Sooner

Yep. I'll be glad to help out whenever I can.

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Come to Chicago.

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If I come to Chicago will you take me drinking?

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Could do it two ways:

1. Local suburban stuff.

-or-

2. Downtown Chicago stuff.


We can work out the arrangements (I don't even let my parents into my house anymore as it has become my rat's warren and the paths I have are mine.)




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Interestinly, it would cost me about $240 to take amtrack, and I would spend more than 24 hours, each way, to get to Chicago.

The round trip flight would be more than $300 (unless I plan it a couple months out, then the cost goes way down) but would be non-stop, and just a few hours.

Of course, it would ALSO require that I set foot in Chicago O'Hare... something I had hoped never to do again.

And, driving would cost me about $200 in gas, and be about 12 hours.

Hmmm... I've never been to Chicago... unless you count the unbelievebably miserable night I spent there when O'Hare stranded me there.

I have two scrappers standing pocket D right now.

Two lonely scrappers..

I'm sold. Sign me up.

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Come to Chicago.

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If I come to Chicago will you take me drinking?

I have played ALOT of Fallout3, and loved it.

I have enjoyed Rock Band 2.

I played the hell out of Left 4 Dead.

I really liked Mass Effect.

I'm a little burned out on all the above.

Suggestions?

Part 15 of Homecoming is up in RP.

Ahren

“SIX!” he yelled, “We’ve got company!” He turned to square off against his oppenent.

“I see the ugly [censored]!” Six yelled back, and Ahren knew that Six was facing down his own opponent.

Then, carried by the wind, a voice Ahren hadn’t heard in a very long time. “I told you, little man, next time we met... we’d finish it.” Ahren snarled as that voice cut straight through him. Oh yes.. He remembered that voice far too well, and the beast to whom it belonged. He owed the big demon in pain and he intended to settle that debt in full.

“Come on and try then!” Six-Four yelled back defiantly.

Ahren turned back to his own battle. The Shade standing ready before him had the light muscular build of a gymnast and the speed to match. He held his sword lightly in both hands and danced around like a welter-weight boxer. But despite the obvious proficiency of his abilities, something about his overly eager attitude spoke volumes. This young man had yet to truly be tried in battle. And now he had met a teacher.

“You picked the wrong man for that move, Shade,” he said and his fist rocketed forward to sink into the lighter man’s belly. The swordsman doubled over, gasped for breath, and still managed to nimbly dance away, flicking his sword alarmingly near Ahren’s eyes as he did. Light sparked from the tip of the sword and Ahren flinched back, blinking reflexively. When he looked back, the swordsman had vanished.

Ahren knew what would happen next, and so he began rapidly backpedaling towards Six’s position. He didn’t move quickly enough, however, and this time, the sword found its mark. Ahren let out a guttural sound of pain as the sword completed its movement, penetrating from just under his kidney and exiting just left of his navel. His attacker leaned in close to whisper, “That move seems to work just fine on you, Hero.”

Inside his body, nanites were working feverishly, sealing off blood vessels, rushing to repair damaged organs, cleaning up contaminants, and, not incidentally, numbing his pain. Ahren grit his teeth and grabbed the sword where it protruded from his belly. He wrapped his left hand around it closest to his body and his right just above. While offering a mental apology to the extra work he was about to create for the little machines that were keeping him alive, he snapped the last third of the blade off and tossed it away. Light flared and then ran out of the broken blade like water.

His elbow smashed back into the unprotected face of the man behind him with a wet noise like a melon smashing onto pavement. He turned as the man fell and reached behind his own back to pull the blade free. He smacked the fallen man with the flat of the bloody blade. “Never stand there like that after you stab someone,” he offered helpfully. “It leaves you vulnerable if they decide to get angry.” He tossed the broken sword to his opponent. “Now... get up.”

The man stood up, slowly and painfully, with a mournful expression that might have been comical under other circumstances. This time when he flicked his weapon at Ahren’s face, there was no flare of light and the larger man just knocked the flat away with his forearm. “Fooled me once...” he said with a slow shake of his head, and then his fist began a powerful wind-up from the hip, straight across his chest to smash into the swordsman’s jaw. Bone crunched, teeth shattered as they clicked together, neatly severing the last quarter inch of tongue. Fragments of teeth were driven through the palette and aspirated on a painfully indrawn breath. Before his target could even start to fall, Ahren’s fist slammed twice more into the face. Forbidden Blade crumpled to the ground and Ahren stepped over his body to join his teammate and confront his own personal demon.


Keely

He doesn’t know.... she thought. She watched the man she still knew as UPS stand between her, between the Ghosts, and a weapon designed to kill him, and realized that he didn’t know the very personal danger he was in. And why doesn’t he know? That taunting voice kept asking her. He doesn’t know because you didn’t tell them. The one price you were asked to pay for your freedom, and you failed.

“You’ll target Glacius with that thing after you’ve gone through me, monster” UPS challenged. He stood there, tall and strong and confident, placing himself in the way of a deadly danger he perceived to his friends.

Razor 6 shrugged. “Glacius... yes, I’ll kill him eventually. But I live now because of him. You, however... I still remember the betrayal. I know it wasn’t really me, but I remember it as if it were. You left me to die. You might as well have killed my wife yourself. Monster I may be, but I’m a monster who exists because... You. Left. Me. Behind.” Razor lifted the weapon slightly to lock UPS in his sights. “Just think, my old friend, of all the harm I’ve done, and remember, in your last moments, that none of it would have happened if not for your actions.”

Keely felt regret twist her gut. This was a good man. And her sister adored him. And why hadn’t he left the room? Why did he still stand there? Because she was still there - he wouldn’t leave that room while she was still in danger. Not only had she failed to deliver her message, but she was the reason he would stand there and die. She couldn’t stand it. She could not sit there and watch this man die because she had failed in the one thing she’d been asked to do in return for her freedom. She was so afraid. The people who had imprisoned her and tortured her were in the very room with her. She wanted nothing more than to crawl as far into the darkness as she could and hide until they all went away. But she couldn’t. She was a Hero.

Time slowed to a near standstill. From her vantage, she could see Razor’s finger start to tighten on the trigger. Her body exploded with a noisy burst of kheldian energy into her tentacled nova form. With a flick of her tail and shrill alien war cry, she darted out of hiding. UPS turned to her with alarm, “NO! Keely! Stay back!” he yelled. He reached for her, his body twisting as the weapon fired. A beam of light - not the blue, purple, and red of a quantum rifle, but a deadly green and white - shot from the barrel of that weapon. Keely made one last burst of speed and managed to place herself squarely in the way. It hit her like a runaway freight train. She was knocked in a flying somersault past UPS just as he let out a yell more of surprise than pain, and she realized that despite her best efforts, he had been struck a glancing blow. She smashed through the broken window before she could regain control of herself, and whirled back to see him staggering, his left hand clutching his right shoulder. His shields were flickering, his skin was pale, and then she saw blood begin to show clearly on the shining white of his Ghosts Reborn uniform. And Razor 6 was lining up for another shot.

UPS staggered back and hit the window’s ledge. The blood was running down his uniform in scarlet streams, and Neely let out a horrified scream. He started to sink down, and every one of the watchers knew that if he fell there, alone in that room with their enemies, he would be dead. At that moment, Sooner Spirit darted forward, and Glacius9 with her. They reached up in unison and grabbed the gravely wounded man, tumbling his body out the window just as a second beam of that green light blasted past the spot where he’d stood.

“Butcher!” Glacius9 shouted, pointing at Razor 6, nearly incoherent with rage. “Murderer! You’re dead! YOU’RE dead!”


None of them noticed the shadow that hopped out of the broken window still on the hunt.


Ahren

With every step, Ahren felt himself becoming a flesh and blood instrument of long overdue retribution. Anger was an entirely inadequate word, fury or rage were still not descriptive enough. The demon was a brutal monster, and Ahren intended to see him bleed.

Memory is a funny thing, a small emotionally detached part of his mind mused. He understood better than anyone else the fear and desperation that was driving Keely’s erratic behavior, and she’d been a prisoner of the Shades far longer than he had. He could remember every beating, every torment inflicted on him when he’d been a prisoner, but that time was behind him. What does not destroy me, makes me stronger, he thought. He was stronger now, and if that demon thought he was facing the same man he’d had in that little steel cage, he was in for a nasty surprise.

He rounded a crumbling brick wall to see the demon pressing his advantage on Six-Four. Six was not a small man by any description, but the demon was a towering giant, with leathery wings spread wide, clawed feet dancing with surprising speed and agility, and dark shadows wrapping around his monstrous fists. It would be terribly easy to let the sight of the beast that had tormented him make him weak, make him fearful, but Ahren would not allow that to happen. Instead, he channeled the surge of adrenaline released at the sight of the demon straight into his anger and determination.

Six was struggling, being driven back again and again. He bled from a dozen wounds, and for each one that his amazing ability to heal closed up, the demon opened another two. Six’s teeth were bared in frustrated determination, his blades flashed and whirled, but he couldn’t find an opening. And as Ahren strode closer, the demon landed a brutal backhand that sent Six flying back. His blades clattered from his hands as he crumpled to the ground. The demon let out a triumphant roar and strode towards Six. Ahren had heard the excruciating details of Six’s previous battles with Conall Cian, and this one wasn’t going any better. Six was struggling to get up, but failing, and Ahren knew his teammate was in serious trouble.

“Hey! Tinkerbell!” Ahren called. He reached down and grabbed a chunk of broken pavement. Lifting it high overhead, he hurled it at the demon. It smashed into him, spinning him away from his fallen target to face Ahren.

The demon smiled, a broad, crooked grin baring his fangs. His dismissive gaze raked Ahren from toes to face. “You?” He laughed, the sound full of dismissal. “You’re going to save this one? Last time I saw you, human, you were sobbing in a puddle of your own blood and sweat.”

Ahren laughed, and if the sound was just a touch bitter, who could have blamed him. "Yes indeed, you're an impressive fighter, when your opponent has already been made helpless." He raised his chin and beckoned with his left hand, "Come on over here, fairy, and let's see just how tough you are when I can fight back!"

“Brave words, little man,” the demon crooned as he stalked towards Ahren, and away from Six. “Brave words from a broken hero.”

Ahren dodged a vigorous swing and struck back, with a powerful fist to the gut, “Oh, I think you’ll find I’m all better, now.”

The battle raged, not just in fists, but in words. And with every blow, every taunt, Ahren kept the demon turned away from Six-Four, who slowly and painfully dragged himself to his feet. Ahren met Six’s eyes, and they exchanged a very brief nod.

Conall raked at Ahren over and over with his massive claws, but those blows went wide, or failed to penetrate Ahren’s nanite-toughened skin. Ahren manage to connect more often than the demon did, but he had only a little more success in doing damage. The broken street was filled with the heavy sounds of fists striking flesh over and over, and the guttural noises of exertion or the sudden exhalations when a blow landed.

Ahren watched as Six-Four finally regained his feet. His blue on white uniform was still cut and stained with blood, but the skin underneath was whole. Six nodded once and let a smile spread across his face. Ahren smiled broadly in response.

“Why do you smile, human?” the demon demanded. “You will not win this fight.”

Conall was becoming more and more furious as the fight wore on, and if his blows were more powerful, they were still not landing often enough to do any real harm. In fact, Ahren was quite certain that the two of them would fight to a draw - if that fight remained just the two of them. But a point he’d tried to make to Six-Four months ago was about to be proven.

“Why do I smile, you evil murderous thing?” Ahren responded. “‘For the strength of the pack is the wolf....’” he quoted.

Six-Four erupted into motion. The demon was just realizing his danger as Six plunged both his blades deep into the demon’s belly. With a triumphant roar, he slashed outward and down, opening that wound wide in a fountain of crimson blood. He then leapt into the air in a graceful spinning twirl, raking his blades across the demon’s chest, neck, and face. Those blades exposed lung tissue to the air, narrowly missed the pulsing carotid artery, and laid open the demon’s cheek from jaw to ear, revealing that all of his teeth were the sharp meat-cutting weapons of a carnivore. As Six’s feet hit the ground and his knees bent under him, he finished for Ahren, “‘...and the strength of the wolf is the pack.'”

Conall stumbled back, gasping for air, one hand clasped to his throat as blood poured out of the wound there, the other to his belly. He tried to speak, but the only thing that came from his mouth was bloody bubbles. Six moved to finish him off - and Ahren made no effort to stop him - but the demon managed to activate an emergency teleport at the last moment, leaving the street to the heroes.

Both men had reason to want that demon dead, but they commemorated their victory with an enthusiastic high-five. Their celebration was cut short when Glacius9's furious cry cut through the morning chill in Siren’s Call, followed by Neely’s frantic scream.


Vir

As the battle began in Siren’s Call, a war raged inside Vir’s body. He had researched and crafted microscopic machines which worked diligently to protect him, forming protective shields, repairing damage, building muscles and strengthening bones. Millions of them coursed through his body, but hundreds of thousands of them had been corrupted by the Shade’s weapon. Those nanites no longer recognized the tissue surrounding them. Instead of protecting and healing, they attacked savagely. Millions of cells died under the assault of the tiny machines. They ripped open blood vessels, savagely assaulted nerves, and chewed through muscle.

Those nanites that still functioned properly raced to heal the damage, but their AI failed to recognize that their fellow nanites had gone rogue. The damage continued, while some of the corrupted nanites turned and attacked the healthy ones, preventing them from acting.

The pain was nearly unbearable, and Vir collapsed once he was out of the building. He watched in helpless dismay as the Ghosts around him reacted in confused chaos. Keely still hovered over him, screeching furiously and frantically in her shrill alien voice. Neely stood between Vir and her sister, apparently frozen in shock. MidnightAngel fired bolts of lightning into the room they had all just left, while Sooner Spirit and Glacius9 faced off against each other as Sooner tried to prevent him from charging in to attack. Celestial Nav dove towards Vir, and her blessedly warm healing energies flowed through him. It didn’t stop the pain, but it soothed it enough that he could think.

He understood quite well what had happened, if not exactly how it had happened. He also knew he was profoundly fortunate to still be alive - if that beam had found its target instead of glancing off his shoulder, he’d be dead or dying. No... not fortunate. Grateful.

His right arm was completely immobile, but he reached toward the hovering nova. “Keely...” he whispered. Nav leaned over him and shushed him as she continued her efforts to help him, but he cleared his throat and tried again, “Keely.... thank you...”

Ahren and Six-Four rounded the brick wall at a dead run. Ahren didn’t know what had happened, and he would be as vulnerable to that weapon as Vir himself. He pushed himself up onto one elbow, “Ahren!” he coughed, winced, and gasped out, “ No... nanites.... You’ll die...” Nav scowled and pushed him back down.


Thin Line

The chaos was magnificent. The shouts, the screaming, the blood, and the anticipation. He watched the blonde as he crept after his target. His little warshade had had her glorious moment as a hero, and now... it was time for her to die. She hovered as if guarding her fallen teammate, just out of his reach; but that would change. The blonde - the one who would be joining him in many games to come - stood nearby, torn between the two. He positioned himself carefully, so close to the fallen man that he was nearly standing in the stream of blood.... waiting.... just.... one... more... moment....

The blonde called the Warshade’s name. The dark nova turned and flitted down.

Thin Line crouched, his swords drawn back.


Neely

She hadn’t been able to complete a thought since watching her sister and her friend both struck by that deadly beam. Now Keely was darting around screeching like a war-crazed hummingbird and Vir was down, his blood seeping in a slow stream into the dirt.

When he called out his warning to Ahren, and she realized another of the people she loved was in danger, she finally was freed of her paralysis. “Keely!” she cried. “Thank God! Keely!”

She lifted her arms to embrace her sister. Keely turned, her tentacles waving with excitement, and started closer.

Something changed. Neely blinked as her sister suddenly stopped moving. Her body jerked, her tail spasmed backwards. She uttered a thin wail. Neely blinked again at the two metal points - one black, one white - that had suddenly appeared on her sister’s alien body.

Thin Line

It was like stabbing a living sculpture of spun sugar, nothing but a thin brittle resistance. Dark light flared around his blades and ran out and down. The body jerked on his blades with surprising strength.

The blonde stared, then threw back her head and screamed, “NOOOOOOOOOO!”

The fallen Ghost echoed her with a furious wordless cry. He struck clumsily with his left arm, but Thin Line easily evaded him.

The weight on his swords suddenly increased. The nova vanished and a frail brunette appeared skewered on his twin blades. She gasped, her chest tremoring, and her hands fluttered over the tips of his blades. He shoved the blades forward until his thumbs caressed her back and her blood poured out over his fingers. She gasped once more, uttered a faint cry, and then collapsed back against him. He leaned forward and spilled her body onto the man lying on the ground, savagely twisting the blades as she slipped off them.

While her blood still dripped from the blades and his fingers, he lifted one hand in a duelist’s salute to the blonde. “Your move,” he crooned.

Be Be Be Be Be Be!!!!!

Part 14 of Homecoming is up in RP.

Neely

Celestial Nav stepped forward. “Neely, she’s terrified.”

Neely was finding it hard to think. Her’s sister’s terror had grabbed her by the heart. She could barely breath, her pulse was pounding, and her blood was roaring in her ears. And over it all she kept hearing her sister in that other world say, “It was just the two of us...” and “She wouldn’t let us near her.”

Neely turned to her friends. “Please, can I have a few minutes with her? Maybe if it’s just me she’ll come out.”

Sooner nodded and faded back into the hall. Glacius, Nav, and Angel went with her. Vir stood by the door, and Neely felt her heart turn over. She turned to him, “You too, big guy.”

“Neely...” he started, but this time she broke over him

“There’s no one here, UP– Vir. There’s no one but one terrified girl. You can see this is not a trap.”

His brown eyes held hers for a long moment, then he nodded. “If anything happens, I’m coming back in.”

She wanted to argue, but her sister’s distress was pulling at her. “Fine!” she answered. “Just get out of here.”


Sable Murphy

She was filled with excitement and dread. This would be her first time to go up against the Ghosts since regaining contact with Cherished. How could she fight them? What if she came face to face with Cherished? She had come to the conclusion that taking a fall would be her best approach when Razor called a halt with a single upraised fist.

The broken terrain provided perfect cover. Up ahead, they could see a single man in a Ghosts Reborn blue on white uniform. He stood tall and alert, his gaze constantly moving. Sable felt a chill come over her at the expression on Conall Cian’s face as his lips pulled back in a teeth baring smile. “It’s past time I finished that one,” he growled. Razor pointed to the left, and they could just make out another Ghost. Conall smiled even more broadly. “And that one, as well.”

Razor turned to Conall, “You and Forbidden Blade take care of Ahren and Six-Four. The rest of us will go in to finish the rest.”

Conall huffed a singled laugh. “Take the boy with you,” he said, indicating Forbidden Blade with a toss of his head. “I need no help finishing off the ruined Peacebringer and I’ve already beaten the other to a pulp twice.”

“Nonetheless,” Razor answered, “You and Forbidden Blade will work together to take out the watchers., then join us inside.”

Conall inhaled once through gritted teeth and nodded. “You take that one,” he said, pointing at Ahren. “He’s been broken and spit out already, you won’t find him much challenge.” Forbidden Blade nodded once, then faded from view. Conall followed, moving with surprising silence for his size.

Razor 6 waited for them to move away, then led his team in a wide, quiet arc behind the building.


Vir

He watched Neely advance into the room, and then turned his gaze back to the hall behind his team. He didn’t know why she was so determined to keep him out of that room, but he had lost enough friends to the Shades already. With two Peacebringers and a Warshade and with a deadly quantum weapon in the hands of their mortal enemies, he was not going to stand by and let any of them get anywhere near that weapon. Keeping both Neely and Glacius from getting into trouble would be tough enough, but with Keely so flighty... they just needed to get her out and get her home. Once she was safe, then they could worry about her peace of mind. Three possible targets for one deadly weapon, and each of them too damn stubborn to stay down and out of the line of fire.

He watched Neely drop her glowing shields and ground his teeth in frustration. He’d been keeping that woman alive despite herself for years. One day he suspected he wouldn’t be fast enough. He hoped it wasn’t today.


Thin Line

And finally... all the players were in place. He waited; so close he could almost reach out and touch them. Just a few moments more. The Peacebringer glided into the room - step by slow step - calling her sister’s name. His scared little warshade peeked out at her.

“Neely... is it really you? You left... I felt it when you left.”

“I did leave, but I came back,” the blonde answered. “Someone lied to me, and I believed him, and I left you behind. But I’m back now, and I’m so sorry, and you’re going home with me, and everything will be ok now.”

He waited, holding his breath. He would let them nearly touch. He would let them get so close... the game would be so much more exciting for them all if they were denied at the absolute... last... moment.

The brunette inched forward. She crouched in front of her hiding place. “Neely?” she said, with sobs starting to choke off her voice. “I want to go home.” The blonde took two more steps forward and held her arms out to her sister.

He allowed himself a low chuckle. An audible chuckle.

And the game began.


Neely

Time came to a stop. The story of how UPS had died in another world replayed itself again and again in her head. It took an eternity to swivel her head to the right. She saw a man - bald head, wearing a neat black suit - smile at her, and then vanish. She opened her mouth to yell as she concentrated on getting her shields back up. Too slow... too slow by far.


Sooner Spirit

A low, confident chuckle rolled out the room Neely had entered. It was a sound too masculine -and too soulless - to have come from Neely or her sister. As she crouched in preparation for battle, her eye caught movement from behind them. She whirled back. It was a trap. She bared her teeth and yelled, “INCOMING! Shades! Behind us!”

At almost the same moment, Ahren’s voice broke over the radio, “They’re here! The Shades are here!”


Ahren

He hated waiting. Once battle began, there was no time for luxuries like anxiety or fear. But when there was nothing to do but wait and think... too much time to remember things best forgotten. Too much time to worry about friends and think about what could happen to them.

He was a teacher. In his heart, he was a teacher. And if a Peacebringer hadn’t found him, he might be devoting all his time to one of Paragon Cities universities. Instead, he’d become a hero, but then he’d walked into a trap laid by the Shades and they had ripped that from him. Then he’d taught himself to fight and become a hero again. And when that wasn’t enough, he’d turned to technology and remade himself a third time. He wouldn’t have given it up if he could, but sometimes he did wonder what his life would have been like if that Peacebringer had passed him by that day so many years ago.

His eyes never stopped moving, always watching for the danger he knew was coming for them, but he did smile, just a little, at the image of himself in a tweed jacket, sitting at a desk, perhaps just a bit of a gut from a more sedentary life, grading papers and grateful for the Heroes that kept Paragon City safe.

Nanites, modified from the ones that gave Vir his powers, flowed through Ahren’s veins, crept through his tissues, and even sped up the electrical activity of his nervous system. And that alerted him. He didn’t know if it was a movement or a noise, or just a change in air pressure, but something made him whirl and twist back just as a deadly blade thrust toward him. Instead of skewering him, it made a long, thin cut across his belly and chest, a cut that was almost instantly knitted closed by his nanites.

He keyed his mike and alerted his teammates, “ “They’re here! The Shades are here!”


Vir

He allowed himself the luxury of one single, emphatic curse. He glanced into the hall and saw Razor 6 -with an enormous weapon slung across his back- start down that long hall. Ebony Rose was behind him, and several elite Arachnos soldiers. He grabbed Glacius9 - whose shields were all up - by the shoulder, “Move it, old man!” he insisted, and dragged Glacius into the room. Neely’s shields were not up yet and he took two long strides to her, picked her up like a kitten and tossed her out the window. He reached for Keely, but she darted back under cover. At least she was out of line of sight, and he had the rest of his team to worry about. “Outside!” he yelled, and waved them through.

Neely had hit the ground with smooth roll and was back up, shields on, trying to get back into the room. “I’ll get her!” he growled at her. “You keep your [censored] OUTSIDE!” And, for a wonder, she stopped. MidnightAngel had paused in the doorway to fire at their approaching enemies. “Move it, ‘Angel!” he insisted. She ignored him and fired another blast of electricity down the hall, but before he could reach forward and handle her like he had Neely, a pulse rifle blast knocked her back into the room. She bounced, rolled, bounded to her feet and then finally ducked out the window.

He started to reach for Keely - her emotional state be damned - when the Shades reached the door. He turned to face their enemies and felt his hatred for them twist his face. “You can’t have them,” he growled at Razor. “You can’t have Glacius - and you can’t have any of the others - without going through me first.”

Razor 6 smiled triumphantly at him. Razor could have been Ice9's twin, and that face, smiling at him like that, was an offense that struck to Vir’s soul. “We’re not here for Glacius,” Razor said. He brought that weapon around and braced it with a wide stance, pointing it directly at Vir’s chest.

Sam... I can be anything on either team. In fact, I can be ALMOST anything on both teams.

I don't need the badge, so I don't even need to be there for this unless you need me to fill a spot. So.. after everyone ELSE has taken their spot, I can come in and fill what's missin.

And... I'm sorry... I'm gonna have to back out of this.

Something came up.

I don't need the badge (my only badger has it)... but I'll gladly help out. I have at least one of every hero AT at 50.. so I can be whatever you need me to be.

....and if you DON'T need me, that's cool too. I dont' like PvP enough to do it for fun, but I'll be glad to come along to help.

You'll have to explain what SNK is.. but.. otherwise, sure.

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OK, so where did my post go?

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It probably was attached to mine and I had a potty mouth. They both got flushed

It's always better to ask me than to post in the forums regarding these issues. -Mod08

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AAAAaaaaaaahhhh! AH! AH! AH!

Mod 8 has possessed SlimPickens!

AAAaaaaaaaHHHH!!!!

*flees in terror*

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I'm surprised people noticed... >.>

... or remembered. :P

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It is not har when there is a little cake next to your name.

HPBD

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I would like to go on record that this was posted BEFORE midnight (well, before midnight my time anyway), therefor BEFORE there was a little cake by his name.

I am just that good....

Part 13 of Homecoming is posted in RP.

Keely
Siren’s Call

Her two halves had calmed. For the first time in months she had peace inside her own skull. She knew both her halves were still fragile, but together they seemed able to form a more stable whole. She needed a strategy for getting home. On the surface, it seemed so simple: fly to the Steel Canyon gate, cross through, go the entrance to the base, and go home. But in reality, it was so much more frightening. She knew Siren’s Call was not a safe place, and the thought of encountering any of the myriad of villains who would do her harm was unbearable. The Shades were surely looking for her, Arachnos as well. And any number of rank and file villains were out there who would be delighted to take out a warshade.

She brought herself back to the illusion of calm that was the best she could mange. She would change back to nova. She would crash straight through that window and fly fast and high back towards the Steel Canyon gate. Before anyone even saw her, she would be safe. Yes. That was her plan. She visualized it again and again. But she wasn’t ready yet. She would stay where she was, enjoying her illusion of safety until she could bring herself to move.

Then, from so close it had to be in the same room, she heard a single exhaled breath. She wasn’t alone. They had come for her. Her panic spiraled and she pushed herself even further back into her hiding place.


Neely
Siren’s Call

“Wait, Neely,” Vir urged again. In other circumstances, she would have laughed. She hadn’t been back five minutes and he was trying to tuck her under his protective wing again.

“She’s IN there,” she repeated.

“Neely, I know you’re worried, but we’ve been warned of traps and a super quantum weapon that the Shades have built. For your sister’s safety as well as ours, we should wait until the team is all here.”

“But-” she started, then cut herself off. His arguments of danger just made her more anxious, but she also remembered very well the story of how his other-world counterpart had died. The image of just the two of them going into an abandoned building after her sister was just too close for her own comfort.

“The rest of the team will be here soon, Neely,” he offered, “and then we can go in strong.”

And at that moment, Neely felt her sister’s fear spike. Her head whipped around to the building. “Not soon enough, big guy!” she snapped and started running.

“Neely!” he ran after. “You’re still crazy, dammit!”

“NO!” she turned back to him. “YOU wait. You stay here.”

“No way you’re goin in there alone,” he answered her with a set to his jaw that made it clear there was no dissuading him.

Her heart squeezed. Keely needed her, but she couldn’t stand the thought of losing her friend either. “NO!” she yelled. “You have to stay out here. I can’t lose you both again!” She turned back to the door and had her hand on the handle when he planted his hand on the door.

“Stop right there and start behaving like a Ghost!” he snapped. “Dammit Neely! After all the missions, all the blood, the loses, the near-misses, haven't you learned anything?! We're a team! Let the TEAM help you, but you have to help them too!” He leaned closer, “I know you’re worried about Keely. We all are. But I am not going to let you drag anymore Ghosts into danger because you’re letting your emotions rule your brain! You don’t know the situation, you may be walking into a trap, and you’re making a foolish choice that may get you or others killed!”

“Behave like a... I helped START the Ghosts! I’m a leader-”

His hand moved suddenly, from a flat palm on the door to a fist smacking into the door frame. “You don’t lead anyone anymore. You LEFT. You nearly provoked a super-powered war in the Rogue Isles, and then you disappeared. I’m not even sure if you’re welcome as a member of the Ghosts after your actions.”

That stunned her into silence. She just stared at him, her kheldian energy leaking from hands and eyes, frozen in shock. “UPS, I...”

“My name is Vir,” he answered. “And if you want to go in there on your own, be my guest. ” He dropped his hand and turned his back to her, tossing one last comment over his shoulder, “Time to decide you’re a member of this team or not.”

It was too much. She was held motionless by her worry for Keely, her worry for her friend, his words... Her energy flared around her, and her temper started to flare with it. But at that moment she saw the bright red and white cape of Sooner Spirit flash down towards them. The brilliant glow of another Peacebringer, Glacius9, followed her, and Ahren, strong, healthy, his scars gone and his face at peace arrived right after. MidnightAngel swooped in - with her spark of electrical energy in tow- along with a handsome young man that she barely remembered as Six-Four. Her old friend Celestial Nav rounded out the group. Hugs, greetings, and questions were all cut short as Neely finally found her voice again.

“Keely’s in there. She’s in trouble. Please, let’s get her out.”

Vir stepped up. “Ghosts, we don’t know what’s waiting for us in there and I don’t want us trapped unaware inside. Ahren, you and Six watch the front and alert us if you see anything. The rest of us will go in -” he cast one look at Neely before continuing, “together - after our lost warshade.”

The Ghosts headed for the front door while Ahren and Six-Four found themselves vantage points from which to watch over their team.


Keely
Siren’s Call

Keely began to creep out of her hiding place. You’re a Hero, dammit! she chastised herself. Heroes don’t sit in the dark and cry! A sullen child’s voice from deep inside muttered, I never wanted to be a stupid Hero, but she ignored it. For her Kheld half, it was as if freedom had restored sanity. Keely was a little slower to catch up and she was still terrified of being recaptured. Nonetheless, she wouldn’t find her way home hiding here.

She crept forward and peered out the window. She saw movement below. Her vision was improving slowly, but still all she could make out was a dark-haired man-shaped figure darting out of sight. She gasped and ducked under the window. She wanted to hide again but she didn’t allow herself. Her wide blue eyes darted around the room. She wasn’t sure what that noise was she’d heard earlier, but she didn’t see anything now.

She turned to look out the window one last time, and then smiled. An intrepid climbing vine had scaled the brick building and just outside the window a beautiful purple bloom was just spreading its petals to the rising sun. For a young woman who had seen no beauty in her life for far too long it was a long overdue reminder that life can hold great beauty. She put her palm to the pane of glass separating her from the blossom and smiled.

The sound of a door slamming open reverberated through the building and she whirled back to face the door. She reminded herself again that she was a hero and that she should stand and face whomever or whatever came through that door. But then she could hear more and more people enter the building. They were running through the building, opening doors. Every now and then a muffled voice would carry to her, “Clear!” or “Nothing here!” They were looking for her. And as one particularly deep man’s voice approached closer and closer the fear won out over her thin veneer of courage. She crouched and began to slink once again for her hiding place.

The door to her room flung open and she couldn’t help herself from crying out when a very large man stepped through. She blinked, trying to bring her eyes into focus, but all she could be sure of was that it was a large man. He called out, “I found her! Here!”

She was frozen, like a rabbit held in approaching headlights. A woman came in behind him, and when the bright spark of electricity behind her arced with a flare into the doorway, the last of her nerve broke and she scrambled back to her illusion of safety.

More and more people crowded the room. They blocked her only way out. Once again, she was trapped. The air was too heavy, she couldn’t breath, she couldn’t think. The people in the room were all chattering at her, calling her name, using up her air. Finally she erupted out, “No no no nononononoooo!” and they fell silent.

Then she heard her sister, “Keely? What’s wrong?” She peeked out and saw, behind the line of bodies, the brilliant white glow of a slender woman wrapped in Peacebringer energies. She looked like an angel, but Keely couldn’t go to her, the air was too thick. She shrank back again and wrapped her arms around her knees. Her sister’s voice cried out, “What’s wrong with her?” and Keely would liked to have answered, but there was no air.

...But... bc I really hate to see the fiction get hit with that crap, I'll bring in both my accounts and 5 star you right now.

May be too much inertia to make a difference.. but I'll give it a try.

...well, my two 5 star ratings didn't budge it. Sorry.

Happy Birthday!

[ QUOTE ]
I noticed my story has now dropped to one star, after holding steady at two for quite a while. A couple thoughts on this:

1. If you genuinely read the story and think its bad or offensive in some way, enough to warrant 1-starring it, I would appreciate it if you would leave a comment or send me a pm. Doesn't have to be a big critique.

2. Obviously, most if not all of the threads in this section are getting flattened. I know most people don't really care, but it would be nice this kind of thing weren't the norm. I don't buy that it's one person doing it unless they have multiple accounts.

Does anyone think this issue is something worth pursuing with the moderators? It maybe be possible for them to check who is one starring threads and take some action based on the pattern of behavior?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have asked more than once that the mods take action on it.

I have been told more than once that there is no way for them to track it or take action.

Frankly, I don't believe that.

But.. after awhile, you just get to ignore it.

Perhaps with the new forum migration that will fix it.

I don't know if it's possible, but really wonder if there's not some sort of 'bot doing it, because it happens so fast and so consistently.

Ya know... I've run this... possibly hundreds of times. And you're right. I've never seen most of it.

Sure. I'll come along. I have several flavors of corrupter I can bring.

Cut it out! You're gonna screw up the merits for the rest of us!

Part 12 of Homecoming is posted in RP.