here u go mega

5:00 PM <•Antioch|GM> One of the PRT's conference rooms is set aside for you to have a discussion with your parents.
5:01 PM <•Antioch|GM> The table is set with some coffee and coffee biscuits, presumably to help ease the tension. You barely notice them, or the PRT officer monitoring the discussion.
5:01 PM <•Antioch|GM> Your parents are much the same as you remember them. It's barely been a few months since you last saw them.
5:02 PM <•Antioch|GM> To their eyes, though, you must look nothing like the girl they said goodbye to when you left for college.
5:02 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We saw your speech," your mother says, accent as thick as you recall.
5:02 PM <•Antioch|GM> She pauses, then stops, at an apparent loss to what to say.
5:02 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We... called," she says, after some time. "Why didn't you ever answer?" ||
5:04 PM <Saff|Cwn> Shit. Shit shit shit. After everything I've been through, this is probably the hardest thing I've had to do. "I don't know." I shrug, looking down at my hands. "I had everything under control." Wow, that's a lie. I swallow and look over at the coffee and biscuits but my stomach is doing too many flips to even contemplate touching them. Fuck.||
5:08 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I don't even know what to say to that," your father says.
5:09 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You... clearly weren't. You could have come to us for help at any time."
5:09 PM <•Antioch|GM> "But you cut us off, completely. We connected the dots, you know. Found out that it was you... running a gang."
5:10 PM <•Antioch|GM> There's a tinge of... distaste, possibly disbelief in his words, as if he still can't process the notion, despite the evidence presented to him.
5:10 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Bombing police stations, getting involved in shootouts."
5:11 PM <•Antioch|GM> He pointedly does not mention the Player One stream.
5:11 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Why?" ||
5:13 PM <Saff|Cwn> "What else was I supposed to do?" I say, keeping my eyes glued to the ground. Jesus. Phan is going to have a field day with this. How am I supposed to get a psych clearance if everyone keeps hopping on my dick here? "I'm a freak. No one had any qualms letting me know that." Shit. I can handle branding and betrayal and all that... but disappointing my
5:13 PM <Saff|Cwn> parents? Yeah, I'm definitely the worst daughter ever.||
5:14 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You never even asked us what we thought, let alone for help."
5:15 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You just... dropped off the face of the earth, and the next we heard -- we hired a private investigator, you know -- you were blowing up municipal buildings!"
5:15 PM <•Antioch|GM> ||
5:16 PM <Saff|Cwn> "A private investigator? You were spying on me?" I look between the two of them with wide eyes. My mind is racing, thought after thought after thought. "Wait. Wait. Please don't fucking tell me that the duck bitch was from you two."||
5:17 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Language," your mother snaps, reactively. "Wait, who?" ||
5:18 PM <Saff|Cwn> "The duck bitch. Duck Queen." Wow, I sound stupid. "I guess that's a no. Fuck. Why were you SPYING on me?"||
5:19 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Language!" your mother snaps again.
5:20 PM <•Antioch|GM> "What would you do in my place, your daughter vanished and unresponsive?"
5:20 PM <•Antioch|GM> Her voice is raised, near the point of cracking. ||
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5:22 PM <Saff|Cwn> "I don't know! But I was handling it! It's none of your business! You don't understand what it's LIKE for people like me. Couldn't even go to Waffle House without people fuckin' following me and pointing! What was I supposed to do? Go home? Live as a burden on you forever because I can't fucking hold down a job while covered in goddamn smoke?"||
5:24 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You're here in the Protectorate now, aren't you?" your father asks, voice still level.
5:24 PM <•Antioch|GM> He sighs. "It could have been your first option." ||
5:27 PM <Saff|Cwn> "I didn't want it to be my first option. I'm here because I have to be! I'm going to do the best with what I have. I'm trying to make things right. But I just wanted...." I stop, my breath catching in my throat. "I just wanted to be normal. I didn't want to be a cape. I did something stupid and now I'm stuck like this and people are scared of me..." And
5:27 PM <Saff|Cwn> Malcolm is the only person who'll touch me. I'm covered in smoke and scars and my body is WRONG. It's not MINE anymore. "After I got out of the hospital I just... I wanted to be normal. But no one would let me."||
5:28 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I'm... sorry," he says. "I'm sorry that we couldn't have been there for you, and I'm sorry you didn't let us." ||
5:30 PM <Saff|Cwn> "So now it's my fault? Because I didn't let you?" I try to look up at my parents, but quickly look away. God, this is harder than talking to Mendez. To be honest I'd rather be branded by Wink again. "I'm not a kid anymore. I did what I needed to." And I liked it. "I'm turning shit around now. Doesn't that count for anything?" ||
5:35 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You didn't have to put yourself in a situation where there were things to make up for."
5:35 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You don't think we were worried about you?" he says. "Not only did you never get in touch with us, you ignored all of our calls. Why?"
5:36 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I'm not sure the Director would like to hear you say you 'did what you needed to'," your mother says coldly. ||
5:40 PM <Saff|Cwn> "You don't know what the Director would and wouldn't like." I say, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. "She knows what my situation was. We're working on it. I'm getting help here." I don't mention the clusterfuck that was my psych eval. They don't need to know all that. "I was on the streets. I was homeless. My options were join Wink when he offered, or
5:40 PM <Saff|Cwn> end up dying in an alleyway. Mom. You don't know what it's like! You don't know SHIT about capes and what it's like to be one. I've pledged my allegiance here up and down and I still have someone following me to the bathroom because I'm DANGEROUS. And if you brought me home? People would have talked about you up and down because your daughter is a FREAK."||
5:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> "So you think we wouldn't have?" she retorts, almost immediately. ||
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5:43 PM <Saff|Cwn> "I'm saying you SHOULDN'T. I did you a goddam favor." I look over at the guard supervising and give him an apologetic wince. I have a feeling all of this is going to get reported to Phan. It's going to be a fun week for me. "I'm fine though, Okay? I'm in the safest place I can be." And if I don't behave I can look forward to rotting in a cell. ||
5:44 PM <•Antioch|GM> "People are talking us up and down because our daughter's a criminal," your father says, though it's more of an observation than a scathing remark.
5:44 PM <•Antioch|GM> ||
5:46 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Former. Former criminal." Honestly I'm surprised my mom hasn't backhanded me into next Tuesday yet. "Once I get my clearances I'll be a hero." Though, who knows when that'll be. They haven't even done power testing yet. "And I didn't really do anything that bad, anyway. Coldhand did most of the dirty work."||
5:48 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Look. What's done is done," he continues. "But we'd like to still be part of your life, okay?" ||
5:50 PM <Saff|Cwn> "If you're a part of my life, you might end up getting hurt." I say, frowning. "You shouldn't even be here. If Wink finds out he'll try to kill you." Blackjack has already tried to kill one person I care about. "I'll see if I can arrange for you two to be protected, but I really don't have a lot of clout. Shit. I don't know." God, this is all harder than I
5:50 PM <Saff|Cwn> thought. "And I shouldn't even be just fucking off here. I need to get my shit done so I can get into the field and stop being useless."||
5:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We're already connected to you. If our neighbors can figure it out, it's not hard," he says. "And I'd rather not go through the PRT's version of a witness protection program, alright?"
5:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> "And before you get out there, I get the feeling they're prioritizing making sure you're on an even keel first."
5:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> He grimaces.
5:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I thought us coming here to talk to you might've helped." ||
5:55 PM <Saff|Cwn> It didn't help. Now I'm just more on edge. "Wink will KILL you. What don't you understand about that?" Fuck. I can't deal with this shit anymore. I stand up and push my chair over, my heart absolutely racing. "Do whatever. I tried. I'm not letting your blood soil my hands." I look over to the guard and frown. "Please escort me out. I'm quite done talking
5:55 PM <Saff|Cwn> with my parents." Maybe Valiant will be around I'd rather talk to him. Or beg someone to get me into power testing. They're just stressing me the fuck out.||
5:59 PM <•Antioch|GM> The PRT guy looks between you and the door, hesitating, not sure if it's your prerogative to cut this conversation short.
6:00 PM <•Antioch|GM> "What did we do wrong?" your mother asks. "Why won't you even talk to us?" ||
6:04 PM <Saff|Cwn> "You didn't do anything wrong! You just don't understand! Mom, the Gwyn you raised died in the woods that day. All the hopes and dreams and plans you had for me? They disappeared." I start peeling off my gloves to reveal the raised scars on my hands, pulling back my sleeves so that they can see. "I woke up in the hospital and suddenly everything changed. You
6:04 PM <Saff|Cwn> saw. All the nurses were scared of me. Even if you refuse to choose a side... hero? Villain? Someone is still going to try to push their agenda on you."||
6:07 PM <•Antioch|GM> There's a protracted silence, during which the PRT suit opens the door. Your parents don't react or respond, seemingly at a loss for words. ||
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6:11 PM <Saff|Cwn> "I'm where I should be now. I'm working to make up for things. I'm getting help. I'm okay." I look at them one last time before I cross the threshold of the door, my hands starting to shake again. I put my gloves on while I walk, though I'm not exactly sure if I have a destination in mind. I'm ready to do this. To get better, to go out and fight and protect
6:11 PM <Saff|Cwn> people. I *Want* to do this. "Sir?" I ask the guard, turning around to face him. "D'ya know who I should talk to about power testing?" My voice is barely above a whisper, as my throat is kind of hoarse from raising it. If he doesn't know I'll probably try to see if Valiant is available to talk. But I don't want to stalk him. Hm.||
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6:12 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You're not scheduled for it until tomorrow, miss," he says. ||
6:14 PM <Saff|Cwn> Ugh. Figured. "Oh." I frown and look down at the ground. "Thanks." I guess I'll wander around, see if I can find anyone in here. It's so BORING having to follow protocol. First time I talked to Wink he had me carve up a tinkertech car! Actually, now that I'm thinking about tinkers, I should probably check and see if Duck Queen replied to me at all.||
6:16 PM <•Antioch|GM> She sure has.
6:16 PM <•Antioch|GM> The text reads:
6:16 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Good luck in the Protectorate, Gwyn. I've been thinking about what you asked, and I think, once the heat with BJ cools down, I'll still try to be your friend if you still want that. Anna." ||
6:18 PM <Saff|Cwn> Oh. Fuck. Now I feel really shitty. "I'm sorry I couldn't do better." I text back, then slip my phone back into my pocket. Today has been a huge rollercoaster. I pause for a second, then turn back to the guard. "Do you know where Valiant tends to hang out?"||
6:22 PM <•Antioch|GM> He shakes his head. "I'm not often in the Protectorate building," he says.
6:22 PM <•Antioch|GM> Which is the building that you still don't have keycard access to, unless you're accompanied by someone who does. Bah. ||
6:25 PM <Saff|Cwn> Fuck this. All of this is bullshit. If I had it my way I'd just punch the shit out of something. But that's a surefire way to get me under a real tight psych hold. I guess I'll just explore the areas I'm allowed in until I can find something to do or someone to talk to. This whole day sucks. Sucks ASS. And Wink's going to kill my parents and I haven't been
6:25 PM <Saff|Cwn> allowed to see Malcolm and fucking Nachzehrer of all people is probably assfucking my territory. Oh shit and I said I owed KeAndre a new car. Fuck.||
6:26 PM <•Antioch|GM> You go and eat lunch, out of lack of anything better to do.
6:26 PM <•Antioch|GM> There, you see Knuckleball and Embody with another Ward you don't recognize.
6:28 PM <•Antioch|GM> He's short and babyfaced enough to the point where he's either on the cusp of puberty or a scant few months in, his white-and-grey bodysuit having metal bands around his shoulders, hips, and ankles.
6:28 PM <•Antioch|GM> They're talking over a table of food.
6:28 PM •Antioch|GM set the topic: Weaver Dice: Cleveland || https://goo.gl/17pJaD || Current date: 12/09/09, Wednesday
6:29 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Sorry, I was about to say it was Taco Tuesday but it is not Tuesday. Morale penalty))
6:29 PM <•Antioch|GM> ||
6:32 PM <Saff|Cwn> Oh. The kids. I wonder who the last one is. I feel like I should have done more studying on who the other protectorate members are. I know Valiant... Feral of course. Gigawatt too. Then there's... I know they have a tinker, I think. I wonder what he's like. Jetstream used to be on the team but she's not anymore. Hm. Maybe I should go say hi. I stand up
6:32 PM <Saff|Cwn> slowly and take my tray over to their table, feeling awfully like I'm stuck back in Junior High. "Hey..." I mumble, looking between the three. "Mind if I hang for a moment?"||
6:35 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Soc roll))
6:35 PM <Saff|Cwn> $roll 1d6-1
6:35 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Cwn [2] -1 = 1
6:35 PM <Saff|Cwn> ((DOG GAMNIT))
6:35 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Uh, sure," Knuckleball says. "We're showing the new Ward around, he got in sooner than we were planning for."
6:36 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Ripcord, meet Cwn Annwn. Cwn, meet Ripcord."
6:36 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Cool, uh, name, I think," the tiny kid says. ||
6:38 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Ripcord?" I don't even realize I'm saying it out loud. "Nice to meet you. I'm new too. But. Not a Ward. I um." What do I talk about with him? What's his power? How old is he? How the fuck did he end up in a shithole of a city like Cleveland? Why do I always end up getting stuck with the Wards? I'm an adult god damnit.||
6:39 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Cwn joined the Protectorate really recently too," KB says, graciously not mentioning your prior history in Cleveland.
6:40 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Ripcord transferred here from the Denver Wards. I feel like we get a lot of people from there, for some reason." ||
6:41 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Denver? Damn." Shit. Maybe I shouldn't swear? This kid looks like he's fuckin ten. "What brings you all the way out here?" I frown, looking down at my lunch which is disappointingly not tacos. "'s a long way from Denver."||
6:50 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Didn't get along with one of the people on my team," he says quietly. "It kinda sucked a lot there." ||
6:52 PM <Saff|Cwn> "I know that feeling." I immediately think of Mortal Lock. Fuck him. I hope he's having fun in one of Mendez's cells. "I mean." I pause and sigh. "Hey, Knuckleball, Embody? Do you know where I could find Valiant? I have some stuff I want to ask him."||
6:53 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Hm. I dunno the Protectorate patrol schedules, sorry. Haven't seen him around today, though, if it helps." ||
6:57 PM <Saff|Cwn> Well, the kids are no help either. Shit. I look down at my pretty much untouched plate and poke at the pudding cup I grabbed on impulse. I don't even think I like pudding. Last time I had it was when I was in the hospital. "Sorry I've been asking so many questions. Adjusting is... hard to say the least." Maybe... Maybe I could try to call Malcolm? Yeah. I
6:57 PM <Saff|Cwn> excuse myself from the table and start dialing his number as I walk out to the hallway.||
6:58 PM <•Antioch|GM> Nobody picks up -- the call actually goes straight to voicemail. It's possible his phone was destroyed in the car chase, or he could be recuperating in the hospital. ||
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7:01 PM <Saff|Cwn> "God DAMNIT." I say, hucking my phone to the tile with an exasperated sigh. I'm so alone here. It's maddening. "Damnit Damnit, DAMNIT."||
7:03 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Brawn))
7:04 PM <Saff|Cwn> $roll 1d6 how fucked is this fone
7:04 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Cwn "how fucked is this fone" [5] = 5
7:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> The phone hits the ground screen-first, bits of shattered plastic littering the floor. The back of the case pops off and the battery flies out. You've made a terrible mess and everything is worse. ||
7:07 PM <Saff|Cwn> I might as well just sit in my mess and wallow in it. Someone will probably report me and I'll get another earful from Phan but at the moment I don't care. Being here... I haven't felt more alone since I tried to go back to school. ||
7:09 PM <•Antioch|GM> You spend some time boo-hooing to yourself until some staff wanders past, trying their best to ignore you, and sweeps the remains of the phone into a dustpan. ||
7:11 PM <Saff|Cwn> "I'm sorry." I mumble, looking down at my hands. They probably don't care though. Fuck. I can't leave the building. I can't take a shit by myself, can't talk to Mal. I'm pretty much in prison anyway. Maybe I made a mistake. For a moment I wonder how easy it would be to just run. I could just claw through the walls and take off and run and just let Wink
7:11 PM <Saff|Cwn> slaughter me on the streets. Maybe I deserve it, anyway.||
7:13 PM <•Antioch|GM> You wander around aimlessly until you realize that there's still more stuff going on in the press release room. You watch and listen on the TV mounted outside.
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7:14 PM <•Antioch|GM> Turns out Mortal Lock is dead. Gigawatt killed him, electrocuted him through his power armor, apparently. ||
7:15 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Serves  him right." I mumble, crossing my arms over my chest. Though I wonder if Giggs will get in trouble for that. You're not technically supposed to kill people--even if they deserve it. I hope she's okay though. I go to check the PHO forums before remembering I just busted my phone because I'm a whiny petulant child. "Damnit."||
7:16 PM ⇐ Megafire and Stoic quit
7:18 PM <•Antioch|GM> The conference goes on. Gutshot incarcerated, many thanks to Columbus's specialized squad and Conquistador for taking down Lilith, condolence and honors to the two deceased squaddies downed in the line of duty. Cleveland Protectorate ready to buckle down, handle the remaining threat in town, Blackjack, and by correlation, Wink, who will be 'off-kilter and
7:18 PM <•Antioch|GM> looking for revenge'.
7:18 PM <•Antioch|GM> Whew, that's a lot of stuff to process. ||
7:21 PM <Saff|Cwn> That's... I sigh and look back up at the screen. The Protectorate is just another gang, trying to stake out its mark. There's just a lot more paperwork. People are still dying, though. I feel so out of place here. Everyone thinks that they're doing good but... Mortal Lock and Lilith... they're still dead. Didn't even have a chance to repent. I guess I'm
7:21 PM <Saff|Cwn> lucky in that regard. Still, the whole thing is kind of making me sick to my stomach. I need some air, but I can't really go outside, so I just start wandering again.||
7:29 PM <•Antioch|GM> You find yourself at the bags again. There are some people training in the gym, now that it's later in the day. A few PRT agents, by the looks of it. ||
7:33 PM <Saff|Cwn> I take a small peek, but don't say anything. They probably don't want to talk to me. They're training and until yesterday I was one of the people they were supposed to take in. Gah. I know... I know I'm supposed to be working on my self esteem and the positive thinking but seeing my parents... that threw me off. I'm not... I'm not like these people. I'm here
7:33 PM <Saff|Cwn> because I have to be. I hurt people and committed acts of terrorism and most likely all the other heroes here showed up right after their triggers because they wanted to do good. I don't know if I can ever live up to these people.||
7:33 PM <•Antioch|GM> One of the guys working the bags takes a break, pulling from a bottle of water, and walking over to you.
7:36 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Hey," he says. "Saw you on the bags earlier. Cwn Annwn, right?" ||
7:36 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Uh... yeah. Hi." I say, my whole face turning red behind the mask. "I know. I wasn't doing it right."||
7:37 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Nah, nah. You can throw a decent punch, but you don't have a punching sort of power, right?"
7:37 PM <•Antioch|GM> He makes the motions as he speaks, illustrating the actions.
7:38 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Claws, right, but I'm guessing the PRT wants you to tone those down. Non-lethal sort of thing, mm?" ||
7:40 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Yeah. They uh. They're pretty lethal if I'm not careful." Oh god, this is so awkward. He's probably judging me. I'M judging me. "I've got to figure out ways to fight that don't.... Don't involve hurting people." ||
7:42 PM <•Antioch|GM> He nods. "I think a striking martial art with a focus on joint locks, takedowns, and pressure points would be the best fit. Keeps you active enough to where if you need to use your power, you don't have any bad habits. You should have a talk with the CQC instructor they brought in sometime." ||
7:44 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Martial arts, huh?" I nod. That sounds like it could be fun. "I'll... I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." This guy seems relatively nice at least. Maybe... maybe things aren't *So* bad? "I don't really know much about fighting if I'm going to be honest. Usually I just... run out and try to carve something up I guess." ||
7:47 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Always helps to have a gameplan, have different things in mind for different situations. Not so much about how much power your punch packs, more about having a versatile response to any situation. The best capes, and the best squaddies, are creative, adaptable, and that comes with practice and experience." ||
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7:49 PM <Saff|Cwn> Practice and experience. Those are two things I'm sorely lacking. And according to people like Mortal Lock and Nachzehrer I'm just a dumb cunt. "I hope I can be of use to the team. I'm really... I really am looking to turn things around." Even if I'm spending my time wrecking phones instead. "Can you give me a few pointers? Or is that against protocol?
7:49 PM <Saff|Cwn> I'm... I'm really still trying to get used to things around here."||
7:50 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Should be fine, I'm pretty sure. Think it was just a 'no sparring' thing until you get your power tested." ||
7:53 PM <Saff|Cwn> "All right. Cool. Erm. Thank you." I still don't even know his name. Gah. Why am I so PAINFULLY awkward? I can't even blame this on my power. I was always the weird kid who played around in the woods. Now I'm just the weird kid.||
7:55 PM <•Antioch|GM> "No problem," he says, extending a hand and seeming to pick up on the awkwardness. "Alan, by the way. Alan McCormack." ||
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7:59 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Nice to meet you, Alan." I give him a small smile while bouncing on the balls of my feet. "So, what should I do?"||
8:00 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Stance first," he says, demonstrating. "Shoulder width, dominant foot forward. Keep the knees flexible, make it easy to shift weight to and from them as you stand." ||
8:03 PM <Saff|Cwn> I try to replicate his stance, nodding as he talks. "Like this?"||
8:04 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Ath & Guts))
8:08 PM <Saff|Cwn> $roll 1d6 Ath
8:08 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Cwn "Ath" [6] = 6
8:08 PM <Saff|Cwn> $roll 1d6+1 guts
8:08 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Cwn "guts" [5] +1 = 6
8:08 PM <Saff|Cwn> ((fuck yeah bitches))
8:09 PM <•Antioch|GM> He tests your balance, shoving at your shoulders here and there, but you're able to shift your weight and stay upright without much difficulty, even when he starts putting more of his weight into it.
8:10 PM <•Antioch|GM> Following that, he throws some punches your way, generally aimed towards your head, and you find yourself limber enough in the stance that it's simple to sway from side to side, avoiding the (admittedly telegraphed) blows entirely.
8:10 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Very nice," he says.
8:10 PM <•Antioch|GM> In your imagination, the Rocky soundtrack plays. ||
8:12 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Maybe I don't suck as much as I thought." Then again, anything is better than the performance I gave before the press conference. That was abysmal at best. "Got any other tips?"||
8:12 PM ↔ Belaris popped in
8:13 PM <•Antioch|GM> "If you need to dodge and use your feet, keep an eye on where your opponent's momentum is directed. It's rare that you want to backstep, and you can sidestep or pivot to throw them off-balance with a good dodge."
8:13 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Here, throw a punch at me, I'll show you what I mean." ||
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8:18 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Punch you?" Oh god what if I hurt him? Am I allowed to punch him? Fuck. I mean HE said it was okay but... I guess I should just do it. I go to punch him, hoping that I don't accidentally fuck myself in the ass for it.||
8:20 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Attack roll -- you can choose to penalize yourself, pull your punch, by however much you want. Safer, runs the risk of you looking like an ass.))
8:22 PM <Saff|Cwn> $roll 1d6
8:22 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Cwn [5] = 5
8:22 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 2h6+1 Dodge
8:22 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Dodge" [5] (5) +1 = 6
8:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> You throw a pretty darn good punch at him, whip-quick and not telegraphed. He steps out of the way, evading the punch, sending you stumbling forward a step before you regain your balance.
8:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Whoa, not a bad punch, either. Good form, no bad habits I can see. But you see what I mean about leveraging evasion offensively, right?" ||
8:24 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Yeah, I think. You knocked me off balance by moving out of the way. You can use that to your advantage, right?"||
8:25 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Yep. If they're slow to retract the punch, you can sidestep, put them in an armbar, and, depending on who you're up against, bring them to the ground or dislocate their elbow. That sort of thing." ||
8:29 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Shit. That's pretty crazy." I blink a few times, trying to think it over in my head. "Can I try? Sidestepping that is. Not... dislocating your elbow."||
8:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Yeah, go for it." ||
8:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6-1 Pulling his punches
8:30 PM <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Pulling his punches" [3] -1 = 2
8:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Dodge))
8:32 PM <Saff|Cwn> $roll 1d6 Doge
8:32 PM <[ATM]> Saff|Cwn "Doge" [4] = 4
8:33 PM <•Antioch|GM> He pulls his fist back, telegraphing the incoming punch so you're prepared for it, but it comes at you quickly enough to alarm. You sidestep, evading it, and his momentum carries him forward, scooting on the balls of his feet rather than taking small steps to compensate for the loss in balance.
8:33 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You'll learn how to throw a punch that doesn't put you off balance if it misses, too." ||
8:34 PM ⇐ Camtist quit (uid157531@charlton.irccloud.com) Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
8:39 PM <Saff|Cwn> "I... Okay. Thank you so much. You've been really helpful." Wow, Gwyn. You sound like a dumbass.||
8:39 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Course. Never hurts for me to brush up on the basics, either." ||
8:41 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Still. You're like the first person who's not twelve to be nice to me here. It... Thank you."||
8:42 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Damn, really?" He frowns a little. "You should be getting a warmer welcome." ||
8:43 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Everyone's been busy with Lilith and Blackjack and this and that. I was hoping to get to talk to Valiant today, because it's because of him that I'm even here... And there's also the fact that I'm. I was a villain. I think people are scared of me." I shrug, then cross my arms over my chest. "'s not really new."||
8:47 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I get that," he says, "but making you feel unwelcome in your new workplace seems kinda shitty, and also dumb." ||
8:48 PM <Saff|Cwn> "I guess you're right. I don't know. I haven't even met all of the capes. I think maybe I can name three?" I try to laugh a little, but it is making me nervous. I'd like to speak to everyone... ||
8:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Heh, yeah. It's been kinda hectic, hasn't it? I'm sure you'll get to meet the whole team soon enough." ||
8:54 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Yeah... It probably won't be too long now. I shouldn't get so down about it."||
8:56 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Want to keep at the bags while you wait? I dunno if you need to be anywhere," he says, hesitating. ||
9:03 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Yeah. I can do that." I say, throwing another punch at the bag. Yeah. I got this.||
9:04 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Here," he says, demonstrating a series of strikes in slow motion.
9:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Palms open," he continues. Thwap thwap thwap. "Neck, wrist, solar plexus. Open palms can segue into takedowns and grapples, and barring that, you can go after pain-inducing pressure points." ||
9:09 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Open palms? Like this?" I try to emulate him. Neck, wrist. Solar plexus... Though the idea of taking someone down... That's a little freaky. ||
9:12 PM ↔ Nonagon nipped out
9:14 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Driving back, will be a bit.))
9:14 PM <Saff|Cwn> ((aiight))
9:35 PM Thaliaway → Thalia, Teruzi|Omen → Teruzi
9:53 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((oops i forgot this was happening and made dinner))
9:53 PM <Saff|Cwn> ((nice job nerdo))
9:57 PM ⇐ JustLurking quit (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net) Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
9:58 PM <•Antioch|GM> You go through the motions slowly at first, then pick up speed. It's intuitive, almost, the way the elbows and wrist flex, whipping into the 'body' of the training bag. ||
9:59 PM <Saff|Cwn> "This is actually kind of fun." I say with a small laugh. To be honest, this is probably the most I've smiled since I got here. "I'll be taking down baddies in no time." Once I get that psych clearance, of course.||
10:00 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Once you're clear for sparring, I get the feeling you'll enjoy yourself," he says. ||
10:01 PM <Saff|Cwn> As long as I don't end up elbow deep in Feral's guts again. But I don't say that out loud. Instead I just nod and keep punching. ||
10:04 PM ⇐ Teruzi quit (uid43982@tooting.irccloud.com) Quit: night~
10:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> "If you're looking for other ways to keep training," he suggests, "and you don't want to have to worry about developing bad habits for CQC, I can point you towards a fitness regimen."
10:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> "They'll probably put you through a physical eval once you get cleared, and it'll help you prep for it." ||
10:07 PM <Saff|Cwn> "That sounds awesome. Thank you. Thank you very much." I give him a small smile, then pause. I haven't heard anything from Mendez or her people in a while. I hope that I haven't had some schedule that I wasn't aware of. "With your help, I'm sure I could kick that eval's ass."||
10:11 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Heh. No problem. Gearing up for a patrol around Cleveland State University in a bit, so I'm afraid I've gotta cut and run. Figure I'll see you around the gym some other time, yeah?" ||
10:12 PM <Saff|Cwn> CSU. Heh. Figures he would be out there. "Stay safe. See you around." I give another small smile, then swallow. I guess I should probably try to see what I can do about getting a new phone... since I just busted mine.||
10:15 PM <•Antioch|GM> He gives a small nod and a wave, heading out of the gym.
10:15 PM <•Antioch|GM> Eventually, you run into Feral, who's looking for you specifically, it seems.
10:17 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Hey, hey! Cwn!" She manages to make it to sound like 'coon', drawing out the 'oo'.
10:17 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Been lookin' for you. S'posed to show you around." ||
10:19 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Oh, Feral. Hey." I turn around to look at her, my heart racing a little. I hope there aren't any hard feelings for me uh. Literally being inside her. "I'm glad. I've been kind of left with the Wards. They're nice but they're... Young, I guess is the word."||
10:21 PM <•Antioch|GM> "What, y'don't think I'm young?" she replies, feigning offense. ||
10:23 PM <Saff|Cwn> "You're not like... Twelve." I say with a chuckle. "You're very pretty, Feral, if that's what you're implying." I mean, she's really not bad to look at, even if her teeth aren't the straightest. Though, now it seems like I'm hitting on her. Hopefully she doesn't tell Mendez I'm harassing her.... "So, whaddya want to show me?"||
10:24 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Your room, mostly. Wanted to walk and talk, too."
10:24 PM soulpelt| → soulpelt|sleep
10:25 PM <•Antioch|GM> "I'm scheduled to patrol Dead Man's Hand turf this afternoon an' evening, figured you'd be a pretty good person to ask about it." ||
10:26 PM <Saff|Cwn> "My room?" Feral, shouldn't you buy me dinner first? "Oh. Yeah. I guess I am the best person to ask. Though... There might be new residents there now." My entire face turns bright red. I almost forgot about the call from Nachzehrer. "Ugh. Fuckin' Silver Bullet."||
10:27 PM <•Antioch|GM> "What, the guys that went after you and Coldhand? They back or somethin'?" ||
10:31 PM <Saff|Cwn> "They went after my territory, or at least I think they did." I sigh heavily and look Feral in the eye. "Nachzehrer called me last night. I think she wanted a fight but I told her I wasn't interested. She basically told me to go fuck myself, which I mean. That's pretty par for the course with her. I assume she took it." My heart is racing and my hands are
10:31 PM <Saff|Cwn> shaking and oh god what if Feral immediately locks me up for that? "But like! I didn't want to talk to her and I know I shouldn't have but I didn't recognize the number and by the time she told me who it was it was too late... Please I'm really not trying to cause trouble."||
10:32 PM → SOMA joined (uid136321@highgate.irccloud.com)
10:34 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Eh, now that it's empty, buncha capes are gonna show up to try and grab it. Better capes we know about than we don't, right?"
10:34 PM <•Antioch|GM> "So who's this Nachzehrer bitch, anyhow? What's her shtick?" ||
10:38 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Uhhhhhhh." I blink a few times. "I don't really know. Coldhand fought her, not me. She's real short though. HATES it if you call her that though. She's the one that offed the chilly bastard. Some of my men said she was like... covered in ice and then she broke out and started punching the shit out of Coldhand. Put him in a goddamn coma." God, I was useless
10:38 PM <Saff|Cwn> in that fight. Maybe... Maybe if I hadn't been DROPPED... I look back over to Feral and sigh. "I'm sorry I'm not much help. I've talked to her like twice. She called me a dumb cunt. We weren't exactly friends."||
10:41 PM Serk → ZZZSerk
10:48 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Heh. Still good to know, what kinda buttons I can push to piss her off. Really useful, for me." ||
10:49 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Yeah. Hit all the short buttons and you should be good. Nearly ripped my head off for that. Literally." Oh. Fuck. I've ripped Feral's head off. Shit. Shit I. Fuck. Should I apologize? Or is Feral losing body parts just... normal? I don't know. "Erm. So uh. Who all on the team should I meet?"||
10:51 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Hmm, few people here today you can meet up with. Lessee," she says, swiping through a metal sliding door.
10:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> The skybridge over to the Protectorate building is pretty slick, tempered glass giving out a sweeping view of Lake Erie and downtown Cleveland.
10:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> You can see a PRT-labeled boat on the lake, floating around for some reason.
10:53 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Just Conquistador and Fleetfoot, I think," she eventually says, after pondering. ||
10:54 PM <Saff|Cwn> "That's fine. I... I just want to get to know the others. If we're going to be working together, you know?" Shit, I sound so awkward. "Also um. Thank you. For helping me out that night. Even though I didn't really deserve it."||
10:58 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Heh, no prob. That's more Val's credit, I just kept you busy wailing on me while he did the smooth talking." ||
10:59 PM <Saff|Cwn> "And I'm sorry for the..." I just make vague gestures with my hands that don't really amount to any sort of talking. "By the way uh. Do you know where I could get a replacement phone? I kind of well erm. Mine's in pieces."||
11:00 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Oh, yeah, we got a laptop and cell for ya in your room. Was meaning to get rid of your crap phone earlier, actually." ||
11:02 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Oh. Cool. That's... Really cool actually." I've been operating off of that crap phone since I left school. I sold my laptop for Taco money so it's been a while since I've had one. "Everyone... Everyone has been really nice."||
11:03 PM <•Antioch|GM> ((Nah, your crap phone is long gone. The phone you had was a burner you used for villainy furnished by Blackjack.))
11:03 PM <Saff|Cwn> ((oop))
11:05 PM <Saff|Cwn> **I've been operating off of crap phones since I left school
11:05 PM <•Antioch|GM> "We'll make a hero out've you yet, kiddo." ||
11:06 PM <Saff|Cwn> I sure hope so. "So. You said Conquistador and Fleetfoot are here?"||
11:08 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Yep. CQ's on the console, Fleet's just chillin' until he patrols with me, c'mon."
11:08 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Got any questions about 'em before we meet up? Might save ya some awkward questions." ||
11:09 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Erm. I don't know. Is there anything I should know about? Anything I shouldn't ask? I don't know I'm... I'm not really good with people, to be honest."||
11:11 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Ehhh, CQ is kinda an insensitive dick with no social skills, don't take anything pers'nal. Fleet's a good kid. He's 'bout your age." ||
11:16 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Okay. All right. I know the others aren't here but... Is there anything I should know about them too? Or maybe just something about the place in general? Anything I should avoid in the cafeteria?" God, I must sound so annoying. ||
11:16 PM ⇐ Belaris quit (uid83463@charlton.irccloud.com)
11:18 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Dunno that I'm the best person to ask about the caf. Food's usually good, but if you're watching what you eat, just follow the squaddies' lead. They're usually pretty conscious about their diet."
11:18 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Don't worry about getting on CQ's good side. He's getting transferred out real soon, got the feather in his cap for taking down Lilith and he's on the fast track to becoming a team leader in one of the other departments."
11:18 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Hm. That's all I can think of for now." ||
11:21 PM <Saff|Cwn> "That's right... Lilith went down." I frown. That could have just as easily been me. And at some point I had considered trying to get in touch with her before Mal talked me out of it. "Okay. I think I'm ready."
11:21 PM <Saff|Cwn> ||
11:21 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Leggo," she says, swiping through another door.
11:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> Conquistador is manning a console with a headset on, and doesn't pay attention to you. He seems a combination of smug and irate.
11:23 PM <•Antioch|GM> Fleetfoot is watching the TV while he's on the elliptical. A delayed version of the news coverage of the press conference seems to be playing. ||
11:25 PM <Saff|Cwn> Oh god oh god now this is it. Should I say hi first. Should I wait until they notice me? Should I let Feral introduce me? Why are people so difficult? I open my mouth, but no words come out, and close it again.||
11:25 PM <•Antioch|GM> Fleetfoot's the first to respond, stepping off of the elliptical after an awkward silence.
11:26 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Hey, yo, Cwn Annwn! You were on TV a little bit ago. Welcome!" He does a small little sweeping bow. It's pretty dorky. ||
11:29 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Oh god. I'm still trying to forget that." I'm blushing again. I'm still amazed I didn't puke on camera. "Hi... It's... It's nice to meet you." Hell. I might just puke right now. He seems nice enough. Young, though.||
11:30 PM <•Antioch|GM> He looks younger than you, actually, which is weird for the Protectorate, since you're supposed to be in your freshman year of college.
11:31 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Nice to meet you, too. Y'know, today's my first patrol in DMH turf. I'd been prepping for it, reading up about you and your power. Turns out that's not a thing I need to worry about." ||
11:32 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Yeah. Feral was asking me about the area. If there's anything you want to know, you can ask me too." I try to smile, but I'm just so incredibly nervous now. "I'm curious, what do they have about me?"||
11:35 PM <•Antioch|GM> "The, uh, plan was to chuck a bunch of flashbangs at you while Feral tried to get the gangsters to shoot her instead of me. More or less. My power works better with small-group tactics, so I'm trying to get some patrols in with the squads." ||
11:38 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Oh. Grenades. That's..." I tilt my head to the side. "That would probably make me upset, yeah. Glad we're on the same side now." I'm feeling the metallic taste in my mouth just thinking about the amount of light those bitches would produce. ||
11:39 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Cwn here was filling us in about the guys who are trying to horn in on DMH turf. Silver Bullet, looks like. Y'know, the mercs in Columbus? We got some details on their new Brute, the one that knocked over Coldhand," Feral chimes in.
11:39 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Oh, really? Sweet." ||
11:43 PM <Saff|Cwn> "Yeah. She's like..." I vaguely gesture about her height off of the ground, "This big. She's really fuckin angry. Like. So much anger in such a small person. I don't understand it." I shrug and look over to Feral. "I don't know much else about Silver Bullet though, 'cept that Coldhand fucked them bad."||
11:44 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You gonna go back to CSU once they start back up in the spring, Cwn? I'll be there," Fleetfoot says. ||
11:51 PM <Saff|Cwn> School? Oh. Oh god. "I... No... I don't think so. I... I didn't really fit in." My eyes immediately lock on my shoes. He's being so nice but. "And I really don't think I'd fit in now with my reputation. I'm... I'm probably just safer staying here."||
11:52 PM <•Antioch|GM> "You can do the distance learning thing, yeah? They got streamed lectures for some of the bigger classes." ||
11:54 PM <Saff|Cwn> "I mean... Yeah. I guess I could do that but." Oh god oh god why does he have to be so damn NICE? I don't want to tell him no, but... "I think maybe I should try to settle in here... before I try to put more on my plate. I don't... I don't know. I really haven't thought about it, to be honest."||
11:55 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Heh, yeah, should get settled in first. You got any questions about the place?" ||
11:56 PM <Saff|Cwn> "A million." I say, cracking a small smile. "There's a lot to get used to. I don't even know where to start."||
11:57 PM <•Antioch|GM> "Well, you're staying here, right? Me and Feral'll be around." ||
12:01 AM <Saff|Cwn> "Yeah. Not allowed to leave for the time being." My psych eval was abysmal, Wink is plotting my murder, and the Director thinks that if I have any contact with Blackjack I'll snap. But I can't say THAT out loud. "So I'm just... here, I guess. Not much for me to do except work out and drink coffee."||
12:02 AM <•Antioch|GM> "Hey, at least the coffee's good, yeah?" ||
12:06 AM <Saff|Cwn> "It's... really good actually. I'm going to have to limit myself or my heart might explode from all the caffeine, ya know?" I smile a little at the two, then peer over to Conquistador. He still hasn't acknowledged me, and at this point I think that's a good thing. "Now that I have a laptop though I could probably dick around online for a little. That's
12:06 AM <Saff|Cwn> something. It kind of sucks not having much freedom but... In the long run this is a better choice for me."||
12:07 AM → Dolyn joined (Dolyn@net-9pf5lr.mo.charter.com)
12:07 AM <•Antioch|GM> "Glad you're with us," he says, pulling on the mask and gloves for his costume. ||
12:10 AM <Saff|Cwn> "I'm glad to be here." Yeah. Yeah, I really am. "And I really look forward to working with you all."||
12:11 AM <•Antioch|GM> "Welp, we gotta head out." He lowers his voice. "My advice? Don't stick around for Conq to rag on you. Get that sweet laptop time while you can before Mendez sticks you with six patrols a week." ||
12:14 AM <Saff|Cwn> Can CQ really be that bad? I wonder if I should find out, or if I should take Fleetfoot's advice. I don't want to get on his bad side, but maybe showing Mendez that I can be a team player will get me out of lockdown faster? "Good luck. If you see Nachzehrer... Kick her ass extra hard for me." Shit. Can I say that? Maybe I should just go back to my room.
12:14 AM <Saff|Cwn> DAMNIT I just remembered that I left my pudding in the Caf. I could have had that pudding.||
12:17 AM <•Antioch|GM> "Sure thing," Feral says, "though we'd probably be going in to talk, first. If they hold the turf, they're not going to pick a fight with the Protectorate and they're not dragging civvies into this, beats the hell out of other psychos that might be coming into town." ||
12:19 AM ⇐ Dolyn quit (Dolyn@net-9pf5lr.mo.charter.com) Quit: Leaving
12:21 AM <Saff|Cwn> "I don't know. She beat Coldhand until he was in a coma. I mean. From what I heard... He was responsible for her.... getting her powers but. She's kind of violent." Not like I wasn't violent too but. "Just be careful."||
12:21 AM <•Antioch|GM> Feral bursts into continuous snorting for about half a minute. "I don't remember what that word means." ||
12:24 AM <Saff|Cwn> She's been torn apart so many times and she's.... laughing? She's an interesting one, that Feral. I don't even know what to say. "I uh. I guess I'll head to my room... then." Call me vain, but I really want to see what strangers on the internet are saying about me from the press conference this morning. And I've got to check my new phone...||
12:26 AM <•Antioch|GM> "Oh, right, yeah, lemme show you where it is." Feral leads you down some halls and up some stairs, and you find yourself in a room that feels more hotel-ish than homey. There's enough room for you to add a personal touch, somewhere down the line, but what really jars you is a little fish-eye camera in the corner. ||
12:28 AM <Saff|Cwn> A different room than last night? And... a... Camera? Guess I got to find other places to relieve stress. "Is that....? I just point.||
12:29 AM <•Antioch|GM> "Eh, yeah," she says. "They'll prolly take it out when you're clear."
12:29 AM <•Antioch|GM> You vaguely recall crashing at one of the empty Ward rooms since you were accompanied by Embody, but the sleeping pills make your recollection foggy. ||
12:32 AM <Saff|Cwn> "How clear? Like... Clear for duty or off probation clear?" Because... getting off of probation could take years. I don't want Mendez watching me undress for that long. "I mean. I'm not... I'm not trying to be defiant but it's... it's a little weird." Still, I grab the laptop and phone and hop onto the bed. Maybe when I'm not so restricted I can get some
12:32 AM <Saff|Cwn> nice pillows or blankets or something. Make the place feel more like home? "I... Thank you, Feral."||
12:33 AM <•Antioch|GM> "No prob. Lemme know if you need me to grab you somethin' to brighten the place up." ||
12:36 AM <Saff|Cwn> "I uh. Thank you." I nod and look down at the phone they gave me. Maybe I'll get some news on Malcolm soon.||
12:37 AM <•Antioch|GM> Feral steps out as you scroll through the phone. The contacts for various PRT and Protectorate people are already programmed into it, but you don't have any of your old contacts. Whoops.
12:37 AM <•Antioch|GM> It's supposed to be your work cell, in any case. Probably for the best, except for the fact that you hucked your other phone into oblivion. ||
12:39 AM <Saff|Cwn> "I'm a fucking idiot." I mumble, placing this phone gently on the nightstand while I boot up the laptop. I have a sick need to find out what everyone thought about the stream. Maybe I should bite the bullet and make a PHO account. Maybe people will think I'm cool? For once. ||
12:40 AM <•Antioch|GM> ((PAUSE -- I'm gonna whip up a Killhand PHO thread tomorrow for everyone to fuck around with))