascot or something? I thought Pyroman was the mascot?"

"Smokey is...well, you'll see."

"I'll see?"

"He's a bit of a secret. An in-joke, if you would. You'll get him. Don't worry."

"So, Izzy, you here for some clothes and a costume?"

Oh! Your supercostume! You didn't even think about that!

"First, I just want a shirt or something." you reply. "Something school spirity I can throw on whenever. I'd like--"

>Polo!
>T-shirt!
>Hoodie!
>Long coat!

>>5526775
11:00 PM Central, depending on how the medicine makes me feel.
>>
>>5526798
>T-shirt or Polo
Let's keep it simple. Don't feel edgy enough for a hoody nor fancy enough for a long coat.
>>
>>5526772
The qst game is going to intersect with the discord game in some interesting ways.
>>
>>5526798
>hoodie.
always good to have a way to cover yourself.
>>
>>5526798
>BUSINESS CASUAL
>>
>>5526772
You know anyone going by dee or dex by any chance?
>>
>>5526798
>Hoodie!
>>
>>5526798
>Hoodie!
Hoodies are comfy
>>
>>5526798
>Polo!

We are no longer in a cave in some isolated island we need to start looking like people.
>>
>>5527106
>>5526805
>>5527136
(My erratic drug induced schedule lets me get this update out!)

You want something that says you mean business, but casual business. Something adultish.

Ah. There it is. Short sleeves, three buttons, comfy fit--a polo. Light gray, to be specific, with a little Martin's School logo. This shirt says you either work here or learn here.

You like the color. For some reason, light gray appeals to you. Maybe because it's like white, it says you got a lot of potential with your powers, but all the stains you know are coming aren't going to show up as much. Maybe because it reminds you of the wet tidepool sand back home.

Regardless, it's yours--your new every-day look.

"Excuse me, Izzy." Sullivan says. "I'm looking at your files and it says you haven't registered a supername yet."

"Oh yeah. I probably should get around to doing that, shouldn't I?"

The supername. A time-honored tradition among America's superhumans dating back to the 30's when they had to hide their identities to avoid being busted by FDR's NRA. Even the non-superhero kids at the school take a supername.

Your supername. One day, people are going to be like "Quick! Call up Captain Marvel, Blue Beetle and (Your supername)."

You hope you can come up with a good one...

"Hey, don't sweat it." Sam says. "New kids always treat it as more important than it is, and you can change it at any time."

"Says the guy that went back and forth on Rumblefish vs Rumble. Okay, I think I have one...how about...X?"

"X?" Sullivan asks.

"Yeah, X! As in my powers are a variable, so...X!"

"That's the letter, right? Not something like E-C-K-S?"

"Yeah. Just the cross thing. I don't think spelling it out would have the same effect."

"Hmmm..." Sullivan's digital eyes briefly play a game of pong with each other as he scans the records. "Sorry, Izzy, but X is taken."

"Aw...at least now I know it was a neat supername..."

"Yeah. I see an X, a Captain X, Red X...no I'm sorry, that's pronounced Red 10, X-Marks-The-Spot."

"X-Marks-The-Spot?" you ask. "What does he do?"

"She. She makes X's. They mark things, specifically hidden things and weak spots."

"Pirate themed?"

"Oh, absolutely. Skull and crossbones and everything. She's often down at the boardwalk at the really upscale supercostume tailors, I hardly ever see her anymore."

"Talking parrot?"

"Not yet."

'If I was her, I'd get a robot parrot and make it my sniper. I'd teach it to shoot a bazooka or something."

"You've always had quite the imagination, Izzy." Sam says.

You had plenty of time to exercise your imagination on Beck Island.

"So if all those X-names are taken...what about X-factor?" you ask.

"Name of a superteam. And a television show."

"Darn..."

>Give us a supername!
>>
>>5527150
Hold on, there we go!
Shopkeep mode.
>>
>>5527150
First thing that came to mind is Copycat, but I'm sure that's taken.
Something about plagiarizing? Referencing Creative Commons or some sort of Open Trademark since we copy powers?
Could go for Xerographer for office jokes.
Or something like Mr. Reflection for a reference to mirrors.
>>
>>5527150
>All-For-One

We are totes a good guy.
>>
>>5527167
>>5527150
This one. This could work
>>
super name? uhhhhh how bout... Mr. Red
>>
>>5527150
Protean. literally means "able to do many different things."
>>
>>5527167
Let's be more original anon.
>>5527150
I AM ANY-MAN!
>>
>>5527157
>>5527167
>>5527177
>>5527199
>>5527220
>>5527416
"How about Copycat!"

"Taken. Her name is Ashely Rivers."

"Is she another speculo?"

"Let me check...yes, yes she is."

"Neat!"

That's another person to add to the list of people you want to meet.

"How about All-For-One?"

"All-For-One?" Sam asks. "What's with the Musketeer thing?"

"Well, you see, I have all the powers, but in one body!"

"Yeah, but it sounds kind of supervillainy, like you're going to take all the powers and give them to yourself."

"...Isn't that what I do?"

"Yeah, but you don't need to stress the issue."

"How about One-For-All then? Because I'm one guy but I'm working a lot of jobs for...all the people!"

"How about we get beyond Dumas?"

"Also, I think both of them have been used in Japan." Sullivan says.

>Protean?
>Mr. Reflection?
>Xerographer?
>Any-man?
>>
>>5527614
Xerographer or Any-Man.
Protean looks and probably sounds too similar to protein.
Mr. Reflection seems dumb for some kid at a school, I would change it to Reflecto.
Let's get this show on the road and go see the garden.
>>
>>5527614
>Xerographer?
Come on Izzy, it starts with an X on the name. I know you want it.
You can dress in a business suit and annoy villains with meaningless corporate jargon
>>
>>5527626
Any-man is more generic but also would work.
>>
>>5527614
Anyman seems appropriate.
>>
Xerographer sounds dope
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

This is only if no one breaks the tie but 1 for Any-man, 2 for Xerographer.
>>
>>5527614
Xerographer or Any-man.
>>
>>5527620
>>5527626
>>5527654
"Okay. I got it now. Are you ready for this?"

"Lay it on us." Sam says.

"Xerographer."

"...Is that an actual thing or did you make it up?"

"It's a thing!"

"Really."

"Xerographer. Xero, meaning dry, and graphia, meaning writing, in reference to a dry printing process." Sullivan explains.

"...You're a dry printer?"

"I'm a copier! And it has an X in it, so it's sort of like I'm X anyway!"

"I'm calling you XG."

"That's okay! XG sounds cool!"

'Alright. Now we have your supername registered, any ideas for your supercostume?" Sullivan asks.

"If you ask me, just go with your street clothes." Sam says. "Or just a jacket over your street clothes."

>Ideas for a supercostume?
>>
>>5527736
Business suit, because copymachines are used in offices.
Didn't go for Xerox because we would get sued
>>
>>5527748
Oh, and a pair of sunglasses.
Because sunglasses are cool.
>>
>>5527748
>>5527750
Agreed. We must look professional, seeing as we could be a doctor or a lawyer at any time.
>>
suit, tie, and sunglasses, yeah.
armored a lil bit under, of course
>>
>>5527736
If we're going buisness attire I actually kinda want to get sort of a old detective look going.
>>
>>5527787
Something like a 50s business man?
>>
>>5527791
Forgot to say this was an attempt at a compromise.
Also could look cool.
>>
>>5527748
>>5527750
>>5527757
"A suit? Really man?" Sam asks.

"Yes, really! But not just a suit." you snap open your sunglasses and put them on. "A suit with sunglasses!"

"You look like you teach here."

"I look like I run the place!"

"Well come on, XG. Let's see what the gardens think about your new you."

"About time! Thanks for the help, Sullivan!"

.....


They call it the rooftop gardens, but it's more like a rooftop park. You walk on grass.

The plants by the omnimover aren't so exotic. To you, they might as well be from another planet, because you've never seen a tree with your own eyes before, be it an oak, spruce, willow, whatever. Beck Island simply didn't have trees. You used rocks for shade.

You stand mesmerized by how the wind rustles the leaves, how every movement of the branches causes the light and shade to dance on the ground.

"The Thule kids keep their terrariums over this-a-way." Sam says. "Though technically, it's the "artificial self-contained environment class," but it's mostly Thule kids."

"Hold on." you move closer to the tree. You think it's an oak. It's got a big, round trunk. It's roots cut through the ground like rocks. "I want to do something."

You find a root to sit on.

"What are you doing?" Sam asks.

"I'm sitting down."

"They got benches for that."

"I want to sit under a tree." you explain. "Buddha sat under a tree. Newton sat under a tree. I want to sit under a tree."

You flop down on the grass.

"I think it's loitering or something if you do that for too long."

You close your eyes. "This is nice. I'm surprised other kids don't do this."

"Well most kids are in class."

You open your eyes. Oh yeah. You're at a school.

You stand up. "Let's go see those terrariums."

Sam shakes his head and beats the grass off your back. "You just got this new polo. Or rather, Edith got you this new polo."

....

The terrariums are little orbs, each about as large as a beach ball, proudly arranged under a CLASS 5-7 banner.

"Neat! I like how they're stacked together like that. It reminds me of models of the multiverse. Or grapes. Cosmic grapes!"

"No touching though." Sam says. "They're for a grade, and if someone breaks them, well, pop goes the A+ work."

"They don't look fragile to me."

"Yeah, but you know how it is, there's always a superpower."

You stare at one of them. Yellow blades of grass around a tiny puddle of water. Bonsai twigs with bushy tops that remind you of umbrellas. And...are those insects walking around?

No, they have fur. Furry tarantula things?

No wait...those are lions!

Tiny, tiny lions!

"Hey, Sam! Those are lions in there!"

"Yeah. They let the kids in the artificial environment class play with miniaturization technology."

"Oh, here little lion! Here Simba!"

"If you think that's neat, mine's the planet Amzot terrarium."

You look up to see a Thule boy with large, bulbous eyes!

You flinch!
>>
>>5527791
Yes.
>>
>>5527822
He lifts his eyes to reveal they're goggles. "Heh. Gotcha. Mantis shrimp goggles, made them myself for my gadgetool class, helps me scan for all the little details of our little worlds."

He holds his hand out. "Name's Robert."

Guy looks kind of slovenly, like the type to get real caught up in their work. Baggy black t-shirt (who are the Shell Worms?), little scale growths on his face (Thule guys get that if they don't shave. Girls too, but they'll kill you if they so much as thought about it.), and a physique that says, well, frankly, nerd. The traditional Fisherman coat looks like it's going to eat him alive.

Thule guys on the Fishermen, and that's most of them, always wear that yellow coat. It's a deep tradition, it goes all the way back to when the Fishermen were literal New England fishermen in big yellow rain coats putting on masks to scare away smugglers in the 30's. That plus the Thule tradition of loose, flowing clothing (they use it in the ringwoodite ocean to signal each other. Natural telekinesis means they can move it like a semaphore) gives you the big yellow coat.

You shake his hand. You're thankful it isn't like, covered in goo or nanites or nanite good.

"You're Izzy Skenazy, right? The new speculo kid?"

>Yeah! I'm Izzy!
>I'm Xerographer!
>Call me...XG!
>>
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>>5527839
>>
>>5527839
>Yeah! I'm Izzy!
>>
>>5527839
>Yeah! I'm Izzy!
He gave his name instead of supername, so we should doo the same.
>>
>>5527839
>Nah, you got the wrong guy.
Just to fuck with him and go find something more interesting.
>>
>>5527845
>>5527847
'Yeah! I'm Izzy!"

"Good to meet you. And uh..." he stares at Sam for a moment.

"You know me."

Robert looks really nervous.

"...Yeah I do, I just don't know how to say I do. Oh, well, I guess I just did."

"Hey. I don't know what you've heard, but I don't have any problem with Thule."

"No no no, I get it, you can't trust half of what Harmony says. More than half! Like 85% of what she says you can disregard right out. I never thought you had a problem with Thule, it's just..."

"Just what?"

Robert makes helpless mouth noises. "Umm...uhhh...some people might have said it was...weird that you would call yourself Rumblefish...and wear a jacket...and have Thule-ish powers.."

"And would that "some people" include you?"

"Well...me and others..."

"Well thanks man, great, I love you guys staring at me in the halls."

"All I said was that it was weird! Rumblefish what is that?"

"A movie!"

"...It's a movie?"

"And a book!"

"Was it about Thule or Thule related..."

"It's about the Motorcycle Boy!"

"...So it's a superhero biopic or...?"

"Francis Ford Coppola, 1983, you guys need to see more movies, end of story."

>Hey Sam, he just said it was weird. Blame this Harmony chick for spinning that into something it wasn't.

>Yeah Robert, watch what you say behind other peoples' backs.


>>5527850
Ah, don't be like that, man.
>>
>>5527869
>"Sam, you should've known most people wouldn't get the context. Rob, you could've asked Sam to clarify before making assumptions at face value. Wanna kiss and make up now?"
Told you it would've been better to do something else. They're both already whining at each other.
>>
>>5527869
>I don't get the problem. It's a dressing style, cool powers and a name wit fish in it. I think it would be weirder to claim exclusivity for these things.
>>
>>5527876
They're teenage boys, its what they do.
>>
>>5527869
>>Hey Sam, he just said it was weird. Blame this Harmony chick for spinning that into something it wasn't.
>>
yeah blame Harmony
>>
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>>5527876
>>5527878
>>5527900
>>5527907

"Woah woah woah. Let's take it down a notch, guys." you say. Looks like your first super role is that of super negotiator. 'Sam, he just said it as weird. Blame this Harmony chick for spinning it into something it wasn't." you look at Robert. "I don't get how it's a problem, not by the standards of like, everyone in the school."

"I never said it's a problem, I just said it was weird. Other people said it was a problem--might be a problem! Might be a problem!"

"But why?"

"They thought it might be some kind of joke about Thule."

"Like what?"

"I don't know! I don't think they knew either, they just thought maybe it was some kind of--race thing-" Robert whispers.

"But how? I really don't get it? Just because "fish" and a similar powerset?"

"Um...yeahhhh..."

"That's really it?"

"Hey. These guys bothering you, Robert?" A considerably more athletic Thule kid floats to Robert's side. Shirtless, black shorts, wouldn't pass the dress code of any place that wasn't a school with a superhero population.

"Oh hey Henry! We were just talking, you see this here is Izzy Skenazy, the new kid, and Izzy wants to check out the terrariums, and--"

Henry looks at Sam. "And this is...Rumble, now, right?"

"Right."

"Good."

"Hey, uh, Henry, right?" you ask. "I'm Izzy, and I just got here, like literally just arrived here this morning, and I'm just trying to figure out what was with, you know, the drama here between you guys and Sam."

"I got to get back to work checking the eyes for the class and Robert here needs to get back to checking the minimals."

"You call them minimals?"

"Uh, yeah."

"That's neat, but before you get back to work, can you just clarify what the beef was? Look, I grew up on an island, stuff like this I just don't get."

"Well, I, personally, didn't have any problems with..." Henry lowers his voice. "Rumblefish...I just thought it was weird. But I heard others were offended by it and if all you have to do to keep others from being uncomfortable is slightly alter your supername, I think that you should." Henry looks at Sam. "And not bother other guys about it."

You're starting to wonder if anyone was actually offended...

That's when a blue skinned Thule girl arrives, flanked by two pink skinned Thule.

She floats on a terrarium bubble far larger than the others and far more attention-getting.

"Why hello Henry, Robert, and...friends. I finished up the sun for our little solar system."

"We get graded on putting all the terrariums around Harmony's sun so that the sunlight is used optimally." Robert explains.

"Neat! So they train you not only to make little worlds but figure out how they all fit together." You stare at the sun and see minimal star dragons fighting within the radiance, wrestling shadows matching scale against scale and fang against fang. You probably wouldn't have survived Edith tackling into you if she was that kind of dragon.

"It's so pretty!"
>>
>>5527931
She must either be very skilled with using her Thule eyes...or she's very skilled in getting people to do her homework for her.

Harmony lifts the corner of her lip in a smug smile.

"I hope you were talking about me?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5527934
"Nah. We were talking about the minimals in the terrariums."
This brat wants attention and I'm not giving it to her.
>>
>>5527941
>>5527934

+1 on minimals
>>
>>5527934
>>5527941 voting for this too, she's begging for attention.
>>
>>5527934
>Kinda? We were talking about Sam's old supername and how people are offended but no one actually is and your name came up.
>Since you blew it up, can you explain the reason for why? I don't get it
>>
>>5527951
This is good too! Might put her in an awkward situation.
>>
>>5527955
People like her always have some way to wriggle out of it. We have nothing concrete yet. Now is not the time to strike. Yet....
>>
>>5527951
Actually, maybe the second line should be
>What do you think? I don't get the drama
By not making it an accusation, she gets less attention. Or not, I'm not really sure.
>>
>>5527961
We might get a pass for the attack since we are playing dumb.
>>
>>5527970
"Since you blew it up."
Nope. That's pretty accusatory and no one would be on our side. Not even Sam. We should wait for now.
>>
>>5527973
Atleast I changed it
>>
>>5527978
I'm not shitting on your option, I just think it could've been framed better. People will remember how you make them feel, not exactly what you say.
>>
>>5527973
Maybe yerr right! Lets use the edited version then.
>>
>>5527934
"Nah You're a bit too ugly to be called pretty yet try again in a few years"
>>
>>5527982
It's ok, I had realized that accusing her would work against what I was trying to say, so I agree.
>>
>>5527995
I respect the boldness. Let's try not get into a fight, or at least be the cause of a fight in the first day of school though.
>>
>>5527995
Wait, what you just said made me think that she could be asking about the pretty comment, not what we said about her spinning things.
Am I overthinking things?
>>
The minimals are pretty, not the brat
>>
Minimals give me Spy Kids 2 vibes.
>>
>>5528006
No I believe that is an accurate summation. We are getting cought up in the spinning thing when that wasn't what was asked.
>>
>>5528013
In that case I can agree about the terrarium and minimals being pretty
>>
>>5528001
But I really want to see izzy punch someone in the face
>>
>>5528029
The time will come, just not now.
>>
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>>5527941
>>5527946
>>5527947
>>5527951
>>5527955
>>5527961
>>5527964
>>5527995
>>5528009
"I was talking about the terrariums and the minimals."

Harmony frowns. "Oh."

Then, turning like a bored jungle cat to fresher prey, she looks at Sam.

"Oh hello Sammy. I'm surprised to see you here. I didn't think you liked...you know...terrariums."

"Get off the sun and put it where it needs to be, Harmony." Henry says

"You three weren't about to get in any sort of altercation now, were you?"

"No! Not at all!" Robert says. "We were just talking about stuff."

"Well I'm glad Sammy here could get over his...preconceived notions of things and come pay a visit to our wonderful exhibit."

"You know, you shouldn't spread rumors." Sam says. "It gives you a reputation."

"Why Sammy, don't tell me you believe everything you've heard about me. You know a girl of my prestige and influence, people say quite a lot about me just to talk about me."

"I bet you started all this..." Robert mumbles under his breath.

"What was that, Robert?"

"Nothing!"

"Alright, look, enough chatter, we got a reason we're up here, and I don't want to get in trouble for slacking off. Let's get the sun in position." Henry says.

"Alright then. We'll leave you to it." Sam says. "Come on, Izzy."

Harmony grins. "Oh Sammy, before you go, it would put a lot of minds at ease if you said you didn't hate all Thule. You can say that, right?"

"Stop playing games." Henry says. "Leave him alone. It's just a stupid name and he changed it, so leave him alone, Harmony."

"But Henry, it's such a little thing to say. And you know, I never heard him say it. I'm not sure he's ever said what he really thinks about Thule."

"Oh, now you take my side, Henry?" Sam asks. "Now? Not before I had to change my name?"

"Look, even if it was one person with a problem, you still should have changed it. Can we part ways now?"

"Let's. Come on, Izzy." Sam leads you by the shoulder away from the terrariums, which is a shame, because you really wanted to see them all in orbit.

Henry turns his back and starts lifting the terrariums.

Then, he's knocked to the grass!

"Hey!" he shouts. "What gives?"

Harmony gasps and covers her mouth with a hand. "Why, Sammy! There was no reason to hit him from behind like that!"

"I thought we were cool!" Henry shouts.

"Hey man, that wasn't me!" Sam says. "I don't know where the hell that came from." he walks up to Henry. "Hey, are you alright?"

An invisible Thule eye pushes Sam back.

"Back off!"

>We got to do something!

(Fun fact--Thule eyes are invisible bubbles of force, but can be seen and sensed by other Thule)
>>
>>5528065
SHES TRYING TO PIN IT ON SAM PUNCH SAM AND HARMONY IN THE FACE!!
>>
If sam has balls kick it
>>
>>5528065
It's a superpower, we can copy it right?
>>
>>5528072
Absolutely.
>>
>>5528065
Everyone can see she's bullying Sam, now's the time to strike.
>"It's pretty laughable that even Robert, another Thule, can see that you're clearly trying to start shit. The attention you don't get from your father you try to get by bullying anyone you can. By manipulating victims while acting like one. I've only been here one day but even I'm a better hero than you. Time to stop acting like a villain and accept you aren't the center of the world."

>Copy her power and use eyes to protect Sam.
>>
copy power and knock her off her high horse
>>
>>5528084
Don't attack her yet, just use the power to protect anyone she tries to hurt. Robert and Henry can already see she's attacking Sam, so protecting him should be a priority.
>>
>>5528065
We cover our mouth in shock!
What a bitch!

Get in the middle of Sam and Henry so that they stop with the punching first.
>>
>>5528094
Terrible idea. She would just use our back and Sam's as cover and continue using her power.
>>
>>5528065
>"Hey Henry could you answer me a quick question? Who here has invisible eye powers, said that Sam hates Thules, acussed him of pushing you and is a massive bitch?"
>Copy her powers to see she ding this
>>
>>5528097
It's specified that other Thule can see the powers, so Robert and Henry can see. Even if Henry didn't see the first attack, he definitely saw Sam get knocked back. I would frame our words as above and focus on protecting Sam so EVERYONE sees she's the one ATTACKING us.
>>
>>5528087
Henry was the one who used his eye to push Sam in the end, he was not facing Sam when Harmony used her eye to start the fight. No clue if Robert noticed but Henry didn't, she's setting them both up to fight.
>>
>>5528102
It didn't specify that they both attacked him, my bad.
>>
>>5528065
>>5528097
Let me add
>So Discord, are you doing this cause you are spoiled rotten, too bored with your so called prestige and influence or do Mom and Dad are too busy to pay attention to you? Either way, when are you officially joining BOL?
>>
>>5528101
Henry pushed Sam back, and Henry was looking the other way.
Only Robert can back us up, but he seems to not want to mess with her.
>>
>>5528104
It's good. The way I see it she used her eye on Henry first to frame Sam and that's it, the rest probably missed it, then Henry pushed Sam again in rage mistakenly believing he got punched.

>>5528107
I like the idea of using her power to stop this but confronting her right away might be dangerous, she could accuse us of doing it since we used an eye too then.
>>
>>5528109
Henry was looking the other way when she pushed him back in the beggining, sorry
>>
>>5528079 Changing my vote.
>"It's pretty laughable that even Robert, another Thule, can see that you're clearly trying to start shit. The attention you don't get from your father you try to get by bullying anyone you can. By manipulating victims while acting like one. Henry, doesn't it seem weird that she's always in the center of drama, how she's the only one to be offended by Sam, but neither Rob nor you are? Her dramatic dialouge that literally seems scripted to start a fight? Robert. You know this too. You saw her hit him when Henry turned his back. We all can end this right now. No one has to keep hurting each other because someone decided to have a little fun. That's literal villain territory. Harmony, your bullying spree ends here today."
>>
>>5528115
Also have her copied power ready to defend Sam, NOT attack.
>>
>>5528115
something like this works
>>
>>5528111
I just wanted the powers to see the eyes, not to mess with them.
I think if we don't confront her, she's just going to continue egging Henry on, since he seems to be gullible. So if we confront her, we could change the spotlight, atleast momentarily
Honestly, this all hinges on Robert having the balls to stand up for what's right instead of just muttering under his breath.
>>
>>5528119
That's why I specified that we use our powers to protect, not attack. Therefore she would have to be the aggressor.
>>
Also that was probably the last post today too rip.
>>
>>5528119
>Honestly, this all hinges on Robert having the balls to stand up for what's right instead of just muttering under his breath.
This >>5528115 might pressure him enough for it
>>
>>5528134
Unless Robert is a whimpering coward who can't even do the most basic shit, which he isn't from what we've seen so far, he'll definitely do it after what's been said to him. Anyone would want to put a stop to an infamously preppy bitch of a bully.
>>
>>5528079
>>5528084
>>5528094
>>5528097
>>5528107
>>5528115
>>5528119


You reach out and...let's see, who would hate you least if you copied them? Probably Robert.

You copy the ability to see Thule eyes.

It's not something you would normally do, copy a power without permission, but you don't want
this to cause a brawl and you want to make absolutely sure Harmony doesn't get anything past you.

Oh. That's distracting. You have to blink a few times for your vision to adjust

You see thin, wispy auras around Harmony, Robert, Henry, and Harmony's minions, You guess this is what their passive eyes look like. You read somewhere Thule aren't born with eyes. They got to share the eye of their mother until they can make their own. Then they can swim through the ringwoodite freely, pressurized, heated, and cared for under their own power.

Hard to imagine someone like Harmony ever being a helpless baby Thule.

"Okay, everyone chill." you say as you create a rumble-less Rumble Ring between Sam and Henry. "You two are not going to fight each other."

"Now why's that?" Henry asks while glaring at Sam.

"Because you two really don't want to fight each other."

You turn to Harmony. "It's pretty laughable that even Robert, another Thule, can see clearly that you're trying to start shit."

Robert blinks. "...Huh?"

"Are you accusing me of pushing Henry?" Harmony glares at you. "You know that can be construed as assault, don't you?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. You pushed Henry while his back was turned."

"And you saw this...how?"

You look at Robert. "I didn't. But I bet Robert did. Right, Robert?"

"Uhhhh..."

"Well, out with it Robert." Harmony says. "Did you see me, or did you not see me?"

"I--I wasn't looking in that direction...but I'll tell you what I definitely DIDN'T see! I didn't see one of Sam's rumble rings hit Henry!"

That kind of helped. But you were sure Robert saw Harmony hit him. He must have.

Is he afraid of him or something?

"Come on, Henry, you don't know it was Sam, and I bet it wasn't Sam!" Robert says.

"It wasn't me." Sam says.

"Henry, you don't think I hit you instead of Sam?" Harmony asks. "I mean, come on, what do I have against a fellow Thule?"

"You are a trouble maker." Henry says.

"Rumors, Henry, rumors! You really think I would hit you? Henry..."

"Honestly? I wouldn't put it past you."

"Hmph. Just because we dated that one time..."

"That one brief time."

Henry looks at Sam. "I'm not sure...exactly..." he cuts his eyes at Harmony. "Is making trouble. But I'm willing to believe it wasn't you going for a cheap shot."

Sam nods. "Thanks."

"Now you go put the sun in position." Henry says to Harmony. "And I'll keep a close eye on you the whole time."

You and Sam begin to walk away.

"Oh, Izzy!" Harmony calls out.

"Yes?"

"You're...very observant." Harmony smiles evily.

"I'm also very smart."
>>
>>5528144
>Whimpering coward
He has his reasons. Be nice to him.

>>5528172
You're banking on Harmony not fully getting how your powers work. She probably doesn't know you can copy powers without anyone noticing and can copy only parts.

Say she tries to start shit with you later, and she likely will--she wont' see you with a Thule aura around yourself trough her eyes, because you didn't fully copy the Thule powerset.

But you'll be able to see her eyes, because you copied that specific power.

If she tries to start shit with you later, you'll know.

And she won't know that you know.
>>
>>5528172
Wow, Robert really did pussy out. Never counting on him again till he gets character development. Only reason nothing started is because Henry knows her.
>>
>>5528175
Well we kind of give away our powers through our names. And heroes, known be famous icons, usually have their powers plastered everywhere, so it only works for a little while.
Also can we only copy the vision? Also what does the ring do by itself?
>>
>>5528175
"So that was one of the bad ones?" you ask Sam as you walk through a grove of trees imported from Fairy, each with faces knotted up in the bark of their trunks.

"Maybe even the worst. But come on. There's other stuff I want you to see before your talk with Dr. Plaras. Then, you got to see the boardwalk. Everyone hangs out there after school, it's great, especially at night."

>Check out the 2nd floor museum. Let's see some old superhero stuff!

>Check out a CRS room. Hologram fights!

>Check out the cafeteria (you are getting kind of hungry)
>>
>>5528183
>cafeteria
We're probably going to have our food ruined anyway but it's worth a try.
>>
>>5528176
At least he did cover for Sam, it's more than what I expected honestly.

>>5528183
cafeteria sounds good!
>>
>>5528176
He's scared of Harmony.

>>5528179
The element of surprise vs the element of awe is a classic point of divergence between those that support dark superheroics and those that support bright superheroics.

Should you be a bright superhero like Captain Marvel and announce your powers to the world, or should you be a dark superhero like Spy Smasher and use disguise and subterfuge?

You would be a terror with surprise on your side. Other Speculos, they have to touch someone to copy their powers and make a big light show out of it. Not you, though. And only copying some elements of a power can be useful, as it is now.

Something to think about.

>Can we only copy vision?
Oh no, we can copy the entire powerset, though it would be tricky to just copy eye creation without the innate, reflexive "aura" eye around the body, which is why you didn't. You don't want Harmony to know that you can see her eyes.

>What does the ring do by itself?

Big, invincible ring. Sometimes, that's enough. It can also convert any volatile energy within it (such as an explosion or fire) into a rumble field. This is also why when you create a rumble field without a ring, you create an explosion. The rumble field IS an explosion, just converted into perpetual turbulence by the ring.
>>
>>5528188
>>5528191
Did try a big inspiring speech, along with multiple reasons why she's suspicious, so I think I would get at least support from that.

Also could we control the size of the ring? Like make it wrap around someone and capture them?
>>
>>5528194
>Can we control the size of the ring?
Yep. Galactic donut style.
>>
>>5528183
If possible go off campus look around town go grab some chinese food
>>
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>>5528185
>>5528188

Wow.

You were expecting a bunch of tables arranged military/prison style with everyone eating the same thing off the same trays.

But here, a MS politely shows you and Sam (after asking if Sam shouldn't be in class at the moment) to a table.

It's like a restaurant. A nice restaurant

Sam reads the confused awe on your face. "Oh yeah. It's been like this since the forties. Martin's wasn't just a pioneer of superhuman education, but education in general. No one in the school has the same curriculum. Everything is designed based on your powers, what powers you want to have, and what you want to do with your powers. Your curriculum is special. You get a taste of da--"

Sam looks at the smiling MS over his shoulder.

"--darn near everything. Martin's extended the philosophy to food."

"There's a menu..." you say in disbelief.

"Yep. The general menu has been the same since the 40's."


"There are cocktails..."

"Non alcoholic. But they're there if you want them."

"Why?"

"Well, part of the reason is the same reason why the menu is so fancy. The principal at the time, Ms. Martin, wanted to educate everyone in fine dining culture. The other reason is a little dark. See, they temporarily lowered the draft age for superhumans to 15. They really wanted to get some superhuman soldiers. One of many reasons superhumans had a falling out with the government and military after the war. If they were in the school, they were safe from being drafted, because Ms. Martin managed to get an exemption for her students, but still, some wanted to fight. A couple of guys complained to Ms. Martin that it was warped they were old enough to die, not enough to drink...so she slipped them a few cocktails before they shipped out. So the legend goes."

"Wow. This place just radiates history."

"You don't know the half of it. Wait until you hear about the gargoyles."

"The what?"

"Bit of an in-joke, like Smokey. You'll learn about them. Ask me if you got any questions about the menu."

"Yeah, I got one. What's liberty cabbage?"

"Sauerkraut. But we were at war with the Germans, so, liberty cabbage."

"Radiates history..." you muse to yourself as you scan the menu.

"There are also secret menu items...also known as Burstein our MS chef has perfect culinary knowledge and a molecular synthesizer so if you ask him to make you something and he likes you, he will. Just don't go asking for a cheeseburger. Come on man."

"But I like cheeseburgers!"

"Save it for the boardwalk. You don't want to be like Edith, she orders a cheeseburger every day. And don't ask for the Thule menu, trust me on this one. There are digestive differences at work."

"Really?"

"If you feel real brave, there's a cart that sells avini you can try."

"What's avini?"

"You know ice cream?"

"Yeah."

"How much do you want that pleasant memory of icecream ruined forever?"

"Well, that's something to say..."

>What do you select?
>>
>>5528268
A Crab-leg cocktail served with a New York cut Sirloin with a side of French Fries. We dining tonight. We also beating up anybody who messed with our food.
>>
>>5528268
A bowl of boiled eggs. Give it to harmony and tell her she has to eat all of it
>>
But if boiled eggs isn't a thing then good old tenderloin and French fries with a side of milk. Top it with a club sandwich if we're feeling real peckish
>>
sloppy joe
>>
>>5528268
Omelette, country style
>>
Gentlemen I have a capital Idea. LETS ORDER EVERYTHING! Theres nothing stopping us from doing so
>>
>>5528901
If we eat too much we might get a stomach ache, and then we would be too busy visiting the toilet to finish the tour. Or get very sleepy.
I would suggest mixing parts of all the ideas: a steak, french fries and some omelettes.
>>
We don't have to eat everything there's nothing stopping us from wasting a ludicrous amount of food!
>>
A kinder egg, european check.
>>
No thread today?
>>
>>5528289
>>5528333
>>5528405
>>5528447
>>5528901
>>5529019
"Oh man...there's just so much..."

"You'll be glad the menu's so big after you come here for weeks."

"Could I order everything? Is that possible?"

"You're not the first one to ask that and yes, they will give you everything. Everything. They've done it before. All the stuff you don't eat gets molecularly recycled."

"I want to see them take all the food out! How do they do it?"

"Floating food."

"Now I really want to order everything!"

"Simmer down Izzy, you're not some multiverse kid. Play it cool your first day, play it cool. I'm ordering the canape."

"What's that?"

"Finger food. Little pieces of bread with cream cheese and other stuff on them. Technically an appetizer, but if you're staying in shape for ERC, it makes a good meal."

"What's antipasto?"

"Olives. Little cube cheeses. Crispy bits of bread. Good with salads, because you can dump the whole thing into the salad."

Wow. Here's Sam, the dude you used to cook crabs with over a fire, being super-fancy.

You look through the menu.

"What's a consomme?"

"Broth made with egg whites."

"Rex Sole?"

"Flatfish. Kind of tasty."

"Creole?"

"They're what Cajuns are. You know, Louisiana people. Like the guy with the energy cards. Spicy food."

"A la King?"

"Chicken, cream sauce, mushrooms, veggies, sherry."

"What's sherry? I know that's a kind of wine but..."

"Sherry means its from Spain. Port means its from Portugal."

"Wow...Ms. Martin got her wish..."

"Yeah. We're all ready for the fine dining scene."

"I think I'll have...eh, let's go with an omelet, fries, and a crab cocktail with a New York cut sirloin."

Sam whistles. "Save some room for dinner."

"They didn't serve breakfast on the boat."

.......

Wow this good food. Great food, even.

You lean back in your seat, feeling adult in your suit and holding your cocktail glass.

"Oh, this is nice. I feel like if I just had a giant cigar, I've have reached the top."

"Like one of those mob boss cigars?"

"Oh yeah. A giant one. One that would be a clue in an old murder mystery...you really get used to this, over time?"

"Yeah. Bask in the specialness while it lasts."

"Nothing lasts, I guess."

"Nope. But everything can linger. Just look at this place. Still using the same menu since before my grand parents were born."

"A fine meal and after-lunch philosophy. Yeah, this is the tops."

A purple and red blur zooms above your head.

Then realizing she flew over you, the blur turns and heads back.

"Oh uh, hey Izzy, Sam." Edith says.

She drops a clump of bills on the table. "Uh, twenty dollars okay for the shirt?"

"That's a little much. It was only 12 dollars."

"Oh. Just take it. It's alright, and I hate breaking bills."

>Take the money
>Don't worry about it
>>
>>5529214
>"Don't worry about it Edith, how about you just be my friend instead? I'm new here and could really use a new friend group."

Allies to take down fish bitch.
>>
>>5529215
Support
>>
Just be Edith's friend
>>
>>5529214
It's free! A gift of friendship.
>>
>>5529215
>>5529225
>>5529233
>>5529272
You hand Edith back the money.

"It's alright."

"But I seriously want you to be cool with me. It was my fault how I acted and I want to make it up to you. I don't want people to think that I'm not worth keeping around..."

"Hey, how about this? I'm new here, and Sam was thinking of showing me around the boardwalk this evening. how about you along, help show me around!"

"Oh cool! Yeah, I can do that! I know a few places."

'Excuse me, Ms. Ogden?" a waiter MS waves to Edith. "Please no flying in the cafe-teria. I believe we've asked you this before."

"Oh! Oh, yeah, sorry." Edith pulls a chair up with her tail and sits next to you. "First day and you got attacked by a dragon girl. Sorry about that. I know I keep saying that, but really, I'm sorry. Is your shoulder okay? You didn't need to get it checked out or anything?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5529283
>"No, I'm fine. I'm just trying to avoid anymore bullies today."

Recruitment.
>>
>>5529297
That's some smooth recruitment, +1
>>
>>5529283
>"It was just a mistake Edith, don't worry about it. It wasn't out of malice like a bully I met today."
>>
>>5529297
>>5529329
>>5529335
"It was just a mistake, Edith. Don't worry about it. It wasn't out of malice like a certain bully I met today?"

"You met a bully?"

You bring Edith up to speed on what happened on the roof.

"I don't get why Harmony has to be like that." Edith curls her tail around herself. "Why is she so mean to people? She has everything she could want. She's pretty, popular, talented..."

"Probably the same reason a lot guys turn BOL. They have everything, and they find it means nothing to them." Sam says. "Remember supercriminal psychology class? They don't form healthy relationships with other people, so messing with people becomes a parasocial relationship for them."

"But she's so popular!"

"Among simps, yeah. But anyone worth something knows she's a trouble maker, and that's got to burn her up. Remember how Henry dumped her? In front of everyone? And told her she was, and I quote, "A tyrannical trust fund brat?" She's not popular among guys with a brain, she's infamous."

"What's a simp?" Edith asks.

Sam looks to you for help.

>What do we say?
>>
>>5529360
>Brainless people who would sacrifice anything for love, but is usually never going to be reciprocated.
>start finishing up our food and prepare to do something else
>>
>>5529360
"It's short for simpleton. It means someone that is does anything another person says because they are obsessed with them, without thinking it through. Normally it's used for guys that go around obeying and defending popular girls, thinking they will get her love and attention."
>>
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>>5529370
>>5529374
>Brainless people who would sacrifice anything for love, but is usually never going to be reciprocated. It's short for simpleton."

Yeah. Let's not share the acronym.

"You know, guys that go around obeying and defending popular girls, thinking they will et love and attention."

"Ohhhh...was Henry a simp?"

"Briefly." Sam says. "But I'm willing to spot him some respect for escaping the simp zone, especially with how he did it. He thought he could save her, you know, do the superhero-gets-supervillain-to-fall-for-him thing."

"I wouldn't call Harmony a supervillain. Just mean."

"Ah, give her time, she's likely to hold up a bank with her two gun molls before graduation. Anyway, if you ask me, I think Henry just couldn't get enough blood to his brain."

"He's got a condition?"

You elbow Sam under the table. Idiot! There's a girl at the table! And there's like a 25% chance she's the result of a some sort of union involving gods, fairies, and/or royalty.

"He means he wasn't thinking clearly." you say.

"Why HELLO there, Sammy, Izzy..."

Harmony floats up to the table.

"...And Edith."

She smirks as Edith cowers under her gaze.

You watch her summon an eye to levitate a chair up to the table.

Good. Vision is still working.

Go on and try something, Harmony. Just try it.

"Where are you two minions?" Sam asks.

"Class. Anyway, I believe we had some friction today, Izzy, and I want you to know, I think you're a swell addition to the school."

She talks loud. Loud enough for others to hear.

"Did you really grow up on an island?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5529394
This is clearly a trap.
"Oh hey, didn't see you there, you caught me at the end of my meal and now I need to use the bathroom. If you insist on talking to me you we can converse after I finish."
>>
>>5529405
Scratch that random you in there.
>>
>>5529394

>Why thank you! Let's hope I can fullfill everyone's expectations.
>Beck Island, yes.

Act civil and natural. She's definitely going to try to start shit, better to let her be the one to attack first.
>>
>>5529394
Odd, I don't remember you asking if you could sit at the table. Or me saying yes.
Did your parents not have time to teach you manners?
>>
>>5529405
>>5529407
>>5529394
Along with this, it's time to start shit. Combine the invisible property of her power and use Sam's ring to trip her up if she tries to get up and follow us.
>>
man i wish Rumble had said sumn like "I don't hate all Thule. Just you."
>>
>>5529411
Other responses that I thought it could work, from civil to rude:
Yes, I had plenty of crabs, rocks and video games, but no trees.
I saw enough beachs for a lifetime if you are asking. Guess you are just one more.
>>
>>5529411
>>5529412
Anon, you should change your vote to this. You'll get you want but in a better way.
>>
>>5529416
>I saw enough beachs for a lifetime if you are asking. Guess you are just one more.
kek
>>
Why is everyone taking the bait???
>>
>>5529422
This, if we start shit like this we are going to lose, it's precisely what she wants.
>>
>>5529422
I didn't, my vote is still >>5529411 to not answer her question.
I just thought the beach/bitch wordplay was too good to not share.
>>
>>5529423
>>5529405
Change your vote if you agree then.
>>
Wait, I forgot that we actually already finished eating.
>>5529411
I'll add support to this
>>5529405
But no starting shit
>>
>>5529425
Yoy are. You snapping back and acting hostile is obviously what she wants. Telling her she's a bitch and bringing up her parents in front of everyone when she just asked where we grew up is gonna end so badly.
>>
>>5529412
I disagree with this part though, I think tripping her up would cause problems.
>>
>>5529428
Fair.
>>
>>5529405
I think avoiding her might not be the best, I still think being civil works the best here since she'll be the one to trip herself up.
>>
>>5529430
I though we still needed to eat more, so we couldn't just leave.
But I went back to check and we got full before Edith came along.
>>
>>5529434
I agree, but we're unprepared in front of everyone at school, retreat is the best option for now since everyone we try to team up with keeps wimping out. Until we get an actual solid teammate(s) or some evidence of shenanigans we should play defensively.
>>
>>5529434
I think she wants us to say we grew up in the island to say we had Thule powers and we were the one that pushed Henry.
So this would be some kind of trap where acting civil or rude would backfire. But then again, I do overthink things.
>>
>>5529439
It's not a big deal. My option might not even be the best one, but in mind it's the best of what we have so far.
>>
>>5529440
Alright, let's bid our time then and go for >>5529405 but no tripping her.
>>
>>5529405
>>5529410
>>5529411
"Yeah. Beck Island. Lot of crabs, rocks, and video games."

"It sounds like you had a rather underprivileged upbringing. You have my sympathies."

"It's like everywhere else. It's got some bad, got some good. I didn't leave because it was a bad place. I left because here was where I needed to be. But I'm not surprised you don't see the appeal."

"Ohohohoho...I suppose such a place would have a quaint and rustic charm. Tell me, how have you found our fair campus?" Harmony cuts her eyes at Edith. "You haven't had problems with anyone, have you?"

Besides you?

You consider how to respond carefully,

>What do we say?

>Do we act polite?
>Do we lay into her?
>Do we run to the bathroom and leave her alone with Sam and Edith?
>>
>>5529443
You're definitely onto something. It might be something like that, and it definitely is a trap. That's why I think excusing ourselves, at least to get away in private would be the best course of action.
>>
>>5529449
>Did you just "ohohoho"?
>>
>>5529449
>"Problems? Yes actually! There's something confusing about this online thing I'm trying to do for school, you know, try to get my classes situated. Sam said he would try to help me and Edith said she was experienced with it so we were gonna head somewhere after eating and get that taken care of. Do you want to come along?"
>Get up gesturing to Sam and Edith.
>>
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>>5529449
>Not really. Almost everyone was very polite. I did have an incident on the terrarium though.
>Anyway, I had just finished eating, and me and my friends need to continue the tour.
>>5529456
Pic related
>>
>>5529457
I guess this would be better than my passive aggressive write-in.
I don't like the invitation, but I'm sure she will end up tagging along anyway.
>>
>>5529473
This is our own trap, even if she doesn't take the bait we win.
We show we're polite to everyone, and she can either refuse or come with. Either way, we go somewhere out of the public's eye. We can decide what to do based on her reaction.
>>
>>5529449
Put on the most stereotypical beach dude bro accent and go "chyaaah bro all s'good but can you like goooo you're like harshing up the viiibe"
>>
>>5529451
>>5529456
>>5529457
>>5529460
>>5529481
>>5529504
"Well, there was a little incident in the gardens. You were there. Remember?"

"Oh, but that didn't really involve you, did it? That was Sammy and Henry and I guess someone else who wanted to stir the pot. But I'm asking about you. How are you, Izzy? Has everyone been treating you right?"

"Yeah. Almost everyone's been very polite and helpful. Anyway, I just finished eating, and Sam and Edith were going to help show me around the school and boardwalk. Want to come?"

"Alas, I have engagements. But are you sure you want Edith to lead you around? She's uh, a little notorious for being easily distracted."

"I think she'd be a great guide."

"Your choice. But um, I'm surprised to see you with her." she raises her voice. "I heard there was something involving the two of you. On floor 33? What was that about?"

Shit. Someone talked.

>What do we say?
>>
>>5529525
>"Just a misunderstanding that was quickly solved, so there's no reason to worry about it."
Optional indirect call out:
>"Afterall, there's only very few malicious people here"
>>
>>5529473
>>5529525
He voted to change to my write-in which didn't mention that thing.
>>
>>5529545
Damn. Missed that. Moot point though, she doesn't care about the terrarium at the moment.
>>
>>5529525
Even if this was the result, it's not too bad.
>"Oh, you have engagements? Okay that's too bad, I'll be on my way and leave you to whatever is occupying you. Feel free to come along if your schedule happens to free up suddenly."
Also let's move on, petty drama with character is boring, let's do hero shit.
>>
>>5529525
>Not much, not much!
We don't give it any importance.

>Anyways, don't want to make your engagements wait. See you when you are up to it!
>>
>>5529534
>>5529555
>>5529582
"It was just a misunderstanding. There's no need to worry about it. Now, if you're too busy to come with us, we got to be going."

Harmony puts a hand on Edith's shoulder.

"Edith, dear, I heard some nasty rumors about you and Izzy."

"Y-You have?"

"Why yes. I heard you hit him! But you didn't do that. Certainly not you."

"No!"

"You just bumped into him, right? That's what you do. You're so clumsy, Edith."

"Y-Yeah. I just bumped into him."

"You really should watch where you're going. You could have hurt poor Izzy!"

An eye materializes next to your shoulder.

Ah. You get it now. That's her plan.

Harmony turns to you. "She didn't leave any...marks on you, did she? People are always telling her to keep her dirty claws to herself. You'd think she'd have learned after the glass incident..."

"..Hey Sam, Check this out."

You hold up a finger by your shoulder and summon a ring.

The eye surrounded by the ring is pulled into a a soap bubble like film around the interior of the ring.

You get the ring to spin. "I think I finally found the ideal size to make these to catch fish."

Sam smiles. "Hm. Maybe not for regular fish, but maybe catfish. You know, bottom feeders."

Harmony is stunned.

"Hey Harmony? Is it true that Thule eyes all have a unique energy signature? Like fingerprints?" Sam asks.

Harmony quickly stands up. "Excuse me, but I...need to be elsewhere now."

"Bye, Harmony!" you say.

You and Sam grin at each other.

"Um...excuse me? What just happened?" Edith asks.

You explain to Edith how you set a trap for Harmony.

She's not as pleased about it as you had hoped.

'You didn't need to do that." she said. "Now she's going to pick on you like she does me."

You pocket the ring. You bet the people in the science department will be very interested in seeing it.

"Girl bullies are such a pain. I wish they'd just square up like guys. But if Harmony wants to play games, she better get better at playing." you say.

>Go to the museum?

>Go to the CRS? Maybe you can fight some holograms and stuff!
>>
>>5529612
>CRS
Let's get some actually training in.
>>
>>5529612
"She's just going to try to spread some nasty rumors. But people seem to know her deal already."

Let's go punch holograms to prepare.
>>
>>5529615
My autocorrect is fucked.
>>
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>>5529615
>>5529618


"You know, I heard it's not good to do ERC after a big meal. Or swimming." Edith says.

"I just want to see." you say. "And maybe get some training in. I really, really want to try this CRS thing out."

"There' several CRS around the school." Sam explains as you get off the omnimover. "Back in the 40's there just one. They're great, not just for practicing fighting and rescuing, but for other classes. You know, they let the gadgetool kids build bombs without actually building bombs and the med kids operate on people without actually operating on people. You ask me, it's not us ERC kids that have the most fun. The detective kids, they get murder mysteries to solve. They get a body, and a city, and policemen to interact with, it's awesome, I'm so jealous."

"So is it all holograms or something?"

"No. That's old school, it being just holograms. It's powered by a team nowadays. Telepaths, special effects artists, magicians --both stage and real, and even some legitimate reality warping. They all work together to create a controlled reality simulation."

"But do they still use holograms? I want to fight something obviously a hologram. Like a big dragon made of vectors."

"Yeah. I mean, if you want."

"Sometimes it's just cooler when the video game looks like a video game."

The door to CRS-B is a big triangle.

"Why a triangle?" you ask. "I feel like I'm about to walk into a tv show for preschoolers. Like puppets are going to be on the other side."

"Because they got tired of students "accidentally" opening the door to rubberneck at the cool stuff happening inside. It's hard to say you accidentally opened the door when it's a big triangle.

"...It was an accident for me..." Edith mutters. "...I mean, for the time I got caught..."

You touch the door and are greeted by an eyeball with a hat.

"Hi!" you say. "I'm Izzy Skenazy, new student, can I come in?

Sam was right. You do get used to the weirdness over time.

"Hello, Izzy. My name is Thespian. I'm the computerized artificial in charge of running all the simulations in the school. I'm every cackling bad guy, every helpless victim, every plucky sidekick."

"You do them all?"

"Every one. I'm doing them now even while we talk. I don't mean to brag, but I'm a rather good actor. It's in my name, after all."

"Neat!"

"I was created by ARGO to serve as a hyperempath for new contact civilizations. But diplomacy seemed rather dull to me in comparison to an eternity of playtime with the best students in the multiverse! So here I am."

"I was on an island. Now here I am!"

"Well, welcome aboard, Izzy. Would you like to participate today, or just watch?"

>Watch. You're a little nervous.

>Participate! Go for it!
>>
Little reminders.

ARGO--Alternate Realities Guidance and Observations

ERC--Emergency Response Class. "Emergency Response" is the fancy way to say "superheroics."

CRS--Controlled Reality Simulation. Remember, sims are not always ERC sims.
>>
>>5529645
Watch. How are we supposed to participate if we don't even know what we are up againest? And I don't think we could copy fake powers. Unless we could copy some weird empath shiz.
>>
>>5529670
They'd likely pair you with students to work with, given cooperating with other superhumans to accomplish various tasks is what they're training you for.

Or they may force you to work without your powers.

Good thing you were fairly active on the island before you became a video game addict. You were kind of buff as a middle schooler.
>>
>>5529699
I'd still watch for now. At least until the Harmony situation dies down.
>>
>>5529645
>>Watch. You're a little nervous.
Good morning everyone
>>
>>5529707
>>5529923


You expected everything to be white and made of squares. Instead it's like several peoples' dreams squished together.

You see a group of kids underwater, or rather, inside a column of water that doesn't move. They're rescuing scuba divers from a giant octopus. Next to them, kids practice sneaking behind the back of a ninja, waking a bound captive, and carrying them to safety. Next to them, kids practice cordoning off a crime scene and photographing evidence. Someone dropped a save on a clown with big red shoes and polka dot pants. Good to see Thespian isn't above making homicide humorous, it would be a drag if all these exercises were super serious and super grim all the time.

You see a girl with bat wings and a spaded tail wrestling a boy with tiger stripes in an octagon with the Martin's logo on the mat. Combat practice, you guess. You see Ben and Roger take apart some device you can't begin to understand. You see a woman made of steel walk towards you.

"Hey. Izzy Skenazy, right? Coach Doyle, but you can call me Steel Dolly. But not Rosie the Riveter. I never did a bit of riveting in my day, though I did weld before hyperstasis made me what you see now."

She looks at Edith and Sam.

"You two between classes?"

"Yeah. We're good."

"Right. Don't think I'm not going to check that later. Anyways, Izzy, hope you're comfortable in that suit, because you got work to do."

"Actually, I was thinking about just watching for a while. since this isn't even my first real day and all."

"that would fly if you weren't slated for ERC 3, but you are, so we need to hit the ground running. Take your butterflies and choke on them. Swallow them until they die in your gut. ERC 3 means you are ready, ready, ready, now, now. Question, Izzy--have you ever been in a fight before?"

>Yes
>No
>Maybe?
>>
>>5530016
>>Maybe?
>Does getting pinched by crabs count?
>>
>>5530016
>Maybe?
>Purge your stomach. Don't want to throw up middle of a thing she has planned for you.
>>
>>5530020
>>5530023
"Uh...maybe?"

Does Super Fighter Rapido count? You were pretty good with Claw, the boxer dictator.

Steel Dolly furrows her brow.

"Listen, Izzy, if you got to think about it, the answer is no. But that's no big deal. Fighting is easy. Fighting is training your body to operate on optimized, reflexive strategies under stress. Professional fighters around the world know how to fight and yet they're ERC 2, maybe even ERC 1. If all you want to know is how to fight, you take ERC 2. It's the fun class. You get to learn judo with your buddies, take down giant monsters together. Fun, fun, fun. Now tell me, Izzy, have you ever been in an emergency before? A real life or death situation?"

"No."

"Here's the thing, Izzy, ERC 3 is about exposing yourself to those situations. It's about being such a crazy, crazy guy that you seek those situations. ERC 3, we get to punch you in the face without the safety fields on. ERC 3, you get to try and rescue the mangled, crying remains of people that just had a giant robot step on their office building. ERC 3, you will suffer. Tell him, Sam."

"Welcome to hell, buddy."

"Absolutely correct. Izzy, do you have any idea why ERC 3 is like this? Why do you think it is my job to try my hardest to break you, to get you to run screaming to Dr. Plaras, "Help, help, Dr. Plaras, please send me to ERC 2 so I can escape the crazy metal lady!"?

>What do we say?
>>
>>5530035
>Because the real villains will do that or worse, and we need to be ready?
>>
>>5530044


"The real villains will slit your throat and laugh as you bleed out in the arms of your friend. BOL chumps follow rules. They say they follows rules because of honor, but it's really because they know that if they escalate things we can hit much, much harder than they can. But not ever bad guy is BOL. Some bad guys will skin you alive."

Steel Dolly snaps and a cluster of folding chairs spring out of nowhere for the group to use.

"Let me run through the history real quick." she says as she takes a seat. "You probably know this already, but you're going to hear it from me, so you can't say later you don't understand what its all about. Earth State does superhuman licenses. Your power belongs to the government. It's not even considered something that belongs to you, and if you use it any way not deemed lawful or useful by the government, in the can you go. That includes self defense. Unless you got your license, you run away from the bad guys in Earth State until the Gaea Guardians show up to save you. Japan doesn't have licenses, but they do have registration. Everyone goes in the database, but superpowers are the property of those who have them. If a bad guy shows up, the law says you can swing back at them. Now in America, we don't have licenses and we don't have registration, we have certification. You see, back in the 30's, FDR tried to regulate superpowers as "unfair competition," because he scapegoated superhuman labor as the cause of the great depression when it was monetary contraction. A lot of people believed him. Hell, my dad voted for him. That combined with grievances my generation had with how the military handled superhumans in the Worlds War--for instance, sending guys younger than you to get pulped by Hirohito-- led to our modern government to be pretty hands-off when it comes to superhumans and superpowers. You don't even need to tell people who you are. It's a bit of an old-fashioned thing nowadays, but there are still superhumans with secret identities. You got some fellow students walking around campus with secret identities."

"Really? Neat!"

"Talk to Songbird sometime. He's one. So it's legal for the Masked Nobody to walk up to a BOL sissy throwing a hissy fit in the park and slug him. He takes him down, law doesn't have a problem with him. But Izzy, what do you think would happen if something went wrong during the Masked Nobody's fight and some innocent bystander got hurt? What would happen?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5530056
>He can get investigated for potential manslaughter or negligence, and can lose his registration or be imprisoned?
>>
>>5530062
Certification, not registration.
>>
>>5530062
>>5530056
+1
>>
>>5526772
Who?
>>
>>5530062

"Very good, except one thing--he can't lose his certification because he's not certified, see? Say someone dies in the fight. The lawyers and the insurance company investigators get together and say "How responsible the Masked Nobody, how liable? Was it truly beyond his ability to prevent? Or did he contribute to it happening?" Certification says "this is what the superhero community thinks about the Masked Nobody and his capabilities in an emergency.""

"Here's an easy way to remember what the ERC levels mean--1 is for those that run from danger, 2 is for those that stick around in danger, and 3 is for those that run towards danger. Everyone at Martin's is required to take ERC 1. It covers first aid, extremely basic self defense, and the legal system. ERC1 means you aren't expected to hang around if something goes bad. If the Masked Nobody is ERC 1 and all he does is run when the bad guy shows up, he's good, even if his power could have theoretically made a difference. There has to be an extremely evident case of not-giving-a-damn for an ERC 1 Masked Nobody to get in trouble. Like he has the power to turn off flames but let the guy next to him burn to death. On the other hand, an ERC 1 Masked Nobody tries to fight the bad guy, beyond a clear case of no-choice self-defense, and someone dies? He's totally liable, and the lawyers are going to cook him for all he's worth."

"ERC 2 is something Martin's encourages everyone to at least try, especially if they're in a profession at-risk for supervillain attacks, but ERC 2 isn't required. ERC 2 is where you learn to fight bad guys with your powers and rescue people. ERC 2 is, frankly, a lot of fun. A Masked Nobody with ERC 2 is expected to stay around and help in an emergency with his power, without reasonable expectations of what his power can do. You know how to help people, so you can't just leave someone under a car and peace out like with ERC 1. If an ERC 2 Masked Nobody fights the bad guy and someone dies, the courts will say "Well, we know he was well-trained, so this likely wasn't his fault, he did the best he could, the best anyone could given the situation.""

"ERC 3 means you're officially an emergency response specialist, or as my generation called them, superheroes. An ERC 3 Masked Nobody is known to the superhero community and law enforcement. He's called upon to respond to emergencies. In the field, he's got authority over ERC 2 superhumans. If he says "No, ERC 2 Masked Nobody, in my professional estimation of the circumstance you can only make things worse by trying to help," or in other words "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE," and ERC 2 Masked Nobody doesn't get, ERC 2 Masked Nobody is liable for anything bad that goes down from here on out. As for how bad it looks if an ERC 3 Masked Nobody cuts and runs--imagine what it looks like if a paramedic or fire man runs from an emergency. Yeah, that bad, that liable, that utterly toast in the courts."
>>
>>5530385
"But here's the thing--an ERC 3 Masked Nobody can fight the bad guy, and someone can die, hell, a lot of people can die. The city could be a smoking ruins hen the dust clears. But the ERC 3 Masked Nobody isn't liable. Not his fault. With his certification, the courts have to acknowledge he did his absolute best with the best possible training."

"So that's what you're going to be, Izzy. ERC 3, assuming you don't wash out. You're going to be running towards the fires, the disasters, the supervillains, and the giant monsters. You can't afford to freeze up because you see a dead body, or lose a limb, or see your teammate die. You freeze up, lots of people are going to die. Do you understand?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5530392
>If I didn't I wouldn't be here in the first place.
>>
>>5530392
>Yes mam.
Short and polite is probably what she wants.
>>
>>5530399
You think back to the letter Dr. Plaras sent you.

"We have a special curriculum we think could bring out your best abilities."

"We believe you can do this."

"We believe you have an inner power greater than any you can copy."

"You have untapped potential."

"You."

Not your powers, you.

And here's this coach, talking about you being a superhero and how hard it is, and she hasn't once brought up your powers.

How could you not want to try?

"If I didn't I wouldn't be here in the first place."

"Good. Now you know why your training starts now. No sitting out. First thing you're going to do is the first thing everyone does at Martin's."

Sam smiles. He knows something you don't know.

"Thespian, bring up Rescue 1."

Reality shifts around you, or at least, a simulation of reality shifts around you. You find yourself in a pleasant suburb with white picket fences. You can smell the freshly cut lawns. Pink flamingos and garden gnomes stand as sentries in front of patio swings.

And a wisp of gray smoke catches your eyes.

You follow that smoke to an open window of a three-story mansion.

Steel Dolly jerks a thumb at the window.

"Take a look."

On the window sill is...hey! Hey it's that cat from the gift store! Smokey!

"Save the cat."

There's a big oak next to the mansion. One limb nearly reaches the window. Maybe you can climb on it? But that's assuming you don't use any powers?

"Am I allowed to copy powers for this exercise, coach?"

"Sure. Me, your buddy Sam, and...Edith, do you feel like letting him copy your powers?"

"Sure. Go right ahead!"

"That gives you three powersets. Plenty to work with."

>What do we do? We gotta save Smokey!
>>
>>5530418
Can you explain Edith and Steeley's powers?
>>
>>5530423
>Edith

Part Vovin Dragon (space dragons that came to Earth in prehuman times, they now sleep deep within the mantle)

--Wings, claws, scales.

--Can project waves of entropy from the mouth, manifesting as fire, sonic waves, or pure, entropic force

--makes your soul draconic

>Steel Dolly

--Superstrength

--Indestructible metal body (covers inside the out. Even your hair becomes a bunch of sharp strands of wire metal)
>>
>>5530418
Summon a ring and move it to make the cat hop on the branch.. Ring around the cat strapping it to the tree so it doesn't run away, then super strength to pick up the tree and get to safety.
>>
>>5530418
>What do we do? We gotta save Smokey!
>activate Indestructible metal body
>Look around especially up in case house on fire is red herring.
>Pull out a phone call fire department. Find gas box turn that shit off.
>>
>>5530434
Another question, do animals have super powers?
>>
>>5530442
>>5530453
First thing--steel body, go!

All the powers in the world don't mean a thing if you can be taken out by a blow to the back of the head, and you don't trust anything to be straightforward. There might be some flame themed supervillain hiding in the bushes for all you know.

You look around. Nothing but the fire seems to be a danger.

You bring up your noosphere connection and contact emergency services. You're impressed they actually included a system for calling people. But then again, calling for help would be an important step in real life.

You look around. Gas box, gas box, gas box...and you find one, and you turn it off. But whatever's still burning inside is still burning.

Got to do something about Smokey.

You copy Sam's power and create a little floating ring in front of Smokey, hovering above the tree branch.

"Here, Smokey! Come get the cat toy!"

Smokey MWARS and starts to back away slowly into the blaze...

"No! That's not the right way!"

It would be a skittish cat, wouldn't it?

You change plans, You use your super strength to uproot the tree and lean it toward the window.

"Come on Smokey, please save yourself?"

Smokey licks its paw, and then leaps to the tree branch!

"Ha ha! Yes!" You clamp a ring down on the cat and bolt with the tree. If anyone evil lurks in the bushes, they aren't getting this cat.

Smokey hisses and scratches and MRWOLS as he's secured to the tree, but he's safe!

Then everything melts away, from the tree in your arms to Smokey himself.

Steel Dolly looks at you with a pleased smile. "Very good. You know, 70% of students don't save the little guy."

"My Smokey went up in smoke." Edith says.

"I'm not telling you how it went for me." Sam says.

Edith leans down and whispers in your ear. "His got burnt too..."

"As you noticed, Smokey is a very skittish cat." Steel Dolly says, "That's by design. The first rule of emergency response is the same as the first rule of being a doctor--do no harm. Cats are odd creatures. Owing to their small size, they can survive falls that would kill humans. They're also very independent minded. They'll readily jump to the ground, but hesitate to jump into the arms of a person. A lot of students fail this test because they see Smokey as just an object to be grabbed and not a thinking creature. In fact, if you do nothing, Smokey will eventually leap to the tree and save himself. You made a strategy, were thorough, planned for surprises, called for help, revised your strategy after paying attention to how the victim reacted, and saved the cat. Good job, though running with the tree was a bit overkill."

"I was worried about a supervillain trying to steal the cat..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73c5MtRNeVg
>>
>>5530488
"Well, you finish up your tour, Izzy. Then go have fun at the boardwalk. You're going to do some light sparring later."

"Oh, neat! With who?"

"With me. You did a good job uprooting that tree, but you could have done it with one hand. Lifting like that wasn't an efficient use of power. I'll show you how."

"By sparring with me?"

"Yeah." Steel Dolly shrugs. "Think of it as we both take turns pretending to be the tree."

"Light sparring." Sam chuckles on the way out. "Oh, she's going to crush you like a tin can, dude!"

>Head to the museum
>Find someone to analyze the Harmony ring

>>5530463
Yes they can. Hyperstasis typically comes to sapient beings, as sapient beings were the first beings to get superpowers and the hyperkeimenon from which superpowers spring remembers sapient thought-patterns, but the hyperkeimenon casts a wide net in trying to find someone to empower. Sometimes, it empowers animals, and rarer still, creates beings out of inert substance simply to have a target to empower in a process known as malpirgi.
>>
>>5530496
>Find someone to analyze the Harmony ring
Let's just get this out of the way.

Also I don't know what half of those words mean.
>>
>>5530496
>Find someone to analyze the Harmony ring
>>
>>5530500
support
>>
>>5530496
Harmony's ring. Let's put a ring on her.

repost
>>
>>5530309
Me. My character is Clotho. I outsmarted the fuck outta Blue.
>>
>>5530846
I have no idea what quest your referring too, is this one some sequel?
>>
>>5530891
I think it's was a regular RPG campaign, not a quest
>>5526772
>>5526807
>>
>>5530902
So some outside content that can't be accessed. Figures.
>>
>>5530891
It's taking place alongside the events of a discord game.

>>5530927
I'll post a link at the end of the thread. It's not necessary to read to enjoy the qst game, however.

>>5530500
The Mirabology (study of superpowers) class will clear that confusion up.

Maybe.

It might make you more confused. But at least you'll be confused about different things!
>>
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>>5530500
>>5530523
>>5530575
>>5530686

"I know exactly who we can take the ring to." Edith says. "Momma bird!"

"Who?" you ask.

"It's what people call her." Sam says. "Because she's head of the science department and real nice. Real name Dr. Karen Christian, supername Ms. Cryptic. Her lab's on the 50th floor. It's real cool, but only the STEM kids get to play around in it."

The door for the lab is an entire wall. Several electronic eyes scan you with multi-colored light as you approach.

"What's with the extra security?" you asks.

"They got some real dangerous stuff inside. Black holes and such. You could probably conquer a universe with all the stuff inside."

You see several posters on the wall-door:

CAPTAIN MARVEL SAYS: THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON SAYS KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

And it's got the big guy himself shaking hands with the old king with one hand and stuffing a genie into a brass bottle with the other.

You're surprised the genies haven't complained about it being insensitive. People do that a lot these days, likely because they don't have anything better to do than impose on the good will of others, like BOL flunkies without guts.

NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN FINALLY FOUND OUT. BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING FINAL TO FIND--CHARLES FORT

And it's got his portrait. You've heard about this guy. Pioneered the study of superpowers in the early 20th century, called them "wild talents."

CAPTAIN BATTLE SAYS: THE GREATEST BATTLE IS THE BATTLE IN YOUR MIND!

And it's got the warhorse superhero struggling with math problems on a sheet of paper--boy, can a lot of students relate!

...including you. You never had a good head for math.

Captain Battle is neat. You hope you meet him one day. Supervillains from other realities keep trying to kill him because they confuse him for another old eyepatch wearing jetpack leader-type from another world, world 6-something-something, they used numbers for their worlds.

The door hisses open.

It smells nice inside. Clean, but not like, chemically clean.

Is that mint? It smells kind of mint in here.

An enormous creature in a cloak walks up to you on big taloned feet that go TEK TEK TEK against the floor.

Glowing red eyes watch you from beneath the shadow of a hood.

Two antennae flick up and down.

"Oh hello! What brings you to the lab?" she asks in a voice that reminds you of how your mother used to talk to you, back when you were small and less of an ass. "Please don't say it's just because of the cookies!"

Edith hugs her.

"Oh, dear, thank you! But you didn't come here just for a hug, I hope?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5530891
it's the game we're playing on discord, Clotho is not the main character
>>
>>5531031
Hugs are nice, but that's now why we're here. I think
>>
>>5531036
not*
>>
>>5531031
"We've come to put a bitch down and we need your help."
If swearing is off the table then
"We've come to put a bully down and we need your help and also Please show me were the laser guns are I think they are cool if you have em"
>>
>>5531035
Who the hell uses Discord for anything?
>>
>>5531040
I'll back them.
>>
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>>5531048
I found it more convenient than Roll20.

But it's beside the point. You don't need to check out the mutants and masterminds game to understand what's happening with Izzy. It's like the worldbuilding files on the website, its just extra information.

>>5531040
>>5531050
"We've come to put a bully down and we need your help and also...please snow me where the laser guns are! I think they're neat if you have 'em!"

"Goodness! I hope you aren't planning on taking down the bully with the laser guns!"

"No. We want to use this." You take the ring out of your pocket.

"Must be a very tiny bully..."

You explain the situation to Ms. Cryptic over coffee and owl cookies, which Edith eagerly devours.

On a shelf, a big grey device Ms. Cryptic called a wide-spectrum energy analyzer flashes its buttons and spins its wheels with the ring inside it.

"Once the analyzer checks the trapped eye with the database, I have no doubt we'll be able to prove that Harmony moved an eye toward you--but that's all we'll be able to prove, you see. We can't actually prove, beyond what you three say, that she tried to lift your sleeve."

"Well, who else would it be?" Sam asks. "She was sitting right across from us, mocking us."

"I know it was more than likely her. But knowing something isn't the same as being able to prove something. Take it from an old bird with years of paranormal investigation experience. Sometimes, the hard part isn't knowing whether or not the weird light is a ghost, sea creature, or swamp gas--it's in proving it."

"Well, how do we do that?" Sam asks.

"I'll make little buttons for the three of you that'll be able to record energy and Astral related phenomena in your presence. They're normally used to track the presence of ghosts, but should work with eyes."

"So then we just need to get her to do something?"

"Well, don't "get her" to do anything. If Harmony is as bad as you say she is, she'll likely try something all on her own. Always wait for the phenomena to act on its own. Trying to force something can lead to complications."

A DING announces that the analyzer has done its work.

"...My! This is interesting!" Ms. Cryptic says. "It says here that this eye doesn't belong to Harmony Hascoe, but Robert Marblehead!"

......

The door to the lab opens.

"Oh, hey Ms. C! You wanted to talk...to...me..."

Robert sees you .

"Oh..."

>What do we say?
>>
>>5531067
World building info is always important.
>>
>>5531073
I know, but there's a --lot-- of worldbuilding. I don't want to alienate new players by making them think they need to read a phone book to get what's going on.

I'll start dripping links to pertinent articles--Edith has a huge one.
>>
>>5531067
Calmly tell Robert to GTFO
>>
>>5531112
We called him in to interrogate him.
>>
>>5531124
Okay, let's walk out and have a little chat away from everyone.
>"Edith, stay here and see about those laser guns, I'll talk to Rob."
>>
Look Ms.C in the eye "For the record, The laser gun was an option I was considering. Now robert, Take a seat"
>>
Would be more menacing if we used Robert's full name
>>
>>5531143
Up to you if you want to try it.
>>
>>5531151
"The lasers aere an Option Ms.C, Robert Marblehead." pause to motion to a seat. "Take a seat, please". Emphasis on the please to be as threatening yet as polite as it can be
>>
>>5531166
Interrogation in front of faculty and untrustworthy allies is stupid.
>>
>>5531182
Fine just emphasise the please. We're still talking with Ms.C no?
>>
>>5531186
No, we're talking with Rob. We gotta squeeze the information out of him, and it may involve unorthodox methods.
>>
>>5531187
oh then excuse ourselves from this situation and ask for some water from Ms.C, let's waterboard our friend here
>>
>>5531195
Not in front of the teacher, and there probably are cameras so we gotta do it somewhere or someday else.
>>
>>5531212
first robert then harmony! alright how about we go
"ROBERT BUDDY PAL F R I E N D, How about we take a walk I have questions for you? Don't worry it won't be too I N T R U S I V E."
>>
>>5531195
>>5531212
(Jeeze guys, superhero, remember?)

"Nice to see you again, Robert Marblehead."

"Uh...h-hey Izzy..." Robert trembles. "This is about the eye...isn't it?"

"No." you get up in his face. "This is about you playing minion for Harmony. What? Did she promise to kiss you if you did her bidding?"

"It was just a sleeve! What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that you're a conniving little worm. What you did in the garden was bad enough, but now you do this?"

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't know it was such a big deal to you!"

Ms. Cryptic steps in and puts a hand on Robert's shoulder. Her fingers are weird. They're flat, like feathers.

"Izzy, please. Can't you see he's afraid? He doesn't even know about the scratch."

"Of course he'd act like this now that he's in trouble."

"Izzy, you're going to be a superhero one day. I understand you're frustrated by what Harmony's done. As one of her teachers, I'm frustrated by her persistent misbehavior too. But you can't use Harmony's methods. You have to be better than her."

She guides Robert to the chairs. "Come on, Robert, let's all sit down and talk. I have cookies!"

......

Robert, guilty and saddened, sits in his chair and holds an unbitten cookie.

"...She asked me to roll up your sleeve. She said she thought you had like, drugs or something with you. Like mask."

You've head about mask. Instant courage in a pill. It circulated in the superhero community as a dirty little secret, a thing that would allow you to stand up to any danger or peril, no matter how fearsome, before its side effects became understood. Since then, it's been used as a dangerous crutch by superheroes--a crutch that can crumble at any moment.

"You believed her?" Sam asks.

"Well...Izzy was new. It wasn't such a hard thing to believe."

"This is what she wanted to show." you roll up your sleeve and show the scratch.

"How did that happen?"

"I did it." Edith says. "It was another stupid thing I did."

"I found her notebook in the omnimover. She saw me with it. She jumped me. It's no big deal, but Harmony wants to make it a big deal, because she gets off on messing with people."

"Especially people like me." Edith says.

"...She messes with me too." Robert says. 'It's why I wanted to believe her."

'What does she do to you?"

Robert looks at his feet. "...I don't want to talk about it."

"You can share with us, Robert." Ms. Cryptic says.

"It's okay." Edith says, "Whatever she did to you, it embarrasses her. It doesn't mean a thing about who you are."

>What do we say?
>>
>>5531310
Both of the votes literally said to drag him elsewhere. It's not a fun quest if you railroad.
>>
>>5531310
Even though we didn't want to be rude in front of the teacher, I'll try to steer us in the direction we were trying to go for.
>Yeah Robert, you're in good company here. I understand if you don't want people to hear anything embarrassing. If you come with me one and one and talk to me seriously I'll let go of my anger and forgive you. (Lie obviously.)
>>
>>5531312
>Said to drag him elsewhere
The super-nice owl lady isn't going to let you cart off the guy you have a beef with, who is quaking in place, so you can have words with him. Get real.

Control your bloodlust.
>>
>>5531321
We're not going to beat the shit out of your precious OCs, (unless they deserve it). Also realistic characters do have emotions such as anger and blood lust, not everything is a rated E-fantasy land where no one has problems with eachother and always deals with it in a healthy way.. We'll just question Robert when he leaves. He can't stay forever.
>>
>>5531323
Sorry bro, it's a superhero quest. The tone is in the title. You're not going to bully the bully victim because he pulled your sleeve.
>>
>>5531333
Nah, it's not that. He didn't stand up to his bully and we're just giving him the opportunity to tell the complete truth without any mistakes. Heroics require sacrifice.
>>
>>5531310
>>What do we say?
>Say nothing. You doubt in your current mood you would be any good at encouraging.
>>
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Ben's lore file, for those interested in extra lore.

http://www.capeworldcomics.com/comic/ben-cooper-web-man/
>>
>>5531310
"If won't tell us that's fine, What matters is what you do from here on out. You can help us stop her or you can look away while we try. But we would like it if you join us, Something about the power of people banding together my pa told me, Never really listened to what he was saying but I'm sure it applies now"
>>
>>5531382
>>5531463
>Open up to Robert, try and befriend him
or
>Glare at him silently. You haven't let him off the hook yet.
>>
>>5531333
I thought robert was in on it although we were more going for an eye for an , you did my sleeve dirty I put a sack on your head and pour water on you.
>>
>>5531469
Based. Straight to waterboarding might be a little much but there shouldn't be a problem roughing him up a little.
>>5531467
Don't even acknowledge him, let Sam ask the questions.
>>
>>5531491
Nah we need to talk to him, the guy doesn't need to tell us how he got humiliated. All we need to know if he's with us or not. If he ain't no point trying to ask questions because he ain't gonna give straight answers if he is then sam and edith can ask all the questions they want
>>
>>5531467
>Open up to Robert, try and befriend him
Let's go with this
>>
>>5531310
>You know, if you don't talk, I'm just going to keep believing you are as bad as her.
>>
>>5531491
>>5531505
>>5531514
>>5531545
We got a tie.
>>
>>5531705
I will switch back to not saying anything then.
>>
>>5531088
I NEEEEED, world building info.
>>
>>5531783
You don't say anything. You just glare at Robert and wait for him to continue.

It's not hard for you to stand up to bullies. What's his deal?

"...She...well you know, I'm weird and everything. I know I'm weird. But she tells people how weird I am."

"That's what she does to me." Edith says.

"I just...I don't want her to do more than that. I don't want to get in any trouble. I just want to work on my gadgets. That's what I'm good at, gadget stuff, not people stuff." Robert looks at you. "That's why I wussed out on the roof. I did see her push Henry. I'm sorry. I should have said something." Robert twiddles with his fingers nervously. "Look...if you guys are going to do anything to Harmony...can you just not involve me? Don't write that I got bullied, please?"

"What's wrong? It's not your fault Harmony bullies you." Edith says.

"I'm supposed to join the Fishermen. Like my dad. I can't say I'm bullied by a girl! It's not like she even hit me. She just...talks about me."

"That can be just as bad."

"So you did her bidding because you were worried she'd shame you?" Sam asks.

"I don't have a lot of social clout, okay? People would say I'm a weirdo even if Harmony never said anything. But I got some friends. I don't want Harmony to make them embarrassed to know me."

"She says I've been crazy since...Glass." Edith says. "That I'm going to snap one day and kill somebody."

"She says I don't bathe. And that I take drugs to keep working through the night. I guess she doesn't come at me as bad as she does you, huh?"

"She still hurt you."

"...It wouldn't hurt at all if I was as strong as Henry. Ah man, I feel like I'm going to cry just sitting here..."

>What do we say? Do we say anything?
>>
>>5531789
>>5531451
Here's an early morning treat.

And here's Edith's file:

http://www.capeworldcomics.com/comic/edith-ogden-dragongirl/
>>
>>5531802
Excellent
>>
>>5531800
>"If the Fishermen wouldn't accept you because of what a psycho bitch did, they wouldn't be real hero group would they? Villains do social manipulation all the time."
>"Open up to your friends about what's happening. If they don't want to support you, they weren't your friends to begin with. And if you are worried that you would drag them into more problems, imagine how they would feel if they knew they could have helped you, but couldn't?"
>"You worrying too much, and letting her get into your head. You are here at Martin's aren't you? You are much stronger then you think you are."
>>
>>5531811
"but you couldn't because you didn't tell them
Or "you wouldn't let them help"
>>
>>5531800
>Say nothing just wait and watch how Ms. Cryptic will act on this information.
>>
>>5531811
I'll back these>>5531812
>>
Oh, weird question that will be relevant down the road even though it doesn't seem like it.

>What month is Izzy's birthday?
>>
Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>5531856
Well, people doesn't choose when they are born, so I think there's only one right way to do this
>>
Rolled 13 (1d31)

>>5531864
And now for the day
>>
>>5531864
>>5531866
So I'm voting for Izzy's birthday being August 13th.
>>
>>5531864
>>5531866
>>5531870
August 13th it is.

Huh. So we're a leo...
>>
>>5531879
>Horoscope
AAAAAAAAAAAA
>>
>>5531899
Maybe there's someone with Zodiac powers?
>>
>>5531904
There definitely is
>>
>>5531813
>>5531800
Say nothing. Probably will tell the Fishermen later.
>>
>>5531811
+1
>>
>>5531811
+1
>>
>>5531879
Why Horoscope crap?
>>
>>5531811
Support and add it
"And besides if our luck holds up, We'll get to punch harmony in the face. Hopefully literally but I'll settle for ruining her image and revealing her to be a petty bully."
>>
Oh no!
>>
>>5531811
Yep.
>>
>>5532038
You'll have to wait and see...
>>
I say we punch the horoscope
>>
>>5533080
Beat the stars into submission.
>>
>>5533500
Punch the stars into a standstill
>>
>>5531811
>>5531812
>>5531818
>>5531951
>>5532006

>If the Fishermen won't accept you because of what a psycho bitch did, they wouldn't be a real hero group would they? Villains do social manipulation all the time.

"...I don't want them to think I'm weak. Well, weaker than I am. I'm supposed to fight alongside them against real life or death stuff and...when you stack that up against getting teased by a girl, it looks bad, doesn't it?"


>Open up to your friends about what's happening. If they don't want to support you, they weren't your friends to begin with. And if you are worried that you would drag them into more problems, imagine how they would feel if they knew they could have helped you, but couldn't?

"I...didn't consider that, actually. You think they would want to help me? Even with something like this?"

"I'm sure Henry would like to know his ex is bothering his best friend." Sam says. "And I know I don't see eye-to-eye with him, but Henry's a good guy. He would totally be pissed if his buddy was in trouble and he couldn't help him because his buddy said nothing."


>You worrying too much, and letting her get into your head. You are here at Martin's aren't you? You are much stronger then you think you are.

"...Okay." Robert says.after a moment of thought. "Okay. You can put me down on whatever report you want to make."

"I'd have to make a report anyway, Robert. Bullying is not tolerated at Martin's."

"Then...then there's this." he bites his lip. "I really didn't want to tell you guys this...but I think I should now. Harmony said she was going to tell Henry I slapped her butt if I didn't pull up your sleeve."

"That is so beyond the pale!" Ms. Cryptic says.

"Just...try not to make this stuff too awkward, okay? My dad already thinks I'm a loser. I'm afraid what he'd think to know I'm bullied by a girl."

"There's something you can say to make the report easier." Ms. Cryptic says. "To see your eye, and what Harmony wanted you to do with your eye, Izzy needed to copy a Thule's power. He had permission to do so, right? Your permission?"

"Huh? I don't remem...oh! Oh yeah. Yeah I get it."

Robert looks at you. "Hey man...if you ever need Thule powers, you can copy me anytime, no need to ask. You can even copy the vision modes of my shrimp eyes if you wanna."

Robert extends his hand. "I know I've made your first day blow, but...we cool, right?"

>We're cool
>We're friends
>Hug him
>Reject the handshake
>>
>>5533563
Permissions:

>Sam
>Edith
>Robert

Our stable of powers grows!
>>
>>5533563
"We cool."
>Go in for a hug but turn it into a handshake at the last second
>>
>>5533563
>>Reject the handshake
>>
>>5533563
Dude is bullied enough. We'll take the handshake and speak firmly.

>No more of this. This is a hero school.
>>
>>5533563
>give him a firm handshake
>"We're cool but friends we are not. There will be no more of this bullying business ya hear."
>>
>>5533563
>We're cool
>And maybe we can be friends too.
>>
>>5533563
>Hug him

We are bi polar
>>
>>5533578
+1
>>
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>>5533578
>>5533581
>>5533587
>>5533597
>>5533601
>>5533672
You almost, alllllmost hug Robert, but you think it would be best to keep things cooler and more masculine.

You give Robert a firm handshake and look him in the eye. "We're cool. No more of this. This is a hero school."

Robert smiles. "Good."

......

With everyone equipped with sensors just in case you-know-who tries to start something else today, Sam takes you down to the museum on the 2nd floor to complete your tour.

You thought the cafe-teria was historical. But here you're surrounded by history.

There are several small museums scattered around the campus. This is the one most people see, because it's right above where most people walk in and out. It's a museum dedicated to the early days of Martin's history--and those that died during it.

There's a statue to Pyroman here, just like outside but smaller. Pyroman, Dick Martin, founded the school alongside his widow, who became the first principal. He was a remarkably patient man. They killed him in the electric chair for a crime he didn't commit. He came back as a being made of energy--electrical energy, not fire as many believe. He didn't want an electric based name. It reminded him of death row.

One would think that a guy like Dick Martin would have gone supervillain after what he experienced. Men go BOL for less than wrongful execution. But he didn't. He forgave those that imprisoned him. When he found the man that committed the murder he was executed for, he forgave him too, and took him in alive, by the book.

Would you have forgiven him? That's a question they ask a lot of new superheroes. If you were Dick Martin, would you have forgiven that man? Or would you have flash-fried him on the spot?

Everyone says the right answer is to forgive, because that's what Dick Martin did, and Dick Martin is a superhero's superhero. You think you would have

>Forgiven the man
>Flash-fried him

Time for some character building.
>>
>>5533690
>>Forgiven the man
Well, forgive is a strong word, more like do it the right way. It was not the murderer that put him in prison anyway.
>>
>>5533690
>the person is forgiven but his deeds must be punished! PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE then let him get on with whatever
>>
>>5533690
>Forgiven the man
>>
>>5533690
>Everything isn't as simple as black or white. Everyone might say they would forgive but if actually put into the situation, they probably would kill. Morality is a complex subject, not every villain is as cartoonishly as evil as the Joker, nor is everyone hero as naive as Superman. We will make our choices when we cross them, whether they be good or bad we will follow our heart.
>>
>>5533825
every hero*
>>
>>5533715
To clarify mine is forgive him but still deck him in the face. Just because you're a hero doesn't mean you can't be a little petty.
>>
>>5533690
Probably
>Forgiven the man
but the reality is more complex, so also this
>>5533825
>>
>>5533825
I'll back this
>>
>>5533709
>>5533715
>>5533716
>>5533825
>>5533826
>>5533875
>>5533933
>>5534443
Sam and Edith see you staring at the Pyroman statue.

"What are you thinking about?" Sam asks.

"The question." you answer. "The one they always ask you. The "would you have forgiven like Pyroman."

"I couldn't hurt him." Edith says. "I know that's the answer everyone says, the answer you're supposed to say, but I've thought sometimes about what I'd do to Glass if I ever got him alone. I couldn't hurt him." her freckled face frowns.

"That's not something to be sad over." Sam says.

"But even if I had to hurt him, I don't think I could."

"That's not something to be sad over, either. No one should want to kill. Even in a situation where its unavoidable, its like acid being poured on your soul. It scalds you. It burns you out. Steel Dolly's talked about it."

"But there are times you might have to kill." Edith says. "And in those times I don't think I'd be able to."

"Stop thinking like that. It's not good to think like that. Anyway, the question isn't "could you kill," but "in this situation, would you kill." I know I wouldn't. I'd take him in by the book and give him a trial."

"Everything isn't as simple as black or white." you say. "Everyone might say they would forgive him but if actually put into that situation, they probably would kill."

"I think a lot of people would." Sam says. "You're right. It's one thing when it's a question, or like a sim in the CRS. It's quite another to go through that for real. It's why they talk about Pyroman so much. It wasn't just a question for him. That man ruined his life and tried to get him killed in his place--and Pyroman still forgave him."

"Morality is a complex subject. Not every villain is as evil as the Crying Clown, nor everyone as gold hearted as Captain Marvel. We will make our choices when we cross them."

"So what would you do?" Sam asks.

"...I'd like to say I would spare him. But like I said, we cross thing when we cross things. Whether they be good or bad, we will follow our heart."

.....

Later on, you and your friends come to an exhibit on early pyros batteries--that's what they called the electricity that came out of Pyroman, pyros. He got rich off selling his energy, as soon as FDR was out of office, and used the money to fund the Martin Foundation, which reviewed convictions and got more than a few overturned. Dick Martin saved people from suffering the same fate he did.

He never personally pocketed a penny from his pyros batteries. Everything went to the Martin Foundation, and then to Martin's School.

He said that his powers came from God. That God saved his life and gave him a second chance to help people, and it wouldn't be right to profit on God's gift.

He believed in God, strongly in God. And if God wasn't real, his values certainly were.

"Hey Sam." Edith asks. "You believed in God?"

"I don't like answering questions that invite "which one are you talking about?""
>>
>>5534478
"I mean, do you believe in a supreme power? Someone behind everything?"

"Naw. Everyone says it's this thing, then someone says it's the thing behind this thing, then someone says its unknowable and at that point does it matter?"

"I think it would matter if someone made everything. If someone's the author of my universe, my life, I'd like to meet them."

"Say someone was writing our lives, alright? What would it matter, really? Could we jump off the page and interact with him? No. Could he go into the words he's written? No . He's as fictional to us as we are to him. If there is a God, I think that's what it means to be him--to be able to create anything, so long as it isn't real."

"But even I can write a story." Edith says. "That doesn't make me God."

"And there you have it."

"Have what?"

"The paradox of a supreme power. There's no greater gap in power between something real and something fictional, but anyone can make something up. If someone is writing our world, he's not important. In fact, he probably sucks. There's lot of bullshit about our world."

Edith pouts. "Do you have to make your answer so darn confusing? Hey, Izzy, can you give me a straight answer without sounding like a philosophy textbook?"

>I believe in God
>I don't believe in God
>>
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>>5533825
>Joker

The setting's Joker clone is Pagliacci themed and body hops. First sign of infection is that you cry. Then you laugh.

Ridi, Pagliaccio, e ognun applaudirà!
>>
>>5534490
>I believe in God
It's superpower world, who's to say that the multiverse wasn't created by someone with the power of being almighty?
>>
>>5534490
>I believe in God, because there is no reason not to think there might be something out there. But if there isn't, it doesn't change anything anyways.
>>
>>5534490
>Edith, flip a coin heads I do and tails I don't.

Reminds me of xavier renegade angel with the guy asking whether or not you believed in god.
>>
>>5534490
>I believe in God
>>
>>5534495
>>5534538
>>5534585
"I believe." you say. "Just seems to fit, you know. All these superpowers got to stop somewhere, right? Someone's got to have the ultimate power."

"See, that's what I think too." Edith says. "Even dragons believe in god. They call him Vioh and say he's in a deep sleep keeping nightmares from the world."

"Daily news says he's not doing such a hot job." Sam says.

"That's only because the things that happen ever day aren't the real nightmares. I find that comforting. That no matter what happens, it's not as bad as the nightmares of God."

"I'm not sure I would find God having nightmares a comforting concept."

"It's comforting when you know they aren't your nightmares."

.....

On the way out, you spy a photograph of Martin's students from the 40's who fought and died in the war. You're disturbed by how young they look. They look younger than Sam. Some look like Edith, the way they smile, not knowing how long they have.

"Everyone stares at this one." Sam says. "Death has a special magic in this day and age. Some of the old ones, like Steel Dolly, they've lost more people than I know. They talk about funerals. Plural. I've never been to a funeral."

"Nor have I." Edith says. "I hope I never have to go to one."

"Nowadays, with rejuvenation tech, someone die and it's all everyone can talk about, even if they never knew the person. Hey, take a look at this--." Sam directs you to a yellowed scrap of newspaper.

"Yeah. They used to print news, not telepath it through the noosphere."

"No, I mean what it says--it's an obituary. Death used to be so common they just printed the local ones in the back of the paper."

It's not hard to find the students. You just look for the 15 year olds.

They say they died in the war. That could mean a lot of things. Blasted apart by German Vril adepts. Mangled by Russian telepaths. Slaughtered by Japanese yokai.

They didn't know when they smiled.

Makes you wonder why people say it's awful ro live forever. As if anyone knows what's going to happen tomorrow.

....

Outside, you can hear the seagulls crying far out to the shore.

Edith stretches her arms. "Yes! I love getting out early!"

"Not so loud." Sam says. "You want everyone to know you're skipping?"

"Oh. Oh yeah."

"And not a word out of you, Izzy. We're doing this to cut the lines, and besides, Metaphysics sucks."

"Oh, do they ever!" Edith says. "I'm tired of numbers-beyond-numbers and geometry-beyond-geometry. The regular stuff was too much for me!"

You got some time to check out Joyous Harbor before you need to come back to the campus and talk to Dr. Plaras, the principal.

>Check out the Statesmen Center. It's where superhumans go to chill and find work to do in the community.

>Head to the boardwalk. Maybe you can find some of that Thule ice cream Sam mentioned?

>Johnny Winter's Diner. Edith wants to get a burger.

>Alans' Arcade. Sam says it's got some cool people there and some really old arcade games--also, food!
>>
>>5534633
>Check out the coastal islands. There are rumors of ghost pirates!

>Check out the caves. Some of them used to be superhero bases!

Note, you won't be able to check out every location today.
>>
>Edith! I believe in God!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ndr6ZBdDEg
>>
>>5534633
>Boardwalk, Ice cream!? LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOO
>>
>>5534633
>Check out the Statesmen Center. It's where superhumans go to chill and find work to do in the community.
>>
>>5534633
>>Johnny Winter's Diner. Edith wants to get a burger.
>>Alans' Arcade. Sam says it's got some cool people there and some really old arcade games--also, food!

Borger then gaming
>>
>>5534633
Borgar for Edith or DEATH
>>
>>5534640
https://youtu.be/Sn7QvnhJgeA

Immediate thought when edith asked if we believed in god
>>
>>5534633
>Johnny Winter's Diner. Edith wants to get a burger.
>Alans' Arcade. Sam says it's got some cool people there and some really old arcade games--also, food!
BOORGA BOORGA
>>
>>5534682
This show was so fun.

>>5534655
>>5534678
>>5534689


Ah, this place is neat. You've heard about it. It's a franchise operation nowadays, but this is the original one, the original Johnny Winter's.

It all started as a dream by a cryokinetic named Johnny Winter (everyone calls him Winters now, though that's not correct). He did superheroics for awhile before settling on being a cook. He found that he could do some pretty neat things in the kitchen with his power, like make burgers where the patty and cheese are sizzling hot but the lettuce and mayo nice and cold. That "flurry burger" put him on the map, but he's made cooler (ha ha) things since then, like kind of coffee and ice cream combo where the coffee is hot and the ice cream cold. The cheese fries (icicle fries, they call them) are also supposed to be really good. Not too hot, not too cold, always just right.

Every Johnny Winter's has its own temperature-controlling chef. It's a brand requirement. The brand has a cult following in Earth State and is beloved by young superhumans rebelling against Earth State norms. It's also big in Japan, though they call it Johnnie Winter's. Ice powers are stereotyped as girl powers over there. The cooks are cute in Japan, they all wear white kimonos and throw snowballs at guests.

.....

The inside of the Johnny Winter's is pure 50's goodness with some characteristic flourishes--paper icicles on the streamlined counter and red swivel chairs, plastic snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, and a potted snowman with a Martin's shirt on.

The potted snowmen are a beloved icon. Every Johnny Winter's has one."

You smile as you walk in with your friends.

"Ah, Sam, so this is where you got your style from?" you joke.

"Just goes to show this style will never die. Now, let's sit at the counter and--"

"Booth seats! Booth seats!" Edith divebombs into an open booth and pats the cushion. "Come on!"

'...Well, I guess that settles it."

You look through the menu. You think you'll order...

>Flurry burger. Can't beat the classic
>Triple flurry. You're hungry.
>The Abdominal Burgerbeast. Let's see if you can take it.
>The Evergreen salad with a light snowing of parmesan

With

>Icicle fries. The white cheese they use does make it look sort of like icicles.
>Regular fries.
>Frozen Bites. Essentially cubes of various frozen soft drinks.
>Astronaut ice cream. Did you know it never made it to space?

And

>Snowman coffee. They say it's really good.
>Kooba Cola. You know, not every universe got kooba cola. Sucks to be them.
>Water. Ice water.
>>
>>5534757
>Flurry burger. Can't beat the classic
>Regular fries.
>Kooba Cola. You know, not every universe got kooba cola. Sucks to be them.
>>
>>5534757
>Flurry burger. Can't beat the classic
>Icicle fries. The white cheese they use does make it look sort of like icicles.
>Water. Ice water.
ALWAYS BE HYDRATING!
>>
>>5534757
>The Abdominal Burgerbeast. Let's see if you can take it.
A NEW CHALLENGER APPROACHES
>Regular fries.
Nothing can beat a fried potato
>Water. Ice water.
ALL MY HOMIES HATE SOFT DRINKS
>>
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>>5534766
>>5534783
>>5534809
You order up the classic flurry, regular fries, and some water.

"Just water?" Edith asks.

"Ice water. But yes, water." you reply, "I got to start taking care of myself. Tomorrow Steel Dolly is going to beat the crap out of me, and it's only going to get tougher from there."

"You bet it will." Sam says.

Edith, interestingly, orders three hamburgers--not a burger with three patties, three individual hamburgers.

"It's how I like them." she says. " I don't like it when food is too big and drips everywhere. These are just the right size." she devours half of one in one bite to demonstrate. "See?" she asks with her mouth half full.

"Yeah, I see."

You enjoy a nice, quiet meal with your friends.

For a time.

The door to the diner opens and in floats Harmony flanked by her two goons. What were their names? Did anyone say? Do they even have names?

Poor Edith looks terrified as Harmony looms over her.

"Oh god, do you have to follow us everywhere?" Sam asks.

"Not following you. I simply was on my way to Jones' for supper when I saw you through the window."

"Yeah, that fancy Thule place sounds more your speed. Why don't you go there?" Sam asks.

Harmony pinches one of Edith's fries and eats it. "Hm. Really. You eat this?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5534861
>Excuse me, but did Edith let you pick up her food? I expected someone of your caliber to be capable of having manners.
>>
>>5534861
I'll back this>>5534876
>>
>>5534809
Support
Stay hydrated my homies
>>
>>5534861
>"What can you say company makes food better and you are spoiling ours so why don't you leave us be "
>>
Wait activate the buttons Ms.C gave us in case she starts shit.
>>
>>5534876
Change the caliber to "your prestige and influence". Just to use her own words against her
>>
>>5534876
+1
>>
>>5534876
>>5534896
>>5534928
"Excuse me, but did Edith let you pick up her food? I expected someone of your prestige and influence to be capable of having manners."

"Edith, dear, you aren't going to begrude me a little fry, are you?" Harmony smiles.

"I-It's okay..." Edith gives you a "please lets not start anything please" look.

"See? She's fine with it."

Harmony's goons giggle.

"Do we need to call someone to remove you?" Sam asks.

'For what? Talking? We were just about to leave anyway. Just tell me something, Edith, which one is your boyfriend?"

Edith's face glows beet red.

"Oh? None of them? You still don't have one? Maybe you prefer girls?"

"Just leave, Harmony!" Edith snaps.

"Or you'll cut me, right?"

"That's it." a waitress puts a hand on Harmony's shoulder. "You're leaving. Now."

Harmony shoots her a glare and shrugs her hand off. "Don't touch me! My costume is worth more than you make in a year!"

"You paid that much for that? Doesn't even cover your legs and arms."

"Whatever, waitress." Harmony and her minions float out of the door.

"Whew." the waitress turns to your friends. "Probably shouldn't talk like this while I'm in uniform, but Harmony's such a bitch, isn't she?"

"She's the alpha bitch to end all alpha bitches." Sam says.

"Thanks for the help, Helen." Edith says.

"Not a problem." Helen leans down and hugs Edith. "Just don't listen to what Harmony says, okay? She never says anything worth listening too."

Helen turns to you. "Ah, the new guy. Hey." she holds out a hand. "I'm Helen Reeves. Multiverse student."

>What do we say?

>>5534904
It's active.
>>
>>5534949
>So why is nobody doing something about Harmony if people in public know her reputation? She all but screams BOL material....
>>
>>5534949
>Nice to meet you. Which multiverse you come from?
>So do Martin's accept Harmony hoping they can stop her from going BOL, or is she in just to complete the obligatory high school bully quota?
>>
>>5534955

You shake her hand. "Izzy Skenazy. So why is nobody doing something about Harmony? It seems everyone knows how rotten she is?"

"Well, she'd like you to think it's because she's well-connected, but its because Martin's tries not to give up on a student, even one as rotten as her. She's been given in school suspension a couple of times. We're not like, Ishinomori. They got way higher standards. I guess that comes from it being a superhero only school and not a general superhuman school."

"I wish they did more. She all but screams BOL material."

"She does, doesn't she? She's probably going to team up with Tommy Taylor after graduation. Wouldn't surprise me at all."

"Haven't met him."

"I hope you never do. He's got himself a criminal record. They implanted him too." Helen taps her back. "Right in the spine. Makes it so that he can't lift more than a brick with his telekinesis."

"Hey Helen!" A white skinned man with black hair and sunglasses emerges from the kitchen.

"Ah! Sorry boss. I was just talking to the new kid. The one I told you about?"

"Oh. The speculo. Well, don't worry then, your shift is about over anyway."

"Thanks, Johnny!"

You nudge Sam with your elbow as Johnny returns to the kitchen. "Was that your uncle?"

"Hey man, he's cool. In several ways."

You back to Helen. "What multiverse are you from, Helen?"

Edith and Sam cringe.

"No, no, it's alright." Helen answers their nervousness. "It's something I do need to talk to more people about."

Helen scoots into the booth and sits next to Edith.

"I'm from the W-series multiverse. Earth-5252. That's what we called universes. Earths. It's a synecdoche thing. Anyway, I'm, uh...not on good terms with my home universe. Other multiverse kids, they come here, they go back, not me. I'm staying here for the rest of my life. That's why they cringed. As for what happened specifically...my father was the last of his race and the greatest champion of Earth. Helios."

"The last of his race?"

"Yeah. Whole damn galaxy fell into a black hole. They teleported him away when he was just a baby but in the process, he got supercharged by touching the heart of the universe. He landed on Earth, got adopted, I'm told it happens on a lot of alternate Earths."

"Camila types." Sam says. "That's what they call the last survivor champions. After the heroine from the Aeneid."

"Yeah, that was dad, a Camilla. So he married my mom. She had me. I had all of dad's powers. It's why I work here now. I can fly, I'm super strong, and I can control heat. And we were a family. Me and dad, we'd fly around and protect the planet and come home to mom and..."

She sniffs back tears.

"Ah shit..." Helen pinches her brow. "Shit...I'm sorry."

Edith hugs her.

>What do we say?
>>
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>>5534988
Forgot my pic.

Seriously, Camila was the proto-Superman along with Moses. Just replace rocket with spear.
>>
>>5534988
>Offer her your fries
>"hey take a seat if you need to cry, it's alright"
>>
>>5534988
Scoot over to give her a place to sit
>It's ok to cry Helen. We have superpowers, but we are still people.
>>
a superhuman is still human
>>
>>5534988
>You're lucky your parents loved you. Mine named me fucking Izzy of all things.
>>
>>5535077
I'll back this too, our name is weird
>>
>>5535077
Her father probably died, I think making a joke about our name to lift the spirits is ok, but saying we have it worse because of it isn't.
I know it's part of the joke, but it comes off as insensitive.
>>
>>5535077
This.
>>
Why not put it all together?

>Offer her a place to sit
>Take a seat helen, It's okay to cry we might have super powers but we're still people
>I'm sure you parents loved you very much and had were great at naming things
>I mean come on mine named me izzy for gods sake.
>>
>>5535164
Awkward protag attempts funny joke, makes things 10x worse.
>>
>>5534988
I'm gonna switch >>5535152
to this>>5535220
It gets the point across.
>>
>>5535250
We're here to make things better so we can have more homies man. We're no batman we ain't got plot armor and A gorillion dollars.
>>
>>5535299
Yeah, and that includes having a more realistic protagonist for better or for worst. He may spill his spaghetti but that just makes the high moments higher. This man's lived a mostly isolated life, mostly interacting with only family and close friends, it seems most likely he would fuck up every now and then.
>>
>>5535250
>>5535347
Phone posting, this is me.
>>
>>5535347
Nah m8 spilling spaghetti purposely does not make it realistic it feels more like its forced. We'll spill our spaghetti when we spill our spaghetti Probably when we try to do a cool one liner or tell off harmony and like get thrown down with some better smack talk.
>>
>>5535220
>>5535250
>>5535347
"Hey, you want some fries?" you offer.

"Thanks, but not thanks. Don't tell Johnny this, but you work here for a month you kind of get tired of Johnny Winter's food, you know?"

"I never get tired of burgers." Edith says.

Helen takes a deep breath. "It's alright. It's my fault. I should be over this by now."

"Some things take a long time to get over. If you can even get over them at all."

"It's been long enough for me. I've cried so much I should be out of tears."

You smile. "Hey. At least you got parents that love you. I mean, come on, mine named me Izzy for God's sake."

Helen's face scrunches up as if you've just hit her.

"Izzy!' Sam whispers.

"No. No. Not his fault." Helen wipes away the fresh tears. "He didn't know. And my fault for crying."

"I'm sorry." you say. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't. Like I said, not my fault. My parents don't love me, anymore, Izzy. That's the short explanation. That's the explanation I have to come back to at the end of the long explanation, and the long explanation is this--my universe and the multiverse it was nested in isn't so good with multiverse stuff. You got ARGO, we don't. Historically, we've known about the wider multiverse, but we've only ever really interacted with a handful of worlds. That was a vulnerability. There was this big cosmic monster, a sort of Anti-god, back in 1985, and he thought he could blow up an infinite multiverse because he was insane. He only got most of our infinite corner of the cosmos. That was way before I was born. The universes grew back. You can't really destroy reality forever, but he didn't know that. But the damage ripples throughout the multiverse, like echoes. Things have been changing since 1985. Things people don't notice because when they change, they change peoples memories too. It's like someone takes a big eraser to portions of our history and pencils in something new. One day, mom and dad grew 30 years younger and lost a chunk of their memories. They didn't know who they were. But they were in the same house. They were terrified. of each other. They married again, secretly, to try and repair their fractured life, and gradually fell in love again. That's when they had me."

"You don't need to finish the story." you say. "I think I understand where this is going and I'm so sorry, Helen."

"No. I need to finish. Maybe, if everyone took a hard look at what was happening, they could fix it, but they don't want to. And I know why they don't want to. I know now. You see, I was erased. Well, not me physically, I guess because I'm too powerful to just be erased from reality like that, but the memory of me was. One day, I just found...a boy my age wearing my costume in our house. We fought. Dad asked me who I was. I ran through the multiverse until I found his place. And I'm never going back, because like I said, my parents don't love me anymore, and that's the ultimate thing. There's nothing there for me back home."
>>
>>5535504
Everyone is very quiet for a few moments.

"This place is so much better." Helen says at last. "You guys don' know how good you have it. My superhero community was tiny. One superteam, or rather one superteam that mattered, really, the rest were just always kind of in the background. Our world handeled supertech like idiots. Only superheroes really used it. Sure, they shared the tech, but the governments gobbled it all up and put it on restricted lists, and the people kept electing the same policies. I tell you, this minarchist thing you guys got going, keep it up. Governments back home kept creating robot armies and turning our supervillains into black ops soldiers. My world's always bootlicked big governments and their misdeeds. You know FDR? That racist tyrant? 4 terms on my world. 4 terms. Anyway, I've been trying to come up with a new supername, Izzy, and you seem to have a fresh perspective being from...Beck Island, was it?"

"Yeah. Home of a lot of rocks and a few crabs."

"Any suggestions for a supername?"

"What was your old one?"

"Arinna. Obscure Hittite sun goddess, in both our worlds."

>Give a suggestion.
>Can I copy your powers first, see how they work? That might give me a better idea.
>>
>>5535510
FUCK I SHOULD HAVE REMOVED THE PART ABOUT THE PARENTS! Well the spaghetti has been spilled.
>Biff butt kicker, Yeah that sounds cool. That or MORBIUS, It just sounds right you know could be used as a verb You know when you power up you can scream "I'M MOOOOOORBING!"
>>
>>5535510
>Can I copy your powers first, see how they work? That might give me a better idea.
I was right, but atleast it wasn't that bad.
>>
yeah i feel like copying her powers to think of a supername is a good plan
>>
>>5535510
From her story her parent would still probably love her if she told them who she is. But we probably should stop dropping spaghetti

>Can I copy your powers first, see how they work? That might give me a better idea.
>>
>>5535560
>>5535575
"Can I copy your powers first, see how they work? That might give me a better idea."

"Sure. No prob. There weren't enough superhumans on my Earth for anyone to worry about superpower copy laws, so that's just weird to me. Copy my powers. Copy my powers anytime. I got:"

>NEW PERMISISON

Helen Reeves

--Superstrength and Invulnerability

--Superspeed Flight

--Temperature control

You copy her powers.

You feel real heavy, and then real light.

You pinch a french fry between your fingers. The heat you generate would convert it to liquid, but the pressure you generate is so incredible that it remains solid even when it should become liquid, gas, plasma...

"Neat!"

"Playing with your food, Izzy?" Edith grins.

"You should see what he does with crab legs." Sam says..

"Just don't call me the Potato Peeler." Helen says. "Hey, where are you guys going later?"

"Alan's Arcade." Sam says.

"Ah, the double A. I like that place. Our worlds had quite a few videogames in common, strangely. Just one of those things. Hey, Johnny!"

Johnny sticks his head out from the kitchen. "What's up?"

"Can I check out early? New kid wants to hit the arcade."

"Sure. Have fun. Say hi to Pac-man for me."

"Alright! Sam, you fly?"

"Naw. You two help the fledgling. I'll meet you at the arcade."

"Okay!" Edith rises out of her seat. "Time for a flight club night class!"

.....

"Izzy, part of how I fly is impulse. Dad and I can create a localized push around our bodies. The other part is convection. We heat the air and rise on the currents."

"So much easier with wings." Edith says.

Helen grabs your shoulders. "Okay. I'm going to fly us both up. You ready?"

"I'm ready."

Helen slowly rises with you until you both stand several feet off the ground.

"Now I'm going to let go. Trust to instinct. Just try and stay still. It's alright if you bob a little, if that happens, just go with the flow."

>Roll 1d20

>>5535673
At this point she's too afraid to try.

She doesn't want to engage with them, she doesn't want to talk with them. She just doesn't want to interact with them because it hurts so bad.

Dad and "brother" might go looking for her later.
>>
Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>5535706
From her powers I think something about shooting star would be nice, but I have a feeling that all the types of comets and meteorites are taken already
>>
Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>5535706
>>
>>5535733
>>5535735
Huh.....do we get the triple?
>>
>>5535738
Today's session is sponsored by the number 11
>>
Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>5535706
>Give a suggestion.
>Star Piercer
Probably taken
>>
>>5535733
>>5535735
>>5535742
Helen lets go.

You stay still...more or less.

"Careful, careful. You're doing okay. Just float." Helen says.

"Think happy thoughts!" Edith says. "It works for me!'

"I'm thinking happy, happy thoughts!" you say as you bob.

After a few moments, you're able to stabilize yourself.

"Okay. I can stand. That's good. That means I skipped crawling right? We can move on to walking?"

"Edith, give him a little push." Helen says. "A little turbulence. We're going to make sure you can restore that balance before we move to locomotion."

"Right-o!" Edith takes a deep breath, throws her head back...

"Hold on! You're going to hit me with your entropic breath?" you ask.

Edith exhales. "Blah! Yeah. You can do a lot of stuff with it when you know how, not just make things not exist anymore."

"What are you going to do, exactly?"

Edith crosses her arms. "I'm not going to hurt you, Izzy. I'm just going to excite the wind, make a little tornado."

"Chill, Izzy. You got my invulnerability, remember? You'd probably be fine even if Edith screamed full-force in your face."

Edith inhales...

Oh, you hope you'll be alright...

>Roll 1d20
>>
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>>5535733
>Shooting Star
How about coma? The luminous field around the nucleolus of a comet?
>>
Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>5535751
That could work, but people might thing it's comma instead.
Maybe Exocomet? Since she is from another universe, she is technically from outside this world's solar system.
There's also Leonid, it's a type of meteor shower. It feels like a male name though.
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>5535749
time for DDR
>>
Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>5535749
>>
>>5535782
Ayyyyy
>>
File: Ayy Lmao.png (112 KB, 494x297)
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112 KB PNG
>>5535785
Lmao
>>
>>5535770
>>5535778
>>5535782

You got this...you got this...you don't got this.

You slide to up at a jagged angle and start floating to the stars like a balloon. "You overcorrected." Helen says as she steadies you with her hand. You didn't even see her move next to you. You get handle on her flying power, you'll really be able to zip around!

"Let's not keep Sam waiting too long." Helen takes your hand. "Come on. Enough training for now."

....

Alan's Arcade is a flashback to the 80's--yours and Helen's. The soundscape is like nothing else than an arcade, all the bleeps and bloops and electric mayhem. The arcade is kept dark to help the glowing geometry of starfighters and superheroes stand out. Argon and neon symbols of stars, warriors, and star warriors color the black walls as if the whole building was a game and they the sprites.

"Oh! They just stopped playing Centipede! Bye....!" Edith takes off.

"Ah, there you two are." Sam walks up to you and Helen, Pepsi bottle in his hand. "Where's Edith?"

"Killing giant insects." Helen says.

"Ah, okay. Well, welcome Izzy, to Alan's Arcade."

"So, this is the 80's, Johnny Winter's is the 50's, Martin's is the 40's what other time periods are in Joyous Harbor?"

"Some of he old superteam bases in the cave systems are definitely 60's, 70's. We need to take you down there sometime, see where the Trouble Teens used to hang out."

"The guys with the funny cartoon guy?"

"The very ones. You know, his grandson goes to Martin's?"

"Really?"

"Yeah." Helen says. "Uses the same supername too. Lookout the Watchdog."

"So what's the story behind Alan. He a big deal like Johnny?"

"Probably bigger." Sam says. "He's the Pinball Wizard."

'So he won a championship or something? I bet you and me could take him in sky pinball!"

"No, THE pinball wizard." Sam leads you and Helen to a table. "Sit down a minute. Did you know that pinball started as a thaumaturgical tool? Yeah."

"Hm...I think I may have heard something about that on the Flashback Channel."

"They're based on almadels, Magic alters with symbols and lines on them. A pinball table expands on an almadel. Now the lines are formed and reformed over time in conjunction with the focus and skill of the thaumaturgist. A pinball table is to an almadel what a rocket spin is to a model T. You get good enough casting the lines, you become a true pinball wizard, you become a real wizard."

Sam points to a picture on the wall A kid about your age with a red baseball cape, red jacket, blue jeans, and a large, white cape lined with gold intently plays a pinball table atop a crackling, erupting mountain while lightning flashes in the sky and a dragon roars.

Vovin dragon? Eh, probably not.

"That's real? I thought that was for a movie or album cover or something."
>>
>>5535923
"Artist representation of Alan Warshaw fighting the Final Serpent of Grosp for the fate of Homil."

"Homil...hey! That's the pinball table at the center of this place. Is it special, that why no one's playing it?"

'Oh no. You can play it. So long as you don't mind embarrassing yourself in front of an entire universe. Homil the pinball table links to Homil the universe. You see, Alan's story is a multi-generational epic dealing with another world in peril."

"Like Narnia! Neat!"

"More like Barsoom but with extra steps."

"I'm so glad Mr. Carter is still around in this world." Helen says. "Dad used to tell me about when they teamed up and how he died a hero's death. I always wondered what it would be like to meet him."

"Anyway, it starts with Gabriel Warshaw. He was a thaumaturgist. A thaumaturgist of the highest degree."

"Ah! I get it. Homil was his Ortus!"

The Ortus. The magnun opus. The philosopher's stone. The big final project of a true thaumaturgist--to create a universe and then live within that universe, subject to its rules.

"Yeah. He made it based on the elements. 4 worlds, 4 elements, earth, wind, fire, and water. He intended to use Homil as a model for how our physical universe interacts with the Astral. Problem was, he pissed off a rival who wanted to created Homil first. He accused Gabe of stealing his dreams, literally, reaching into his head and stealing the idea for Homil. And he did, actually, but given what a pill the rival turned out to be, can you blame him? So this rival guy traps Gabe inside Homil and tries to usurp his power. Gabe fights his rival, who took the name Grosp, to a standstill, but this unbalances the 4 worlds. The world is veiled in darkness, the seas turn wild, the air stops, and the earth begins to rot. The people fight back against the spreading chaos of Grosp, which they call the Ruin, but time is running out. Tick tock tick tock, Grosp is wining the deadlock year by year. Enter Gabe's sun, Mike, who creates Homil the game. All the thaumaturgists in the world say Homil is lost. The can' find it, so they can't save it. Grosp has cut it off from the multiverse."

"God that must have sucked. for them." Helen says. "Or maybe not as much as I'm thinking. They didn't know there was a multiverse out there that could help them."

"Could have given them some hope if they did."

"Could have driven them mad with hope." Helen says. "During the crisis of 2000, my dad had to fight some of his friends who tried to teleport a chunk of the world to a safe universe, dooming the rest."

"Well, cosmic doom and gloom aside, the Homilians did keep up the courage. And so did Gabe. And so did Mike. Mike was determined to rescue his dad, and he believed the Homil game was how he could do it. But it never worked for him."

"But it did for his son, Alan." you say.

"Absolutely correct. They don't call him THE Pinball Wizard for nothing."

"Every cool building in Joyous Harbor got a backstory like this?"
>>
>>5535944

"No. Just a lot of them. Wait until we have dinner one night at the ghost pirate ship."

"The what? Seriously?"

"Seriously." Sam leans close. "The food kind of sucks, but dude, ghost pirates. It's awesome."

"We gotta go."

"Count me out." Helen says. "Feels too Disney World to me."

"You don't like Disney World?"

"I don't like things that are hokey."

>What do we say?
>Disney is hokey
>Disney is not hokey
>>
>>5535948
>Depends on which era of Disney we talking about.
>But ghost pirates sounds like the cool one.
Izzy spent a lot of time watching TV and playing video games in the island right? He probably knows way too much pop trivia
>>
>>5535948
>Wtf is hokey?
>>
>>5535948
>What is hokey?
>Disney is mid famalam
>>
>>5535948
this>>5536031
minus the famalam.
>>
>>5536007
>>5536031
"What is hokey?" you ask.

"Twee."

"What's twee?"

"No, seriously, what's twee?" Sam asks.

"Sentimental."

"Ghost pirates are sentimental?" Sam asks.

"When they have a restaurant, yes."

"Hey, what would you do with a little shipwreck hovel, lots of time, and no modern skillset? Cooking is one of the few skills that crosses centuries."

"I thought you said it wasn't so good."

"It's not, but the idea is."

"Whatever. Ghost Pirates reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, especially since the two were connected."

"...What?" Sam asks.

"Oh, they had the Jean Lafitte connection in your world, too?" you ask.

"The what?" Sam is completely confused.

"They went even further. Jean Lafitte's ghost shows up in the mansion. No Madame Leota though."

"For someone that doesn't like Disney, that's a quite a thing to know about the park." you say.

"When your the daughter of Helios, everyone wants you to come to their park. I went everywhere. Had my 12th and 13th birthday party at Club 33."

"Don't like it anymore?"

"I grew out of it."

Sam shrugs. "I still think Tron was kind of neat. You know, that's kind of what happened to Alan, only he tried to get into the game."

"Alan ended up better.' Helen says. "He got the silver heart of Homil. It's a magic silver ball that lets him control the elements and goes great with his theme. Flynn ended up with a shitty sequel."

"Okay, now that's not fair." Sam says. "You can't go on about not liking Disney and say you saw Tron Legacy."

"Tron Rebooted in my world. I was still in my Disney phase."

"Anyway, I want to know more about the Pinball Wizard." you say. "Did he have a son?"

"Yeah. He's in Homil learning to master the elements. He was part of a trade, sort of. Alan's friends in Homil taught him, and Alan got to teach--"

"Me!"

A young man with vivid hazel eyes and bright red hair slams his hands on the table. He wears a bright canary yellow robe, and for a moment you think "Fisherman" until you see his face. around his neck dangles a yellow square on a gold chain.

"Oh. Hey Yomi." Sam says. "This is Izzy, he's the new--"

"I am Yomiel of Earthworld, and I challenge you to a duel!"

He points a black gloved finger right in your face.

>What do you say?
>>
>>5536103
>A fight duel or a game duel? Because if it's the latter, I'm in.
Come on Izzy, put your years of gamer skills to the test
>>
>>5536103
>HAVE AT THEE!
And deck him in the face.
>>
>>5536103
>>5536118
Lets keep it to the game
>>5536124
No, only if he slaps us with a glove.
>>
>>5536103
>"LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
>Punch him in the face but stop just as we're about to hit his face
>"you mean fight fight right not like video game fight right?"
>>
>>5536118
>>5536124
>>5536134

"Uh, you mean a game, right?" you ask.

"I've sparred with every speculo at Martin's--Copycat, Just-another-hero, Magic Mirror, and now I wanna spar with you! I got a ton of magical gear inherited from my dad and mom and you can copy their powers!"

"Not how you say Hello, Yomi." Sam says. "Not here, not in Yomi."

"I'm sorry Izzy, I got so excited, I just waited for you to show up for so long! No one else but me can use my magic objects, but speculos can copy their powers! You guys are the best sparring partners ever!"

"Please forgive Yomi." Helen says. "He's got a bad case of what we call Ishinomori brain."

"What do you say, Izzy? Can we hop over to my castle in Homil and do a little sparring?"

"You know, you could wait and spar in the CRS tomorrow." Sam says

"But why wait? We got magic shields and safety stuff at my castle. Copy Cat says my castle was cool!"

"It is cool, but you know, we were kind of showing Izzy around tonight."

"Good! I can show him around my castle!"

Sam sighs.

>What do we say?
>>
>>5536171
>Beat me in Street Fighter and sure. One round. But you buy lunch tomorrow, win or lose.
>>
>>5536171
>Sure, but we game now first.
>Hope I don't get too tired for tomorrow though, Steel Dolly said I'm going to spar with her.
>>
>>5536171
>So that means I can punch you in the face right?
>Also 1v1 me in yu gi oh. Better not have a meta deck on you.
>>
>>5536182
>>5536193
"Game first." you stand up. "Then we'll see--but you buy me lunch tomorrow, win or lose, okay?"

"Sure! Ah, you won't regret this, Izzy! I promise!"

"So...got any Street Fighter?"

"Even better--we got a new Star Shield table!"

You can't help but smile as Yomi takes you by the hand and leads you through the arcade. He's so enthusiastic!

....

Yomiel leads you to a large table, about the size of a pool table, topped with sleek, black glass. He touches the table and 3 concentric blue circles appear around his finger.

You do the same. Three blue circles. And then, the board hums to life with lines and numbers.

"Oh neat! I got a little profile card here."

IZZY SKENAZY

W 0, L 0

BASIC, BASIC, BASIC

POWER SCORE: 0

"What does basic mean?"

"Default shield. Everyone gets 3. You can buy others, and different balls, and powerups, and traps, and obstacles--"

"Oh...that's sounds kind of complicated."

"The computer calcs it to a power score, and that plus your skill score is your star score."

A red spot appears in the middle of the table and then slowly propels itself to you.

"Otherwise, it's like air hockey, or pong."

"Or pinball! Sort of. Neat!"

>Roll 1d20
>>
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>>5536243
Behold, the first side quest of the quest.

Star Shield.
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>5536243
Oh yeah, it's gaming time
>>
>>5536243
ROLLLA
>Pose
>>
Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>5536243
>Forgot roll
ROOOOOOLLLLLAAAAA
>Pose
>>
>>5536272
Neveah gonna rooolllaaa againa
>>
Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>5536243
I can't wait to deck this dude in the face!!
>>
>>5536264
BING BANG POK

"Hey, you're pretty good for someone that just stared playing!" Yomiel says.

"It owe it to a life misspent on video games."

"They're better than people think for a superhero! The flow state! The reflex training! My mentor Alan Warshaw became master of the silver heart of Homil by mastering games."

"Well, I didn't get good at games to be a good superhero. Not really the same."

"Why did you get good at games?"

"I had a lot of time and they looked interesting. I guess I just kind of gravitated toward them."

"I'm surprised! The other speculos, they talk about how they were really really energized to go to Martin's. Almost as energized as me! They were training before they even got in the door!"

"I was hyped...eventually. But yeah, compared to them, you're going to find my history lacking. I was a slacker. A beach bum."

"Really? With your power?"

"Yeah."

"I don't understand that! How could you have had so much potential and yet just want to chill?"

"I didn't think it was my potential. I saw it as me just reflecting the potential of other people."

>>5536272
BA-RING

The red star slips by your shields and hits he goal. One of your shields breaks apart and dissolves.

"Oh. So three lives?" you ask.

"Yeah! The outermost shield EXPLODES when your opponent scores a goal. There's a lot of strategy involved when you get different shields and have to decide which one is the outermost."

"It's also harder to defend with a smaller puck."

"Yes! Fear the death spiral! Some experts have crumbled in seconds after losing their first shield!"

"Ah. Then I don't have anything to worry about since I'm not an expert."

>>5536287
BANK SHOT!

It's so much more satisfying watching the shield explode into pixelated debris than if they just vanished. You bet there are some shields that do stuff when they explode, maybe create blocks or something. Right now, they just cover the arena in blue confetti sparks.

"Nice shot!" Yomiel says.

"Thanks. I guess I'm getting the hang of it."

>Roll 1d20
>>
Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>5536858
>>
Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>5536858
>>
>>5536897
>>5536915
BOOM!

BOOM!

"Looks like we're down to one shield each." you say.

"I know! Isn't it exciting! Now the slightest move, the slightest error can cost the entire game with these little shields!"

>Roll 1d20
>>
Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>5536924
Whatever happens, this was a good game
>>
>>5536941
BOOM!

"Looks like I win!" Yomi says. "You didn't do too bad for a first time player! I bet you'll do just as good for your first duel!"

"Well if losing is good, sure, I can't do anything but good!"

'Would you like to try playing with the star cards?" Yomi motions to a row of booster pack dispensers.

Oh man, another hobby...

You remind yourself not to blow all your allowance. You don't want to have to tell mom you blew all your money on cards so now you money for burgers.

Sam walks up to you, quietly sipping his cola. "Is this a gacha thing?"

"No!" you snap. "It's a trading card game integrated with an arcade game."

"You buy stuff for the game out of a machine."

"I buy booster packs and individual cards are tradeable, buyable, and sellable. Not gacha, tcg."

"Like Multiverse Match tcg? I never could get into it."

Oh, that's another game you need to keep track of...

"You still got your old Multiverse Match cards, Izzy?"

You do. As soon as you find where everyone plays it, you're going ot ship your binders over, but you'll probably need to get new cards. There's always a power creep.

"I do."

"You can have mine. I still have them somewhere."

You wish Sam still played, but hey, more for the warchest.

>Roll 1d20 to open your boosters.
>>
Dang, come on guys. No love for card games?
>>
Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>5537030
I was trying to give other anons a chance to roll
>>
>>5537030
I'm online later.
Also forgot how to roll.

!roll 1d20
>>
>>5537066
Write dice+1d20 on the options field
>>
Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>5536961
ROLLAN
>>
Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>5537068
thanks
>>
>>5537061
>>5537071
>>5537075

...Hmm...These seem like good ones:

Black Hole--Cool looking shield with a white ring and black center. Activating it causes the opponent’s goal to pull the star toward it.

Spider Web--White ring with a spider-web patterned center. Activate to cause the star to stick to the shield.

Charge Shot--Blue ring with a clear center that fills with blue the longer its activated. Activate to charge, release to fire a star. Speed and size is determined by the charge.

Freeze Ray--White ring with a cool snowflake center. Activate to fire a beam that slows the opponent's shield.

Chain Grab--Gray ring with chain patterned center. Activate to project a chain that grabs the star. Skilled players can use it to pull off complex sling shots.

Pulse--Red with a light pink center. Activate to expand the shield in a brief pulse. Careful not to use it while the star is behind your puck.

Stop Hit--Red octagon with a white center. Activate to make the star stop suddenly and lose momentum when it collides with your shield. Useful for gaining control over the star.

Comet Hit--Gold octagon with a flame patterned center. Activate to strike the star with considerable speed and force.

Space Mine--Black square with skull and crossbones patterned center. Cool! Activate to place a mine on the opponent's side of the table opposite your puck.

>Which three should we use?
>>
>>5537163
>Space Mine--Black square with skull and crossbones patterned center. Cool! Activate to place a mine on the opponent's side of the table opposite your puck.
Stop Hit--Red octagon with a white center. Activate to make the star stop suddenly and lose momentum when it collides with your shield. Useful for gaining control over the star.
>Comet Hit--Gold octagon with a flame patterned center. Activate to strike the star with considerable speed and force.
Battlefield control
>>
>>5537163
Comet hit for sure.
Then Freeze Ray and Black Hole.
>>
>>5537163
>>5537179
this is a solid lineup.
>>
>>5537179
Space Mine. Stop Hit. Comet Hit.

Here we go.

'Heyyyy Izzy!" your favorite dragon darts through the air. "Oh, you do starshield too?"

"Just picked it up."

"Oh cool! You got space mine! That's one of my favorite!"

"You play?"

"Yeah! Wanna have a--"

"Excuse me, young dragon, but I have called dibs." Yomi says.

Edith sticks her tongue out. "We can play later, right?"

"Sure!" you say. You wonder what her shield build is?

"Aw, Edith found a playmate." Helen says. "I never could get into card games. Just seems kind of silly to me."

"I like games where the whole game is already there for you." Sam says. "Like board games."

"Some board game are okay. Some are way too complicated. Like Hercs and Gabes. That's something my world didn't have."

"Tanya plays that one. Usually in the cafe-teria." Sam says.

"I don't get it. You have to buy the figures and the maps separately?"

"They sell the figures in sets."

"What, like cards?"

"Sort of."

"Should would be better if they just included all that in the box."

"Tell me about it."

Darn. Hercs and Gabes. That's another game to look into. You've heard about it. It's based on the Great War in the Air from the 1910's when people fought with power armor--Hercules armors and Gabriel armors. Hercs and Gabes.

You wonder if you have to paint the minis...?

"Let's begin!" Yomi says. "Check out my shield build!"

A little list appears on you side of the table telling you what Yomi's got--

Black Hole

Smoke Screen--grey ring with a cloudy center. On activation, hides your half of the table from the opponent.

Pulse

"A few tips before we start." Yomi says, "You can only activate your outermost shield. Tap the table to switch between shields. It'll take some getting used to, but you can do it! Switching is very important and can change the entire outcome of a round. When you lose a shield, it's your outermost that blows up, so if you think your opponent is about to score a goal, switch to shield you won't mind losing. To use abilities, don't tap, that's a mistake a lot of beginners make. Press and hold."

"Alrighty" you wave your stack of shields around, feeling confident. "Let's do it!"

>Roll 1d20 and select a shield to make your outermost and use.
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>5537456
Start out with the mine I guess
>>
>>5537461
Yomi opens with the smokescreen. You can't see what he's doing, but he can tell where you planted the mine. That means you can tell where he's not going to be as he's likely to avoid the entire general area where you set the mine.

Ah! The layers of strategy.

Uh oh, bank shot! Coming in fast!

>Roll 1d20 to use stop hit!
>>
Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>5537466
>>
Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>5537466
Roll
>>
Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>5537466
>>
>>5537030
Sorry, ain't my thing.
>>
>>5537030
not unless they're played on motorcycles
>>
>>5537489
Darn! You were too slow in activating it.

Oh well. Stop Hit makes a cool debris field. Looks like bits of a candy cane.

Got to work on your timing!

>Roll 1d20 and select a shield to activate
>>
Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>5537499
>NO SHIELD ALL BALLS NO RUBBER!!!
>>
>>5537522
Okay.

Stick to the basics.

Ignore the powers.

Just puck and disc, shield and star.

Bing bing, wham wham....and BOOM!

...Hey neat! The destroyed smoke screen shield makes Yomi's part of the table look like a big cloud!

Now we're tied. 2 vs 2...

>Roll 1d20 and select a shield to activate
>>
Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>5537529
>BRUTE FORCE LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
>>
Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>5537529
Comet
>>
>>5537530
>>5537532
Focus...Focus...Just the fundamentals...

No!

Your gamer sense if telling you that now's the time to...strike!

Like a comet!

>>5537532
Come hit go!

Oh, neat! It makes the star leave a trail across the table when you do the move!

Yomi activates his pulse...a second too late!

He knocks the star down toward his goal...and boom!

Yomi smiles. "Don't get too cocky! I still got my black hole! It's a really tricky shield!"

"Ah! It may be, but with only one shield I know you have to use it!"

>Select shield power, roll 1d20, you got the routine now.
>>
File: Rumble.png (320 KB, 800x1640)
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https://www.capeworldcomics.com/comic/sam-kinsley-rumble/

Check it out! Sam's got a profile!

Points to anyone that catches the Easter Egg.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>5537553
If possible use all of the shields we have left all at once THE TIME TO OVERWHELM HIM IS NOW!
>>
Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>5537553
I wonder if the stop shield can counteract the black hole
>>
File: Kooba Cola.jpg (110 KB, 474x571)
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110 KB JPG
Izzy's profile is coming soon, and it's going to have an "Opinions of Others" section.

So...what do we think about...

>Sam

>Edith

>Helen

>Harmony

>Henry

>Robert

Best entries will get posted to the site.

And no "She is my waifu," please.
>>
>>5537578
Harmony is a toilet-tier waste of sentience. Edith's cool as heck.
>>
>>5537578
>Harmony
"She's so standoffish and hard to work with, Honestly I tried my best to be friends with her but she keeps on saying no maybe she has a thing against thules?"
>>
>>5537595
No scratch that
>Harmony
"A very punchable face!"
>>
>>5537578
>Harmony
>>
>>5537578
>Sam
"My best friend, without him I probably have ended up a even bigger shut-in. And we are sunglasses brothers."
>Edith
"She's clumsy, but she's cool. She got a heart of gold, which I is fitting for a dragongirl."
>Helen
"I hope everything works out for her, she definately is super heroine material."
>Harmony
"Just you regular queen bitch, nothing to see here"
>Henry
"Haven't interacted with him too much, but he seem to act first and think later. Atleast he seems to have his heart in the right place."
>Robert
"We got of with the foot, but it worked out in the end. He needs to worry a bit less about things, it's not healthy."
>>
>>5537567
Dang. You should have watched out for that black hole. You jerked to hit the star and underestimated the speed at which it was falling toward your goal. You totally missed the star!

"See?" Yomi says. "A game can turn around in just an instant! It's why it's so exciting!"

Your comet's been stardusted. Now it's his black hole against your space mine.

>Roll 1d20
>>
Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>5537966
>>
>>5537860
>>5537582
>>5537596
>>5537613
>>5537860
These are good guys, keep em' comiing!
>>
>>5537968
Darn! So close!

Man, that black hole's gravity is more than you would think. It gets stronger the closer the star is.

Do real black holes work like that? You don't think they work like that...but then again, real stars aren't batted across the cosmos.

...you think...

"Good try for a new player!" Yomi says. "I hope you'll have more luck in our duel!"

"Oh snap!" Edith shouts. "You're going to duel Yomi! Here, now?"

"He is the newest speculo." Yomi says. "I'd have to duel him sometime, and why not now!"

"Ohhhh man! I gotta tell Tanya and Martina and Kalani and..." Edith flies off into the arcade.

Oh darn, now it's a thing. You're going to have an audience...

"Come on! Come on!" Yomi leads you to the Homil pinball machine.

People start to look. People start to talk.

Oh man, you think you're starting to feel a little embarrassed. You hope you don' get your butt kicked too hard...

"Just stick a quarter in the machine and touch the flipper buttons." Yomi says. "It'll take us both to my castle."

"Hold on." Helen says. "Yomi, dueling Izzy won't be fair."

"It wouldn't? But why wouldn't it? He'll have all the powers of my magic weapons! Oh, do you think he's going to be beat me like Copy Cat? I'm ready this time! I won't lose so easily!"

"It won't be fair for Izzy. He's not like Copy Cat."

"He can't copy powers? I thought he was a speculo!"

"No, he is, and he can, but he can't copy skills."

"....Ohhhhhh!"

"It would be you against a less skilled version of yourself."

"You're right." Yomiel rubs his chin. "That would be rather novice practice, wouldn't it?"

"But he copy powers for longer than Copy Cat and doesn't have to touch someone to copy their powers. He's like...radio based power copying."

Huh. You don't think anyone ever described it like that before...

"So Izzy, how about you take him on with his powers, my powers, Sam's power, you know, all the powers you got permissions for?"

"I'm fine with that if Yomi is."

"And Yomi is!" Yomi declares. "I think this a great learning opportunity for me...yes! You can combine my powers in novel ways with novel powers and create a truly novel lesson for me! I will learn much! Izzy, you must fight me with all your powers!"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5538014
>I'll try my best, but this is the first time I fight someone. Not with powers, but at all. I was going to get combat training tomorrow..
>>
>radio based power copying
Guess going for the office worker theme ended up working out, we are a fax machine.
Might have been better going for Telecopier instead of Xerographer thinking about it now.
>>
>>5538014
>Uhhh....sure? I've never used that many in an actual fight so lets try not to wreck your home. I've only done testing to see what kind of powers I can grab and use so you get to be my first fight.
>>
>>5538016
"But this is good!" Yomi says. "Very good! For me and for you because now you can get a jumpstart on your combat training with me!"

He sure is eager!

Helen pats your shoulder. "Don't worry, Izzy. I'll come along."

"Good. You can drag my body out. Oh, uh, Helen, can I ask you a favor?"

"What?"

"...I need a quarter..."

Something occurs to you as you put the quarter in and let a weird interdimensional flash radiate from the bumpers and switches and engulf you--a girl touched your shoulder.

That's really neat! And Edith touched both your shoulders! And she especially touched the one she clawed!

You feel special! Even ore special than a boy being transported to a magical universe via a pinball machine!

....

The first thing you notice is the sky. Blue and clear with silver stars shining in the distance. Skies kind of look the same everywhere.

No clouds. No moon. No sun. The light just seems to exist in the invisible air.

Is there a night, here?

"Welcome to my castle!" Yomiel spreads his arms wide in front of a golden castle. It's a neat, classic sort of castle. You're not an expert on castle, especially castles from other worlds, but it seems very archetypically castle. Black drawbridge, two towers. It's a castle!

"Welcome to Earthworld, the land of my father and his father before him!""

You poke the gray ground beneath you with your foot. It's not dirt. It's solid, like a stone slate.

"Specifically, this is the Land of Mazes. To the North is the Black Castle. To the South is the White Castle. They belong to my family too. Grandfather Robinett earned them when he saved the Land of Mazes in the time of the 3 dragons."

"You from a family of heroes like Alan Warshaw?"

Yomi smiles. "Yes. Grandfather Robinnet brought peace to the Land of Mazes. Grand uncle Crowther retrieved the treasure of the realm from the Colossal Abyss. My dad and aunt allied with Alan, the Pinball Wizard, saved the entire universe...and now there's me."

Yomi touches his castle. "I haven't done much..."

He looks at his reflection wistfully in the golden bricks.

"You've done a lot." you say. "And you'll do more. I can tell. Me? I'm the guy that hasn't done much. You got a mentor, dude, that's something!"

"You can feel my melancholy, can't you? Radiating from me like waves of melancholy! I do sometimes worry that history books will remember me as a...step down."

Helen smiles. "You're fine. You don't have to be like your parents."

"I don't have to be. But I want to be. The 4 Realms are peaceful now, and likely will be for a long, long time, so if I want to be a hero, I got to go off world. Hence my enrollment in an Earth school. I crave a challenge! And worthy foes! And dragons to slay!"

"Don't let Edith hear you say that." Helen says.

"What do you want to do with your powers, Izzy? You said you weren't interested in doing much of anything until recently. What do you want to do with them now?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5538080
>"I...always kind of just saw myself as a mirror for other people's ability for success, so, I want to go out to the world and see what I can do myself. Try living with other people for a bit."
>"Its a better alternative to being alone in a small space where everyone already knows you...."
>>
>>5538080
>With my powers? Do whatever I need to do in the moment, to surpass a challenge. I always thought that any achievement I made was just using the the potential of other people.
>But when Steel Dolly gave her speech, she presented it about me overcoming it, not my powers. They are just tools, it's me that chooses how to use them.
>And if I can help people along the way, that's even better!
>>
>>5538092
>>5538107
Can we choose both?
>>
>>5538112
They seem like they fit together
>>
>>5538113
can fit together
>>5537860
and this was supposed to be with the wrong foot
I should probably reread before posting
>>
>>5538080
>"with my powers, Punch yomi in the face when we spar. But I also know what I want to do in general. I want to be my own person rather than a mirror to other people, I want to see how far I can go with what I have and hell if I help people on the way that would be fine.....Oh and punch Harmony right in the gabba"
>>
>>5538199
Reread that
>>
>>5538202
Huh well aight probably could be shorter.
>>5538199
>"Feel like I overcame a challenge with or without my powers and get outside of my comfort zone maybe do a little good, but let's be honest here I mostly want to plant my fists on bad guys' faces."
>>
>>5538092
>>5538107
"I ...always kind of just saw myself as a mirror for other people's ability for success, so, I want to go out to the world and see what I can do myself. Try living with other people for a bit. Back on Beck Island, I thought that any achievement I made was just me using the potential of other people. But Dr. Plaras sent me a letter telling me that I had potential. Me. Not my powers. And he talked about putting me on a crazy curriculum that would put me in all kinds of different jobs. And when I talked to Steel Dolly today, she talked about me overcoming her class--not my powers. Martin's believes that my powers are just tools, that its me that chooses how to use them. And I'm starting to believe too."

You look up at the sunless, moonless sky filled with strange stars.

"It's way better than being alone in small place where everyone already knows you."

"I know exactly how you feel Izzy. My parents and siblings live to the south in the White Castle. I moved out here to the Yellow Castle to have my space. I don't think it's good to stay in familiar surroundings forever. One needs to Adventure for the sake of adventure."

Yomi picks up a large key shaped stone. "Ah! Here's where I left it!"

"Not very wise in terms of security." Helen says.

"It's alright. The castle is enchanted to vaporize those with evil intent." Yomi holds the key shaped stone (does it count as a key) to the drawbridge. It disintegrates before your eyes.

"That's how keys works here?" you ask.

"That's how keys work here. None of that stick it in the hole and fiddle about stuff in Earthworld! But you should see what they do for keys in Fireworld! Anyway, come inside come inside!"

You follow Yomi into a rather dirty castle. Dust clings to the golden floors and walls. Cobwebs hang from some of the silver furniture placed against he wall. Dirty plates and school textbooks cover a table along with a few Starshield cards.

"Boys.." Helen brushes some dust from her shoulder.

Is your dorm going to end up looking like this?

Yomi gestures to an iridescent podium cycling through the colors of the rainbow. It is notably clear of dust and clutter. In the center of the podium. suspended in four columns of light, are four objects of power.

"These are my weapons. They aren't really mine, though. My father and grandfather won them. I inherited them. But I want to make good use of what I have been entrusted with."

"I understand." you say.

"I can summon them, and anything in my castle, to my side with this:" Yomi holds the yellow square around his neck. "It's the Square of Adventure, created in time immemorial. My grandfather found it in the castle. It even works in other worlds, like on Earth."

"Who made the Yellow Castle?" you ask.

"No one knows. Such is the way of things in the Land of Mazes. Izzy, I would like for you to copy the power of my weapons, get a feel for them before we start our duel."

Copy the...

>Sword?
>Chalice?
>Crown?
>Ring?
>>
>>5538222
Its a trick question
>Ask what they do first.
>>
>>5538222
>Sword?
Swords are cool, simple as
>>
>>5538222
>>5538227
This, fucking with unknown items is handing him a win.
>>
>>5538227
>>5538242
>It's a trick question
Come on, He wouldn't do that to you. Yomi is good people.

>>5538242

>Sword

You copy the powers of a sword encrusted from blade to hilt with gemstones, the clotted lfieblood of Earthworld.

You know that because you know Earthworld.

The dark tunnnels with their lurking, stalking grue. The skies-within-skies, grounds-within-grounds. The nameless ruins of forgotten worlds. The elf forests.

All fed by the lifeblood energy that pulses through the earth.

It was not the sky that illuminated the world like you thought. It was the ground.

This sword is 1 of 4 objects that draw upon the powers of Homil. They draw in part what the silver heart of Homil draws in full.

You now how the powers of the sword.

You can strike with bolts of lifeblood energy. You think your arm can now chop through...pretty much anything.

You can defeat any illusion, uncover any lie, ferret out any hiding spot.

Truth is your sword.

You know all this and more in an instant.

"Wow..." you mutter.

"You made contact with Earthworld! Great!" Yomi says. "How do you feel?"

"What's the strike of truth? Something in the back of my mind says to beware it."

"The ultimate technique of my family--a forbidden technique. It forces someone to be who they truly are."

"What does that mean?"

"When used on Grosp, it turned him into a blood sucking mosquito."

"Huh...well that's not something to try in sparring."

"No, it is not."

>Select your next object and roll 1d20
>>
Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>5538260
>Chalice?
>>
Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>5538260
>>
File: Yorgle.jpg (2 KB, 108x210)
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2 KB JPG
>>5538263

"Chalice next." you say as you stare at the chalice.

Neat looking thing. It looks like it's made of clear ice, but on closer inspection, you see it rippling, playing the light into rainbow tides...

"Good choice! It's the Power Object of Waterworld, but believe it or not, it's the first Power Object to be entrusted to my family. The Sword of Truth was the last!"

"What's it called?"

"The Chalice of Creation. It lets you make things.out of energy. Within limits. You can't like, make another Chalice of Creation. Waterworld wizards have tried."


"Sounds like someone wanted extra power." Helen says. "Let me guess. Some bad guy was responsible?"

"Oh yes. In the time of my grandfather, the Waterworld wizard chosen to keep the Chalice of Creation fell to temptation and heeded the whispers of Grosp. He wanted to use its power to create another Chalice, another Sword, another Silver Heart of Homil, another entire Homil to conform to his desires. His dark desires were discovered, but before he could be punished, he hit the Chalice of Creation away in the Land of Mazes where it was discovered by my adventurer grandfather. It's been in my family ever since."

You reach out and copy the power.

You connect to the Lifecurrent of Waterworld.

You see Waterworld--a world without sky or land, only water. You see the mermen (they look a little like Thule) in their seashell palaces. You see bubble-islands inhabited by pirate rouges from Earthworld.

Truly, all creation is at your fingertips.

Anything you can think of can spring forth from your fingertips to--

...And you created a dragon.

Tiny head. Big mouth. Bigger stomach.

"Um...just checking, you didn't do that, Yomi?"

"I'm afraid it's from you."

The dragon roars, blowing Yomi's homework and Starshield cards across his castle.

"I got him." Helen steps forth to deal with the dragon, but Yomi stops her. "No. Izzy needs to take care of this. He summoned it, he needs to kill it. Otherwise, he'll never master the Chalice of Creation."

Oh boy....

Just remember. You got all the powers of your friends to help you!

>What do we do? Roll 1d20
>>
>>5538283
Is this the powers we have available?

1. Don't copy powers without permission

2. Just because you copy a power, doesn't mean you know how it works.

3. You can steal a power and stack it on top of your copied power, resulting in you having an even stronger power.

4. You can copy the powers of technology, magic books, orbs of infinite power, etc, etc, but you feel funny doing so, and the powers you get are harder for you to contorl.

5. You can copy only parts of a superpower--for instance, a Rumble Ring without a turbulent center, or just the center of a Rumble Ring without an edge...which creates a bomb, so be careful with that one. Pulling this move requires you to have experience with a power. Trying this on a power you've only heard about but never used can result in weird stuff.


>Sam
Oh yeah, that's his hyperstasis: he can create rings of energy, and inside these rings he can create fields of turbulent force.
Rumble rings, if you would. They're as strong and stable on the rim as they are chaotic and turbulent on the inside.

>Robert
Thule powers. Only the eyes? Can do something similar to Rumble's

>Edith
--Wings, claws, scales.
--Can project waves of entropy from the mouth, manifesting as fire, sonic waves, or pure, entropic force
--makes your soul draconic

>Steel Dolly
--Superstrength
--Indestructible metal body (covers inside the out. Even your hair becomes a bunch of sharp strands of wire metal)

>Helen Reeves
--Superstrength and Invulnerability
--Superspeed Flight
--Temperature control
>>
>>5538298
So a list of ideas of what we could do

-Copy both Sam and Robert power to stack them, then trap the dragon inside like we did with Robert's eye

-Copy both Helen's and Dolly's power to have double the invulnerability and strength, and then wrestle the dragon

-Copy Edith's powers and then try to calm down the dragon
>>
>>5538298
Yep! These are the powers you got!

Plus the Chalice and Sword.

>>5538304
These are all really good ideas.
>>
>>5538312
Ok, I think i'm going to try and combine all of them
Copy Edith's draconic soul and Helen's invulnerability (just in case he attacks first) and try to talk to him.
But also be ready to copy Robert's eyes and Sam's ring (without the turbulence) or Helen's and Dolly's superstrength to try and hold him down if the dragon doesn't calm down.
>>
>>5538325
Awesome!

>Roll 1d20
>>
Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>5538343
Oh no, my rolls have been bad to mid today
>>
Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>5538283
>>5538325
I'll back it.
>>
>>5538347
Fuck you too dice
>>
>>5538298
Can we double up our superstrength by using helen and steel dolly's super strength at the same time? How many anvils can we throw at yomi in a minute if we generate nothing but anvils with the chalice powers?
>>
>>5538366
I think we can, since I suggested it and QM said it was a good plan.
Imagine if we got permission from like 10 superheroes with superstrength. We could powerlift the sun
>>
We'll hammer and anvil yomi into submission lmao
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

Dice time
>>
>>5538370
Yomi is iron and we are a smith.
Although he might be able to cut through them with the sword of truth, depending on how fast he is, and there's the powers of the crown and ring that we don't know about.
>>
>>5538374
But can he cut through all of them? Also If we can generate energy by super heating the air and use that as fuel for the chalice can we just create tungsten walls out of super heated thin air?
>>
>>5538368
>Imagine if we got permission from like 10 superheroes with superstrength. We could powerlift the sun
Stacking powers sounds so hilariously broken.
You are always the strongest guy in the block.

Could we copy our own powers?
>>
>>5538345
You're the man with the plan!

First, a rumble ring, sans rumble. Your little dragon friend is made out of energy, so you should be able to trap it like a Thule eye..

Then, Helen's invulnerability.

And then, some good ol' Izzy power. Also known as talking.

"Hey little guy! I made you!"

ROARRRRRR!

"Can't we get along?"

ROARRRRRR!

The dragon snaps its jaws at you.

"Hey, you kind of look like a giant duck when you do that!"

"Izzy, don't let it bite you!" Helen says.

"But if I made him, I should be able to control him, right"

"I think this is a Forbidden Planet kind of deal. You know, a monster from the id."

You take a few steps back and dodge the snapping jaws.

"I don't want to destroy him!"

"It's a puppet animated by your subconscious. It's not alive."

"My subconscious is alive!"

You dodge another snap, careful not to use too much of Helen's speed, lest you fly though the castle and leave a hole you'll have to fix.

"What does it say about me if I have to beat my subconscious into submission?"

"That you have the willpower to suppress any and all impulse!" Yomi shouts. "Go on and wallop him, Izzy! You'll feel great and empowered afterward! I did!"

"You accidentally created a dragon?"

"It was a wumpus, actually."

"A what? No, never mind, don't tell me."

The dragon charges at you, but you hold your arms out in what you hope is some kind of defense and keep it at bay.

"Sorry, Yomi, but I'm not you, and I can't solve my problems like you would solve your own. i want to be friends with my monsters, not beat them."

You tap into Edith's power and draconize your soul.

Time slows to a standstill as your soul converses with your mind.

........

It's not the first time you've conversed with your own soul. The TIMS scientists back on Beck Island had you copy God only knows how many telepathy powers that gave you knowledge and conversation with your own soul.

But you've never talked to it as a dragon before.

A Vovin dragon with four eyes and two horns appears before you.

Two of it's eyes look at itself and two look towards you.

"Oh, what have you done to me now, Izzy?"

"I turned you into a dragon!"

"And it was for a reason, I suppose?"

"Yeah. I accidentally used a chalice powered by the lifeforce of another universe to create a dragon. So I'm copying the powers of this girl at school who got fused body and soul with a dragon to try and converse with the little guy."

Your soul turns its head around. "Little guy, hm? Looks like he's about to break the ceiling with his head. Who's the cutie? Are we talking to girls now?"

"She's Helen. She's cool."

"Well damn Izzy, we've gone far in a short time, haven't we?"

"It's what we hoped for, isn't it? It's why we came to Martin's. Time to ride the rocket ship, right?"

"Don't go too fast. You might hit something. Anyway, good luck with the dragon. I'm going back inside you to be a soul and stuff.'

......

"Hey!" you shout to the dragon. "Chill out!"

The dragon looks at you.
>>
>>5538553
And then...it obeys!

It falls to its knees before you...which means it still towers over you by a considerable degree.

"I can't believe that worked..." Yomi says.

"Okay. Now disperses!"

The dragon fades away.

"Now we're going to make sure we finally got this under control!" you snap your fingers.

The dragon appears!

You snap your fingers.

The dragon vanishes.

"Alright! Welcome back to the recesses of my imagination, you wayward figment!"

"But how did he do it?" Yomi gasps.

"I copied Edith's dragon soul." you say. "I had a dragon part of myself rampaging about, so I mage the rest of myself a dragon so it wouldn't feel left out."

Yomi turns to Helen and whispers. "But...A Vovin dragon is nothing like energy constructed in the form of a dragon! Even if it was not energy, it's in the form of a dragon from my world, and--"

Helen smiles. "But the dragon came from Izzy's mind. and Izzy thought it would work, get it?"

"Ohhhhh...."

"I just want to know how I ended up accidentally making a dragon." you look around the castle, trying to find if something put "dragon" subconsciously in your head. "Was I just thinking about Edith?"

Oh no. Were you?

>No. it had to be something else that triggered the dragon.
>Yeah, I was thinking about Edith...
>>
>>5538515
>Stacking powers sounds so hilariously broken.

Stacking similar powers has a chance to backfire. TIMS scientists described it was growing more arms. Sure, you can use them, but your coordination will be shot, and your arms will end up knocking against each other trying to perform tasks you could have easily accomplished with just two.

That being said, you can mitigate this drawback by familiarizing yourself with the stacked powers.

Izzy an also "super charge" a power by copying it and then stealing it, becoming twice as powerful and depowering the target.

This is highly dangerous, as many superhumans rely on superpowers to maintain their physiology. If you tried this on Edith, for example, you would kill her.

Evil Izzy is a mean bastard who keeps captured superheroes alive in life support pods so he can super charge off their powers without killing them

>>5538381
>Tungsten walls out of super heated thin air

See, this is the kind of crazy bullshit I want to see in this quest. Keep it up!

>>5538368
Wait to you see some of the characters at the school. Lifting the sun is nothing.

Future Izzy is a Superman Prime level superhero that saves entire multiverses on the regular

>>5538366
Stacking Helen and Dolly isn't hard. You could also squeeze Edith's strength in there too.

>How many anvils can we throw at yomi?

We'll have to try it out and see, so far we've only figured out how to make a funny looking dragon.
>>
>>5538564
>"Let me see"
>Think of edith to see if the dragon pops out again
>>
>>5538564
>>5538577
this then confirm if it was
>Yeah, I was thinking about Edith...
>>
>>5538577
Support
>>
There's a chance that Yomi might have been to one that put the idea of dragons on our mind:
>Grandfather Robinett earned them when he saved the Land of Mazes in the time of the 3 dragons.
>I crave a challenge! And worthy foes! And dragons to slay!
Making us associate this universe with the idea of fighting dragons
And Helen could have reinforced that by mentioning Edith
>Don't let Edith hear you say that.
>>
>>5538930
That's also true
>>
Hey QM, are you ok? You don' usually take this long to update things.
Or are you too busy running the railroad fetish quest I heard about in the qtg
>>
>>5540789
Ok after bothering to look for it, seem you haven't run that one in two days, so that's not the reason.
Also tried to understand what happened and I just left confused. I should have just waited
>>
>>5540789
excuse me the WHAT
>>
>>5540839
Welcome QST homie
>>
>>5540789
The guy has been posting links to some to his cape website see if he's active there
>>
>>5540839
A lesbian bdsm wrestling quest. Or atleast that's what I think it is.
>>5540866
He's posted two hours ago in the qtg, that's why I thought he was running the other quest.
I probably should have just asked him there instead of assuming, or trying to find out about the drama. But I was too curious
>>
>>5540866
Ok, just checked it, seems the last post is still Sam's profile. I'm the world worst detective.
>>
>>5540891
Ayy if the trip is still active then its fine the dude has been posting like crazy for the past few days so give him a break.
>>
>>5540896
That's true, I guess the quick updates made me spoiled.
>>
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>>5538577
>>5538643
>>5538921
"Let's try this!"

You summon an Edith construct.

Helen glances at it warily. "Izzy, you sure you got the hang of this now?"

"I'm sure."

The Edith construct smiles and waves at you. You shiver. It's kind of creepy how much she looks like the real thing.

You guess this is why those guys with the space rings make everything green.

"Okay, it wasn't Edith, because she came out, no the dragon. I mean the other dragon."

Edith stares at you and smiles.

"Okay, enough of you." you dissipate the Edith construct.

"Hey. I got an idea." Helen says. "Yomi said that his grandfather saved the Land of Mazes in the time of the 3 dragons. That could have primed you."

"Yeah! And then he said he wants a dragon to slay!"

"And this portrait on the wall you probably saw out of the corner of you eye." Yomi points to a portrait of a gold colored dragon fighting a guy that looks like Yomi but far, far cooler. "My grandfather against Yorgle, one of the 3 dragons who give their name to that age."

Well, that solves that mystery.

>Ring
>Crown

>>5540789
>>5540800
>>5540839
>>5540851
1. Not the "railroad quest." That was an earlier, unconnected quest they were discussing in the general.

2. It's actually a gynoid bdsm wrestling quest. But let's keep talk about it to the appropriate thread. Capeworld is pg-13, not R, and Izzy isn't old enough to drive.

3. God guys, let me hack up my bronchitis in peace, okay?

Though it's a little more than that. I'm doing research on old PLATO system RPGs, because Yomi's world is built off references to 75-85 CRPGs. I think I really like it. I didn't even realize I fused Never-ending Story and Last Starfighter together until it hit me later.
>>
Ah so assume you died of bronchitis if yoj disappear got it.

>Ring
>>
>>5540977
>Ring
Super villain with bronchitis powers when?
>>
>>5540977
Quick little guide to the references.

>Adventure

The "overworld" of the Land of Mazes is the map from Adventure. Yomi lives in the Yellow Castle where the player starts the game. Just like in Adventure, there's a Black Castle to the north and a White Castle to the south. Yomi's family lives at the White Castle while he moved out to live alone at the Yellow Castle, which was inspired by a friend of mine from high school who lived in a little shack behind his parents' house.

Yomi's amulet is in the shape of the Adventure protag.

The Chalice being the first weapon Yomi's family acquired is a reference to the plot of Adventure where the ultimate goal is to get a magic chalice hidden by an evil wizard.

Yorgle the dragon is from Adventure. Please no sue, Atari. I can call him Elgroy. Which, you know, isn't that bad a name now that I heard it sounded out in my head.

>Last Starfighter

Alan Warshaw's story is the fantasy pinball version of Last Starfighter.

>Never-ending Story
The Corruption=The Nothing.

>Swordquest

The 4 elemental universes of Homil are taken from Swordquest.

The 4 treasures of Homil are based on the 5 prizes of Swordquest with the Philosopher's Stone being dropped. Sorry, only 4 elements! And let's be real, a rock in a box isn't as cool as a sword/chalice/crown/ring.

Yomi's father and aunt are based on the twin heroes of the Swordquest comic backstory. Grosp is based on the evil wizard, and really, all evil wizards from Nethack's Yendor to whatever dick hid the Chalice in Adventure.

The idea of Grosp plaguing Homil for generations until Alan could rescue his grandfather was inspired by the melancholy of the Swordquest games. If you don't know what I'm talking about, see this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ialT92vXVvA

The idea was that the final story of this fantasy world was put on hold until Alan could enter the game and save the day.
>>
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>>5540987
>>5541001
If I die, he did it.
>>
>>5541015
This quest is surprisingly educational.
Hope there are no boogeyman from DF or a Grue from Zork around to kill people in the night/dark
>>
>>5541015
I have only seen one of these and that's the never ending story
>>
>>5541015
>Are you Afraid of the Dark?

You know that pinball episode? My favorite episode as a kid, even if the ending was a dick punch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp8wEe-4F08

>Tron Legacy

Goddamn it, now that I think about it, I think I was subconsciously inspired by Tron Legacy.

How did that happen? I hate Tron Legacy.

>Zork

The ruined underground empire (and boy, would it be a spoiler if I told you who made them!) is a reference to the underground empire of Zork, though ruined civilizations are a dime a dozen in fantasy.

Bill and June of the Zork books are "kids from Earth who came to the magic land" like Alan.

The White Castle has a cave system under it, just like the White House in Zork.

One of Yomi's ancestors killed a dragon with his bare hands.

Grues are a race in Homil, being depicted as batpeople.

>Hunt the Wumpus

Yomi will want to take Izzy Wumpus hunting one day.

Yomi has a pet bat (also another Adventure reference). Grue love bats and train them like hunting dogs.

>Ultima

The Avatar is another "human in magic land" character, like Alan.

>Ultima, Might and Magic, Wizardry

There are spaceships (aether ships) in Homil, and it's not a secret. It's how people get from one universe to the next.

Man, it's like every big CRPG did the "suddenly we're scifi" twist. Even Final Fantasy 1 got in on the act.
>>
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>>5540987
>>5541001
>Ring

You reach out and make contact with a twisting band of bright red metal.

For a moment, you feel painfully hot--and then warm, pleasantly warm all over as if you just slid into a wonderful bath.

Fireworld was where it was forged. In the plasma heart of the Lifeflame. It started as a trembling more of force, then it grew and accrued strength until it became this clot of strength.

The Ring of Potential. That is what they call it.

It grants power. Endless, raw, magical power. If you only knew how to shape it--but even so, raw, naked power is not a useless thing.

You see Fireworld.

A world of endless light, endless flame, and within the flame swims geometrical beings. Wedges and needles, spheres and pyramids.

"Wow." you say as your attention returns to Yomi's castle.

"You made contact with Fireworld?"

"It wasn't what I expected. I expected fire and well, I saw that and then some. But I was thinking salamander people."

"Like lizard salamanders? Why?"

"Never mind. I's an Earth thing, not an Earthworld thing. It's people are...shapes?"

"Yes. The people of Fireworld may seem strange, Izzy, but you'll not find better warriors. They, before all the beings of Homil, stood against the Corruption. They fought the Corruption not only in Fireworld, but in the aether, in the space between worlds. Their bodies, hardened by their world, were able to turn the plasma sparks that drift through the aether into mighty fortresses that stymied the advance of the Corruption, for a time."

"Aether, that's what outer space is like here?"

"It's similar. You have to go through it to get to other worlds. We of Earthworld have to construct vessels to travel through the aether, for it is cold and airless save for the plasma sparks. The beings of Fireworld do not have this problem and swim through the aether as they do fire."

"Wait. You guys have spaceships?"

"Yes. I suppose you could call aethervessels space ships, as they ship things through the space between worlds."

"It just...I'm not used to people that live in castles having spaceships."

"I don't understand, Izzy. You have spaceships back on Earth and people that live in castles. Why not here?"

...Come to think of it, people do live in castles on Earth...

You shake your head. "Don't mind me, Yomi. I'm getting my preconceived notions challenged, which is good. I want that. Hey, do you have a spaceship?"

Yomi grins. "I do!"

"Really! Neat! Is it all yours or is it like a family car?"

"It's all mine!"

"Where is it? Do you keep it in a silo?"

"In a silo? Why would anyone do that?"

"I don't know. But people keep missiles and rockets in silos back on Earth."

"That seems silly. Aren't they supposed to go into the sky? Why would you move it away from where its supposed to go?"

"I don't know. But where you do you keep yours?"

"Certainly not near the ground." Yomi points up. "It's kept up there."

"In the sky?"

"Yes in the sky."

"Is it like tethered? Like a balloon?"
>>
>>5541401
"No. It's parked."

"In the sky?"

"On the sky."

You look up.

You take a very close, hard look at the sky.

Those stars...those points of light...they look like holes.

"You got a firmament!"

"What does that mean?"

"It means you have something around your world!"

Yomi shrugs. "So do you."

"No we don't."

"Oh yes you do! Don't try and pull a fast one on me, I remember geography class! There's a dome of air and liquid around your planet."

You pause for a moment and consider Yomi's words.

...Yeah. The sky kind of is like a dome around the world. You just never thought of it that way before. You always thought of it as...the sky. As a location, not an object.

"How do you guys get up there?"

"We climb."

"Climb what?"

"Very, very long ladders."

"This really is Earthworld..."

"Well, don't keep me in the dark forever!" Helen says. "Gawk about the sky later, what does the ring do?"

"The ring? Oh, the ring!"

"Oh, the ring he says! Like it isn't a cosmic artifact linking you to an entire universe and bestowing upon you nigh-omnipotence!"

"It's called the Ring of Potential. It's from Fireworld."

"I figured out that part. What does it do?"

"It...well...it's got potential."

"So do batteries."

You shrug and snap your fingers. A glut of magical fire erupts from your hand. "This is...about all I can do with it."

"It makes things? Like the Chalice?"

"No. The Ring is different but complimentary to the Chalice. The Chalice makes things. The Ring changes things. Like...I feel I could try turning someone into a frog..."

"My granduncle Akala turned into a frog!" Yomi says.

"...But I'd probably end up turning them into a snake instead."

"I think I get it. Magic potential, but you aren't sure how to control it." Helen says.

"Sorry, Yomi." you say. "If you wanted a magic duel of some kind, I'm going to have to play pyromancer spells."

"Don't worry! It's a little inconvenient, but they say experimentation is great for learning magic!"

"...Who says?"

"Greatuncle Akala!"

"Yomi, how did Greatuncle Akala turn into a frog?" Helen asks.

"Oh, he turned himself into a frog. He was trying to get his magic amulet to turn him into something powerful."

You and Helen stare at Yomi.

"He got better! And after a few tries, he was able to turn himself into a dragon man, and then a stronger dragon man, and then an even stronger dragon man...and then he turned himself into a frog again, but he got better, and he turned into a still stronger dragon man, hunted down the Barong terrorizing the land, slayed it, and became a celebrated knight of the realm!"

You and Helen stare harder.

"...But if you're interested in more direct instruction, you can learn the mystic arts the same way I did--from my ancestors, living and dead. They're all up north near near the Black Castle. The dead ones are in the Heroes' Necropolis. The living one are in Mersad City. They all know something of magic."
>>
>>5541406
"Let's go to Mersad sometime, Izzy! It'll be fun! We can do a little wumpus hunting!"

Gee. You aren't sure about how you feel about hunting. Back on Beck Island, you hunted crabs, but those were like, crabs...

"But for now, I would like to fight you as you are with all you copied powers, Izzy, but if you want to, I don't mind waiting until you learn some spells."

>Postpone fight?
>Copy the crown, lets fight!
>>
>>5541421
>Copy the crown, lets fight!
>Time to wing it!
>>
>>5541421
>Copy the crown
>HIT FAST AND APPLY FIST TO FACE
>>
>>5541421
>Copy the crown, lets fight!
>>
>>5541422
>>5541429
>>5541526
"I'll still fight you."

"Really!" Yomi seems so excited. "Thanks, Izzy! I know you'll do...somewhat well, even if you don't know magic."

Magic spells would certainly be something to add to your bag of tricks, but you have to remember--you need to copy the power of the ring to use them.

No ring, no magic.

"You sure about this, Yomi?" Helen asks.

"Yeah! I may not have magic, but you know, Robert's bubbles are sort of like a magic shield, Edith's breath weapon is like a lot of different magic attacks, and you're a bunch of magic buffs."

Helen sighs, looks at you, looks at Yomi, then looks back at you.

"You two play nice."

You reach out and make contact with a crown, a light piece of regalia, it's body translucent orange like a beam of a sunrise, its gems red like sunset.

It was made to crown the glory of Airworld, and it is known as the Crown of Might.

It was born in the Lifesun.

Airworld has a sun.

And its entire universe surrounds it.

You see the sun, and the many castles that dot its surface--or perhaps they are all merely parts of a massive golden structure spreading like ivy across the life-giving orb?

"Heliocentric cosmos," Earthling philosophers had no idea what that truly meant.

Around the Lifesun is a cloudscape. Large, pure white clouds collect energy from the Lifesun and captures it in rosy caverns of eternal sunrise. Atop these clouds are stone towers and castles and darting between the towers are the inhabitants of Airworld--men and women with glowing sun-born wings, clad in fluttering robes and gowns.

Your mind follows a young girl about your age with dark red hair the color of sunset right before it surrenders to night and skin almost as white as her gown and the clouds. She swoops into one of the sun caverns and you see her into a pink jungle. Strange plants line the clouds, forming a little jungle, their roots burrowing into the misty walls and sucking moisture, their wide leaves basking in the trapped sunrise.

The girl's dainty hand pushes away the leaves and finds a dark purple fruit about the size of an apple. She takes it, and puts it in a carrier like a basket with a hood.

You sigh. You can't help it. You feel like you're in a museum looking a a masterpiece painting. Her world is so beautiful. And she's so beautiful.

Her face turns.

Her eyes are the golden color of sunrise, the kind of gold that touches the horizon.

Her face turns.

And somehow, she looks at you.

She smiles. A slight giggle escapes her lips.

"Hi there! My name is Dai!"

>What do we say? A girl is talking to us and she's really cute! And oh yeah, this is kind of unprecedented in our mystical soul journeys.
>>
>>5541749
>"Dai who?"
>>
>>5541749
>Hi Dai, my name is Izzy!
>No one ever saw me while I was having a soul journey, how did you do it?
>>
>>5541749
>What do we say? A girl is talking to us and she's really cute! And oh yeah, this is kind of unprecedented in our mystical soul journeys.

>Hi Dai, my name is Izzy!
>*OH, NO! IT IS SENTIENT AND IT IS CUTE!*
>>
>>5541749
I'll back this one>>5541810
Panic fun
>>5541796
this too, nobody noticed us except her.
>>
>>5541810
+1
>>
>>5541796
>>5541810
>>5541846
>>5541856


"OH NO! IT'S SENTIENT AND CUTE!"

Dai giggles. You hope she can't see you, because you can feel yourself blush.

"Uh...uh...Hi, Dai! My name is Izzy!"

"Izzy, huh? Are you from Earth?"

"Yeah...n-not from Earthworld, but from the world. From the Earth. From Earth! How'd you know?"

"You look sort of like an Earthworlder, but more pudgy. They say that's how Earthlings look."

Pudgy?

Oh god, she can see you...

"Um, how are we talking? I've done some soul journey stuff across the other worlds and no one ever say me let alone talk to me."

"Wow! This must be your first time in Homil. I'm an Airworlder. My thoughts are carried by the wind."

"Telepathy?"

"Is that Earthlings call it? We call it windthought."

"That's a good name, windthought."

"What are you doing windthinking around Homil, Izzy? Are you a thaumaturgist like Warshaw the First Father?"

"Oh no no no, I'm not a thaumaturgist, I'm not even close to a thaumaturgist."

"A student of thaumaturgy?"

"Uh, sortof..."

>Tell Dai you're copying the power of the Crown of Might. Chicks dig might!

>No...you're too embarrassed
>>
>>5541900
>Tell Dai you're copying the power of the Crown of Might. Yomi wanted a training duel with me so he's letting me copy his family treasures.
When in doubt, autism out.
>>
>>5541904
this
>>
>>5541904
Support
>>
>>5541900
>Tell Dai you're copying the power of the Crown of Might. Chicks dig might!

"I'm copying the power of the crown of might who knows it might bring in the chicks
>>
>>5541904
can confirm girls like it when you talk about shit you're passionate about.
>>
>>5541954
Never worked for me, but nice cope all the same.
>>
>>5541957
Worked twice on me so I figured it was true. Maybe it was something else then
>>
>>5541954
No they do not.
>>
>>5537578
>>5541900
Say >"you too", drop some spathetti and run away.
>>
>>5542011
This but like literally drop spaghetti out of your chalice
>>
>>5541904
"I'm copying the power of the Crown of Might because Yomi wants me to be his sparring partner and my power is that I can copy powers."

Dai stares.

"That's...okay right? He said it was okay..."

"Yomi. You mean Yomiel of Earthworld? The hero Yomiel?"

"Yeah! He's in my class on Earth. We're friends!"

"You know Yomiel?"

"I wouldn't be copying his family's treasures if I didn't. That would be stealing."

"Wow...wow..." she looks away, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. Was I distracting you? You're probably looking for Queen Fen. I can lead her to you if you want."

"I wasn't looking for anyone. When I copy the powers of one of the Homil treasures, my soul is plugged into the structure of each universe. I windthink through each world. So I was just drifting and wow, your world is so incredible and beautiful and I saw you here in the garden and like I wasn't trying to spy on you or anything, I didn't even know you could see me...oh that doesn't sound good..."

Dai's hand guides you to a cluster of flowers with glass petals that cast the pink light into orange hues. "Sungardens are pretty, aren't they? I understand it catching your eye. This one and five others belong to my family."

"Y-yeah, everything is pretty..."

"Well...you have to get back to training Yomiel the hero, right?"

"This windthought fades with time. But I don't...normally it doesn't go on this long."

"You want to linger here?"

You nod, sheepishly.

She touches her hair and you can feel your heart flutter a universe away. "There's no reason for me to keep you..." she smiles and shakes her head. "...Father isn't going to believe this! I'm not even sure I believe this. A friend of Yomiel the hero..."

Dai reaches into her basket. "Have you seen the other worlds of Homil?"

"Yeah. The Crown of Might was the last one for me to copy."

"What was your favorite world?"

"Skyworld! Skyworld definitely!"

Dai giggles. "Good answer. that's my favorite world too."

She takes out one of the dark purple apple-looking fruit and holds it out to you.

"My name is Dai Lu Wa and I live in Swooplight Nimbus. I'll keep this for you, a gift from your favorite world.."

And then she fades, like a dream.

You're back in Earthworld.

"You okay, Izzy?" Helen shakes your shoulder. "Hey, Izzy? You alright, man?"

"I'm alright..."

"Are you sure? You spaced out for a minute."

"He's fine." Yomi says. "I keep telling you he's fine. It's the beauty of Airworld coupled with the telepathic boost of the Crown of Might. Am I right, Izzy? The scintillating heights of Airworld caught your eye?"

>...Yeah...
>GUYS I HAVE A CRUSH HELP ME!
>I met a girl...

Internally:

>We are in love! Love!
>Calm down, Izzy. It's just a girl. Just a beautiful girl with wings. Just an angel girl...but just a girl, that's the point.
>>
>>5542301
I didn't realize I typed Skyworld until I posted it, but it's cannon now that Izzy screwed up the name.
>>
>>5542301
>Yeah I just had a trip, yomi you know about dai?

Izzy internally:
>God I wish I could see her again.
>>
>>5542301
>I met a girl...

>Calm down, Izzy. It's just a girl. Just a beautiful girl with wings. Just an angel girl...but just a girl, that's the point.

Izzy is down bad
>>
>>5542301
>...Yeah....shiny...purty

>ohbouhbiygcfcssrdtfyug
>>
>>5542605
Actually I'll support this one instead lmao
>>
>>5542301
>I met a girl...
>Calm down, Izzy. It's just a girl. Just a beautiful girl with wings. Just an angel girl...but just a girl, that's the point.
>>
>>5542403
>>5542640
"I met a girl."

"Met?" Helen asks

"It's the Crown. You're so worried about him you don't hear what I'm saying!" Yomi says. "It grants vast psychic powers. With it, he was able to contact someone in Airworld. All Airworldians have telepathy."

"Windthinking." you correct.

"That's right! You did talk to one!" they developed their telepathy by studying the Crown. They had to. Back in the days of my great-grandfather, the Fireworldians isolated the Airworldians, fearing that their wings could allow them to compete with them in the aether."

"I thought the Fireworldians were good guys?"

"Now they are. They are great and noble warriors and one gave me a flaming spear for my birthday last year. But that's now. The Ishinomori people, were they always allies to your people?"

"Japanese people."

"Aren't those the Ishinomoi people?"

"Yeah, but...yeah, you're right. I get what you're saying.

"The Airworldians has to develop telepathy just to penetrate the dome of fire that sealed their universe and interact with other worlds. Their telepathy allowed them to gather allies and wage Aether War 1 against the Fireworldians. And with the Crown, you're a mighty telepath. You can project your thoughts across the gulf of infinity."

"Not just telepathy." you levitate yourself into the air. "Look, Helen! I finally got a grip on flying! The Crown holds me still, and--"

You move quickly across the Castle, so quick you might as well have teleported.

"--with your power, I can zip around!"

"Ah. Tanya would call you a zipper."

"Who's Tanya?"

"Captain of Martin's Flight Club. Kind of my rival, but in a friendly sense . You'll meet her if you want to graduate from Zipperhood to being a full on flier."

"What's wrong with zipping?"

"Going from full acceleration to dead stop isn't energy efficient. If you want to be a real flier, you need to learn how to act at different speeds."

"So, are you ready to spar now?" Yomiel asks eagerly.

"Well...I got a few questions."

"Oh! Well I was thinking I could put magic shells around us and the first to have their shell crack--"

"No! I got questions about the girl I met! Yomi, do you know a Dai Lu Wa of Swooplight Nimbus?"

Helen smiles. "Did you meet a princess or something, Izzy?"

She looked like a princess...

"Hm...no, that's not a princess." Yomi says. "I would know. I've been involved in the politics of Homil since I could crawl."

"She said you were the great hero Yomiel."

"I hate that name>" Yomi frowns. "it's an inherited title. I have not earned it. But no, I don't know a Dai Lu Wa. I do know Swooplight Nimbus, that's a nimbus of sungadens near the Airworld sun. It's known for its cloud drops--very good fruit, especially when you serve them in a wumpus loaf. Have you ever had a shaved ice with some condensed milk on top? Closest thing from Joyous Harbor I can think to compare a cloud drop to."

"Do cloud drops kind of look like dark purple apples?"

"Yes."
>>
>>5543049
"Dai wanted to give me one. Do you know your way around Airworld, Yomi?"

"Wait wait wait. I'm not going to go near the sunpalace just to get a fruit. They're all going to swarm me and go "Oh! The great hero Yomiel! Quick! Call the Queen and her entire court!" They will drown me in their adulation!"

"Please! I don't know Airworld! I don't even know how to get Airworld!"

"But you know Dai Lu Wa." Helen smiles.

"She wanted to give me a fruit, it would be rude not to get the fruit, right?"

"Can't she come here and drop the fruit off?" Yomiel asks.

"She acted kind of embarrassed when I mentioned I knew you. I think she would be too embarrassed to come to Eathworld."

"I'm too embarrassed to go to Airworld!"

"How about I go quest for the snow cone fruit, would that work?" Helen asks. "I'll go door to door or cloud to cloud or however they do things there--"

"Castle to castle, actually." Yomi says.

"--and I'll just tell them THE MIGHTY YOMIEL AND HIS FRIEND DOTH QUEST FOR THE MAIDEN DAI AND HER PROMISED GIFT OF PRODUCE. I'd find her eventually."

"No! No, absolutely not!" you say.

"I figured as much. God, you two are helpless. Yomi, why not just disguise yourself?"

"...Ohhhhh! I didn't consider a disguise! I could call myself...oh what's my name backwards...Leimoy! I shall be Leimoy! Leimoy the hidden!"

"It's not hard to disguise yourself, my father did it for years with glasses and a suit. You got nigh-unlimited magic powers, I'm sure you can make yourself into a Leimoy." Helen turns to you. "The question is, what are you going to do after you get the fruit?"

"Like I said, it's good with some wumpus meat." Yomi says.

"I was asking Izzy."

>Um...eat the cloud drop...maybe with some wumpus...
>I wanna ask her out
>>
>>5543089
>Uhhhhh....eatgjkvhjkhjku
>>
>>5543089
>I'm going to eat it, duh
>Oh, and invite Dai to see our duel!
>>
>>5543093
>>5543097
Combine this, its perfect.
>>
>>5543093
>>5543097
"Uhhh...eatgjkvhjkhjku.."

You bush.

"Ah, I see. Anything you want to do with Dai? I don't think eatgjkvhjkhjku is something people do together."

"...I want to invite her to see me train with Yomi. Because you know, that's something cool. Anyone would want to see that. The great hero Yomi and his training buddy!"

"My first boyfriend didn't ask me to watch him spar on the first date. Maybe take her to dinner?"

"Are you in love with her, Izzy?" Yomi asks.

Way to just drop that like a ton of rocks to the floor, Yomi.

You take a breath. You want to make sure you articulate your tangled thoughts properly.

"...I want to know whether or not I love her."

"Oh. So you love her."

"I...didn't say that..."

"It's love at first sight! As simple as a grue tale, as true as a legend, love at first sight!" Yomi stands close to you. "Izzy, my friend, when we spar in front of Dai you must defeat me and look valorous while you do it! I shall let you win, but your actions must be convincing! From now on, we train not only to turn me into a a real hero, but for you to win your winged love!"

Helen sighs. "Don't scare her, guys. Look, I know even less about her than you do, Izzy, but she's a farmer, right?"

"Gardener." that sounds prettier. You can't see her tiling soil.

"Whatever. Why not take her to the farmer's market in Joyous Harbor?"

"She is the princess of Izzy's heart, and must be won like a princess! Izzy, why don't we go wumpus hunting and find a big wumpus we can cook to go with the cloud drop?"

"Yomi, have you ever asked a girl out?" Helen asks.

"Ask out? One does not ask a princess out. One performs deeds of renown and then a girl's father takes notice and makes arrangements."

"I see. So you try to impress her father, not her?"

"Well, you try to impress her too. It doesn't matter much if she thinks you aren't worth her time."

"But what if she doesn't like outrageous displays of violence?"

"Why wouldn't she? Was not your own mother attracted to your father by his heroic actions?"

"That's...that's...damn, you actually got a point there...look, guys, my point here is that she is not a princess. She's a gardener. The way she's going to look at you two isn't going to be how a princess would."

"You're right. It would thus be easier to impress her and her father, which helps! But Izzy, don't slack off! Fight me as if I were a dark dragon holding her hostage in a cave!"

Helen sighs and turns to you. "Izzy, tell me you get what I'm trying to tell you, please?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5543149
>I just want to get her to hang out with me, the castle is cool, you guys are cool, and powers are cool
>>
>>5543149
>"WAIT STOP, I AGREED TO PUNCH AND FIGHT! NOT THIS! I'll ask her out later but right now we spar yeah?"
>>
>>5543149
>>5543172
This first
then this>>5543169
then
>"Wait, why am I trying to justify this, YOMI, PUNCH ME IN THE FACE!"
>>
>>5543169
And let me add
>Can we just go back to the spar already, please?
>>
>>5543149
>>5543169
>>5543172
>>5543195
Add on one more time
>"And Yomi, don't you dare say you'll let me win, how could I look anyone I have a crush on in the eye if I fake training just to look good."
>"We are here to train to be heroes! If I lose to you fairly I'm doing it right, you need training too...WHICH IS THE ENTIRE REASON WE CAME HERE GUYS!"
>Look away blushing furiously if nobody punches us.
>>
>>5543203
I was about to suggest saying to Yomi to not throw the fight.
Something like
>Yomi, I wasn't thinking to invite her to impress her, but just to see watch it.
>>
>>5543209
We need to throw everyone off our autism by being herotism. It might not work anyways, but its the thought that counts.
>>
>>5543149
More things, because I'm thinking too much. Feel free to use or discard as much as you want
>Anyway, princess or gardener, she is her own person that can think however she wants. Anything that we say is just assuming. The only way to know is just to go to her and ask!
>Although if Wumpus taste good with cloud drop, it wouldn't hurt to hunt one. Everyone likes a barbecue, right?
>>
>>5543220
>herotism
The forbidden mixture of erotism and heroism.
>>
>>5543225
Nothing erotic about it, who's asking?
>>
Now this, this is real spaghetti spilling
>>
>>5543227
Japan is asking, they want to license the rights to make a new slice-of-life show with unnecessary fan service.
I thought that joke when I saw the typo and had to try to see if it would get some laughs. You miss all the shots you don't make and all that jazz
>>
>>5543240
....I only made a joke on autism and being heroic autist.
>>
>>5543273
Oh, now I get it.
>>
>>5543169
>>5543172
>>5543196
>>5543203
>>5543209
>>5543221
"I get what you're saying, Helen. She's her own person and I shouldn't make so many assumptions about her."

"Especially not when you met her literal minutes ago. Take things slow, okay? My mom and dad talked with each other a lot before dad asked her out. She was a scientist and wanted to study Helios' power. They found a common interest. Get to know her. As Izzy, not the training partner of the great hero Yomiel."

"I just want to get her to hang out with me. The castle is cool. You are guys are cool. I thought it would be a cool thing."

"She might not want something cool, or loud. She might want fruits and vegetables. Are you ready to talk about fruits and vegetables?"

"I guess...maybe she would like to talk about tube weeb and dead man's fingers?"

"...I have no idea what those are, but maybe."

"Tide pool plants. They grew up around Beck Island."

"Yeah, maybe. She might like talking about them. That's my point, you got to see."

"Okay..." you turn to Yomi. "I got all the powers copied...so let's do it! Let's spar!"

"At last! Valorous combat!"

In a flash, the 4 treasures of Homil teleport to Yomi. The Sword of Truth in his right hand, the Ring of Potential on his left, the Crown of Might above his light red hair, and the Chalice of Creation hovering over his shoulder.

"You look pretty cool, Yomi! Real final boss!"

"Don't fight in the castle, guys." Helen says. "You'll kick up so much dust I'll die, and then you'll break something and Yomi's parents will kill the both of you, and they'll burry us outside next to the weird key."

"We weren't going to fight in the castle! When we practice fighting in close quarters, the caves of Pedit would be best."

"Good. Now let's step outside. I thought a shadow was a bat. You need put some more illumination in here, Yomi. And brooms."

"That wasn't a bat. It's a keybering."

"...Beg your pardon?"

Yomi whistles, and a large black keybering swoops down from the rafters.

Helen flinches. "Yomi! Your castle is so dirty there's a bat in it!"

"Keybering."

"Whatever!"

"And it's name is Plato." Yomi gestures to the keybering. "Here Plato! Here!"

Plato lands itself on Yomi's shoulder and cloaks itself with its wings.

"I never liked bats. Or whatever you call them here." Helen says. "There was a creepy guy from my world way too obsessed with them.

"Ah, but Plato's warm and fuzzy! They call keyberings the andalu of the colossal caves."

"Andalu?"

"I think you call them kay-nines."

"Who says they make good dogs? Who is they?"

"The grue."

Helen throws her hands up and shakes her head as she floats out through the door.

"Hey Yomi, you want to pet Plato before we start?"

"Sure! I think he's neat!"

You pet Plato's head. It makes a soft cooing sound.

"So he's your pet?"

"Yes. He was given to me by the Grue prince. Plato comes from a noble line of trackers raised in the amber depths of the Colossal Caves."
>>
File: Pedit5 Spells.png (8 KB, 512x512)
8 KB
8 KB PNG
Rolled 6 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>5543338
"Well, good to meet you, Plato! Come on Yomi, let's not keep Helen waiting, she might get mad!"

.....

You face down Yomi across the strange grey slate of the Land of Mazes. Do they even have plants in Earthworld, or is it all just rock? You remember middle school biology telling you that some races live on planets without a single blade of grass, planets where there's nothing but rock--and some races are rocks, living diamonds who live by refracting light like humans live by breathing air.

They probably don't have living diamonds in Earthworld. You don't think they could metabolize the weird light of the Lifeblood like normal electromagnetic light. But who knows. You certainly don't...

Yomi mutters a few strange syllables and blue light surrounds the both of you.

"I based this spell on the shield system Martin's ERC uses, but its more simple. No color levels or anything like that. Just make a crack in them, and you win! You got it?"

You nod.

"Alright, let's start then!" the Ring of Potency starts to glow until it blazes like a small star in Yomi's hand. "Let's see how you handle some old spells honed in the Pedit caves by my ancestors!"

"Is that really fair to start out with spellcasting, Yomi?" Helen asks.

"I was thinking Izzy could try countering with his extra powers."

Or, you could try copying the powers of the spells...though they would have to manifest first...

>What do we do?
>>
>>5543343
>Yomi, I have no clue what I'm doing so I think I'm just going to wing it
Can we break line of sight so its harder to cast spells on us? Maybe create mist via the chalice. Because that can lead to us cooling the mist to create sharp icicles and then shooting it with some of that rumble ring power at yomi. To or throw him off with a distraction so we can just apply fist to face and punch him really really hard.
>>
>>5543343
Is you roll our quota?
Because if it is, I would go for speed, ESP, hold person and then spam magic missile
>>
>>5543424
"Yomi, I have no idea what I'm doing so I think I'm just going to,,,wing it!"

You tap Edith's power to create dragon wings. Her flight power isn't useful in light of Helen's own, especially when boosted by the Crown of Might, but dragon wings look really, really cool.

Before you can zip, the little growing in Yomi's hands goes off like a grenade. Strange and indescribable colors drip across the world--for an instant--and then the magic is done

You find that you can't move. At all. Your arms don't listen to you and stay firmly rooted to your side.

"What did you do?" you telepath, unable to even open your mouth.

"Old spell called hold enemy. It's derived from another spell called kill enemy."

"You hit me with something based on a kill spell?"

"No no no! Derived from! Kill enemy stops all biological processes in a person. Hold enemy stops only the aggressive processes, like throwing a punch and kicking, but not like, heartbeats and breathing. Kill enemy is derived from still another spell called destroy enemy which makes the enemy not exist anymore."

"Why would you even need a spell like that?"

"In case you need someone to not exist anymore. And destroy enemy is derived from annihilate enemy which removes an enemy from space and time resulting in a time paradox."

"That really doesn't seem necessary."

"It 's necessary in some cases. My uncle Vatar used it to defeat the wicked wizard Monbane after he traveled into the past...or rather, he would have if Monbane ever existed. That's the funny thing about annihilate enemy, it's very nature means that it's never actually used."

"So, uh, Yomi, you going to throw a fire missile at me now or--"

Yomiel brandishes the Sword of Truth.

"Oh, okay, sword charge."

"Have at you, Izzy!" using the Crown of Might, Yomi lifts himself into the air and flings himself at you, sword tip first!

Hold enemy shut down your physical powers. You can't use the power of Helen or Steel Dolly's bodies...but it didn't shut down your mind.

You telekinetically move yourself backwards while buffeting Yomi with Robert bubbles and Sam rings. He cleaves the telekinetically manifested energy forms, and when he splits a rumble ring, the rumble part blows up in his face.

For a moment, you dare to hope that you cracked his shield, but then you see him unharmed by the explosion.

"Not bad, Izzy! Those little bomb rings are really useful!"

"Thanks. They're one of the powers I'm most familiar with." you rise into the air. You know you can't dodge his magic, he's got the good kind that just happens, not the kind that has to be fired as a beam, so you decide to go all in on offense.

You create a dense fog around yourself with the copied powers of the Chalice of Creation.

"Hiding won't help." Yomi taps his crown. "I can sense right where you are."

"This mist isn't to hide." you say.

You can't use the might of Helen's body...but you can use her mentally controlled temperature powers...

>Roll 1d20+6
>>
>>5543571
No, the roll was for Yomi. He would have slashed the shield if he rolled higher.

The spell list gives some of the spells Yomi knows--because it's the spell list from the Plato game dnd, also known as Pedit5, one of the very first CPRGs ever.
>>
Rolled 14 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>5543676
Helen got in-built air conditioning, lucky girl
>>
Rolled 13 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>5543676
If yomi is in the fog, Freeze it immediately The cold will be blinding. Hopefully not literally
>>
>>5543729
Wait no scratch that may kill him if we suddenly flash freeze water on his skin and possibly his eyeballs
>>
Rolled 13 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>5543685
>>5543729
You turn the temperature down, way, way down. The mist freezes into ice. Gravity takes over, and you give it a helping hand with a big rumble ring.

Ultra-hail storms down on top of Yomi!

"Guys! Watch it!" Helen moves as a blur over the castle, manually blocking every piece of hail, dissolving them back into vapor with her fingertips. "Castle, remember?"

"Oops." you telepath. "Sorry."

"Don't be, it was a good trick!" the Sword of Truth spins like a blade in front of Yomi, shielding him from the attack. "Ohhhhh you mean the castle. Don't worry, Helen's got it."

""Don't worry, Helen's got it?" I got half a mind to fly up there and smack you, Yomi!"

Yomi shrugs. "What's the big deal? Just put a dome of heat around the castle. That way, it'll be nice and cozy inside when we're done!"

"Producing a phase change doesn't do anything to the kinetic energy, Yomi. It'll still hit like meteors, just in the form of water instead of ice."

"Ohhhh...well then! For the sake of brushing up both of our precision, I'll attack with this!" Yomi's fingertips glow with blue light. "Keybering missile! A classic!"

"Why's it called keybering missile?" you ask.

"Because the bolts of force seek out the target like hunting keyberings."

Now it's your turn to go "Ohhhh..."

>What do we do?
>>
>>5543787
Assuming magic missile auto hits use magic missile to shoot down the keybering missile.
>>
>>5543838
>Roll 1d20+3
>>
Rolled 10 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>5543884
>>
Rolled 5 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>5543884
>Let's GOOOOO
>>
Rolled 13 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>5543884
>>
Uh oh, Maybe we can't shoot down a keybering missile like normal missiles
>>
>>5543896
>>5543907
>>5543915
>>5543923
Oh, shoot.

The missiles streak from Yomi's fingers and scream toward you.

Man, they even sound like keyberings--though you're assuming that's what they sound like. You can't imagine keyberings sounding any more pleasant than blaring air raid sirens with a bad cough.

You copy the magic missile spell.

Let's see...energy in your hands, you think of a target, then you...realize Yomi's missiles are way way too close!

You try and hover back as fast as you can. But the missiles gain. You fire your own keybering missiles, but much to your horror, they aren't as fast as Yomi's.

Now your missiles are chasing Yomi's which are chasing you. You got two sets of keybering missiles after you.

You suppose there's a lesson here--powers can and will make things worse if you use them the wrong way.

Plan B--Robert's Thule eyes. Thule eyes evolved as telekinetic defenses for the subterranean Nepots Ocean and all the stygian dangers that lurk there, but they can be used offensively. Thule hunt enormous, country-sized leviathans by summoning their eyes within them, splintering them apart. A group of Thule hunters can take down a leviathan in an instant, Thule eyes covering every bit of surface area. Not even a drop of blood flows free, they just take the leviathan apart in chunks like a biological jigsaw puzzle.

What that means for you is that it shouldn't be too hard to summon eyes to trap each missile.

You do so...and find that the keybering missiles continue to chase you down, carrying the Thule eyes like shells.

So now you got shelled missiles chased by other missiles chasing you.

Bummer.

Okay, the eyes were mistake. That just means you apply what you know, what you're familiar with--rumble rings.

You summon rumble-less rings around each missile and then to be thorough and safe you summon rings around the rings.

The eyes and the keybering missiles are pulled apart within the rings. Blue light is stretched out into a paler blue, nearly white.

And that seems to do it. You find yourself staring at a thick cloud of rumble rings--still rumble rings.

Good. You think it would have been game over if they kept coming at you as rumble rings.

You tap into the ESP of the crown. Where's Yomi?

You find him floating a little above a squat yellow mountain with a flat top. You can't see him, but you can sense him. You guess he must have used some sort of invisibility spell.

The mountain reminds you of a South American temple you saw in a pulp adventure book, but you got the sense that it formed that way completely naturally. Such are things in Earthworld.

"Yomi, I can see you." you telepath. "The invisibility does nothing."

"Ha! But that's where you're wrong!" the way he says that, you swear he's striking a heroic pose. "I learned from you! This is a feint!"

You start looking around fearfully. Oh crap...

"The invisibility is just so you don't wonder why you can't see my sword!"
>>
>>5544518
And..ZING goes the Sword of Truth, striking your shield and chipping it!

"I win!" Yomi announces as he reveals himself. "Good job for a first time, Izzy! You are a great sparring partner!"

His shield dissolves as he hovers toward you. He holds out his hand. 'Good match."

You shake his hand. "Good match! Just wait until I get some training!'

"I look forward to it! Don't tell the other speculo this, but you're my second favorite sparring partner!"

"Who's the first?"

"Copy Cat. She's really good! Beats me most of the time, actually--now let's get you home."

"Good." Helen says. "You got to get to bed early. I know everyone talks about superheroes being nocturnal, but you shouldn't use revitalization rays unless you have to. It's a physical, not psychological, replacement for sleep."

"I know." you say. "It's like coffee. You can't live off it."

"People try, though. Now how do we get home, Yo--"

And, in a flash, you're back at Alan's Arcade, standing in front of the Homil pinball table.

"Ah! You're back!" Edith sits cross-legged in the air, sipping on a kooba cola. "Nice fight guys, we saw it on the dot matrix." she points a clawed finger at a high score table.

MIGHTIEST WARRIORS IN HOMIL

THE PINBALL WIZARD

1. ALAN WARSHAW

THE PINBALL KNIGHTS

2. GABRIEL WARSHAW
3. COPY CAT
4. YOMIEL
5. HELEN REEVES


A couple of things surprise you about the table.

"Helen? You're on the high score board?" you ask.

Helen looks at the high score table and shrugs. "I guess I am."

"But you didn't do anything!"

"That's how it works when you're Helios' daughter. You just show up and they roll out the red carpet."

"I had all your powers but you're still above me..."

"Don't sweat it. Only Ishinomori kids get worked up over power levels. It's probably a skill thing. There's a lot of stuff about my powers you don't know how to do yet, real esoteric physics stuff dealing with heat. Come by Johnny Winter's again after my shift and I'll help you get a grip on dad's powers."

"Hey. Take a look at this, Izzy." Sam turns you back to the high score board. "It's still scrolling."

You see a lot of names you don't recognize, but a few you do. Just-a-hero, you've heard that name before. He must be another speculo sparring partner. He's 9. But right under him...

10. XEROGRAPHER

Right there. That's you, baby!

You can't help but pump a fist and hiss "Yes!"

"Congrats, Pinball Knight." Sam says.

.....

You return to Martin's to keep your appointment with Dr. Plaras, the principal.

A helpful MS direct you to his office--not on the top floor, like you thought it would be, but right on the first.

The inside of his office is very...office. It's kind of disconcerting after the big super labs and CRS rooms to see a room that's just kind of...a room.
>>
>>5544542

There's a desk, and a coffee machine, and filing cabinets, and a coffee machine, and...

Yeah, there are two coffee machines. You guess Dr. Plaras really likes his coffee. You can guess why looking at the man and his frazzled appearance. His uneven stubble looks like it needs a shave. His hair looks like it could use a comb, or even just a brush.

He looks up to you from his desktop laptop. It's hard to read his expression. He's got big sunglasses on.

"...Oh! Hey there. Izzy."

He holds out a hand and you shake it.

"Heard you had a real busy day today!"

"Yeah. Lot of firsts for me today!"

First crush, even...

"Here's to more firsts. How are you liking things? About the school and Joyous Harbor?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5544543
>"10/10 dragged me out of my comfort zone, my desire to apply fist to faces has tripled"
>>
>>5544543
>>5544543
>10/10 dragged me out of my comfort zone
>generally hopeful, meet plenty of friendly faces
Non verbalised
>Hot babes for miles
>>
>>5544543
>It's a good place! There's cool things everywher with all these different facilities and history, and almost everyone seem to be good people, with a rotten apple here and there.
>And when someone mentions my powers, they all want to know what I can do with them, not what the powers themselves can do.
>I've made new friends, experienced new things and got out of that funk I was in. I like it here
>>
>>5544543
these
>>5544593
>>5544623
>>
>>5544549
>>5544593
>>5544623
>>5544737
"10/10 dragged me out of my comfort zone."

"Glad you consider that a good thing, because you're going to go further and further out of that comfort zone in the days to come."

"Looking forward to it! I feel good about the path I'm on, I'm generally hopeful, and I'm looking forward to meeting plenty more friendly faces!"

"Good. I heard you already made a couple of friends. Helen, Yomi, Edith. You make friends fast, Izzy."

"Thank you, sir. It's a good place you got here. There's cool things everywhere with all these different facilities and history. And when someone mentions my powers, they all want to know what I can do with them, not what the powers themselves can do. I'm making new friends, experiencing new things, and I think I'm finally getting out of that funk I was in."

"It's the people that make it work. We're a good school in a good community."

"Almost everyone seems to be good people...with a rotten apple here and there."

Dr. Plaras frowns. "Yes. I got Ms. Cryptic's report of the incident. Rest assured, we are watching Harmony. If you have any more problems with her, please tell us. And if Robert or Edith have any problems with Harmony, please let us know about them."

"Will do."

"So. About your curriculum. The core is going to be ERC. In fact, you're going to be hitting ERC hard for awhile. Steel Dolly isn't going to go easy on you. it's going to be accelerated and its going to be hard and not all of it is going to be in the CRS, a lot of it is going to be studying, a lot of it is going to be laws. We're going to put you in a lot of different places and give you a lot of roles, but the constant among them is that you're able to help--even if things get dangerous. That's why ERC is going to be the core of your education for the time being. While you're doing ERC, we're going to have you rotate through different mentorships. You remember the two main elements of Martin's education?"

You nod. You read the letter, several times in fact.

"Personalized curriculum, tailored for a student's interests and powers, and contact education, consisting of mentorships and on-site experiences to prepare a student for adult life outside Martin's. Your personalized curriculum is going to be ERC 3. Your contact education is going to rotate. To start out, we're going to have you work in medicine, at Mainline City General. We have several students there who apply their powersets to diagnose and heal. We think teaching you to heal will be a good balance to all the violence we're teaching you."

"I get to be a nurse? Cool!"

"Technically, health care provider student. But it's like being a nurse, yes. You won't have to wear the scrubs, though."

>Keep your outfit
>Get scrubs anyway.
>>
>>5544790
>Keep your outfit
>>
>>5544799
"That's good, I want to keep my outfit."

"Ms. Garret will chaperone you. You'll like her. She's the fun teacher, teaches biology."

Hmm...you think Sam said something about her...

"Get yourself some rest, Izzy. Steel Dolly's going to work you hard tomorrow."

"Will do, Dr. Plaras. I've been warned about her!"

"It'll be hard--but there will be some fun parts. CRS learning is fun, you get to fight ninjas and stuff."

You shake the principal's hand and then head to the omnimover to return to your room.

....

A tall guy in a large black coat with short blond hair stops you by the omnimover with an abrupt "hey."

"Hello!" you reply.

"New guy, right? Izzy Skenazy."

"Yeah. I'm the new Speculo. Who are you?"

He doesn't answer your question. "So you finished talking with Plaras? What about?"

"My curriculum."

Half of his lip curls back in a sarcastic smile. "Wonderful. Let me guess, you're going to be ERC focused, right?"

"Yeah. But they're going to be rotating out my contact education so I'm going to be exposed to a lot. I'm going to be a jack of all trades kind of superhuman."

"But with a focus on ERC."

"Yeah."

"So you're basically going to be a superhero but with a lot of costumes?" he rolls his eyes. "Of course they'd force you to be a superhero."

"Hey! No one is forcing me to do anything!"

"You'd like to think that, right? I bet they wanted you to be a superhero so the school doesn't get its ass kicked by Ishinomori again this year."

"They didn't even mention the tournament thing to me. Look man, I don't know what you're getting at."

"What I'm getting at, kid, is that they're manipulating you. You're going to be one of their big superhero projects. What do you want to be when you graduate, huh?"

"I don't know. that's part of why they're rotating my contact education. I get to see a lot of people, lot of places, and decide where I want to make my mark."

"You say that. You say you got all that potential, but they're going to squeeze you until you fit in their superhero box. You're going to go come off the assembly line as another Captain Nobody."

"And what if I do become a superhero? What's wrong with being a superhero?"

"Superheroes suck, you simple assclown."

>What do we say?
>>
>>5544978
>"You got some kind of grudge, or did someone just piss in cereals?"
>"Are you going to tell me your name, or just continue to be rude for no reason?"
>"Anyway, I don't care about what you say. You just made assumptions while making an ass out of yourself."
And then just leave
>>
>>5544998
Let me remove the "Anyway, I don't care about what you say." part, but keep the "So far you just made assumptions while making an ass out of yourself."
>>
>>5544978
>"I don't think superheroes suck, but it does suck being one. It's hard dude sure not everyone can hack it and sure super heroes feel like a dime a dozen but I think it's a worthwhile. Besides not like I'm forced to stay a super hero once I get out of here no?" give the guy a friendly wink and walk away.
>>
>>5544998
>>5545060
"You got some kind of grudge, or did someone just piss in your cereal?"

"It's called experience, kid. You know the BOL? They got a point."

Oh boy.

"I mean the classic BOL guys. Not the guys that go around doing stupid stuff like coloring everything green because that's their favorite colors. I'm talking about the OG BOL. They had a point."

"I wasn't aware anyone in the BOL had a point."

"They do. Look at the world sometime. I know you probably didn't get the chance to do that much with the whole island deal. Everyone could be a superhuman. Everyone can get powers. Nearly half the kids in this school didn't develop their powers naturally. But most people don't. You know why? Because they don't want to deal with the responsibility. And why would they? You got costumed combinations of police officers and EMTs. You got a whole army of them. You know how bad it is? The average person doesn't know how to do first aid. The average person doesn't even carry a gun let alone a superpower. You know what they do in an emergency? They go "help help save me" until captain generic comes out of the sky to save them--but captain generic isn't always there. Ask them yourself, kid. They're the first ones to say superheroes can't save everyone, yet they're still out there everyday putting on a costume and a smile and acting like they can. You see the problem?"

"No, I don't."

He shrugs. "Maybe you'll get it. maybe you won't. Maybe you don't want to. Superheroes facilitate the willfully weak--and I think some of them like it. I think some of them have savior complexes."

"I don't think superheroes suck, regardless of what you say, but I do think it sucks to be one."

"Look at you. Running defense for them. See, that's how they poison things. They make you support them like they're everyone's favorite surrogate dad or something. But they aren't. Superheroes are all about the image, not the reality. It's why they still use the costume and masks."

>What do we say?
>>
>>5545320
>"So, are you going to give me your name or keep monologuing?"
>"You really think that in a world without powers, the average person would be armed, know first aid and rush to help others?"
>"I'm beginning to doubt your so called experience. I lived stuck in a island my whole life and even I am less naive then that."
Oh no, he's retarded. better dip before we accidentally copy his brainpower and become a vegetable
>>
>>5545331
What I'm trying to say is the ones that he calls "willfully weak" will always exist. Anyone that is able and wants to help, can, just like he just said.
Isn't America's laws the one that are the laxest about superpowers?
Disliking superheroes for that is idiotic. The only way to have a society that wouldn't have them, would be one that purges it's own members. Or one that puts those that are powerful above the rest, letting them dictate how the weaker live.
It's either one that can't even be called a society to begin with, or one that idolizes the very thing he is harping on against.
But he is just going to dismiss this as us being a brainwashed idiot that has no life experience, and that we should educate ourselves anyway.
>>
>>5545331
>>5545347
"I'm beginning to doubt your so called experience. I lived stuck on an island my whole life and even I'm less naive than that. You really think that in a world without powers, the average person would be armed, know first aid, and rush to help others?"

"Absolutely."

"You got to be kidding me. The only way you'd get a world like that would be if you forced people to empower themselves, then you'd just be Earth State, different ends, same philosophical means."

"Maybe people should be forced to act better."

"I'm not sure it is better. Maybe it is, I'm not about to say people shouldn't empower themselves. But I'm not about to say people should, either. People should be free to live their lives how they want--and superheroes should help them do that."

The boy shrugs and in a faux-nonchalant way, spins away from you. "Pffff. Sure, kid, sure. Just remember that when you're Captain Generic and you got to cradle a dead woman in your hands because you promised them the world was sunshine and skittles and all they had to do was trust in you."

Pleasant guy...

"So, you just going to walk away without telling me your name?"

He looks at you over his shoulder. "They didn't tell you my name, kid? I'm Tommy Taylor."

Oh. You remember that name...

You think you just met the male Harmony.

.....

You have no idea how you're going to get to sleep, but you're going to try.

Today was...incredible.

First time off the island.

First time in a school.

First time at Martin's, first time in Joyous Harbor, first time at a Johnny Winter's, first time in an arcade, first time in Homil, first time in a CRS (you picked up a Smokey plush on the way up to your room, you couldn't help it), first time in a cafe-teria, first time on a high score board...

First time meeting a bully. First time meeting a Thule.. First time meeting a dragon girl. First time meeting a girl who got erased from her home reality.

First time in a fight, and you did pretty damn good, even if you did lose. Yomi's a neat guy. You hope you can help him become the hero you know he can be so he can truly say those treasures belong to him.

First time you got a crush.

Dai...she was so beautiful. She's something people would paint, her and her little garden of sunlight and weird plants.

>Pursue Dai! We're going to ride these emotions wherever they take us!

>Pursue Dai, but keep in mind there are a lot of other really interesting girls around you.
>>
>>5545437
>Don't pursue dai, Girls are cool but fighting is cooler you must get stronger!
>>
>>5545437
>Don't pursue dai, if you get chance to meet you will but otherwise you will focus on school.
>>
>>5545437
>Pursue Dai, but keep in mind there are a lot of other really interesting girls around you.
>>
IZZY! You need to keep horny down! For the good of humanity!
>>
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>>5545671
Are you saying he should take it Izzy?
>>
>>5545547
>>5545600
>>5545663
>>5545671
>>5545706
You remind yourself as you drift off to sleep that Dai is not the reason you left the island. You don't need to let a crush distract you, like you don't need need sodas or video games to distract you. It's time to get serious. It's time to...drift off to sleep....

EPISODE ONE COMPLETE>

........

IZZY'S NOTES:

--Find out who Amy is.

--Meet the other speculo. You know Copy Cat is one, Just-Another-Hero another.

--Train with Yomi.

--Train with Helen.

--Meet with Dai.

.....

Steel Dolly generates a seat for you to take. She remains standing. Above you, students work together to break up a gigantic meteor as it enters Earths' troposphere. The red glow of reentry chaos shines off Steel Dolly's skin. To your right, students interested in a TIMS career try and calm down a small child having a telekinetic episode. The child's rage is manifested as a telekinetic tornado which converts his house and neighborhood into a raging storm of debris. To your left, Robert and Henry fight with the tiger guy you saw yesterday inside an octagon. They dart around, imprisoning the tiger guy in thick grape-like clusters of eyes, but the tiger guy cuts himself loose with blazing curved swords that seem carved out of light.

You thought Yomi had the coolest sword. You may have thought wrong.

"Eyes forward, Izzy." Dolly snaps her fingers, and the sound is like that of a tiny bell. It's a light TING.

"Oh, sorry Coach!"

"Don't worry. We have Thespian keep the various action zones on to teach you kids how to focus. It's distracting at first, because everyone wants to see how their friends are doing, so they rubberneck and stare and then wham, a simulated BOL flunky smashes them."

You nod. You understand.

"It's important to learn how to block things out of your mind. When you're on a superteam, you want to be aware of what's going on with your teammates, so if someone needs help you can help them. But if you're too aware, you forget what's right in front of you. Back in the Worlds War, I had that habit. I saw the Flag, my trusted teammate, a man who had saved my life, get stabbed by a tengu and go down. He lived, because it turned out the stars he left behind when he flew were his actual self and not his body, but he still ha that hole in his chest. It messed me up, watching that happen to him, so I started being very nervous about my teammates. I watched them like a mother hawk. But of course, that meant I wasn't looking out for myself, and an Oni bit off my hand."

She hold her right hand out for you to see.

"We always wondered if I could heal like a normal person. It turned out the answer was that I could and better. But we wouldn't have had to find find if I focused on what was right in front of me, if I watched out for my own role an not the roles of my teammates."
It's a good thing Thespian "mutes" different action areas of the CRS, otherwise it would be very, very noisy today.
>>
>>5546249
It's a good thing Thespian mutes different action areas of the CRS, otherwise forget about it being distracting, you wouldn't be able to hear Steel Dolly at all.

"Now, Izzy, let's review yesterday. You passed the Smokey test. Good job, most kids don't. But tell me, what was the point of the Smokey test? What was the lesson behind it?"

>What was the lesson behind the Smokey test?
>>
>>5546253
>That we have to think of the agency of those that we have to rescue as well? You did say he was skittish by design and would eventually rescue himself.
>>
>>5546249
>Add to notes punch tommy taylor

>>5546253
>That rescuing folks are hard and if they can help themselves they will.
>>
>>5546259
>>5546291

"Correct. We're like doctors, Izzy, the first rule of superheroics is to do no harm. Make sure you don't make the situation worse, and if you aren't sure you can do that, remove yourself from the situation before something you'll regret happens. It's appropriate your first contact education is at Mainline General. We fight people, they heal people, but you'll find we ultimately serve the same purpose, just in different ways."

"Personally, I've always thought of "do no harm" as "make sure you don't mess things up with your own powers." I heard about your sparring practice with Izzy yesterday. Good job for a first try, but I think you understand what I mean by "don't make things worse with your own powers.""

"Yeah, Coach. I ended up being chased not just by Yomi's missiles but my own with Thule eyes on top of them."

"You tripled the danger you were facing. You see, Yomi, your powers give you a lot of potential--potential for making things worse and making things better. So we're going to be focusing on your focus, on your ability to respond quickly and accurately to an emergency. We aren't going to focus on making you stronger, we're going to focus on making you sharper. And we're going to start where you're weakest and dullest."

Steel Dolly motions for you to stand up. The floor around you turns into a mat with the Martin's logo on it. A metal cage springs up around you. "This is Combat Training 1. It's a common module, what those guys over there are doing. For all the stuff Thespian can create, sometimes all you need is an arena. Yomi, what kind of scenario do you think is the most dangerous for you to be in?"

>What's our answer?
>>
Ok, so I went to look for mister edgelord school shooter here in the wiki, and there's some things about an invasion and him being in behind enemies lines.
Are we in some kind of prequel to those events, or did he come back? I'm unsure if the experience he is talking is his trip to the kingdom, or his mother dying.
>>
>>5546302
Are we supposed to talk for Yomi or did you make a mistake?
>>
>>5546315
>>5546315
Yeah, I screwed up, it's a question for Izzy. Yomi's currently in multiverse studies learning how to do diplomacy with other multiverse kids.

Helen doesn't take multiverse studies, because she doesn't want to deal with the multiverse at all, and doesn't come to school much.
>>
>>5546319
Ok
>>5546302
Some sort of situation where the only appropriate powers I can use are ones I haven't trained with before? I can't copy experience, like some other speculos can.
>>
>>5546307
We're wayyyyy before all that. But lore events will start happening around us.

Tommy is projecting the feelings he has concerning his dad failing to protect his mom onto the entire superhero community.
>>
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>>5546331
"Some sort of situation where the only appropriate powers I can use are ones I haven't trained with before? I can't copy experience, like some other speculos can."

Steel Dolly nods. "Correct. Speculo powers can make one very powerful. Cosmically powerful. Just look at yesterday, you copied the powers of four universes. Objects created as a result of a thaumaturgist creating a multiverse. What Gabriel Warshaw did as the culmination of his life's work you virtually did in an instant.That’s powerful. That's cosmically powerful. But say there aren't any cosmic objects around to copy. Say there aren't any superhumans around at all--save the one that wants to hurt you. And I know what you're probably thinking--me, with my range, being without powers to copy? In this universe? It can happen. Some chump with a Fox Tuner or worldtunnel device pulls you into a pocket universe while your back is turned. If it can happen, it will happen. I learned that the hard way back in the World War. Fighting Yank was worried that the Axis were going to use magnets against me. And I thought, what were they going to do? Pull out a giant magnet? That's a Bugs Bunny thing. Well, sure enough, the Japanese capture me using a giant magnet attached to a loaned German Kriegman. tt was just like something out of Merrie Melodies, I was so embarrassed when it happened. Columbia had to pull me loose, and I lost a little skin."

Steel Dolly smiles. "Grandma isn't boring you with all these old war stories, is she?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5546353
>No, I like the stories.
>>
>>5546363
"Thank you. I like to tell them, so you kids know we're not just teaching you things to teach you things. These are things that helped us, and they'll help you. Now..." Steel Dolly raises her hands in a fighting stance. "...The scenario is this. I'm a supervillain. I got you isolated from your friends. What do you do?"

>What do we do?
>>
>>5546427
>Sucker punch her to blindside steel dolly and then gain distance.
>"I wanna say believe in the power of friendship and kick your batootie but the problem is the scenario is too vague to make a decision, Can I get to my friends? Do they know I'm going toe to toe with you? Are you worn down or fresh? Am I getting the first hit by the way I got the first hit"
>>
>>5546442
Also big question we won't ask out loud. You said we can drain people's powers right? Can we pull that off at this very moment if so replace the sucker punch with that
>>
>>5546446
Super charging is something you don't want to do unless you have permission or it's life-or-death, considering draining some powers can cause death. You might kill whoever you use it against.

>>5546442
>Roll 1d20-3
>>
Rolled 20 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>5546459
>"Also Please give more of a warning when we're starting a scenario, I am afraid that you are a super villain about to try and kill me under the guise of steel dolly"
>>
>>5546461
Oh shit that's -3 so 17
>>
>>5546427
>Ok, let me think out loud
>I should probably try to find a way to return to them, as long as you ca dictate the conditions of the place I'm in the backfoot.
>If that's not possible, I could copy your powers, but if you set up the scenario to isolate me, you most likely would be expecting that and have some way to counter it, either by sheer experience or a gimmick
>I could also steal your powers, leaving you defenseless, but then there is also a risk that any counters would leave me vulnerable while you would be immune. Also you could depend on the powers to remain alive.
>So maybe copy your powers, wait until you try to counter me, copy the powers of whatver you used and turn it against you? And if there is no counter, steal your powers and simply try to overpower you?
>Actually, is copying powers from supervillains illegal? It feels like it shouldn't be, but copyright laws are weird
>>
Fuck, I had to leave mid writing and my mega autism got cucked
>>
>>5546472
I'm sorry friend but I think we might be dealing with another speculo that's under the guise of steel dolly. In short we might be fucked
>>
>>5546484
I'm think this a training exercise, it's why I wanted to lay so much thought, she could give feedback
Anyway, you got a big roll, so it should be fine.
>>
>>5546459
Okay no go on the supercharge then just punch her in the face really really hard to blindside her. Not sure yet on whether or not she is the real steel dolly
>>
>>5546461
You copy her powers, covering yourself in metal skin.

You back away as she approaches.

"Uh, we're fighting?"

"What do you think? Come on, what do you do, Izzy?"

"I wanna say I believe in the power of friendship and kick your bootie, but the problem is the scenario is too vague for me to make a decision. Can I get to my friends? Do they know I'm fighting with you? Are you worn down or fresh?"

"You're over-thinking this Izzy. In the field, you don't work with perfect information. You're isolated from your friends. I mean to harm you. What do you do?"

Steel Dolly reaches for you....

And you punch her right in the face!

CLANG!

At first, you feel really accomplished that you hit her, then your stomach ties itself in knots as she's sent rolling across the mat.

"C-Coach?"

She springs back up. "Not bad, Izzy!"

"I didn't mean to hit you that hard!"

"Hit me as hard as you like."

"But you went flying!"

"You're supposed to. They don't call it "rolling with the punches" because you land in a heap. You want to roll to mitigate the force applied to you. Besides, this is the CRS. You don't need to worry about hurting anyone in here."

That's when your thumb starts to hurt.

You grab it. "Ow ow ow ow ow..."

"Alright. Time-out." Steel Dolly walks up to you. "Let me see."

You give Steel Dolly our hand.

"That was a great punch. Untrained fighters, they don't throw with their legs, they just kind of slap around with their arms. But that's the problem here. You kept your thumb inside your fist, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Don't do that. Always keep it outside. Always aim with your knuckles. This will feel weird for a moment."

Steel Dolly grabs your thumb...and the breaks it, twisting it sharply to the side.

Then she lets go, and you feel your thumb arrange itself back into your hand.

You wiggle it. There's no more pain.

"A quirk of my physiology. Things don't hurt after they regenerate. Now..." Steel Dolly raises her hands. "Mirror me. Let's see you make some fists."

You do. Thumbs outside this time.

"Good. Remember, the last thing a hyperstasis wants to do is hurt its hyperstatic. A guy that can set himself on fire won't be burnt by his flames. Likewise, my power adapts itself to my body. It's that way for most physical hyperstatics. It's why, for instance, Helen's lungs don't suck with the force of a hurricane every breathes and why my metal covered heart keeps my pulse nice and gentle so nothing inside me ruptures, even though I'm strong enough to crack planets. Our powers, to an extend, obey the laws of the human body. Martial arts developed to master the human body are applicable to us. Principles of leverage, torque, and surface area are applicable."

"Now let's do a little boxing. Hit me again."

>Roll 1d20
>>
Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>5546518
Start with a surprise uppercut.
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>5546518
>Round house kick her stack up all our strength into this one
>>
Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>5546518
Ok, hit her again
>>
>>5546470
Izzy is adorably autistic.

>>5546500
It's training with the real Steel Dolly. The Smokey exercise was deliberately designed to be tricky so a to teach an important lesson to new superheroes. This is a pretty straight-forward combat lesson.

Also goddamn I'm making a lot of typos. I blame my shitty keyboard .
>>
>>5546534
>My autistic write-in got called adorable
I don't know how to respond to that
>>
>>5546528
The boxing lesson doesn't go all that well.

You didn't think so much went into punching people in the face. You got to use your hips and your legs. You got pay attention to how you stand, how you move, how you breathe. You got to watch her guard. You got to move around it, punch around it.

There's so much.

And you screwed up and put your thumb inside your fist twice.

Steel Dolly reads your frustration

"No one's expecting you to be an expert fighter after a single lesson, Izzy." Steel Dolly puts her hand on your shoulder. "You shouldn't expect that of yourself."

"I didn't think I'd start out so bad..."

"Izzy, listen, I started out as a factory worker. When I joined the war effort, I never punched someone, I never wrestled someone. I sucked at fighting even more than you. But I had good teachers. they helped me. I got good, but it took time."

Steel Dolly drops her guard, bends her legs, braces herself.

"Now, I want you to punch me. Hard. Really let me have it. Don't worry about me and don't worry about the CRS. There is nothing you can do that can hurt me in here. So really lay into me now, full force."

>Roll 1d20
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>5546557
Go all out Izzy!
>>
Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>5546557
>Fight incredibly dirty, hit her in the nads
>>
>>5546558
CLANG!

"Again. Harder."

You cock your fist back and let fly.

CLANG!

"Readying a punch like that increases force because it increases the time the punch accelerates. Force equals mass times acceleration.. Against certain opponents, you don't want to do that, as the benefit is outweighed by telegraphing the punch. They'll see it coming, you wiff, and all that energy goes elsewhere. For this situation, by all means, cock back your fist."

CLANG!

"Better. But you're still holding back. Hit me. Fall into me if you have to."

You take a deep breath. You take a step back and ready yourself. This is going to be the hardest punch you've ever thrown in your life.

"And watch your breathing. Remember, short, sharp exhale through the nose when you strike."

CLANGGGGGG!

Steel Dolly rubs her chin. "Best punch you've thrown all day."

"Feels like the best one I've thrown my entire life. And it still didn't knock you down."

"It's not going to be the best punch you'll throw in your life, believe me, you're just getting started. But remember what I said about following through? Not stopping because you made contact, but punching as if to punch through a person? I felt some real follow through on that punch Izzy, good job. Now, I got a question for you--about how strong do you think that last punch was? Give me a number, if you want, or just compare it to something. Like, was that punch strong enough to level a mountain? Flip a car? What do you think?"

>How strong was our punch?
>>
>>5546639
>"probably too strong to handle average joe crooks?"
>>
>>5546639
>Enough to put a hole in a dry wall?
>>
>>5546731
>>5546923
"Probably too strong to handle average joe crooks?"

"That's most powers. Be more specific."

"Enough to put a hole in a dry wall?"

"Hit me again, Izzy. As hard a you can manage."

You plant your feet, cock your fist, step forward, exhale through your nose...

...And Steel Dolly sidesteps the strike, grabs your wrist with one hand, your shoulder with her other hand, and directs your momentum to the mat.

There's a terrible sound. You reflexively close your eyes. You feel like you're falling.

And then you open your eyes.

You find yourself at the bottom of a very large crater. Nothing of the arena remains.

Steel Dolly helps you to your feet.

"Nice country you made here, Izzy. You could probably fit the moon in it."

You stare. You're afraid to look up. You don't want to know how deep the pit is, so you just stare at the brown walls. What is that, clay? You can't be in the mantle--you CAN'T be in the mantle.

"Did I really do this?"

"Without the CRS safeguards in place, yes, you would have done this. What you see of course, is just a simulation...you need to sit down, Izzy?'

"...Yeah."

You sit down. Or rather, fall down with a little more dignity.

"Breathe, Izzy, breathe. It didn't feel like you were punching this hard, did it?"

"No."

"That's the lesson. Guys on so say, Captain Marvel's level, they smack each other around, you don't really get a sense of how much force they're throwing around, because it just looks like a bunch of flying men wrestling, and hyperstasis responds to the will and intent of the hyperstatic. Most people have a hard time cutting loose. Most people can't just punch with all their might, not without getting upset and emotional first. People instinctively pull their punches, and so hyperstasis instinctively pulls its power. So don't get discoruaged that you're having a hard time putting power behind your punches. You could have done a lot more than this."

"I can do more than this?"

"When I said I could shatter planets, I wasn't kidding, Izzy."

The arena restores itself. Not a speck of dust is out of place.

"Part of being a superhero is learning how to go from cutting loose to holding back and back again in a snap." Steel Dolly snaps her fingers and creates another melodious chime. "It's hard. It's not easy. It's what Jung and the thaumaturgists call enantiodromia--turning something into its opposite--and we got to do it all the time, without fail. Izzy, in addition to being an ERC coach, I also each a class on strength control. I get most of my physical-based superhumans to participate in it. And I would like you to join. Even if physical powers become rare in your future, the discipline involved in understanding how much force your body is generating will be useful to you. Say you copy a power you aren't very familiar with, all you know is that its made you stronger. How much stronger? How much force is behind your punches? I'll teach you how to know near-instantly."
>>
>>5547051
"I'd like that." you reply.

>Izzy's striking rating: Very poor. You got a long way to go before you're the next Rocky.

"Now, we covered strikes, but now we're going to cover grappling." Steel Dolly holds her hands up, fingers spread. "Come at me."

You throw your hands up and siddle a little closer.

Steel Dolly smiles. "Ah, nervous now? Think you're going to make another crater?"

In a flash, Dolly locks her fingers with your own.

You push. You pull. You kind of rotate your arms, not sure what to do.

Dolly keeps her feet planted, You push, she pulls you until you nearly fall down. You pull, she pushes you back so you nearly fall to your back. It's like magic to you. No matter what you do, she's controlling how you move.

"It's just physics, Izzy. Gravity and leverage. Notice how you keep changing your stance while I stay relatively still? You're wasting energy by squirming around like that. Power comes from the legs, true, but you're just moving yours, you need to get that energy up through your hips and into your trunk."

"Here's some advice for you, Izzy, not just for fighting but for dancing--mind your feet."

"Dancing?"

"There's not a single student of mine that isn't an excellent dancer. Consider it a fringe benefit of my training."

>Roll 1d20 to wrestle
>>
Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>5547069
Channel your hidden tap-dacing talents Izzy!
>>
>>5547074
Oh, wow!

We suck at strikes, but we're great at wrestling!
>>
>>5547075
We have the soul of a dancer. Or of a goofy WWE wrestler. Either one works
>>
>Grapple into super heated metal skin

Sad that we suck at punching though, guess we gotta get ourselves a punching bag
>>
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>>5547074
It takes awhile, but you start to get into the rhythm of the dance, as it were.

And you add your own step to it.

It's a sloppy judo throw. You're sure it has some sort of name, but you don't know what it is. You step forward and put your leg between Steel Dolly's to break her balance, grab her arm, turn around, and then you roll her over your shoulder, and she hits the mat with a thud!

You can tell by her grin that she's pleased. "Now, who taught you that?"

"I don't know. I think I saw something like that on television. It just kind of felt right. Like if I did it, I could unbalance you and throw you."

"Good instincts. What you did wasn't textbook perfect, but it's what judo calls a seoi-nage. Now..." Steel Dolly motions for you to join her on the mat on your knees. "...you figured out how to put your man on the ground, but what do you do once you have them on the ground?"

Dolly teaches you several submission holds and how to escape them--arm bars, choke holds, leg locks, and much to your amazement, you think you're getting them, mastering them even...well, maybe not mastery, not yet, but mastery feels obtainable.

Dolly taps your leg as you apply enough pressure to your armbar. "Good job, Izzy. You got an aptitude to grappling. I'm going to have to tell Martina Morelli about you!"

"Who's she?"

"Diabla. One of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the school. She's powered by Mexican Hell."

"Mexican Hell?"

"Bad place called Xibalba. Long ago, two Mayan heroes raided Xibalba and bound the powers of its Great Houses within two masks. Diabla's father uses one as the hero Vampiro. Her uncle used the other one as Diablo until he passed the mask onto his niece. You'll like her, she's nice. She's as sunny and vibrant as her father is gloomy and dark."

"Her father is gloomy and dark?"

"Oh yes. He's one of those 90's types. Anyway, I think it's time to cap off your training session with some sparring."

"You're sparring with me?"

"Nope. I think someone your size would be better. I sent her a noos message a minute ago and--oh, here she is! Hello, Copy Cat!"

A girl in a black and yellow suit taps on the metal cage. "Hey coach! Hey Izzy! Welcome to Martin's!"

A snarling black cat surrounded by a field of red and blue squares forms the logo at the center of her costume. Her black hair is tied back in a ponytail. She wears large yellow goggles.

"Come inside, Copy Cat." Steel Dolly says. "Izzy's going to be your sparring partner for the day."

"Alright! I was getting sick and tired of those rescue sims!"

"They're not tired of you. Not until you can save every civilian."

"I don't get half credit for half the hostage I rescued?"

"Not even a third credit."

Copy Cat rolls into the mat. "Cool! New opponent! Hey Izzy!" she extends her hand. "Copy Cat, Ashley Rivers. You got yourself a supername?"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5547104
>I'm going by Xerographer. All X names are taken, so I decided to go for office jokes.
>I wanted to meet you since yesterday! You are another speculo right? Yomi said you beat him using his own powers.
>>
>>5547104
>I'll figure it out, Maybe just to screw with people I'll go by guy guy.
>Been meaning to say hi to you after yomi told me about you. Don't suppose You can give me pointers on how to kick yomi's ass
>>
>>5547119
"I'm going by Xerographer. All X names are taken, so I decided to go for office jokes."

"What's a Xerographer?"

"A copy machine."

"Ohhhh I get it now!"

"I wanted to meet you since yesterday! You are another speculo right? Yomi said you beat him using his own powers."

"His own powers and his own skill--added to my own skill. That's how I beat anyone, really. Counting you, there are six speculos currently enrolled. There's me, Just-Another-Hero, though he's thinking about going as Just-A-Hero since that's what everyone calls him and it's so easier to say, Princess Ramlah, she's a warrior princess with a bunch of monster pets whose powers she can copy and broadcast to other people, Copy Protector, he can copy powers for his imaginary friend but not himself, and Wildcard, who can copy powers and put them into the form of playing cards."

"I can detect and copy powers from anyone within 50 yards, 400 yards if I really focus. My powers last about 3 hours then I need to recopy. I can copy powers in part or in whole. And while I get an instinctive understanding of how a power generally works, I don't have any innate skill with a power. I heard it's different for you?"


"Yep. Let me start from the top, though. I can't sense powers, which is why I got these goggles." she taps them. "They let me analyze a target, and if a target is in any database, be it TIMS, Statesmen, or Library, I know their power. If they aren't in any database, it uses predictive software to guess their power from observations." she pulls the goggles off.

She's got pretty green eyes.

"I also got redundant backups for the goggles in my eyes. Not that you can see them--no wait, if you look real close at my left eye, you can see circuitry. Can you see it? Lean closer! Closer--ah, I'm just kidding! Anyway, I can't detect powers, but I can copy powers off anyone I see within 1000 yards, which these lovely goggles help me out with. Telescopic zoom! When I copy powers, I also get their memories and skills all in a big bundle!" Copy Cat turns to Dolly. "So what's the game, coach? We try to out-copy the other and see what happens?"

"Nothing so complicated. You both copy my powers and spar."

"Alrighty then! Hey Izzy, before we start, you're not the kind of guy to get upset over a girl beating him up, right?" Copy Cat leans close to your ear "Henry's still mad I beat him!"

>What do we say?
>>
>>5547119
this
>>
>>5547138
>Not really? Anyone can have the strength and skill to beat another person.
>And since you can copy both, so I'm the underdog here.
>>
>>5547138
>What do we say?
>I would feel privileged, if you would beat me up m'lady. *sarcastic*
>>
>>5547138
>Getting beat up is a learning experience and I'm not too picky on who's dishing out the lesson.
>>
>>5547138
both of these>>5547146
>>5547211
>>
>>5547146
"Not really? Anyone can have the strength and skill to beat another person. And since you can copy both, I'm the underdog here."

"Undercat."

"Getting beat up is a learning experience and I'm not too picky on who's dishing out the lesson."

"You rarely learn anything by winning." Steel Dolly says. "My trainers were Mary Marvel and Uncle Sam. Either could have finger flicked me through the sun if they wanted to. Izzy, you're going to lose, lose, lose, and then when you start to win, I'll put you against something new that you'll lose against."

She turns to Copy Cat. "For you, this exercise is training for subduing a weaker opponent." she turns to you. "And for Izzy, it's about holding out against a stronger opponent. Sometimes, you don't have to win by winning. Every second you can delay the bad guy is another second for your friends to save the day."

"Alright! Show time!" A burst of red and blue squares surround Copy Cat like confetti, and when they clear, she's wearing a yellow gi, no shoes, a black belt (she does have the skills of one now), and Dolly's skin. Her blonde hair becomes golden needles.

"Are the clothes part of your power?" you ask.

"Naw. They're a gadgetool gift, like my goggles. They're a cloud of variparticles and can shift to fit the situation and powers. Like if i grow wings, they don't leave a hole in my shirt."

That's pretty handy. You might want to see about buying some for yourself and--

Wait a second. You copied Edith's wings the other day...

You reach around and touch your back. No way you've had holes there the entire time. No way.

You feel little patches of fabric, and you remember the feel from when you had a makeshift bandage on your shoulder.

Ah. Ben. He stealthily saved your dignity. You'll have to thank him later.

Is there such thing as a tailor spider? You think that's a thing. Maybe.

"You want to try a new outfit, Izzy?" Copy Cat asks. "Don't tell me you're going to fight me in a suit..."

>Yeah! I'm going to fight you in a suit!
>Switch to a martial arts uniform (gi, mma trunks, etc)
>>
>>5547787
>A gi seems fitting!
>>
>>5547801
Color?
>>
>>5547787
>be shirtless
>>
>>5547801
>>5547984
Gi or shirtless?
>>
>>5548013
>shirtless
>>
Rolled 19 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>5548025
You take off your shirt and shoes. "Look better?"

"Not bad."

Oh my god! Was that flirting? Is she flirting with you?

You honestly do not know.

"Shirtless guy made out of stuff is a classic look. Like that guy made out of rocks." Copy Cat says.

"It's sure easy on a budget." you reply.

"My advice--get a variparticle suit. It's so useful! People say it's a wardrobe on a budget like its a bad thing, but I think its great!"

"Ah! instead of having to take my shirt off over my head, I just snap my fingers."

"One more thing before you two start--Izzy, you may steal her power."

"You can do that?" Copy Cat asks.

"Yeah. I call it super charging. Though I'll probably call it something cooler later. I focus hard on a power I already have and I get it at double strength--and my target loses it completely."

"Wild Card and Copy Protector can do that. What's with boys being able to power steal? Me and Ramlah can't do that."

"Law of small sample sizes." Steel Dolly says. "Remember that southern girl with the power drain touch."

"I'm jealous! Power stealing is such a strong power!"

"Yeah, but it's probably not going to be enough to beat you!"

"Ah, chin up! You might get lucky..." Copy cat grins. "But you're totally right, I'm going to clean your clock. Sorry, Izzy! It's in the name of education!"

"You two may begin."
>>
>>5548057
She assumes a fighting stance, her body in profile with one knee toward you. She extends her hand, probing your defenses, testing your responses.

You watch her hand.

Which means you don't watch her leg.

She lashes out, kicking you right on the chin!

The sound of metal foot on metal chin echoes through the arena and rings in your ears.

With you stunned, she's able to grab your shoulder with one hand, your opposite arm with another, and slam her knee into your stomach.

Using her knee as leverage, she hops up, throws her other leg in front of your neck, and pulls your arm down with both hands.

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWPw-Czxv3E

"Nice flying armbar, Copy Cat." Steel Dolly says. "Not my style. That's good. You're listening when I tell you to vary up your technique."

"Thanks, Coach! So Izzy, you had enough?"

>Tap out
>Fight back
>>
>>5548063
>Fight back
>I got to to try and buy time, don't I why? No pain, no gain!
>>
>>5548123
I don't know why there is a why there
>>
>>5548063
>Fight back By getting up and slamming both you and her into a wall
>>
>>5548063
>>Fight back
>>
>>5546302
You mean Yomi right? Izzy didn't spar himself.
>>
>>5548160
He already said he made a mistake here
>>5546319
>>
>>5548123
>>5548140
>>5548149
"Not yet!"

You try to fling both of you against the cage!

>Roll 1d20+2
>>
Rolled 13 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>5548164
YEET
>>
Rolled 14 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>5548164
>>
Rolled 5 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>5548164
>SELF YEET!
>>
>>5548164
TURBO CRUSHEEER

Scream that to ensure we are never ever getting laid.
>>
>>5548167
>>5548178
>>5548179
>>5548186
"TURBO CRUSHER!"

You go flying through the cage, and then through the wall of the simulated arena, and onto a simulated street.

You roll with Copy Cat, gouging a furrow in the street. You pin her, but she gets her legs beneath you and kicks you off with both feet.

You face each other. Heavy rain plinks off your metal skin.

"Wow. It feels like the action areas go on forever in here." you shake out your arm.

"For the telepaths and reality workers they got there, making forever inside a box is no big deal. Also, did you really just scream TURBO CRUSHER?"

Thankfully, metal men can't blush. "Uh...yeah."

Copy Cat smiles. "Dude! Come on! Naming your attacks is such an Ishinomori thing!"

Dolly snaps her fingers. She's leaning against the wall of a LOWLIFE'S BAR. You bet its part of more than a few sims. "Less talk, more rock you two. We're here to spar, not socialize."

"Yes, Coach!"

You and Copy Cat grim at each other. You said it at the same time.

"Copying my words as well as my powers, eh?" You ask.

"Hey, it's her power!"

"Yeah, but I had it first!"

You got choices here. Run, because the goal of this exercise is to stall, fight back, or try and super charge off her power.

>What do we do?
>>
>>5548216
Let's try super charging, but continue to focus on buying time.
So that means even more wrestling!
>>
>>5548221
This. Running won't do here.
>>
>>5548216
>"Dude Whoever this ishimori is he sounds like he's having a good time when he fights"
>"NOW BEHOLD MY WOLF FANG KICK!!!"
>Kick her as hard as possible
>>
>>5548263
Yep.
In real situation where you are trying to stall, if you just run, the other side can decide to not pursue.
It's only a bad move if you are also ready to throw yourself back in the fight and attack while their backs are turned.
>>5548270
Ishinomori is the japanese superhuman school. There is an yearly tournament against them.
>>5526662
>"Please stop asking admin when team selections will be finalized. You will know when we know."
>"We're doing a little competitive ERC with Ishinomori School from Japan."
>"Yeah, we do it every year. Two teams of eight, 2 v 2 rounds, winner takes home the trophy."
>>5534988
>We're not like, Ishinomori. They got way higher standards. I guess that comes from it being a superhero only school and not a general superhuman school
>>5544978
>I bet they wanted you to be a superhero so the school doesn't get its ass kicked by Ishinomori again this year."
>>
>>5548279
>It's only a bad move if you are also ready to throw yourself back in the fight and attack while their backs are turned.
However by doing that you kinda also reveal you are just desperately stalling.
>>
>>5548289
Yeah, it's all pros and cons.
At least the keep fighting is the straight forward choice.
The patrician choice
>>
>>5548221
>>5548263
>>5548270
>>5548279
>>5548289
>>5548295
>Roll 1d20 to grapple
>>
Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>5548358
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>5548358
>CRANE KICK!
>>
Rolled 13 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>5548365
You charge!

"Not the best takedown." Copy Cat sidesteps your charge, grabs your shoulder, and helps you to the ground--face first.

In a flash, she's on your back and tightening her arms around your neck.

"Since we're doing corny move names, I call this the cat nap."

You grab her arms.

"Sorry Izzy, but once a hadaka jime is locked in, there's really no counter."

You make sure your grip is gentle.

"Uh...if you want to stop fighting, you know you're supposed to tap out, right Izzy?"

Then, finally, your super charge takes over, and you find yourself securely holding arms of flesh.

You stand up, pull Copy Cat off your back, and hold her in front of you, arms held flat at her side.

"Ah. Good planning, Izzy." Dolly says. "You prepared for the take down and made sure you were gentle. I'll be honest, I thought you were going to pink her.'

"Pink her?" you ask.

"Safety shield term. Red aura means you neutralized your foe, pink means you used too much force and would have hurt them without safeguards."

"So...does this make me the top cat?" you ask Copy Cat.

"Ha! Hardly!"

She turns metallic again, and springs away from your grip.

"Just because you drained Dolly's power doesn't mean I can't copy it back!"

"You can do that?"

"Yeah. When you copy a power, the original power still remains, doesn't it?"

"Then I'll just super charge off it again. And if you copy it again, I'll super charge again...you know, this could be a really strong tactic we could do together if we team up."

"You know what...I think you're right, Izzy! Hey Coach, can I get a team-up with Izzy where I powerstack him until he turns into Captain Marvel?"

"I'll think of something. But you two get back at it. You're enemies today, teammates tomorrow."

"You sure you don't want to give up, Cat?" you ask. "Double strength should clear up the skill gap between us."

"Naw! You're going to need at least 10 times that to beat me! And I'll have you beat way before then!"
>>
>>5548488
Copy Cat stomps the ground and unbalances you with a localized tremor that slips the ground between your legs. "Something I picked up from strength control!"

"And something I picked up disabling panzers." Steel Dolly adds.

You stumble, wobble, then fall down on your back.

Cat leaps on you, knee first, then grabs your arm, sweeps her legs over your body, and pulls back on it like a lever.

Textbook armbar.

You should be able to fling her off...but after the flying knee drop, you feel disoriented, and she's pulling on your arm with all her weight and leverage-boosted strength.

>Tap!
>Keep fighting! (Roll 1d20-2)
>>
>>5548494
>Keep fighting! (Roll 1d20-2)
If we fail again we can tap out.
>>
>>5548497
Roll the dice!
>>
Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>5548498
Ok
>>
>>5548504
Ten might not be enough.
Anyway, I think this might have been enough time bought for our theoretical allies.
Since the "villain" is wrestling us, they probably want to capture us instead of kill, so we can be rescued later while tied above a tank of sharks or something suitably EVIL.
>>
Rolled 20 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>5548488
>"Cat nap more like cat litter!"
>>
>>5548524
Throw them off! Also that's an 18 because I can't figure out how subtraction works here
>>
>>5548525
you do +- and it subtracts, if you only do - it adds for some reason
>>
Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>5548504
>>5548524
You tuck your chin and roll, and if you only had her strength, you'd probably be finished, but that extra boost helps you break her hold.

Then you grab her and hold her for all you're worth.

Not wrestling, not trying to get a pin or a submission, you just hold her.

"Playing defensive won't help you win, Izzy!"

Man, is she flexible for someone make out of metal! She slips your guard, gets her legs around you in a closed guard. You mind her hands as they try and isolate an arm. You grab them, intertwine her fingers with yours, and pin them above her head.

"Okay, you got me pinned, so what now?"

"Are we doing 3 counts or 10?"

"That's not how you win."

"Sure it is. That's bout how long it'll take me to supercharge again."

"Darn! I was hoping you had a growing cooldown on that or something...I'll admit, you got me at a disadvantage, Xerographer!"

"Then why not give? You're not the kind to get bothered about losing to a boy, right?"

"Touche." she smiles. "You got my back to the proverbial wall and the literal ground. I'm going to have to do something really super villainess to win here..."

She leans up. Is she going to try and throw you off with a desperate surge of power?

She gives you a funny look. Her eyes flutter.

"...Do you have hypnotism powers...?"

She puckers her lips...!
>>
>>5548578
You smile.

You warned yourself this morning about falling prey to female charms.

If she wants to play this game...

You look deep into her eyes.

You feel an electric surge run through your metal body.

And you can tell she feels it too.

She pulls back. "Um...Izzy..." she babbles.

You extend your lips.

"Wahaha! No! I tap! I give! You win!"

She releases you from he guard and you roll off her, laughing.

Steel Dolly stands above the both of you. "And hence the constant debate on whether or not we should have gendered ERC." She offers an arm to both of you to help you up. "Looks like Izzy had the better chicken game." she says to Copy Cat. "A warning to you, Ms. Rivers--don't try that again."

"it seemed like a good move. Didn't Flower Fatale capture the Crime Fighter by--"

"That's neither here nor there. Public displays of affection are not allowed in ERC, end of story. The lip lock is not a lock we'll be studying. You'll have to study that with Izzy on your own time."

You wonder if Cat's blushing under the metal skin. You bet she's blushing.

"As for you, Izzy, you've exceeded my expectations. Your strike game, frankly needs work. A lot of work. But you go ta good head for tactics."

"I owe it to TIMS. They exposed me to a lot of powers. I always wanted to figure out what I could do with my new "toys." I guess that gave me a good imagination or something."

Cat holds out a hand. "Well, I ate my words and then some! I'm going to have to watch out for you. You're sneaky!""

>What do we say?
>>
>>5548588
>Same goes to you Cat, you did pull out some surprise moves.
>I guess overthinking can sometimes work out
>Hope we can hang more, maybe we can get all the speculos together to train one day. We can even call it Martin's Mirror March!
>>
>>5548596
Match, not March. Although setting it in march could be good for maximum alliteration
>>
>>5548596
>>5548601
Oh, and accept her handshake, obviously.
Actually, maybe separate the hang out and the idea for getting all the speculos? Don't want to give the impression we are only friends during classes.
>>
>>5548588
>Shake her hands
>"No I'm izzy, or xerographer still work shopping the name "
>>
>>5548618
>That dad joke
I'll admit that I chuckled
>>
>>5548596
This sounds nice. MMM
>>
>>5548588
>You warned yourself this morning about falling prey to female charms.

Izzy on that sigma grindset
>>
>>5548618
if she mentions the dad joke hit her with the "Play your cards right and I'll let you call me daddy"
>>
>>5548751
NO
>>
>>5548751
Do not
>>
>>5548761
>>5548756
But it would be funny
>>
>>5548751
Yes
>>
>>5548775
Yeah... In the cringe kind of way.
>>
>>5548866
The cringe is the best part.
>>
>>5548751
Izzy is only slightly autistic. Endearingly autistic. Not Chris-chan autistic.

>>5548618
>>5548628
>>5548693
You shake her hand.

"No, I'm Izzy, or Xerographer. Still work shopping the name."

CC gives you a look. "So, cornball attack names and cornball jokes. They should call you the Cornographer."

"Oh, no, that sounds too much like the other thing!"

"What other...oh!" CC covers her mouth with her hand. "Oh! Yeah, that's not a name to use!"

You share a laugh with CC.

"You did good too, Cat. You pulled out some really surprising moves."

"Wait till next time, then I'll really surprise you!"

"I hope we ca n hang out more--hey could we get all the speculos together? We could have a big crazy power copying fight, call it the the Martin's Mirror Match!"

"Oh, absolutely! Not sure about the name, but we've had group sparring before. It goes crazy!"

'Who usually wins?"

"There's honestly not a leader. I think Wildcard might be up by one right now, but that could change instantly."

"Alright, Copy Cat, you're dismissed. Izzy, I want to practice escapes from you. She nearly had you a couple of times."

"See ya, Coach, Izzy!" in a flash of red and blue, CC's costume rearranges itself into her typical costume. She walks down the rainy streets, heading to her next action area.

She turns around and points at you. "Oh, Izzy! I'm totally going to win next time!"

"We'll see about that!"

Then she's gone, swept away by the CRS. Given how things work here, she could be above you, below you, maybe even by your side and you wouldn't notice. Telepathy hides everything.

Maybe you haven't moved at all since walking in? Maybe you've just been standing by the door?

Man, you are so going ot give yourself a headache when they start having you practice telepathic powers--not from using them, but from thinking about how they're used.

.......

You stretch your freshly fleshed skin as you step out of the CRS. Doing all that exercise while metal didn't tire you out at all. Apparently, metal covered muscles don't make metal covered fatigue toxins--or any toxins at all for that matter.

You feel energized. You wish you could get back to training--but then again, Yomi and Helen await out in Joyous Harbor.

"Hey, Izzy!" CC greets you. "If you want to hang out after school, Just-another-hero and I are going to All-Nighter's in the Statesmen Center. It's a coffee place, night beat superheroes often visit it, gets pretty wild after midnight!"

"I'm not sure I want to stay up that long."

"Oh, a little 5 A vita ray bath never hurt anyone."

"Studies have shown that forgoing nature sleep affects mood, disrupts the natural sense of date and time, increases anxiety..."

"Live a little! I didn't expect you to be so reserved after that kiss."

"What kiss?"

"That almost kiss. Speaking of which...were you really going o kiss me?"

>Yes
>No
>Maybe
>I don't know
>Can you repeat the question?
>Were you?
>>
>>5549347
>"that depends did you want me to kiss you?"
>>
>>5549396
If we're full flirting with CC then
>"That depends do you want me to kiss you"
>>
>>5549347
>You were about to get nasty raspberry.
>>
>>5549347
>I don't know
>Were you?
>I wasn't going to tap out without a fight, not after the supercharged worked, so if you didn't stop it was going to happen.
>That would been a weird way to have my first kiss to be honest.
>>
>>5549396
>>5549397
>>5549398
>>5549558
"I don't know. Were you?"

"That's a hard question...which is why I asked you first. I was hoping you had an answer."

You shrug. "I wasn't going to tap out without a fight, not after the supercharge worked, so if you didn't stop it was going to happen."

"You were really going to kiss me?"

"If you didn't move your lips out of the way of mine. That would have been a weird way to have my first kiss to be honest."

"You've never kissed before?"

"I've never had a girlfriend. I've been on Beck Island my whole life."

"Would you like one?"

You smirk. "Who would you recommend?"

"Hmmm...I don't know..." she gives you a very playful smile. "...but I do know that it was thrilling sparring with you. I know you're busy adjusting to the school and Joyous Harbor and everything, but if you get the chance, come down to the All-Nighter's. I'd like to hang out with you outside of school."

Cat trots away with a little spring to her step. "See ya, Izzy!"

"Bye, Cat!"

She stops and turns. "Call me Ashley."

"Okay, Ashley!"

Darn...two days, two potential girlfriends. You hope this pattern doesn't continue. Girls are nice, but you're here to be a superhero!

YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO VISIT TWO PLACES

>Alan's Arcade (Train with Yomi)

>Johnny Winter's (Train with Helen)

>The Boardwalk. Sam and Edith say you got to try a cheese pretzel.

>Cave System. You want to see some old superbases.

>Coastal Island. You want to see if this ghost pirate thing really is as cool as Sam says it is.

>All-Nighter's, a diner for and by nighttime vigilantes, located in the Statesmen Center.
>>
>>5549609
>The Boardwalk. Sam and Edith say you got to try a cheese pretzel.
>Coastal Island. You want to see if this ghost pirate thing really is as cool as Sam says it is.
Let's explore everything
>>
>>5549609
>Coastal Island. You want to see if this ghost pirate thing really is as cool as Sam says it is.
>All-Nighter's, a diner for and by nighttime vigilantes, located in the Statesmen Center.

Pirates and a date unless this is difrent time slot?
>>
>>5549609
>Alan's Arcade
>Johnny Winter's

Fight them both at the same time until you win
>>
>>5549612
>>5549643
>>5549695
Coastal Islands locked in! We need to decide on where else we're going tonight.
>>
>>5549797
I'll change to All-Nighter's to keep it going
>>
>>5549797
Rip no training tonight I guess
>>
>>5549800
I want to find out what all the places are first, they might open new training partners and friends
>>
>>5549797
All Nighter's.
>>
>>5549798
>>5549800
>>5549806
>>5549826
Sorry for the delay, I've fallen down a hole deep-diving early CRPGs for Homil inspiration.
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>>5552064
At least it wasn't bronchitis-man this time
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>>5552064
You ever played pathfinder wrath of the righteous? it's pretty good desu just a bit crunchy later down the line
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>>5552064
it's good.
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>>5552078
Pathfinder is way beyond the games I'm playing right now.

I'm in deep.

I joined cyber1, the surviving PLATO server, and I'm playing pedit5, the earliest CRPG still around.
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>>5553345
Cheer ya boy on. Following in the footsteps of his ancestors in the ember depths.
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>>5553354
Go Yomi, kick ass!
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>>5553354
what is this and where can I get it?
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>>5553534
To make a very long story short, this is the oldest CRPG in existence. It's called The Dungeon, though everyone calls it Pedit5, because that was the name it was given to hide it from sysadmin.

You can play it on cyber1. You have to register a signon first.

https://www.cyber1.org/

For more elaboration--back in the 1970's, the government wanted to kick the Soviet's assess through the power of education. We had the space race and the brain race. The government turned to computer technology. The idea was that while Ivan was learning with chalkboards, we would be learning with computers like Star Trek people.

Enter Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations. PLATO. Several universities around the country got these big mainframe computers that people would connect their little orange plasma screen Tandy's to,

The idea behind PLATO, as the acronym suggests, was education. Think of PLATO as the ancestor of modern Internet based programs like Moodle, Clever, Khan Academy, Amplify, Edulastic, etc, etc, there's a billion of them nowadays, when I was teaching we used like six different programs.

PLATO was bleeding edge for it's time. Just look at the graphics and compare it to what people on 80's DOS computers and Ataris had to put up with. So you got a bunch of university nerds in the STEM departments messing around with PLATO, learning how to program lessons, so what do they do?

They make video games.

The Star Trek nerds made Trek and Space War. the DND nerds made Orthanc, Moria, DND (shocking, I know), Game of Dungeons, the Dungeon, etc.

These games, due to being on bleeding edge hardware (for the 1970's), were shockingly advanced for their time. 1975 you had characters going through a dungeon killing monsters, levelling up, etc. Five years later you had what, Atari's Adventure? Where you're a square?

It's wild to think that there was a dip in video game technology. Imagine if you went super nintendo to NES and not the other way around, but that's what we had between PLATO games and commercial games.

Now, sysadmins didn't much like video games. Uncle Sam gave us PLATO so we could become super geniuses and make better nukes, not so we can feed knights to meat grinder dungeons. They deleted them if they found them. In fact, Pedit5 was nearly erased forever, but it was saved by a grad student who kept it on a floppy titled "Orthanc1".

Cyber1 is essentially the remains of PLATO, now on the Internet. Wild to think that such potent necromancy is possible. Traffic on Cyber1 is rare. I have seen, at most, 50 people on it. It is, after all, a 50 year old system. It's not retro, its ancient.

If you want to join, follow the instructions on the site. Be gentle with the games. They are cool, but they are literally the first CRPGS ever. Don't expect Final Fantasy. I recommend Orthanc. I find it the most fair, balanced, and straightforward. Plus, it has an automap.
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>>5557041
Also, check it out, Yomi ancestor, based on the PC from Pedit5.

https://www.capeworldcomics.com/comic/rusiel/
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>>5557041
My expectations is that it's a buggy mess that I can break to become ludicrously overpowered
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>>5557178
Oh ho ho...you may be surprised..

Remember. They were inspired by original Dungeons and Dragons..
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>>5557280
My expectations remain, Dungeons and Dragons can be busted you just need to know how.
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https://www.capeworldcomics.com/comic/mayiel/

I'm getting so much lore mileage out of this image.
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>>5559988
Does Yomi also have a suit of armor that looks like an astronaut suit?
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>>5560097
He's got an entire wardrobe of armor and weapons and magic goodies.

Izzy should ask to go through the toybox, could make for a fun adventure.

https://www.capeworldcomics.com/comic/instaniel-first-knight-of-the-sword/
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>>5566111
The thread is about to die friend best archive it
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>>5566339
>>5523772

Alrighty. Martin's School Quest will return!

Until then, follow me at

https://twitter.com/CapeworldComics

And join the Martin's School discord here:

https://discord.com/invite/EfDWPzg

So you can know when the next game is.

And keep watching the site for lore updates!

https://www.capeworldcomics.com/

See you next time!
>>
>>5569957
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5523772/

Thread is now archived.
>>
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Turns it the archive tracks updates all the way to the end once logged. Who knew?

........


You follow Sam out through the mobs that clutter the first floor. As enormous as Martin's is, it always seems like most of the people stick to the ground level. Somehow Sam is able to walk through the tangeled mass of costumes, auras, and mechanical armor. You follow close on his heels until the both of you are out the doors.

You're getting used to a lot of things about Martin's faster than you thought you would. But you don't think you'll eve get used to the first floor. Maybe you should start flying to school and docking with the rooftop gardens? You do like seeing the trees, you could do with seeing them every morning, in fact.

"So, you really beat Copy Cat?" Sam asks, hardly able to hide his smile.

"Yeah! Right after my first judo lesson to! Yeah, I know judo now. I feel like such a badass! My boxing skills are kind of crap though. But yeah, I won! I think she might have underestimated me though, held back a little."

"That's on her. They tell us again and again, and they'll tell you again and again, you never estimate them. Even when it's someone like, I don't know, Loosed Moose, with the stupid antler hat that shoots lasers, you don't underestimate them."

"I still want to fight her at her best." you reach out your hands, grip an invisible arm, and move your foot to unbalance an invisible enemy.

"What are you doing?"

"Practicing."

"Oh, you're going to get plenty of that. You think you're badass now, but everyone learns how to fight. Even the blaster kids and mentalists. You go ERC 2 or 3 and you learn boxing and judo, at least. Some kids learn some out-there stuff."

"Like what?"

"Yubiwaza. Ketsugo. Stuff that lets you throw fireballs out of your hands."

"You learned any of that?"

"Naw." Sam summons a rumble ring and rolls it across his knuckles. "It would diminishing returns. For me, brawling is strictly a plan B deal."

"That's something new you've leaned." you remark on his knuckle trick. "I don't remember seeing you do that back on Beck Island."

"I learned a few new tricks. Mostly I just improved on the ones I already knew."

There's a whistling sound as Edith's rapidly beating wings brings her to a stop in front of you and Sam.

"Hey guys! Where are we having dinner tonight?"

"We're having dinner?" Sam asks.

"I mean, if that's okay with you guys...please?"

"It's cool." you say. "We were going to go to that ghost pirate place. That a place you'd like to go to?"

"Oh! Cool! Yeah, totally! That means we can take Old Ironsides!"

"Is that a ship?" you ask.

"Yes...and no!" Edith answers. "There's a really really old ship from like the 18th century or something called Old Ironsides, but the one I'm talking about is a currentknife serpent, you know, from the Nepots Ocean? The Thule place?"

"Uh...no."
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>>5571035

"They're cute." Edith says. "They got glowing eyes like spotlights and their skin is really hard but soft when you touch it. Old Ironside was brought over to Joyous Habror back in the 40's with the Thule community. He's kind of a big deal. Like a mascot!"

"He got plushies like Smokey?"

"Oh, he's got GIANT plushies! Pillow-sized!"

"Neat! You got one, Edith?"

"Uh...several. Anyway, he's part of the ferry service, and since we'll have to go out to the pirate islands...we gotta take Old Ironsides!"

"You're right, we do! I want to ride a sea serpent!"

"Hold on kids, hold on." Sam says. "Who's buying, exactly?"

"Does it matter?" you shrug. "We don't have to like, exchange dollars for pieces of eight, do we?"

"I just want to make sure. Each of us pays their own way?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Hold on!" Edith says. "I wanna treat you guys today."

"If this is about my shoulder, you really don't need to. We're cool." you say.

"No, it's not about your shoulder...not really. I just want to do something nice for your two! And hey, you can treat me to dinner sometime later!"

"Okay." Sam says. "So Edith, you want to pay for the food...and the ferry? Because you fly, Izzy flies, and Izzy can make a Thule eye I can ride on."

"Of course I'm going to pay for the ferry! Why wouldn't I pay for the ferry?"

"Because I just explained why we don't need to take the ferry...."

"But we gotta take the ferry!"

"Yeah!" you say. "Come on Sam, you aren't afraid of the sea serpent, are you?"

"It's impossible to be afraid of Old Ironside. Kids take pictures on his back. Dr. Bell could sic her thoughtform on you and you wouldn't be afraid of Old Ironside. He's the Clifford the Big Red Dog of the seas."

Dr. Bell...you don't think you've heard about her. She sounds scary. Maybe she's TIMS? A lot of TIMS cases involve thoughtforms and the poor people that get bonded to them.

"So you aren't afraid of Old Ironsides. So then, what's the problem?" you ask.

"We don't need to ride him. Especially when there's a fee."

"I'm not going to fly to an island of ghost pirates when I can take a sea serpent."

Sam looks at you from over his sunglasses. "Little kids take pictures with Old Ironsides." he repeats.

"Oh, don't be such a tryhard."

Sam tosses his hands up. "Alright. But Edith, two things. First, you sure you want to eat the food there? It's honestly not that good."

"Yeah, I know, that's why I'm going to zip on over to Johnny Winter's and get a flurry burger."

You aren't surprised. You guess she really does eat only burgers.

"You want me to bring you something, Sam?" Edith asks.

"Naw. One of us has to eat the hardtack stew. We can't all show up with burgers."

"That can't be the best thing they got." you say.

"Well, they got fresh fruit. But like, as far as actual meals go..."

"Hardtack stew is the best they got, are you serious?"

"You don't want the jerky, believe me."
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>>5571072
"But hardtack stew?" you ask. "I know what hardtack is. I don't know what's in the rest of the stew, but it could be some magic fairy stew, you wouldn't put hardtack in it."

"Hardtack is in the rest of hardtack stew."

"What? Are they cursed to serve people hardtack into perpetuity?"

"It's what they ate."

"They can't buy biscuits that aren't staler than rocks?"

"Izzy, you know old people get set in their ways. These are very old people, and they are very set in their ways. Now, to be fair to them, they do heat it up heat it up and mix it with water so that its sort of like a pudding."

"A pudding? The stew is like a pudding? Do you have any idea how horrifying that sounds after eating at the cate-teria?"

"Credit where credit's due, Izzy, they've managed to find a way to be frightening in an age where di manes have been thoroughly demystified."

"If they can make a...I don't know if it rightfully can be called pudding, but a pudding like substance out of hardtack, then why not take some rum, because of course they have rum, right?"

"And grog. But believe it or not, that's just dilute rum."

"Well take that, add rum, and you got a bread pudding. You could even put some fruit with it!"

"Hey man, go right ahead and bring your complaints to the cook. He'll give you your choice of dessert--walking the plank or keel haul."

"I can getcha something, Izzy." Edith offers. "It doesn't even have to be from Johnny Winter's, just name it."

>Yeah, we're taking take-out.

>No. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of hardtack pudding, we're going to eat like a pirate with the pirates tonight.
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>>5571098
>No. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of hardtack pudding, we're going to eat like a pirate with the pirates tonight.
If I wasn't on the qtg I wouldn't have know about this update
>>
>Pirate
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>>5571352
Forgot to put it up on twitter. Regardless, updates are always in the discord.

https://discord.com/invite/EfDWPzg
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>>5571098
>No. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of hardtack pudding, we're going to eat like a pirate with the pirates tonight.
>>
>>5571352
>>5571539
>>5571565

"No thanks, Edith. If I'm going to eat with ghost pirates, I want to at like ghost pirates."

"Are you sure?"

"Hey, they ate this stuff and it didn't kill them...right away."

"But are you sure?"

"Hey, I've eaten good since coming here. I can bear taking a gamble on ghost cracker chili, or pudding, or whatever it is I'm in for."

"But are you sure?"

"Yes, Edith, I'm sure!"

Sam puts his hand on you shoulder and smirks. "You know, if you die, they aren't going to share their eyepatches and bandannas. You'll have to bob up and down in the air with your suit on."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."

Edith shakes her head and flaps higher into the air. "I'm gonna get a flurry burger. I'll be right back! Don't go anywhere! I'm going to be really upset if I get back here and you're gone!"

"We'll be here, Edith." you reply. You got the feeling people have left her behind before. You know Harmony must have. You try to look Edith in the eye when you say it, but she's as evasive when it comes to eye contact as ever.

"Okay. I'm going now!" Edith makes a loop as she gains altitude. "I'll be right back!"

"Edith, wait!" Sam shouts as the dragon girl starts to fly away.

She doesn't stop. She starts to zip across the sky. But maybe you can stop her?

>How do we slow down Edith?
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>>5571588
Why are we stopping her? Only because Sam told her to wait?
Maybe we can ask him what's the problem
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>>5571592
>Ask Sam why he wants Edith to wait?
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>>5571599
In case it wasn't clear, two options.
>Ask Sam why he wants Edith to wait?
>Don't waste time, stop Edith now!
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>>5571859
>>Ask Sam why he wants Edith to wait?
Yes.
Ask him if there's anything wrong
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>>5571864
"What's wrong?" you ask Sam as Edith darts out of sight.

He looks at you. "You couldn't have put a Thule bubble around he or something?"

"Well, what' the problem?"

"She's going to Johnny Winter's."

"Yeah, and?"

"Does it look like she's carrying a purse? A backpack? Anything she can keep money in?"

You look up at the last point where you could see a little dot named Edith soaring through the sky. "Oh."

"Yeah." Sam joins you in staring. "Oh is right."

"She'll be back soon, right?"

"More than likely. And then I'll probably have to tell her to go to her room and find some cash. And then she'll probably look for a few minutes, then she'll find Tanya, or Tanya will find her, and she'll get the money, go back to Johnny Winter's, and then she'll finally get back here."

Man. You're glad you picked All-Nighter's to go to after you see the ghost pirates. You don't think anywhere else will open that late.

"Sam, why doesn't she have a backpack? Or one of those fanny packs?"

Sam shrugs. "Just how she is. She can't stand wearing anything that isn't her jumpsuit, just like she can't stand eating anything that isn't a hamburger, or can't stand combing her hair."

"So is that...a dragon thing?"

Sam shrugs. "May be a person thing. At any rate, it's an Edith thing."

You wait with Sam under the boardwalk. Its low tide. The set, brown sand and the little scuttling things that dig in it remind you of Beck island.

"Not a lot of trash." you remark on a tumbling Johnny Winter's bag. "I thought there'd be more trash."

"Sometimes there is. It's just with all the friendly neighborhood superheroes darting around, trash invariably ends up in the bin, be it human trash or otherwise."

"Nice place."

"Yeah, it is."

Out of the corner of your eye, you see a little pile of sand that looks like it was shoved together from several directions. Upon closer inspection, you see that there's a handprint. There's a little mound atop the pile that suggests it used to be something more.

"Hey, you think that could have been a sand castle?" you ask Sam.

"Maybe."

"Neat! It reminds me of the ones we used to make together back on Beck island!"

"Well, the ones you would make."

You ponder if you have any powers that could shape up the sandcastle.

Sam sees you thinking deeply. "What's up?"

"I got a pretty sizeable list of powers right now...and none can really build a sandcastle. The best I can think of is using a Thule eye or rumble ring to help scoop."

"Ha! Well, ain't that how it always is? It's a rollercoaster, man. You go from thinking you're God to "yeah, my powers got nothing on the situation." It's the little things, too. You ever hear the story about Captain Marvel in a band?"

(Whiz comics 62--Omnipresent Otto)
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>>5571894
"No. How'd that go?"

"They tell it to you a lot in ERC. Dude's at a radio station, because his human partner Billy Batson worked in radio, and there's this band, and they're good, but a bad guy sabotages their stuff, so when they go to do their big live audition--"

"They had a live audition on a radio show?" you ask. "They wouldn't have recorded it?"

"--Yeah it was live, it was part of some show's gimmick, I don't know man, it was the 40's, I guess they thought performing live made the music sound better or something. Point is, the bad guy's broken all their instruments, so they're up creek, and they ask Captain Marvel for help, and the dude can juggle plants and move stars, but he can't do anything for them."

"He couldn't play instruments at super speed or something?"

"No. He didn't know how. Wisdom of Solomon didn't cover it."

"So how'd he get out of that mess?"

"They made a jug band."

"A what?"

"A jug band. You know, hillbilly stuff."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah I'm serious."

"A jug band is a thing?"

"Apparently so. He zoomed around, got a jug, a washboard, a saw, you know, non-instruments that you can play as instruments."

"How do you play a saw?"

"Very carefully, I imagine, but he gets all this stuff together, he's on jug, and against all odds the audition goes off without a hitch."

"That's crazy! Neat, but crazy!"

"Yeah man, that's how you got to be sometimes--crazy. That's the point of the story. Sometimes its not as simple as beating the other guy up, you got to think outside the box, you got think crazy. I'm not sure who said it, but some big time superhero said it, I'm sure--superheroes got to fight like science-fiction authors write, and those guys think way out of the box."

You look at the eroded sandcastle.

Then, in a single moment, you summon a Thule eye beneath it.

Seconds after the act, you aren't sure what you were thinking. Maybe you wanted to give it a base, a foundation with your force field. Instead, you got a invisible bubble covered by sand.

Sam starts to laugh. "Why'd you do that?"

"I thought I'd try and fix the sandcastle."

"Not a sandcastle anymore. It's a sand dome!"

"Hey, I was just trying to think crazy."

"Well, mission accomplished there, Izzy! That sure looks crazy! It looks like a sand pregnancy!"

Now you're laughing.

You laugh until a sharp "Hey!" echoes through the wet timbers.

"Hey, kids! Hey you two!" A man stumbles his way towards you, and clearly something is wrong with him. You don't know if he's been drinking or something else, but he doesn't look sober that's for sure.

He's a wrinkled old guy, an tall. He looks like someone put a white shirt on one of the timbers. "Hey kids! Hey kids! What do you think you're doing here?"

"Oh, I'm sorry sir." you say. "Was that your sandcastle?"

The man squints at your sand covered Thule eye. "Wha? Huh?"

Oh good, he's just a inebriated jerk. You were worried he was an inebriated jerk whose sandcastle you remodeled.
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>>5571935
"What are kids doing? Get that out of here whatever that is!"

The sand collapses to the ground. "See?" you say, "It's gone."

"Now get going! Get! What are you two boys doing?" the man stumbles closer towards you and Sam. "You're not supposed to be using your powers! You're supposed to keep your powers to yourself! What are you doing down here where no one can see you?"

"We're waiting here for a friend." Sam says.

"Are you a gang or something? Huh? Are you a super-gang? Are you going to knock down the boardwalk?"

>What do we say? What do we do?
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>>5571953
We are waiting for our friend to buy her burgers and fly back. We promised her that we would be waiting right here when she left. Why would I ever want to do something like that?
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>>5571968
"We are waiting for our friend to buy her burgers and fly back." you say, "We promised her that we would be waiting right here when she left. Why would I want to leave her?"

"You need to go. You're up to no good. I can tell!" The man moves closer. You figure out that you've shifted your weight into a judo stance about a second after you actually do it.'

You look to Sam. This isn't a simulaiton.

"Look guy. We got a right to be here." he says to the man. "We aren't doing anything to anyone. What's your problem?"

The man focuses, as much as he can focus, on Sam. "You got a mouth on you. You think you're better than me because you got powers? You ain't better than me. You and your friend, playing in the sand, you ain't better than me. I bet I could knock those funny sunglasses right off your face!"

A purple and red blur zooms under the boardwalk.

"Hi guys! I'm back!" Edith shouts. "I got my food and everything, how are you?" she spies the man. "Oh, hello! Are you okay, sir?"

The man tilts her head at Edith and stares at her like a flying dragon girl. Which she is.

"What are you?"

"I'm Edith! Do you need us to do anything for you, sir?"

Sam gently takes the paper bag with Edith's takeout from her and puts it on the sand. "Edith, first let's put the food down."

"Oh...is he..." Edith flaps down close to Sam. "...drunk?" she whispers

"He's not going to bother us." you say as much to the man as to Edith. 'Right, sir? our friend's here, we're just going to go now."

"I'm going to bust you up!" the man knots his hands into fists and shakes one aggressively at you.

Well, you suppose it's as much a logical progression as you can expect from him.

"Oh, this is like sim C-C-10!" Edith whispers. her wings twitch nervously in half-flaps. "Be careful Izzy! Don't hurt him!"

Yeah. That's really the main thing here, isn't it? He's not a danger to you, you're a danger to him. You got to remember that.

"But he might be a BOL agent in disguise!" Edith shouts. "Sir, are you a BOL agent?"

Oh. Another thing to remember.

The man makes a face at Edith. "Shut up!" he growls, "I'm going to bust you up too! Tear those silly horns off your head!"

"Oh wait! Are you a teacher from the school? Is this a test?" Edith asks.

"Can they do that?" you ask her.

"I've heard they do it sometimes. They dress up and test students around Joyous Harbor."

"I ain't any teacher from that freak school! Why you still here? I'm going to hit you!"

>Stand your ground?

>Walk away?
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>>5572141
Yeah, not worth it. Just walk away.
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>>5572141
>Fly and hover Sam on the eye out of reach of the drunk guy. Edith seems to be familiar with the situation due to training so ask her what is the procedure and follow it.
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>>5572141
Just copy invulnerability and walk away.
We can tell an authority that there is a guy threatening people in the docks, but we didn't know if it's a drunk, a disguised teacher or a bol agent.
The last one only makes sense if the guy is one of the really bored types, since he would be breaking his cover and not even use his powers, only mildly inconvenience someone.
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>>5572472
Maybe that's the plan he just wants to inconvenience us so we move away and won't care. He said it himself there is no one here so you could do some Vilnius shit to the infrastructure.
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>>5572511
That's true.
One person keeping an eye out while others go warn someone else might indeed be a good idea
If he is just a normal drunk, then he can be escorted back to his home by someone that isn't just a student
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>>5571953
>KILL
>Don't, actually, just walk away
>>
Knowing our luck, it's probably a member of the faculty pretending to be a hater to gauge our reaction or something
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>>5572379
>>5572472
>>5572511
>>5572513
The first thing you do is bubble Sam up in a Thule eye. Edith has dragon toughness, so if the guy swung at, he'd probably just hurt his hand, so you aren't worried much about her. You wouldn't be worried about her at all if you believed she'd use those wings of hers to fly away instead of to hover next to the crazy and ask "Can I help you, sir?"

The next thing you do is make sure you're copying Helen's invulnerability. You'd stack on Steel Dolly's but you think suddenly turning metal might set the man off.

Third thing you do is ask Edith a question. You hope you don't have to make a habit of that.

"Edith, what's C-C-10?" you ask her, not taking your eyes off the man, who now shuffles back and forth on the sand. Is he trying to fake you out? Force you to act?

Ah. Maybe that's what this is. Some asshole hears about the new superkid in town and figures if they cause a scene, the school will hand them a payout. Even back on Beck Island you heard stories about how some low life would punch full-tilt at .All-Nighter's face, break his hand, and then sue. Even with the ERC system in place, superheroes get sued--a lot. You aren't looking forward to the law course that comes with ERC 3, but you understand why its there and why you need to take it.

The asshole invariably gets a payment, simply because its cheaper and less stressful to the already hyper-stressed superhero to just pay instead of going to court.

Edith rolls her head back, finger to her chin. "Uh...C-C-10? That's, let me see, Confrontation, Civilian, number 10!"

You roll your eyes. "Edith, what happens in C-C-10?"

"Guy on drugs tries to fight you. The idea is to keep your distance and call the cops."

"You know we could make a citizen's arrest on this clown." Sam says. "Would be totally legal."

"Huh? What? Who's a clown?" the man stumbles beneath Sam's Thule eye. "Who? Floating asshole kid, you look like a clown!"

"Sam, we're supposed to prevent confrontations with civilians if we can." Edith says.

"She's right." you say. "Hey, sir! We're going to be walking way now. Please don't follow us?"

"I'm going to bust you up!"

"Okay, cool. please don't do that." you look over your shoulder at Sam. "Have you sent a noos call, I'm still not used to noos telepathy?"

"Already sent it."

"Okay, then let's go."

You start to walk backward. You intend to keep the guy in your sights. Maybe he's not so bad. Maybe he's just a concerned drunk that really thought you and your friends were going ot bomb the boardwalk? You can get him some help.

"What's the situation?" a familiar voice shouts from the beach.

'Yay! Coach!" Edith shouts as she dives down to Steel Dollly. "There's a drunk guy! We found a drunk guy!"

Steel Dolly only partly suppresses a smile. "Okay. Where's the wino?"

The man suddenly seems to sober up. Instantly.

Then he puts a finger to his lips, SHHHHS'es you, and vanishes.

Aw, shit.
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>>5572845
"He's over here!" Edith shouts, leading Steel Dolly by the hand. "He's right..."

Steel Dolly tilts her head. She only sees you, Sam, and Edith "Hm. Okay kids, explain to me why we're all here together under the boardwalk?"

>Quick! Give her an explanation!
>>
>>5572848
>Hey coach, is there some kind of teacher testing new students around the boardwalk? Specifically one that can turn invisible? Cause he just disappeared after telling me to not tattle.
>I hope it's just that and not some BOL agent
>>
>>5572857
Oh, and be ready in case he tries to stops us from talking, or if he teleported.
>>
>>5572857
>>5572859
"Hey coach, is there some kind of teacher testing new students around the boardwalk? Specifically, one that can turn invisible? Because he just disappeared after telling me not to tattle."

"I hope it's not a BOL agent!" Edith says, daring here and there over the and as if she's expecting the man to suddenly rematerialize into view.

Steel Dolly calmly walks around the sand. "Hm. You said he was right in front of you, and then he vanished?"

"Yes, ma'am." you reply.

"He said he wanted to bust us up!" Edith shouts.

"Well, I don't think it's a teacher, but I don't think you kids need to worry." Steel Dolly says.

"I think I know who it is." Sam grits his teeth.

"I know you do, Sam." Steel Dolly replies. "I think it's him, too."

"Who?" Edith asks.

"You'll see." Steel Dolly snaps her fingers together, once, twice, producing a bell-like sound each time. "Oh well. I guess this is an extra learning opportunity for the day." she turns to you. "Izzy, remember how I told you I teach strength control in addition to ERC?"

"Yes, coach."

"You apply superhuman strength in a lot of different ways. If I rubbed my hands a certain way, they'd get hot, and then start to ignite the air around them. If I snap my fingers one way, it creates a blast of compressed air that hits like an artillery shell. I snap my fingers another way, I make a sound." she snaps her fingers again. "And this is a very useful trick, because you can make the sound hurt at the right wavelengths, and sound travels very, very fast. There's nothing quite like bleeding eardrums from several yards away to take the fight out of an opponent."

Steel Dolly glares at the empty space.

"Last chance."

No one answers.

"Izzy, please have your Thule eye ready."

"Yes, coach!"

Steel Dolly raises her hand and slowly brings her thumb and middle finger together.

The sound that results is different. It's like a bubble popping under water, like a congested heart beat. It's not a pleasant sound...and you're not the only one that thinks so.

The sand goes berserk. Tendrils of silicate shoot into the air. A sand pit whirls and screeches like a mouth.

>Roll 1d20+5 to contain the...whatever it is
>>
Rolled 9 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>5573106
>>
>>5573109
You make your Thule eye into a dome, one half above the sand containing the whatsit and the other half buried deep down. You want to make sure you got all of him. It. Whatever.

The sand creature thrashes against your eye, but you keep it contained.

Steel Dolly thumps the eye with a knuckle. "Cut that out."

The sand collapses, then slowly rises and fills the eye like smoke.

A whiteface clown with a big red nose presses its face against the eye.

"Release me..."

Edith giggles, then coughs to hide it. Sam glares.

"You! You moron, what were you doing?" Sam punches the eye.

The clown face moves back, then turns into the drunk man. "I was just going around finding no-good kids up to no-good, that I was!"

"You're lucky there's a teacher here, otherwise I'd do exactly what you want and make us both happy!"

You don't like seeing Sam this upset.

Suddenly, there's another Sam inside the eye.

"You're lucky there's a teacher here, otherwise I'd do exactly what you want and make us both happy!"

Sam goes to punch the eye again, but finds that Steel Dolly has caught his fist by the wrist. "You're saying things you probably don't want to be saying around a teacher, Sam. And I know you're too smart to be punching a wall because it teased you."

Sam pushes up his sunglasses. "Sorry, coach."

"Monster, you got detention first thing in the morning."

The Sam inside the bubble goes into theattric.

"Buh..wuh? Guh? Now did you or did you not see this palooka threaten to rumble my corpus within an inch of my life? The little tribble that lives on top of my head nearly had a heart attack!"

"And if you duck detention, I'll send Emmy to retrieve you."

The Sam in the eye turns into a middle aged man in a suit sitting at a table.

"Well um. your honor, we find your terms...acceptable."

"Good. Now try and act your age for the rest of the evening. I even so much as hear a rumor you've bothered someone, I'm sending Emmy, and I'm telling her to run court case reviews for your ERC indefinitely."

He turns into red stop sign with "please" graffiti'ed above the STOP.

"I gotcha coach!"

"For your sake, Monster, I hope you do."

You turn to Edith. "Who's Emmy?" you whisper.

"Another coach." she answers. "She's an oni. With four arms. She's also a disciplinarian."

It would take an oni to handle a bunch of superhuman kids, wouldn't it?

"She loves baseball and punishing evil."

"Neat!"

"Go ahead and let him go, Izzy." Steel Dolly says. "And if you gives you any more trouble tonight, let me know."

You release the Thule eye and the shapeshifter tumbles out as a bubbling, mumbling jet of water. "GLUB BLUB GLUB!"

Sam grits his teeth. "What is your problem?"

"He's going to be on his best behavior from now on, Sam." Steel Dolly says. "And if he isn't, you tell me. You don't play his games."

"Yes, coach."

"Izzy, this is Monster. You can guess why he has that name." Steel Dolly says.
>>
File: Emmy_BB_card.png (1.38 MB, 1700x2000)
1.38 MB
1.38 MB PNG
>>5573144
Monster transforms into a an old wizard with a pointed hat and beard. He holds his hand out to you. "Welcome to Martin's school of witchcraft and wizardry, young man...no hard, feelings, right?"

>What do we say? What do we do?
>>
>>5573147
>I take going around messing with people is something that you do often then? Seems you have a reputation.
>Well, no one got hurt, so it's all water under the bridge.
>I'm not shaking your hand though. Don't trust you enough for it to not be prank.
Then when we leave we can ask Sam what monster did to make him so angry.
>>
>>5573147
"I'll probably forget about this in the morning."
>>
>>5573167
>>5573232
"Yeah, I'll probably forget about this in the morning." you say. "No one got hurt, so I guess it's all water under the bridge."

Monster's arm extends and wiggles like a noodle.

"I'm not shaking your hand though. Don't trust you enough for it to not be a prank."

"Aw! Please?" Monster's face melts. His frown droops to the sand. "Pretty please?"

"I take going around messing with people is something you do often? I'm getting the feeling you have a reputation."

"He does." Steel Dolly says. "Monster here is one of our detention regulars. Now, you kids enjoy your evening. I'm still on the clock. And remember what I told you. All of you." Steel Dolly starts walking back to the school.

Sam glares down Monsters as soon as she's gone.

Monster turns into a mirror.

A pirate captain in full, bright regalia and an oily black beard steps out from behind the mirror. "So guys, we going to the ghost pirate island tonight?"

"No." Sam snaps. "Not with you."

"Come on guys, don't tell me you're all rattled and rolled? It was just some fun. I wanted to see what the new guy would do."

"Bye, Monster." Sam starts to walk away and motions for you and Edith to follow.

"Hey! Izzy! Wait!" Monster stretches his upper torso in front of you. "You got to be curious about me, right? I mean there's a lot of shapeshifters out there, but are any named Monster? You want to know why I'm called that, right? Right?"

"Come on, Izzy, Edith. Let's go." Sam shouts. "Let's not have him spoil the rest of our evening."

>Leave Monster behind?
>Stay and listen to Monster?
>>
>>5573510
Never a good idea to deal with Monster
>Stay and listen to Monster
>>
>>5573510
>Leave Monster behind?
>Sorry, but my best friend is mad at you. We can talk tomorrow during recess, I guess
>>
>>5573510
>Leave Monster behind?
Nah Monster gives me bad juju



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