Suraht_Arromin

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Almost seven full years of Tanker Tuesday.

Damn, that's impressive.

At least I'm not the only person in the dark around here. A couple of years will change a game.

No.

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Link

That thread is pretty much the reason for this one.

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Actually it is not but nice attempt at inductive reasoning. Trying to find a master plan in my posts is giving me far too much credit.

I've been playing a controller, and teaming with controllers and defenders. On a two person team a defender is not very helpful, on an 8 person team a defender is amazing. The game seems to be designed around solo or 8 person teams with nothing in the middle.

It is bad design to have 2 defenders teaming be weak and 8 defenders teaming be godmode. The 2 defenders team should be strong and the 8 defenders team should be strong - maybe a bit stronger.

It is a question of balance. There should not be one best way to play the game. And currently there is - stacked buffers (and debuffers but that's another topic) are godmode a duo of buffers is weak. That's bad design and invites abuse.

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A duo of buffers is weak? I think that greatly depends on powersets you're looking at, as well as build style. Let's take Empathy, pretty much a pure buff set, for example.

Two Empaths teamed up can rip through missions fairly well, as long as they've invested some resources in their offense...they may not kill enemies incredibly quickly, but as long as they're on top of their games, they're going to be really hard-pressed to get defeated....Both have Clear Mind, Fortitude, RA, and RegA on 100% of the time, AB on most of the time, and they can both fully heal each other every 6-8 seconds. Throw a third Empath in there, and you've roughly tripled how strong that team is(Double Fort and Double CM up 100% of the time, Double RA and RegA most of the time, and AB still up most of the time on everyone...basically, you'd have three regen blasters with mezz protection and perma-aim running).

That looks like it's in front of the Steel Canyon University. At least on test, the cheerleader is there passing out papers.

It's mentioned in a few other places on the forums, but I don't see this one here yet.

There's a police scanner mission where you have to rescue UHF channel 52's resident tech-head, Dr. Philo. As you approach the hostage, the mobs guarding him make references to something being wrong and alien about him. Philo mentions that George needs his help either after rescue or at the start of the fight, and then says,"My work here is done." later.

All in reference to the movie UHF.

In the giving spirit, here's a nod to a bygone time.

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I wish i could find the interview. But it was done shortly after COH launch. And he also said he had others. But that City of Spies he would like to do after COV. Good question about how would spies fit? Sounds cool to me. Imgaine the cool ATs they could do. (or might be already working on)

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I think this is what you were referring to.

<singing and dancing>"Aaaaaaaaaaaye Macarena!"

Some people have good timing. Some people have bad timing. And then, some people have the worst possible timing available. Happy, however, gets to fall into a new, previously undiscovered category, one that could possibly pull the Heart of Gold straight out of the Hitchhiker's Guide books and into existance.

He'd actually been allowed to patrol on his own earlier that day. He'd been showing some marked improvement since the interchange began, and appeared to have his episodes completely under control, so the thought was no harm could be done by letting him roam a bit. He was sent to Steel Canyon to help clear out a few of the Outcasts that were roughing up some of the local business owners. However, he was detained at the Zig's gates by a guard who didn't believe they'd let him out by himself, and could only arrive in time to call the paramedics for one of Subgenics sales clerks after a Lead Shocker had blasted him badly enough to send him into cardic arrest, and then had to wait as the only ambulance able to respond had just picked up a patient and was en route to the hospital. The coroner arrived later to take his statement just as the dead man's family showed up to take him out to lunch...for his birthday. All Jake could do was walk over and apologize to the family for not being able to be there in time.

Doing nothing to give the family some closure wasn't an option, so he set out to find the responsible Outcast, and began a search. He found the scumbag, just as a Circle of Thorns acolyte plunged a serrated blade into his belly and disembowled him. Once again, a step too slow.

Trying to get rid of this streak of bad luck he found himself on, he leaped off to take his frustration out on anything bearing the Outcast symbol, and pummelled a few of the gangers into submission, when a loud whistle grabbed his attention. He hurried to the source to find his old fire chief directing heroes on how to put out a fire that had started in one of the skyscrapers, and he walked up and asked if he could help. The chief didn't recognize him at first, and handed him a backpack, told him to fire the stream of water at any fires he saw, and then told him to watch out, as Hellions were making runs at the building and starting new fires.

He smiled, happy to be back in his old line of work in some shape or form, but such streaks of bad luck and timing are not broken so easily. He tried to save the building, but everytime he aimed his water stream at a blaze, a new one would have started up that demanded more attention. Everytime he spotted the new arsonists, it was just after they'd managed to start a new fire. It didn't take long for the already ravaged building to finally succumb to the flames, and when it did, the explosion leveled nearly a city block, putting his former fire chief, several heroes, and a handful of pedestrians in critical condition and into the burn ward at the hospital. He tried to help get people free from the rubble, and the first person he carried to safety was his old chief, who picked that moment to recognize him and panic that someone responsible for the fire based destruction of apartments was near the fire that'd just gone out of control. Just before he passed out, he sent a distress call to the rest of his unit about Jake's presence, and they showed up quickly and suggested that Jake vacate the area before they found a way to blame this on him.

Now he just wanted to get back to his cell, and sleep this off, but he knew he had to eat. He looked at the clock on the wall in the guard station, and noticed that he'd shown up five minutes too late to get the meal they usually delivered to his room to minimize his contact with the other prisoners, so he was forced to go to the dining hall. He took his tray without incident, and had just sat down to eat...whatever this was supposed to be...when he heard a familiar voice speak up, obviously wanting to be heard throughout the room.

“In the early seventies, some high-forehead types paid two groups of thirty college kids to live together over the summer in sealed apartment complexes. Three months. Regular food and supplies were brought in through a connected room, but neither group was allowed to see or talk to the folks delivering. The first group wasn’t told anything else, they were the control. ”

People started to look up from their plates. Some of them probably hadn't done so in this room in years. A few eyes landed on Jake's face, and the people those eyes were attached to elbowed neighbors, with murmurings of,"Hey, isn't that the guy you said what put you in here," and "Him...he's the one!" and "Lookie here boys, I think it's time for a little payback."

“The second group… Within a month the ‘prisoners’ were doing all the cooking and cleaning. By the end of the second month, the ‘guards’ were withholding food for ‘rules infractions’, like being up past curfew, sleeping in, not getting work done, or excessive complaining, By the end of the third month, beatings were administered by the ‘guards’ for these sort of rules infractions.”

More people turned to look at the former hero. "Look...the horned guy's giving us some cover. He gives us a little more, and we move."

“I AM NO PRISONER! YOU CAN’T MAKE ME ONE! I AM NO PRISONER! YOU WANNA FEED ME LIKE I’M AN ANIMAL? I’LL SHOW YOU AN ANIMAL!”

Happy looked up, once again, a second too late. He managed to see the serial number stamped on the bottom of the trey just before it connected with his forehead, hitting hard enough to knock him out of his seat and onto the floor. A second later, he could only register a dozen or so fists with makeshift brass knuckles, forks, and butterknives flailing at him. He reactively tried to activate his fire shields, but the collar that he was forced to wear at all times inside the prison blocked the message from reaching his body, and the beating continued until one of the knife bearing gangers accidentally damaged the collar, and allowed Jake the use of his powers again.

He immediately activated his shields, forcing all the gang members to jump off of him. He looked around, hoping that a nearby guard could come to his aid, but they were all busy with the riot that was ensuing around him. He shook his head to clear it, and saw the gangers rushing back toward him to try again. Out of options, he jumped up above their heads, willed his fire sword into existance, and came down spinning, holding the sword out to hit as many of them as possible. He managed to hit them all, but noticed at the last second that a guard had managed to come over and see what the problem was, and ended up taking the full force of that attack, and he wasn't breathing now.

The gangers were all incapacitated, so Happy dropped his shields, and knelt over the fallen guard and started to check his vital signs. He reached up to the neck to try and find a pulse, when he heard,"The [censored]'s gonna strangle him! Put him down!", followed by the sensations of a half dozen submachine gun rounds, three tranquilizer darts, and a severe electrical discharge at the base of his spine.

Of course, his timing had to work against him one last time, as the electrical charge jolted him to his feet and locked him in place there as it knocked him out, and a few guards took the opportunity to get in a few last shots before his body slumped bonelessly to the ground.

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ok right, but then I thought absorb pain didn't take away as much as it gave. So it would be a gain, right?

Woot for confusion!

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Actually, since you would be under the debuff of AP, you wouldn't receive the heal at all, and it would still take the HP away from you.

I'll second the wish for self CM, though.

"Okay, who's up next?"

Powerfrost, Raindance, and Wille sat around the desk in the chief's office, listening to audio feeds and going over reports from the first day of the interchange project, where various F.O.R.C.E. personnel were teamed up with members of the Freedom Phalanx and it's allied members.

"Hmmm...it looks like subject Jake Montgomery, aka Happy Phlogiston is. Doug, are you sure you want to go over this one now? We haven't received a report from Mrs. Blaze on him yet."

"Wille, we might as well get it out of the way. Besides, I didn't see anything in the newspaper about a thermonuclear meltdown, so we can assume that nothing stunningly bad happened. We can at least see if his anger and depression are coming through, or if the meds are actually helping."

"I have to go on record again as saying how strongly I disapprove of allowing him into public circulation. None of our testing has come up with a proof positive reason for his mental disorder, and sending him among civilians is a potential public relations disaster."

"Ms. Shaw, that is exactly my point in sending him out. We haven't uncovered a thing about what's wrong with him. Meanwhile, when he was afflicted last, he was out in the field, fighting crime. We can't duplicate those conditions on a psychiatrist's couch or group sessions. We have to know what affects him before we can hope to fix the problem, and insofar as our attempts have come up empty, this is the best possible method of determining what we want to know.
Best case scenario, Jake goes out, fights some crime, nothing bad happens. He comes back to us a little less depressed, with a little fresh air in his lungs. Worst case, he flips out, and we have a better picture of what's wrong with him."

"Granted, but you're putting both the public's lives and the life of a hero up for ante with the gamble, and...."

"The risk is marginal, at best. Jake's been teamed up with a hero that is nigh invulnerable against his particular strength, so her safety is not a worry. The suit we outfitted him with monitors the biochemical signature of his cerebrum and cerebellum, and if there is a significant change similar to the ones found with advanced schitzophrenia, it is programmed to sedate him. On top of that, Montgomery's terms state that he is to give his charge a tranquilizer pistol loaded with darts strong enough to force a Clydesdale into slumber at the start of their first session. It was witnessed by several members on both sides that the exchange occured, so we have no reason to believe that Montgomery is not cooperating fully."

"Then, for the record, know that I -very grudgingly- will hold my concerns for the "I told you so" session after he screws up and gets this program canned."

"So noted. Now, Wille, cue up the tape, and we'll hear what went down."

"Ja wohl, mein furher. Just let the computer snap out of idle....there we go."

[Team]Yukon Tundra: heya folks
[Team]Saint Sid: hi
[Team]Yukon Tundra: I see the bandages are off
Handsome Devil: I heal quick when I have to. Raindance's love bites actually took the longest....
Handsome Devil: I'm waiting for our fearless leader to appear and pronounce sentence. Where is the Popsicle, anyway?
Yukon Tundra: said something about a Mr Freeze truck that needed a fridge..
Handsome Devil: want me to handle you in the meantime, Tun?
Yukon Tundra: no thanks, HD
HappyPhlogiston: Yeah, where is tha big guy, anyway? Don't they get onta him for lettin' alla us out in one place without armed guards?

"Just a second, Wille. Pause it. What in the blue HELL is Devil doing out of his cell? He's supposed to be in lockdown, yet there he is, cavorting with other FORCE members? And outside the Zig walls?"

"I don't know...I'll have the security chief check the video logs when we're done here. However, what is going on here? All I hear are our boys acting like it's recess."

"I let Devil see what he would be missing out on. I hope that the sight of his fellow prisoners having fun might have some small effect on his desire to behave, and be able to enjoy such priveledges. I do not doubt that this was a monumental failure, but it was an honest attempt. However, I think the recording equipment started early. Must be a small glitch in the system, but at least it's to our benefit. Now maybe we can hear a bit of what they say behind our backs, ja?"

Powerfrost nodded. "Just let it run, maybe Devil will say something I can pipe into someone else's cell to break up an alliance."

Wille nodded, and clicked the play button again.

Handsome Devil whispers to Wille, 'Can we get Tundra doing some extra sit-ups before lights out?'
Wille Zur Macht raises his brow
Handsome Devil he looks like Agent Seven....
Yukon Tundra: hey..Wille's gone all highbrow
Handsome Devil: Whatever you say, Chip. Should we head over to the yacht club for a brandy?
Yukon Tundra: can someone tell me why the boomboxes in this town only play one station?
Wille Zur Macht: Extra situps? I believe 10000 reps will take all night. That will not really help.
Handsome Devil: It's staggeringly popular.
Saint Sid: with which crowd?
Yukon Tundra: must be..everyone seems to do the herky jerky to it
Handsome Devil: Mostly with people driving cars, actually.
Yukon Tundra: Did anyone make sure Happy got his p[ills today? Sid here says he was being spastic before I got ehre
HappyPhlogiston: Is it just me, or do they always seem to try to ram those cars inta us?
Yukon Tundra: it's not just you..I don't mind the cars, but the trucks are annoying
Handsome Devil: Careless drivers. But they never hit any non-super pedestrians. weird, huh?
Yukon Tundra: I wanna know why no one gets pulled over for running the lights either
Saint Sid: you could start making arrests for it yukon..
Yukon Tundra: Hey happy..up there, you're almost normal height
HappyPhlogiston: Don't worry, big guy. They got my suit wired to keep track of my brain pan. They'll know if I haven't been taking what I'm suppose ta.
Saint Sid: pummeling drivers for traffic violations oughta go over real well with the higher ups.
Yukon Tundra: Look..it's a bird..It's a plane..nope..it was a superhero falling outta the sky again
Yukon Tundra: dat one of ours there?
Handsome Devil: Maybe we could wire them with tiny chips that give them a teensy-weesy bowel movement when they hit us...
Handsome Devil: Nah. Chips in their brains. Crazy talk
Yukon Tundra: some of them do it anyway when they get their repair bills
Saint Sid: haha
Yukon Tundra: almost as bad as spiking their water, eh?
Handsome Devil: The very idea....
Saint Sid: yea.. that's never been done in paragon..
HappyPhlogiston: No one'd be that stupid.
Handsome Devil: Except by Devouring Earth. And they're BAD an' stuff
Yukon Tundra: I wonder how many of those 'white hats' let the drugs get in the water when the Vahz are down there since thye try it so often
Yukon Tundra: Just tell me we'll never have to save lawyers from the baddies, PLEASE
Handsome Devil: I love those assignments
Saint Sid: DE have a penchant for lawyers.. council as well.
HappyPhlogiston: As long as I get to skip over the one that made sure I ended up in the Zig.
Saint Sid: gonna start the long climb up. I'll call if anyone's there.
Yukon Tundra: I still got no way up there
HappyPhlogiston: The guy who claimed he was gonna defend me, but instead just ended up bargaining with the prosecution.
Handsome Devil: Funny how that happens. Mostly when you're totally guilty and your lawyer is trying to save you from the big needle. :-)
Yukon Tundra: isn;t that what they always do?
HappyPhlogiston: So instead of one big needle, I end up with a few hundred small ones.
Handsome Devil: Touche. :-)
Wille Zur Macht: Doc. Start shuttling people to the top.
GeoMorphic: Hello.
Saint Sid: hi geo.
HappyPhlogiston: Hello.
GeoMorphic: >>Screaming, laughter<<
Saint Sid: right then
HappyPhlogiston mumbles,"and they're worried about me...."
GeoMorphic: >>Blood, tears<<
GeoMorphic: >>Pain<<
GeoMorphic: >>Screaming, laughter<<
HappyPhlogiston: Geez, someone get him some prozac.
GeoMorphic: Already taking it.
Dark Proton: Would if we could get up there
Yukon Tundra: hey..the babe has our colors on too? wanna come in?
[Team]Yukon Tundra: the 3 of them trying to surround us?
Yukon Tundra: right about now I want XRay vision since Abby is standing spread legged
Abigail Adams: You mean this pound doesn't neuter? That's a shame.
GeoMorphic: >>Screaming, laughter<<
Descretio: oooooooh
Yukon Tundra: the other 2 seem a bit standoffish..I know they made us shower tonight
Dark Proton: You shower Yukon?
GeoMorphic: Shower, mud...
Saint Sid: in oil?
Yukon Tundra: yeah, but the custodians hate it..I clog the drains
Yukon Tundra: hey..a NICE butt over there too
Wille Zur Macht: You see gentlemen, when you behave you get priveleges of indulging in beautiful sights.
Dark Proton: I have been a really good boy.
Wille Zur Macht: Rather than seeing each other's hairy [censored] in the showers
Healing Rayne: Avocet.
HappyPhlogiston: Wille, you guys don't let me misbehave. All my down time is spent in a chemical stupor.
Yukon Tundra: and most of your uptime too, Hap
Wille Zur Macht: Which means you behaved in chemical stupor.
Saint Sid: reall all your time..
HappyPhlogiston: Granted.
Wille Zur Macht: Which shows promise.
Dark Proton: Better living through chemistry
HappyPhlogiston: Story of my life, Doc.
Yukon Tundra: still only 3 there now..the rest left?
Healing Rayne sighs
GeoMorphic: Stone says there are more.
[Team]Yukon Tundra: anything in Talos, o fearful leader?
Saint Sid: there are more than three.. i feel them.
GeoMorphic: Three try to hide. Fear.
Yukon Tundra: I wamnna feel a few..but Wille will yell at me
Dark Proton: Down boy.
Descretio: *laughs*
Yukon Tundra: maybe if I frost the area they'll show?
Yukon Tundra: 4 now?
Saint Sid: easy yukon.. no need to get put in a cell first night out for fun.
Healing Rayne: Hello Zur macht
HappyPhlogiston: Well, one of 'ems got a backbone, at least.
Wille Zur Macht: Greetings
MacroLass: Hello Wille.
Yukon Tundra: Hey..it's Spunky!
Dark Proton: This is getting better and better.
Wille Zur Macht: Guten Tag Macrolass
Abigail Adams whisperst to Fixette
Healing Rayne: *turns to the last one to talk* I believe you are Happy?
HappyPhlogiston: That'd be me.
Descretio: hes one of the seven dwarves
MacroLass: Yeah, I don't know why Icon thinks they can get away with that.
Yukon Tundra: He also is known as Dopey most of the time here
Harken Gloom: too many of us?
Harken Gloom: dis one on one...ja?
Healing Rayne: that would make you Yukon, right?
Wille Zur Macht: Ja
Yukon Tundra: I wouild be Yukon, yeah
HappyPhlogiston looks at Descretio and Yukon.
Yukon Tundra: I have yet to meet my 'keeper'
Healing Rayne: They are not going to bite..you three can come over
Harken Gloom: I should go den....my partner is not coming?
Harken Gloom: Herr Macht?
Wille Zur Macht: He should be here.
Yukon Tundra: Hair makt?
Harken Gloom: ok...
Healing Rayne: These things never run on time Harken
Vangarde: Hello Zur Macht
Wille Zur Macht: Mind your tongue Yukon
HappyPhlogiston: Nah....not now. *looks back to front*
Descretio: who are we waiting on boss
Fixette looks over each person she doesn't know in turn
Wille Zur Macht: The director
Yukon Tundra: Jus tryin to learn the lingo, boss
Descretio: ahh snowcone is coming
Wille Zur Macht: The director is coming
GeoMorphic: Bossman coming?
Yukon Tundra: big boss..not just the road boss
Descretio: *laughs*
HappyPhlogiston: I'm sure it'll make the peanut gallery over dere feel much better when the chief gets here.
MacroLass: Wow, Bruce Springsteen is coming?
Dark Proton sighs
Yukon Tundra: you mean Joisey boy?
Yukon Tundra: oh..no..that's Bomn Jovi, right?
MacroLass: Right.
Vangarde chuckles
Vangarde: this is going to be interesting to say the least
Anne Blaze: Hello Vanny
Abigail Adams: Is it too early to ask a question?
Barometra: Thank you Fixette.
Healing Rayne: Since everyone here is going to stand like statues...I am Healing Rayne..of teh Freedom Phalanx
Fixette presses a button on her belt
Vangarde: hey Anne
GeoMorphic: Are you a doctor?
Vangarde takes Rayne's lead
Healing Rayne: No..but I have studied some courses..to help in my abilites.
Vangarde: i am Vangarde, Liberty Force
MacroLass: Yes he is. Turn your head and cough please...
Healing Rayne: Hey Van
Yukon Tundra: watch it..you let HD do that once already..ain'tcha learned?
GeoMorphic: Why cough? Doctors talk.
Vangarde: Rayne, how you been?
MacroLass sighs.
MacroLass: Never mind...
Dark Proton: Maybe he isn't that kinda of doctor, Geo.
WillO'Wisp: Hello Van!!!! I miss you dude!!!
GeoMorphic: Ah.
Healing Rayne: Very good..got hit with some radiation a few nights ago...accelerated my mutation..it's been fun.
Dark Proton: We have had this conversation before.
Yukon Tundra: heya the big boss is here
Dark Proton: 'ello Boss.
Descretio: evening boss
Powerfrost: Greetings
Healing Rayne: Good evening Powerfrost.
Saint Sid: hola frosty
Yukon Tundra: can we put an end to this mexican standoff yet?
GeoMorphic: Hello bossman.
Powerfrost: Hello to you all
Healing Rayne: What kind of doctor did you think I was?
Descretio: DRAW
Yukon Tundra: heya boss..taking off armor
Fixette shifts from foot to foot rocking her hips then remembers she's not in a skirt
Vangarde: a picture of what?
MacroLass chuckles.
WillO'Wisp: Looks like your boy is hear, schoolbabe.
Fixette: Oh?
GeoMorphic: Like my doctor. He talks to me. Helps me understand squishy ones.
Vangarde: hey hey guys
Yukon Tundra: hey..Anne's showign some impressive cleavage Happy
Fixette: Zack isn't here.
Anne Blaze: !!
Yukon Tundra: oops..I meant to whisper that
Anne Blaze frowns.....
Granite Rock: hello everyone
Saint Sid: *laughs*
Healing Rayne: I have studied some Psychology...but doubt I would be qualified to help as well as a profesional
GeoMorphic: Hello Granite Rock.
MacroLass smirks and shakes her head.
Anne Blaze: Mr. Zur Macht? Do these people come with muzzles?
Vangarde: Anne...
Yukon Tundra: we don't bite..unless asked nicely..well....except for Devil
Saint Sid: only the cannibals.
Dark Proton: Hey!!! We all aren't like the Devil
Anne Blaze: yes?
Wille Zur Macht: No only Handsome Devil does
MacroLass laughs.

Wille, Powerfrost, and Raindance stop the playback to laugh at the sound of three people simultaneously mention Devil when muzzles are asked about, then restart the file.

Healing Rayne: That's an unpleasant question anne
Yukon Tundra: damn..we all jumped that
Vangarde: yes but it was an unpleasant remark as well....
Anne Blaze relaxes..... I'm sorry....
Yukon Tundra: hey..roadboss..you said my 'keeper' will be late?
Granite Rock: Hello everyone
Vangarde looks back "hey granite
Yukon Tundra: oops..sorry..I took ya for granite granite
Fixette: Hiya Mr. Rock!
GeoMorphic: Stone speaks of you Granite.
Yukon Tundra: heya
Granite Rock: It does GeoMorphic. How are you tonight?
Vangarde: Barometra
GeoMorphic: I am solid.
WillO'Wisp: Hello Granite!!! Nice to see you!!!
Dark Proton groans
Granite Rock: Hello Will
[Team]Descretio: Damn, marcoass has some short shorts.
Barometra: Hello Vangarde
[Team]Descretio: macro
Yukon Tundra: and I thought mine was bad..well, it was...
[Team]Yukon Tundra: yeah..but Macroass gfits
Healing Rayne: Is everydaymouse to show tonight?
Vangarde: Zur Macht...is Void Seeker comming?
MacroLass: Everyone, please settle down.
Wille Zur Macht: Everydaymouse is being timid. I am trying to convince him to come out of his hole.
Wille Zur Macht: Void seeker disappeared for couple of days.
MacroLass: Powerfrost will assign his people to us very soon I'm sure.
HappyPhlogiston: Just let me know when the show starts.
Vangarde: I will team with anyone that is left without a partner if h doesnt show
[Team]Powerfrost: anytime you want to roll Wille.. start pairing em up
Wille Zur Macht: That may be the case.
Yukon Tundra: whatcher talent, Van?
Wille Zur Macht: We will commence pairing
Descretio: finally
Vangarde: i blow things up from waaaay off
Wille Zur Macht: Descretio
Yukon Tundra: but I just got to the comics
Descretio: sir
Wille Zur Macht: step forth
Wille Zur Macht: I assumed you met Fixette?
Wille Zur Macht: Or spoke to her.
Descretio: yeah over com
Wille Zur Macht: She will be handling you tonite.
WillO'Wisp: *laughs*
Yukon Tundra: heh
Fixette: Handling? *looks confused*
Descretio: good times
Descretio laughs
Healing Rayne: Since mine is not here..I am able to wait until another partner comes..or mine shows up
Wille Zur Macht: Rayne we will have you temporarily reassigned tonite
Descretio: hello fixette
Fixette smiles and almost gives Descretio a hug and offers him a hand to shake at the last moment
Wille Zur Macht: Geomorphic
Healing Rayne: that shall work then
GeoMorphic: Hmm...
Wille Zur Macht: Step forward
Wille Zur Macht: Your handler tonite will be Granite Rock
Yukon Tundra: step easy please..we ARE on a thin roof
WillO'Wisp: My guy is not here. heading out.
MacroLass: <whispers> Everybody must get stoned.....
Granite Rock: I look forward to it GeoMorphic
Dark Proton laughs
Healing Rayne: ow
GeoMorphic: Good.
Yukon Tundra: hey twinsd
Puck Bunny: Hiya everybody.
Barometra sighs uneasily.
Wille Zur Macht: Yukon
Anne Blaze: Hiya Puck
Puck Bunny: Sorry Love...
Descretio: wow 2 rocks
MacroLass: Hey Puck.
Wille Zur Macht: Step forward
Puck Bunny hugs Rayne
Granite Rock: We can be.
Healing Rayne: I understand..you made it..anddid the interview..you're doing pretty good
Yukon Tundra: sorry..almost didn't hear ya
Wille Zur Macht: Macrolass is it fine that you handle Yukon for tonite?
Healing Rayne hugs back
MacroLass: I think I can deal with that.
MacroLass: Hello Yukon.
Yukon Tundra: heya
Wille Zur Macht: Happy Phlogiston
Puck Bunny: Yes...I am like the 200kph Slapshot!
Wille Zur Macht: Front and center
HappyPhlogiston: Here.
Puck Bunny: Hiya Chaos!
Wille Zur Macht: Your handler is Anne Blaze
Anne Blaze: Hello Happy
HappyPhlogiston looks over Anne.
HappyPhlogiston: Hello....Anne, is it?
Descretio: nice one yukon
Wille Zur Macht: Dark Proton
Yukon Tundra: thanks Des
Anne Blaze: yes... *smiles*
Descretio laughs
Abigail Adams: Darn, wish DN were here now.
Granite Rock: Victor, have you been able to find any solace with stone?
Wille Zur Macht: Dark Proton you will be paried with Barometra tonite
GeoMorphic: The drugs help. Make it softer.
Dark Proton: Hello, Barometra
Barometra: A pleasure to meet you Dark Proton.
Barometra smiles.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Nice to meet you... *looks around nervously*

"Ok, this should be where Jake and Anne start conversing. Hopefully, it all comes through clearly."

Wille Zur Macht: Avocet, you partner said she will be late
Puck Bunny: Proton....Neutron...Electron...
Avocet: So I understand.
GeoMorphic: They made is stop once. It hurt.
Granite Rock: I know the many voices get loader when more people are around. I have found a place of solace.
Wille Zur Macht: Harken. Until the Ruined One shows up....I will go with you.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Yeah, I'm sure it is. You can drop the pleasantries. I know I'm not the most reassuring "partner" you've ever had. No need to hide it.

"He's already being confrontational."

"Give it time...you know he's extremely paranoid. It's going to take time for him to not think she's just going to screw him over. If he wasn't at least moody, I'd think he was planning something."

"Granted. Continue."

Dark Proton: Nice to meet you
Granite Rock: There are ways of softening it without drugs.
Barometra nods, smiling.
[Team]Anne Blaze: No..hon...that's not it....at all...
Wille Zur Macht: Lastly...
GeoMorphic: The wet voices are hard to hear over stone.
Granite Rock: What did they do to you that stopped it and hurt?
Wille Zur Macht: Saint Sid...
Saint Sid coughs
GeoMorphic: Put a machine on me.
Descretio: ahhh sid picked last again....sad
Wille Zur Macht: It appears Libery Bill is not here
Wille Zur Macht: Therefore...
Yukon Tundra: cause sid smells
GeoMorphic: Said it would turn off my powers.
Granite Rock: Did it?
Wille Zur Macht: I will have you paired up with Vangarde
Dark Proton: So what is the plan for tonights activities?
Vangarde: I will stand in
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Then what's wrong? Yer stutterin' a lot, and if we go out and break some bad guy head, they'll key on it.
GeoMorphic: It did.
Abigail Adams: Fitting. Mini-Bill
[Team]Anne Blaze: *her voice is full of tension, she discreetly turns off her comm link and cell phone...*
Saint Sid: hi van
Vangarde: Hey
Noelle Frost: Sorry, I'm late.
Wille Zur Macht: Healing Rayne, we are still trying to get the mouse to come out
Fixette: Hey Ms. Frost
Barometra: I'm not sure...are we supposed to be doing anything specific?
Descretio: maybe he was getting a snack and got stuck in a trap
[Team]Anne Blaze: My husband... I'm afraid I have a lot of experience with unstable fire users.....
Granite Rock: I cant imagine that drastic of a change. Sometime I need to show you the place of Solace I have found. when the cacophony of voices gets to much.
Barometra: Or just the usual work.
Healing Rayne: I understand..I have had an opportunity to speak with himonce on comms
Wille Zur Macht: Noelle, I believe the devil contacted you ?
Abigail Adams whispers to Van.
Noelle Frost: Yes, he did. We've been in touch.
Dark Proton: All I was told is that we would be teamed up. They don't give us alot of information for certain reasons.
[Team]Anne Blaze: I adore him...but..he is........jealous.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Ah. I get where this is going, so here. *extends a tranq gun out to her*

"There's a lot of background noise here...other people, the siren, and even a jailbreak. Is there anyway we can cut the sound to just Happy and Anne?"

"I'm trying, but this isn't the most advanced sound editing program available."

Powerfrost: No more than you need
Barometra: Very well.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *she handles it gingerly* What is it?
Dark Proton glares at Powerfrost
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I have ta give you this anyway. I start losin' it, dart me with it.
Wille Zur Macht: Director...
Barometra glances at Powerfrost, then back at Dark Proton.
Healing Rayne: Hello noelle
MacroLass chuckles.
Vangarde: We are going to do some work
Yukon Tundra: when do we leave, bosses?
Vangarde: Seven
Agent Seven nods
Yukon Tundra: getting edgy out here on the roof
Barometra: Hello Agent Seven.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *frowns* I would rather sit down and talk if you feel like you are 'losing it'
Fixette glances over at Seven as he arrives
Wille Zur Macht: You are dismissed once you have been paired
Puck Bunny looks at her PDA...
Saint Sid: have fun kids!
Yukon Tundra: looks like u n me lass
Barometra: Well then.
Avocet whispers to Puck
Noelle Frost: Wille, sir, may I speak to you?
MacroLass: Right.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *sighs and composes herself, smiling* Shall we?
Wille Zur Macht: Yes you may
GeoMorphic: Dismissed?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: But just so we're clear, don't think I like the idea that someone's gotta watch my back. And if I start to lose it, talkin' ain't gonna help.

"Very confrontational indeed. If you'd seen his posture, his overall body language, he was giving more than enough crystal clear signals that he felt very defensive. Anytime he talked with Anne at this point, his stance was that of one who braces for an attack. If I'd have heard him say this, I would have been inclined to send him back to his cell."

"Remember, Anne seemed somewhat pleased when I asked her how her time with Jake was going. Continue, and maybe we'll see him peer out from beneath the shell he's made."


Wille Zur Macht: The Devil....
Wille Zur Macht: lost his priveleges tonite.
Powerfrost: Be good kids
Noelle Frost: When we're through, I mean.
[Team]Anne Blaze: ............ *looks worried*
Noelle Frost: ... oh
Wille Zur Macht: Ah, indeed.
Dark Proton: I am always good boss.
Granite Rock: Willie Zur Macht is there anything else you need to tell us, or should we go?
Barometra: Hm.
Wille Zur Macht: You may leave once you are paired
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Hence the gun, but if it makes you feel better, I haven't had my version of an out of body experience in a while.
Dark Proton: So where to Barometra?
Healing Rayne: It was a pleasure to meet you all.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *sighs with relief*
Barometra: Alright then. I have an assignment in Perez if you'd like to accompany me there.
Fixette smiles at Descretio, "Let's blow this joint"
Dark Proton: Sure. Lead the way.
Yukon Tundra: Fixette's offering...
Descretio laughs, you got it!
Fixette whistles, "Tink Security mode"
Harken Gloom: Perhaps Herr Macht a pairing wid Abigail or sumone else...I do not tink you require a partner.
Noelle Frost: Wille, sir, again, sorryI'm late. Did I miss anything important? Besides my partner?
Powerfrost: i feel so outnumbered...
[Team]Anne Blaze: *groans* the Circle......
Wille Zur Macht: No Noelle nothing of urgency
[Team]Anne Blaze: I hate those guys....
Powerfrost: did you take your pills Happy?
Avocet whispers to Noelle
Harken Gloom: ja...I tink too many...capes.
Agent Seven: Hrm
Harken Gloom smiles as she says the word.
HappyPhlogiston: Yes, chief. I think you'd know if I didn't. Don't they place alarms on my pill box still?
Wille Zur Macht: Have of my men used this as an excuse to flee it seems
Wille Zur Macht: What do you think director?
Powerfrost: Can never be too careful Happy
Wille Zur Macht: According to the psi trackers...
[Team]Anne Blaze: would you like transport hon?
HappyPhlogiston: Yeah, yeah. I know...you gotta be cautious.
HappyPhlogiston sigh.

"Is it just me, or did he just seem to have the starch taken out of him?"

"To be fair, director, he had been asked that question over a dozen times in the last hour."

"That is an interesting thing to wonder about, but.....'hon?' She called him hon? Happy doesn't strike me as the type to be called hon by a significant other, let alone someone he's never met."

"By all reports, Anne was predisposed to getting a sort of Mother Hen syndrome around Jake. His history is not completely dissimilar to her husband's, so she was bound to feel some empathy for Jake based on his dossier alone, so her using a semi-affectionate nickname for him as a mother would a child is not completely unexpected."

"Yeah. Empathy or no, this is still a convicted lunatic. As long as he doesn't make a big deal out of it, then she can come up with all the new and interesting names she wants to for him."

[Team]HappyPhlogiston: If you don't mind.
[Team]Anne Blaze: not at all!
[Team]Anne Blaze: Off to Kings Row
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: So, outta curiosity, why'd you get stuck with me?
[Team]Anne Blaze: *suprised* Stuck? I volunteered for the program...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Well, I mean, how'd you end up with the grand prize of Happy as the one you've gotta keep tabs on?
[Team]Anne Blaze: grand prize? you seem very nice *smiles*
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Heh. Nice don't get put in FORCE.
[Team]Anne Blaze: What was your first name again?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Heh. My real name, or the tag I used to use when I was one of you guys?
[Team]Anne Blaze: Your real name..... *stops and answers her cell phone..mutters then hangs up*
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Jake.
[Team]Anne Blaze: ...Jake.... Do you even feel like that person anymore?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I get pumped full of drugs every hour of the day, I get my head picked by three different shrinks a day, I spent more time every week in a CAT scan booth than most people do in their lives.....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: ...Damn hard to feel like a hero with all that goin' on.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *frowns* I'm sorry.....

"Wow. Did you hear the snap those words had?"

"Indeed. Our boy may need some intensive anger management training on top of his normal sessions."

"It sounds like they're entering a cave. I think they've reached where Anne's contact pointed them too. The recording sounds a little bit off...I think the Circles rituals are interfering with the wiring, but we should still be able to make out enough."

[Team]Anne Blaze: Let's see what we have in here
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Roger.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Cmon, pick on the big guy!
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: They didn't like you much.
[Team]Anne Blaze: just jump over the imps if they get in your way....
[Team]Anne Blaze: heh.... seems so...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Well, at least they don't mind my fire.
[Team]Anne Blaze: unfortunately...they are somewhat resistant to fire...
[Team]Anne Blaze: *looks worried he will burn the ropes holding the bridge up*
[Team]Anne Blaze: I live in a place like this...
[Team]Anne Blaze: we converted an old temple...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Decent climate control?
[Team]Anne Blaze: yes... and ...fireproof
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: They made sure my little cell was too.
[Team]Anne Blaze: ............
[Team]Anne Blaze: *looks down at her feet* sorry....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Don't be.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: You could get lost in a place like this.
[Team]Anne Blaze: wow...it's beautiful
[Team]Anne Blaze: anything on the bookshelf?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: You don't want me to try to look through books like this, do you?
[Team]Anne Blaze: hmm.... well..
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Your pets made some friends.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *sheepishly*...they do that...sorry
[Team]Anne Blaze: Wait!
[Team]Anne Blaze: I see another set of books...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I'll let you handle the paper.
[Team]Anne Blaze: damn...nothing....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I think we took a wrong turn at albequerque.
[Team]Anne Blaze: you don't seem very comfortable with fire...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: This is their prison.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: How do you figure that? I don't have much choice in the matter, I have to be comfortable with it.
[Team]Anne Blaze: you seem....angry...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: How would you feel, in my shoes?
[Team]Anne Blaze: *in a small voice* I know how it feel to be blindsided
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Blindsided? You think I'm angry because Crey pulled one over on me?
[Team]Anne Blaze: you're not?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Well, that's part of it, but even better...I'm here paying for Crey's mistakes.
[Team]Anne Blaze: I am this way because of a damn lab explosion at my daddies company.... I didn't want this
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I look around, and see some of these people that are being called heroes, some of them have some very shady dealings every day.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Not too long ago I was very unstable myslef
[Team]Anne Blaze: heh...I bet we take some of the same medications...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Some of the "heros" around here don't exactly care about whether the ones they send to Zig live or die, and even some that don't care if the people they're saving do either.....
[Team]Anne Blaze: ......... yes, that's true...there are many heroes I'm not impressed with
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Yet, they get the red carpet treatment for taking out some hotshot bad guy, and I get to spend my days and nights in a drooling coma in a 10 by 12 room in the zig, when I didn't do anything on purpose.
[Team]Anne Blaze: it's so unfair...... how can you get out?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Yeah. I'm angry. And I don't know if I can.
[Team]Anne Blaze: ..........

"We need to be careful here. We have enough problems with Happy coming to terms with the fact that he was responsible for what he did, and we dont need someone validating his victim syndrome."

"Agreed. Maybe I will have to talk to Anne, if these two end up working together again."

[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Until they figure out what's wrong with me, I stay.
[Team]Anne Blaze: heh...you go first
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I had a feeling you'd say that.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Not because of your situation!
[Team]Anne Blaze: because I have the same strength as a normal woman...
[Team]Anne Blaze: surely you would have done the same in your prior life...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: That's what I meant. You don't look all that sturdy, and that's what I was kinda made for.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: No offense.
[Team]Anne Blaze: No, it's true! *laughs*
[Team]Anne Blaze: Grrr.....! Quicksand!
[Team]Anne Blaze: Another pair of designer boots trashed...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Yeah. Those circle like to annoy me to death. At least they stopped trying to rain on me.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *squints to see him through all the fire*
[Team]Anne Blaze: does that....hurt?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: And not to rehash old topics, but if you're on the same meds as I am, you wouldn't be upright.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: No, at least, not anymore.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: It took a few weeks to get used to it.
[Team]Anne Blaze: .......well.... I'm glad for that.... and I knew you were on more than Antidepressants...

"Well, he seems to be relaxing his guard a bit with her. I'm not sure what's causing it...it could be the mother hen bit, it could be the sympathy, or it could just be a comrades in arms thing. Whatever it is, I like to hear Jake speak without clenched teeth being involved. It shows some progress."

[Team]Anne Blaze: oh god.... *listening to comm channel*
[Team]Anne Blaze: *groans*
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Keeping up this fire takes a lot of juice. I burn through a few hundred calories a minute, so my meds have to be incredibly strong.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *distractedly....* yeah.... I can't even get drunk...
[Team]Anne Blaze: got any extra meds for an insane Fire Blaster?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Heh. I tried to get drunk a lot after I got busted out of Crey's lab. All the alcohol just went to fuel my fire.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Find what you were looking for?
[Team]Anne Blaze: *distractedly* um.....yes!
HappyPhlogiston shakes his head.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *puts on a false happy face* So! Shall we get out of here?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Not much good ever comes outta the thorns books.
[Team]Anne Blaze: True...Shall we burn it?!
[Team]Anne Blaze: just kidding....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Yep. No need spending more time here...the thorns will get wise eventually, and come in with the big guns.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *looks worried* umm...yeah
[Team]Anne Blaze: So.... I think you did an awesome job!
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Thanks. You seem to know your stuff too.
[Team]Anne Blaze: You're very nice..... a gentleman
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I try to be polite. No need to be angry at someone I'm working with.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Hell I get sexually harrassed by heroes on a daily basis.... I appreciate your professionalism
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: But don't think I trust you. Been through the routine enough times and enough knives in my back.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *sighs* I understand.... I cant imagine what its been like for you
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: At least you ain't pretending to.

"Is it just me, or is he making a conscious effort to be more eloquent?"

"I noticed it too, Director. It seems that a good fight with the Circle gave him a bit of self respect back, something he's surely been sorely lacking in his everyday routine."

"Maybe he's just mistaking her pity for sexual interest, and he's trying to turn this into a conjugal outing."

"Anyway...moving on....at least the reception is better now that they are out of the cave."

[Team]Anne Blaze: I've been through my own nightmare..but nothing like yours...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: But why sign up for this, anyway? You could have gotten Devil, you know.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *shudders*
[Team]Anne Blaze: Confidentialy?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Who'd believe me if I tried to blab?
[Team]Anne Blaze: This may be my last assignment for the Phalanx....
[Team]Anne Blaze: I wanted to make it count for something

"Interesting. One has to wonder at the effect it would have on her if this experiment fails horribly."

"What do you mean?"

"She seems to feel that her time has been spent in futility, and that this will erase some of that."

"You assume much. She may be simply trying to play on Jake's sympathies to get him to succeed."

"Time will tell."

"Okay, if you two don't mind, I have a meeting with a few government types to attend in less than an hour. Let's write down anything else we have to say, and I'll go over the notes later."

"Ja wohl."

"Alright."

[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Never worked with them much, but I'd heard good things when I was less detained. Why leave them?
[Team]Anne Blaze: *shakes her head sadly* I'm not hero material hon....
[Team]Anne Blaze: I belong at Macy's, not a Circle of Thorns cave...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Not that I'm in any position to really judge, but what makes you say that?
[Team]Anne Blaze: I don't fit in.... I attract to much attention... unwanted attention...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I know about attracting attention. And sorry for some of the things I said down there...the Circle doesn't rattle easy.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Psssht! It's nothing.....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: What type of attention aren't you liking?
[Team]Anne Blaze: Now watch..I'll get in trouble for my comment to Wille
[Team]Anne Blaze: *she points to her figure*
[Team]Anne Blaze: *smirks* Anne Blaze's 'real' superpower....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Okay, so you're easy on the eyes. You'd rather look like me?
[Team]Anne Blaze: ..........um
[Team]Anne Blaze: no one takes me seriously
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: So, just let one of yer little pets remind them you're serious.
[Team]Anne Blaze: but...nevermind..this isnt about me... I'll stay with this project until I help get you out
[Team]Anne Blaze: have they ever tried magical heals on you?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: They've tried a few dozen types of everything on me.
[Team]Anne Blaze: hmm.... did my fire based heals seem to help anything?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: When someone goes from front page headlines about saving the city again, to third page courtcase notes, people tend to want to know why and try to fix it.
[Team]Anne Blaze: did you like the fame?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: They kept me moving, if that's what you meant.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Like I said... I am the lowest Phalanxer on the totem pole, but can I bring you anything? Music, magazines?
HappyPhlogiston puts his chin in his hand.
[Team]Anne Blaze: I'm sorry...I'm doing it again......
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: You know, the fame was nice, so yeah, having a kid walk up to you and ask for an autograph, that I liked.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: How much do you know about me? What have you gotten to read up on?
[Team]Anne Blaze: I... read the reports....
Anne Blaze looks down.....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I'll fill you in some other time...but before this....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I used to be a firefighter.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *smiles* that's really cool
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: So don't think that all the work I did was to see my picture in the papers. That was just a bonus.
[Team]Anne Blaze: I never saw you in the papers...I am a recent arrival to Paragon
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: But after it all, I couldn't really be a firefighter, what with being a source of fire and all.
[Team]Anne Blaze: heh..very Fahrenheight 451...firemen who 'start' fires...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Yeah. I tend to have the same effect on books as they do in that one.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Crey apparently thought it would be a nice joke to play on me.
[Team]Anne Blaze: hmm..... I cant imagine what that is like.... my..mutation was an accident
[Team]Anne Blaze: and I almost committed suicide over it...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: So, anyway, without firefighting, I was left without many skills to fall back on, so I did what I could.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *nods*
[Team]Anne Blaze: do they...treat you ok...in there...i mean....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Well, I spend most of the time in there in a chemical coma, and don't remember much of it.
[Team]Anne Blaze: ........
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: But when I'm awake, I'm too busy being shuttled from appointment to appointment to really notice any bad treatment.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Well..that's something..... I almost had that Tundra man as my partner....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I think I scare them almost as bad as I scare myself.
[Team]Anne Blaze: good... you go ahead and scare them
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: That's part of the problem. The kids that used to run up to me and ask for autographs now hide behind their moms when they see me.
[Team]Anne Blaze: I dont think you are scary ..... but I like fire.....Burn would have went insane if I had been assigned Tundra or Devil....
[Team]Anne Blaze: He thinks I'm helpless.... a common opinion
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: At least they know what they're doing...but it probably is good that you can handle fire.
[Team]Anne Blaze: I am immune to it... burn however you want
[Team]Anne Blaze: must be nice to get out, huh...even if it is skanky Kings Row
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I won't pry about why Yukon or Devil would get to you. They get to most people.
[Team]Anne Blaze: They just give me the creeps
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: King's Row is kind of appropriate, actually.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Not exactly the happiest place I could be, but still.
[Team]Anne Blaze: better than the zig.... Mr. Zurr Macht have plans to check you back in?
[Team]Anne Blaze: hang on...*her cell phone rings*
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: If so, he hasn't said anything. He doesn't handle most of my day anyway. They leave the little stuff to the staff there.
Burncycle nudges Anne
[Team]Anne Blaze: ...... Jake.... this is Josh Carmichael
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Hello.
[Team]Anne Blaze: my husband
[Team]Burncycle: ... hello ...
[Team]Anne Blaze: See J? I'm fine!
Burncycle nods
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Ah. The happy husband. Worried about the little lady?
[Team]Anne Blaze: *smiles*
Burncycle nods 'Yeah ... I do ...'
[Team]Anne Blaze: I got really lucky.... I was first assigned Yukon....
[Team]Anne Blaze: I fear I would have had to beat him away with a stick
Burncycle wrinkles his nose
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Heh. If it helps you relax any, know that if I let her get hurt, then I'm probably going to be mainlining Thorazine and kill my chances to get out of this outfit.
Dark DJ: k thanks
[Team]Anne Blaze: the mission was flawless, Josh.... no injuries
[Team]Burncycle: I'm sure you'll be just fine ... Anne's good about helping people ...
[Team]Anne Blaze: you mean about 'adopting people' *sheepish grin*
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: And if I hurt her, then I'll be mainlining cyanide.
[Team]Anne Blaze: ...............
[Team]Anne Blaze: don't say that!
HappyPhlogiston shrugs.
[Team]Burncycle: Fair enough *nods* But she's alot tougher then I give her credit for
[Team]Anne Blaze: I told you.... I cannot burn
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Hey, I don't delude myself about where I stand with the authorities.
[Team]Anne Blaze: heh..authorities are fun, right J?
[Team]Burncycle: heh did I mention as of tonight I'm free from "authorities"?
[Team]Anne Blaze: I heard......... *looks nervous*
[Team]Burncycle: ... meh ...
[Team]Anne Blaze: So... you quit everything? The Phoenix Guard, the Alliance?
HappyPhlogiston cracks his neck.
[Team]Burncycle: Badges turned in, uniforms turned in ... I'm free of it all
[Team]Anne Blaze: .................
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Hey, that's my goal too.
[Team]Anne Blaze: I....don't know what to say
[Team]Anne Blaze: other than I support you
[Team]Burncycle: Well I'll tell ya it feels great *nods* I hope you get to feel it as well.
[Team]Anne Blaze: can we buy ya a burger or something Jake?
[Team]Burncycle: I imagine that food they serve you isnt all that great ... we'll feed ya well if you'd like.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Nah. I think it'd get pumped and inspected when I got back.
[Team]Anne Blaze: ewww....
[Team]Burncycle: Ugh ... never mind then
[Team]Anne Blaze: that's harsh of them!
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Maybe, but with the stuff they have me on, would you let me eat anything that might interfere with anything else?
[Team]Anne Blaze: ......well..... I suppose....
[Team]Burncycle: good point ...
[Team]Burncycle: I think ...
[Team]Anne Blaze: how often can you get out for this project?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Considering they didn't plan to let me roam free this early, and spending time eating out isn't exactly part of what they want us doing, they didn't give me a list of what and what not to eat.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: How often? Well, considering that nothing bad happened tonight, then they'd probably just need to know that I wouldn't be roaming the streets alone, so anytime is good.
[Team]Burncycle: They probally frown knowing I was here right now too huh
[Team]Anne Blaze: You had to check on me...it's not a habit...
[Team]Anne Blaze: you see now that Jake's not some lecherous fiend.... See..... Burn met Handsome Devil...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Oh, Anne, keep the tranq gun. Wille should have the phone number of the supplier of the cartidges for it.
Burncycle blinks
[Team]Anne Blaze: Ok...will do.... Burn was worried all FORCE'ers were like Devil
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Well, that would explain the concern.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Him and I had a run in with Handsome...
[Team]Burncycle: I didnt like him much ... well not at all to be honest ...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Heh. The first time I met him, he offered the other half of my psyche an invitation to turn Paragon into burning Rome.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *harrumph* yes a real charmer....
Burncycle sighs
[Team]Burncycle: Though a little fire is kind of nice ...
Anne Blaze grins
Anne Blaze beams
Burncycle winks at Anne
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Well, at least I see how you two stay together.
Anne Blaze laughs
Burncycle grins wide
[Team]Anne Blaze: we were made for each other....
[Team]Burncycle: I'll let the two of you get back to doing what ya have to do. Was very nice to have met you.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Now scoot! *grins*
[Team]Burncycle: Was written in the stars
[Team]Burncycle: See you later love.
HappyPhlogiston nods to Burncycle.
[Team]Anne Blaze: He was a big part of me coming to accept the fire....
[Team]Anne Blaze: I hated the fire...and myself....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: At least you had some support.
[Team]Anne Blaze: yes...but not until him.... my fiance dumped me, my family disinherited me...
[Team]Anne Blaze: I was a freak..
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I know that routine. You show up on their doorstep as the latest freak of nature, and they want to forget about you in a hurry.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *nods* looks didnt matter anymore
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Hey, at least you had looks to begin with.
[Team]Anne Blaze: I had nothing to fall back on...except a college friend in Paragon
[Team]Anne Blaze: have you looked around? all the women a re stunning here....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I don't think you want me to be the one reassuring you in that area.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *grins* heh...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Someone might get jealous.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *smiles and nods* so.... *claps hands together* another mission?
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Sure. Who we beatin' on this time?
[Team]Anne Blaze: *checks her PDA and groans* Why can't I just 'call' this infernal woman!!
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Heh. Probably because you know me.
[Team]Anne Blaze: I have to fly back to Brick.....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: I'll meditate here...just let me know where to meet you.
[Team]Anne Blaze: Oh...ok then
[Team]Anne Blaze: Jake? Dark Astoria.....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Gotcha.
[Team]Anne Blaze: We have to find this guy Bentley... I have some coordinates to start with...but I dont know what we'll find
[Team]Anne Blaze: Colleen sounded nervous...she told me to bring back up...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: You sure to want me being that backup? If your contact is nervous, then it might be because I'm around.
[Team]Anne Blaze: actually...I think she just doesnt trust fire heroes...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Well, having me around isn't going to ease her mind. But then again, after the way my contacts look at me, watching them squirm a bit is fine with me.
[Team]Anne Blaze: *grins*
[Team]Anne Blaze: eeep!....scary stuff...
[Team]Anne Blaze: Ok babe..thats all I got..go get em
[Team]Anne Blaze: damn imp!
[Team]Anne Blaze: they..umm...trapped me in that office...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Heh. No treats for them!
[Team]Anne Blaze: *laughs!!*
[Team]Anne Blaze: *shakes her head*
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: There's always the tranq gun I gave you. It works wonders on the little monkeys.
[Team]Anne Blaze: hmm.... *looks at gun*
[Team]Anne Blaze: hmm.... this is too easy....
[Team]Anne Blaze: I wonder what's up
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: No kidding. Contacts don't get nervous over things like this.
[Team]Anne Blaze: damn.....
[Team]Anne Blaze: *pats the little monleys on their heads...stay here!*
[Team]Anne Blaze: *monkeys...even...
[Team]Anne Blaze: They freak out in elevators...
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Hmm. There has to be a sedative for that.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: There's a little bit of a challenge.
[Team]Anne Blaze: !!
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Let me get it's attention.
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: He said the informant wasn't here. Now what?
[Team]Anne Blaze: I found a note!
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: Anything important, or just a grocery list?
[Team]Anne Blaze: *laughs* sorry.... hang on...
I'm too far away for my mentor to help me!
[Team]Anne Blaze: coordinates....
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: What type of coordinates?
[Team]Anne Blaze: he's been kidnapped...
[Team]Anne Blaze: location of a Council base
[Team]HappyPhlogiston: You see anything ironic about sending me up against a bunch of insane freaks that get jollies by burning people alive?
[Team]Anne Blaze: *laughs* well.... Colleen DOES have a sense of humor...


The playback stops, and the three stand up and stretch.

"Well, I can't say I'm entirely happy, but I can't say there's any reason to stop them form continuing to team, either."

"Director, we need to be very careful with these two. Anne seems a bit overly sympathetic towards Jake. Even if that doesn't cause problems directly with his reformation, if she takes the burden this type of pairing causes home with her, her husband is known to be very jealous and quick to anger. If Anne starts to concentrate on Jake at the expense of her husband in any form, he may take it upon himself to remove the problem by sabotaging Jake."

"We need to pull up files on him, then, and see if he might become a problem. If so, then we might need to have a talk with him and alleviate his concerns. However, we are only able to guess at potential problems for now."

"Despite all this, Jake did seem to be in much better spirits when he returned. A little fresh air, a little exercise, and getting to play hero again seemed to do his disposition a world of good. If Anne is able to work with him, and even seem to trust him enough to work beside him, then I see no reason that they can't continue to work together, given the caveats that we need to keep a close monitor on just how sympathetic Anne becomes toward Jake."

"Agreed. We will pick this up again tomorrow."

"Ma'am, we have a....an issue you need to be aware of."

Raindance looked up from the video monitor, pausing the tape at the point where Devil had made contact with his blade. "Well, tech, what is it? I'm busy."

"It's Montgomery. We can't implant the chip in him."

Here eyes became slits as she glowered at the messenger. "This isn't the time for sudden bouts of compassion. You will put that chip in him, or..."

"No, no ma'am, that's not what I mean," the tech interrupted. "I mean, first, we can't get to the right section of his cerebrum to place the chip. Most of his skull has some type of metallic reinforcement that we can't break through with anything that won't kill him in the process. Besides, one of our shrinks thinks this is a potential disaster waiting to happen if we outfit Montgomery's head with a chip."

A small shrug was her response. "That's not my concern."

"With all due respect, ma'am, in this case, I have to disagree with you." The tech returned the sudden glare that Raindance gave him, and continued. "The shrink has a legitimate concern that the first time that chip runs a current into Montgomery's brain, it could set off his alter ego, and what started out as a little misbehavior turns into another apartment complex going up in smoke. You think the suits are taking a close look at this program now? Just wait until we inadvertantly cause something along those lines when we have all the warning signs we could need, and more, documented and signed in triplicate."

Raindance's expression softened for a second, then hardened again. She knew that the possibility was too risky to completely discount. If she did so, and it blew up in her face, then the young smirking punk standing across from her would be sitting in a very nice position to take her place, with her new place possibly in a cell next to Devil if she got brought up on criminal neglect charges. "Okay. Point taken. Do we have any alternatives available?"

The tech's smirk redrew into an expressionless face. "As of yet, nothing working, no. However, we are working on modifying the chip to send enough electric current through a spinal column, and a blocker that will keep that current from reaching the brain."

Raindance stood up, wincing a bit as she tried to put weight on her damaged arm. "For all I care, you can plant the thing in his scrotum, then make sure he knows it's there. I need to be able to get him under control when things go badly, and I don't trust Powerfrost enough when it comes to incapacitating the runt when it happens. Knowing the boss, he probably felt sorry for Montgomery, and didn't boost the amps in that suit enough to do anything more than slow him down until backup arrives. Just get what you need to do done, and report back when you've made progress."

"Very Well." The tech nodded his head down for a second, and he quickly walked out the door, closing it behind him. Raindance sank back down in her chair, and rubbed her temples. Happy was more trouble than he was worth...constant depression, a disposition prone to confrontation, the insanely high taxpayer burden his prescriptions were, the constant threat that any minute he could try and incinerate everyone here, and now, intentional or not, he was causing problems with her pet projects. Unfortunately, the odd reporter still came by looking for a quick story about the former hero, and even more unfortunately, Powerfrost was always the one that took the interview. She couldn't do anything about this problem for now, but would just bide her time until an opportunity availed itself.

Happy rolled over on his bunk as his alarm went off, and groggily sat up. He stretched his arms out to his sides and staved off a full body shiver as his spine decided to realign itself in the process, and then he walked over to the small medicine cabinet.

Two loud raps came from his cell door, followed by an authoritative sounding voice. "Time to take your pills. Retrieve the container, then face the camera as you ingest the contents."

"Yeah, yeah, same routine as it was two hours ago. Listen, you ever gonna consider getting me some kinda IV or shot or somethin' so I can at least get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night? We hafta have someone good with at least a blowgun around here, they could just dart me through the slot in the door..."

"Prisoner, retrieve the container, and then face the camera while you ingest the contents. You have 30 seconds to comply."

Happy sighed. It had been, well, he could only guess a couple of weeks since he'd been brought here. The days just tended to blur together with mostly sleepless nights, and days filled with therapy sessions, CAT scans, physicals, tests to see if they could bring out his other personality, tests to see in newer medications would have better effects, and Q&A sessions with Powerfrost, Raindance, Wille, and the one visit by Sword of Asgard. So far, all anyone had to show for all this work was the knowledge that yes, there was indeed something wrong with him, but no, we don't know exactly what it is or what's causing it, but we're so close to a breakthrough that we can't stop now.

Happy finished taking his pills, and the voice spoke up again.

"As you were. Your alarm will be set to go off again in two hours, and your music will be restarted."

Softly played classical music was once again sent over the small speaker, as it was most of the 16 hours a day he spent in this cell. Powerfrost had been fairly adamant about not giving anyone any special priveledges when the shrink suggested that Happy needed to have soothing music played for him, but after an hour long closed door meeting, the chief was far too eager to get the system in place. Happy looked at the speaker again where he could swear that a small voice could be made out in the background, then closed his eyes and focused on the music, listening for anything in the sounds that would indicate there were any kind of subliminal messages or the like, but it seemed the harder he tried to hear it, the harder it got to hear. Hell, maybe whoever was trapped in his head was just singing along, and when he focused on the music, he lost the focus on his guest.

Happy shook his head a bit, and then went to go lay down on his bunk, and closed his eyes in an attempt to go to sleep, but he knew that it would be a long time coming. Every time he went through this routine, it stirred up all the questions he kept asking both himself and the doctors, and still provided him with the same lack of answers as the last time.

He tossed, and once again wondered why Crey thought that this was a more appropriate punishment for sticking his nose where it didn't belong than just putting a slug in the back of his skull.

He rolled over again, and wondered just who he had trapped inside of him, and if that was just a copy, with a genuine person running around with a full version, or if someone had lost their minds to a computer's memory bank, or if it was all just a manufactured personality, if that was even fully possible.

He shifted on his back, and wondered how Sister Psyche managed to handle it with two fully functional minds in one body.

He rolled over on his stomach, and remembered the time Valkryie had congratulated him whole heartedly, and handed him a small medal for gaining 20th level security clearance, and wondered if he ran into her on the street now, would she be more likely to just strike him down with that spear, or ignore him altogether?

Question after question, the same ones, or only slight variations on the themes, kept coming at him in rapid fire succession, until finally his fatigue overcame the curiosity, and he fell into a dream and nightmare filled sleep.

A half hour later, the alarm went off again.

Powerfrost opened up a legal pad and jotted down a few lines, then looked back up at happy. "Okay, Jake. Let's start with some medical background. The boys over at Chiron couldn't make heads or tails out of any tests they ran on you...bloodwork came back inconclusive, blood pressure readings that tell me you're a hummingbird, and, well, let's just say that some of the lab rats thought you were from Betelguese. The only thing that kept you out of the hands of the CIA was the knowledge that Crey had their hands on you, and we've seen some strange things they've done to people. What do you know about what they did to you?"

Happy leaned forward in his chair and scratched his chin. "I don't really know the full extent of it all...Crey didn't bother to let me know what they were going to do to me before they did it, and really didn't have time to brief me after. However, the guy who broke me outta there, he managed to raid their comps while he was busting up the place, and after I'd recovered enough to where the hospital let me have visitors, he came and paid me a visit. Nice guy, at least I thought so then, before I found out he'd screwed up and left me with my friend." Happy punctuated the last two words with taps to his temple.
"Anyhoo, he said that while he couldn't give me the files, he told he what he got to read. He told me that Crey had managed to replace some "non-vital" organs in me with some new prototypes their biochem labs had cooked up. Some of these new prototypes, from what he could tell, were designed to pump something in my blood to make it flammable, or something like that, while others were used to filter whatever it was out before it hit areas that couldn't take it. Sorry if this doesn't help much, but most of what the guy told me went over my head, and I wasn't in much of a state to really ask him to dumb it down for me."

Powerfrost kept writing in the tablet while he glanced up to look at Happy. "Maybe if I talked to this guy, he could give me a better description. Who was it?"

Happy shook his head. "Sorry man, I didn't really catch his name. Like I said, I was just starting to be able to take on visitors, and the high amounts of pain meds I was on left the whole conversation foggy. I think he called himself the sewer rat or something, but like I said, can't be sure. About the only thing I remember clearly is the blue skin and white outfit."

Powerfrost nodded. "Okay, fair enough...I can find out later. So, what else about what Crey did to you do you know?"

"Hmmmmmm....well, that's about all I really know. I do know that the end result is that my sweat and the oil on my skin both act like fuel for my fire. I know that whenever I need my fire, I just have to think about it for a second, and poof, it shows up. I don't know what Crey put in me to make my thoughts turn on the burner, but it works. Of course, I have to be real careful around open flames...I have caught fire before just by walking near a gas stove burner that was turned on."

"Oh yeah, something else about this "fantastic" setup. My metabolism is through the roof, and I was going through over 15000 calories a day whenever I went out on patrol. Whatever my body does to keep the fires stoked, it takes a lot of energy to do it. I learned that lesson the hard way, the first time I ran a patrol route and dropped from fatigue in the middle of a Skull hideout. However, I always had a spare bottle of everclear on hand afterward, and that got me through when I hadn't eaten enough."

Powerfrost quirked a brow and stopped writing to look up. "You mean that when you were about to drop, you decided to get drunk to finish a mission?"

Happy chuckled and shook his head. "I wish. There were a lot of times I wish I could have gotten drunk, put off the pain for a few hours. However, Crey, in whatever wisdom they subscribe to, decided that I needed to be able to process alcohol for a personal fuel source. Now, when I drink anything alcoholic, all the alcohol is redirected to whatever organ Crey made a refinery, and within a half hour, my fuel tank is full. The best theory anyone could come up with for why would be for me to attend a rival corporation's party where the rival has several of it's top brass in attendance, where I spend the better part of two hours hitting up the bar, and then engaging in my version of a hostile takeover. Other than that, it would have been just a fast way to refuel on a long assignement."

"Okay, Happy. I'll go look up this Sewer Rat you mentioned, maybe he'll have more information. Now, why did Crey pick you for this?"

Happy shrugged. "Ya got me, chief. It's not like Crey Corp hands out detailed lists of their prerequisites for their little experiments. The only thing I can guess is I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and looked too close where I shouldn't have."

"Well then, tell me about how you came into contact with Crey."

Happy bobbed his head from side to side in contemplation for a moment, then turned his attention back to Powerfrost. "Yeah, okay. I don't know how much it'll help, but here goes. Before I worked for Crey, I was a firefighter."

"Hold on just a second." Powerfrost flipped through the dossier Hero Corps had put together, scratched his head, and then looked through it again. "I've got nothing here on you being a firefighter. Why isn't this in your records?"

Happy shrugged again. "Dunno. I was stationed out in Steel Canyon in the couple of months before Crey hired me. While I was out there, we responded to a call to get to a lab that had a chemical explosion of some type. I manged to pull some hotshot scientist out of the building before it collapsed, some guy that was high up in the ranks of the Crey Corp. Next thing I know, I'm getting calls from Crey, asking me if I'd clear some time to help them setup some fire prevention systems and alarms in the new buildings they were constructing, and to act as consultant for fire safety for some new program they were running. Well, the chief gave me the go ahead, and I spent the next couple of months with architects and engineers, pointing out potential hotspots and weak coverage areas, instructing some of their lower echelon on which fire extinguisher to grab when, that sort of thing.

"Before long, they offered me a full time job doing the same thing, at six figures a year. Hell, who'd turn that down? Doing something I was actually good at, and making enough money to retire comfortably before I was 40? All I ever really knew about Crey was that they were the biggest and most solid company around, and the papers extolled how much they gave to charity. Sure, I'd heard the rumors that Crey was involved in some shady stuff, but what massive corporation wasn't?

"So, I took their offer. For a while, it was a pretty decent job. I thought I was actually helping, if nothing else, to keep Crey from burning down a neighborhood by not having top tier fire suppression. I kept noticing that certain places were much more prone to having their sprinklers go off than others, but most inquiries into the schematics of those place was blocked by telling me that those buildings had their own teams, and they were fully aware of the problems, and were working on it.

"However, and this is where it all really falls apart, I was getting some heat, no pun intended, from my old fire chief about one place in particular. Ya see, I was also the liason between Crey and the Fire Department, and I got tired of not being able explain why we weren't making any progress in fixing that particular system. Crey was looking at some noncompliance fines if the problem didn't get solved and fast, so I went over there to see if it was just some faulty wiring.

"Long story even longer, I got over there and used my clearance to gain entrance, and even managed to get to walk around unescorted, but with warnings to not go into doors with unauthorized access signs on them. I look around the authorized parts of the lab, and don't see anything out of place...the sirens in this part haven't even fired off since the last drill. So, I go into the control room and find the alarm that's been driving everyone crazy is in one of the cordoned off areas, and then get security to let me in that room, but now I have an escort, and he's got a rifle of some type.

"I get some very terse instructions from the guy to not touch anything in there, as whatever is in there is top secret R&D stuff, and if I breathe a word of anything I see in there, I'll be fined, fired, and put in jail for violating my contract, or something like that.

"So I get in there, and the problem is pretty obvious. One of the wall panels near the Halon system plumbing is loose, and giving the system false temperature readings. Simple problem, simple solution, just get the panel secured in place, so I grab my tools, walk over, and start to take care of it, but notice that there's something behind the panel that's pushing it loose, so I yank the thing off the wall, and come face to face with a halfway formed human...the thing had a nose, eyes, and ears, but the skin looked all white and sticky, like it was just a big membrane or something. I remember getting to stare at it for a second, then everything went black. The next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed, and doctors were telling me I was lucky to be alive, and that they had someone from Hero Corps that wanted to talk to me."

"So, you're telling me that you walked in on the Revanant Hero project, and Crey decided you knew too much and tried to turn you into one of them?"

"In a nutshell."

"Alright. I think that's enough for today." Powerfrost pressed a button on his armband, and shortly thereafter, another heavily armed guard showed up and opened the door. "Jack, could you please take Mr. Montgomery to his room?"

The guard nodded, and motioned the muzzle of his submachine gun in Happy's direction.

"Jake, if you'll accompany him to your new room, I'll have your first assignment ready in a few hours. Now, I have things to get to. Welcome to F.O.R.C.E.."

((Apologies to Handsome Devil and Powerfrost if I've pegged their characters wrong))

Happy sat on a small bench outside the office belonging to Powerfrost. The armed guard standing across the hall from him didn't move, but Happy chuckled a bit, knowing the fire retardant underlay the guard was given to wear had to be making every single inch of the guy's flesh itch like crazy. Yes, he knew that the guard was probably scared to death just to be there doing his job, but still, he'd been a hero, dammit! He shouldn't be sitting here, babysat, until this so called Director could see him, he should be out saving the city. However, thanks to the Crey Corporation, he was mentally unstable, a fact that the burned out husks of two apartment complexes and one no longer servicable fire engine could attest to.

"So, they ever get those pay raises in for you like the mayor promised when he was campaigning?" Happy tried again to initiate some conversation, only once again to have to listen to the sound of the guard's breathing echo inside his face shield. Hell, the guard could have been asleep this past hour for all he knew, he hadn't sneezed, coughed, talked, or so much as cracked his neck. Then, the alarm affixed to Happy's wrist went off, and before Happy could register it, the guard had the tranq pistol aimed at his neck.

"Pills. Now." The first words the guard had uttered.

Happy sighed a bit as he slowly reached for the medicine box that hung on a chain around his neck. "Stress kills, man. Relax, you'll live longer." He snapped open a compartment and tilted a half-dozen pills, all different sizes and colors, into his hand, and looked around for a water fountain, half standing up to crane his neck around and check down the hallway, which earned a noticeable tensing from the guard. Happy shrugged upon not seeing any, and swallowed the pills dry, one at a time. When the last one went down, the guard relaxed, and holstered the weapon, then went back into his stance. "Hey, chuckles, would ya mind at least knocking on the door there for me and making sure that this guy knows we're here? I'd hate to be flattening your arches for nothing." Once again, a stony silence was his only response, and he slumped against the wall to meditate.

A quarter of an hour later or so, the door finally opened, and Devil sauntered out, blew a kiss back through the doorway, and laughed. "Just name the time and place, frosty, and I'll be there with bells on and a tube of KY." He looked over at the figure on the bench and his guard, and grinned broadly.

"OOOooooh, hey, pops! I think our new resident schitzophrenic is here. He quickly sat down on the bench next to Happy, put an arm around him, and leaned in to whisper in his ear, paying no mind to the sudden shouts of the guard and the tranq gun pointed at him. "Hey, whoever's trapped in there, I'd love to meet you when the next time you show up. We can turn this place into Rome...I'll bring the fiddle, and you can bring the fire. I'll even show up in a toga."

Devil snickered at Happy's scowl as he quickly hopped off of the bench and started walking down the hall, just before Powerfrost managed to get to the door and see what the horned menace had done now. "I'll be seeing you around, my happy little flamer. Make sure he bunks with me, ice cube...I'll take good care of him." Devil called out over his shoulder. Powerfrost sighed at Devil's back, and looked over to the guard. "This Montgomery?" he asked with a jerk of his head in the direction of the benched figure.

The guard nodded, and handed over a briefcase, the tranq gun, and a sealed manilla folder. "In accordance with the ruling of court case number 2347J-2B, I am hereby authorized to transfer this prisoner into your custody. Also in accordance with court case number...."

The guard droned on for a while, and Happy meditated again until the full list of verbal warnings had been passed on, and Powerfrost tapped him on the shoulder to snap him out of it. "Cmon, Jake. Time for your one on one." Happy blinked his eyes, stood up, and entered the office. Powerfrost closed and locked the door behind them, and motioned to a folding chair in front of the desk, then walked back to his own chair and sat down, placing the briefcase and folder in front of him. Happy walked over to the folding chair and sat down.

"So, let's take a look at what I've got here." Powerfrost opened the briefcase and pulled out a thick folder marked with the Hero Corps insignia, and another thinner folder with the Zigguraut's markings on it's tab, and opened the Hero Corps folder. "Hmm. Most of Striga thinks, or thought, of you as a savior...you infiltrated the Council Base...you wreaked havoc with the Freakshow organization...you managed to help take down the Clockwork King...you helped to keep Anti-Matter out of this world...and you even managed to walk into a Council setup and singlehandedly drag Maestro out of there kicking and screaming. Impressive. It's also the only reason you're not hooked up to a permanent Thorazine IV and rotting away in the mental ward in the Zig right now. It seems some of the real heros saw fit to make sure you get a shot at fixing yourself. Next time you get to go on patrol, make sure you stop and thank Sister Psyche."

"Now, there are quite a few holes in the information they've given me, and we're going to have a nice, civilized chat about your past, and fill in those holes. Understood?"

Happy gritted his teeth and nodded slowly. This was going to be a long, long, long road to recovery.

I remember my first ambush. The three man team had split up to do....something, I can't remember exactly what. I was the first one to get hit, and promptly ended up eating pavement as the four crossbows hit me followed by a rain of Vahz vomit. Then I remember coordinating with the rest of the team and getting revenge.

I remember seeing Babbage tower over our party as we exited a mission in the Synapse Task Force, and thinking how cool it was.

I remember discovering Paragon Radio when I heard that Statesman was going to be giving a live interview on it.

I remember the first time I heard the Blyde Square music, stopping to listen to the full tune, then reentering the zone a few times to keep listening to it.

I remember the first time someone told me that I was completely gimped for being an Empath, and even more so for having Electric as a secondary.

And then, 15 levels later, having that same person tell me I was the best Empath they'd ever teamed with, because of the Electric secondary.

I remember the endless threads about how bad the CoH comic was.

I remember thinking that Fortitude was a lousy power, since you couldn't enhance the damage boost.

I remember being convinced that travel powers were nothing more than a luxury, and that I'd be better off just using Sprint to get where I needed to go.

I remember running the Dr. Vahzilok mission roughly a dozen times in the same week because everyone I knew had that mission, and really wanted my Empath along for the ride.

I remember finally getting that mission myself, and having to wait a week to do it, because everyone was sick and tired of the guy at that point.

I remember running through Perez Park, and never having to worry about dying, because other heroes would always come along and finish off whatever I was attacking.

I remember not having badges.

I remember the endless protests about capes not being around at the start, and then when they finally did get here, the protests about how lackluster they were.

If any of the PL'd characters I've played with are the devs, then I'd be very scared for the future of this game.

On the flip side, if a dev had ever actually teamed with me, I'm usually so busy keeping my eye on who needs what buff next I don't get to talk much, and therefore not really easy to register in one's memory, so they wouldn't remember.

My post from another thread which has relevance here:

I've got a bad feeling about this.

As it stands now, I need to be able to solo my regular missions. 90% of the friends I started playing this game with moved onto WoW, thanks to a few idiots the SG I'm in collapsed, and the 10% of friends I have left play when I'm at work.

I'm already facing more missions than I'm comfortable with that I can't solo(two Archvillans in my held missions now, with the option to pick up a third if I want). For now, they have to sit unattended, as for the next three weeks I don't have the time to put together a pick up group and still run the mission...and just for the record, I've tried about once a day to send out broadcasts in Peregrine Isle, and usually after about an hour I get a team that's willing to go help me fight one of my Archvillans, but then we spend another 30 minutes of,"I need to sell first", "I've got to get the door, AFK"(to watch him autolog and then never come back), "Wait, THAT AV? Not a chance man, I'm out"(when the AV's name had been clearly stated in my broadcast), or the one that really gets to me,"Let's run one of the other missions first, to get a feel for each other so we don't have a wipe against the AV."(to which they would proceed to all vote to take on someone else's AV, and if I conceded, the team would finish mission one, actually be working together, then just as I select my mission, the person that held the mission said thanks and logged out, followed by half of the team following suit, and I end up feeling used like a two dollar [Censored]. If I did not concede, saying that the mobs leading up to the AV in my mission would give us enough time to learn to work together, half the team would call me a few choice names and bail on me.)

I accept that AVs and Monsters aren't going to be done solo. That's fine, it's end game content, it's epic level battles...I don't see the X-Men taking down Magneto or Apocalypse individually and winning, I don't see any of the Fantastic Four taking on Dr. Doom on their own and succeeding, and I don't see The Justice League or the Teen Titans winning too many battles unless they team. I can understand why you run into AVs with such regularity in your 40's...you're close to a legend at that point. You're known to every villian group out there, you've stopped most of them at every turn, and now the big guns are coming after you. Your exploits are in the paper, you are a known hero among the populace, and if they could accomodate it, you'd be receiving invites to speak at graduation ceremonies and sing national anthems to championship sporting events(where the enemies would be waiting in ambush, most likely). If they had the coding for it, you'd have a personal nemesis that constantly tries to kill you. You SHOULD be facing the best of the best as far as enemies go, and there I have no problems with AVs showing up with a decent frequency at this point.

However, I have 700 hours invested in my Empath. I've built and rebuilt him based on how I was going to be able to play, and now he's a decent soloer. Bosses can still give him a fit though, as no matter what I do, they still have the opportunity to land one shot about every 30 seconds or so. If his inspirations don't last long enough for him to finish off the boss, then he's going to take a nasty shot(Short Circuit can miss, after all, and when it does, he's in melee range, right next to a boss). Giving the boss another 50% health to deal with is bad enough for me...taking him half again as many insps as it was before...but when that occassional shot does go through, it takes over half of my empath's HP as is(even con boss, and the +1 bosses can take him to red), and adding another 50% to that? In a team, my versatility to jump into range to throw a Recovery Aura/Healing Aura on the frontline just dropped greatly, and I'm likely to get one shotted by that orange con boss now during solo play(some red con bosses can do it on live now, a Paragon Protector with Thunder Strike, for example).

I'd hate to think that 700 hours of my play time has just been rendered null and void, but it really is starting to look that way.