Hanging up the Cape (Not Fan Fic)
By
Blue Rabbit,
Posted on: 2009-04-28 23:37 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
Excellent and well written, sums up how some folk feel too.
Hope you dont leave Scarlet, as it will be a lost talent.
Zhaan, Chakyra, Fiorina 161, Aeryn, Polly Nation, Dee Pression, Shazanne, Night Jester and too many more to mention.
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Friggin awesome. And I recommend that Positron reads this. NOW. Thanks Scarlet - you speak for many of us here - I know this.
Brilliant Scarlet 
Proud member of FOXBASE ALPHA and coalition associates.
Hero 50's - 25
Villain 50's - 1
An excellent piece, Scarlet. Great work.
Mother's Love waits at the far end of the Pocket D bar, drink in hand and psychically aware of the pain in Scarlet's heart she purposely focuses elsewhere to give the two old friends some privacy in their heart-to-heart.
Whilst feeling a general air of resignation from Scarlet, Mother's senses their paths will cross again in the near future. "Funny how things turn out sometimes" she says to herself whilst slowly stirring a cup of tea... "This isn't the end for Scarlet..."
I actually cried. It summed up my feelings far better than I could ever express. I too am leaving. I have cancelled my subs and May 19th is the last day for me. I'm a little scared and am also keeping my stuff. I may decide to pop back to Paragon at some point but after 50 months I'm bored. I log in and nothing has changed. Quality of life tweaks are on the whole well done and well handled. A few things have been implemented badly but most have worked out after a while. The quality of people playing is still as good as the first day I clicked the log in button, scared and trembling about what I had let myself in for. I still get a thrill when I hear the music crash in as I approach Miss Liberty to level for the first time.
Unfortunately the excitement of playing has evaporated. The excitement of a new issue has gone from "WOOT" to "meh". The ubiquitous "soon" is beginning to irritate. I need to go before I lose all interest in Paragon completely.
I have made some wonderful friends on here and there are people I'd have loved to have teamed with. Mothers love, Floating Fat Man, Golden Girl, and of course Scarlet.
It may be goodbye, or it may be au revoire. I really don't know, but Scarlet has said everything that I feel.
Without a doubt the most moving leaving post I have ever read.
And a very accurate portrayal of my own feelings.
Hope to see you in Millennium City Scarlet.
Darn yah boss gonna leave me to clear up your mess ... again 
. Well i have no doubt ill see you in millenium city in 2 months time
Very eloquently written and it communicates very powerfully an undercurrent of feeling that seems to be pulsing in many long-term players and which is crying out for recognition from 'the management'.
Just beautiful.
Thank you, Scarlet. That was a good read and quite accurate.
Excellent story Scarlet, and 100% the truth too. Catch you on the other side, mate. 
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Good bye, Riff. It is a pleasure to know you and i can see your point. I hope you can find what you are looking for on another scenes.
I am not very good at tracking blogs but surely i will try to drop by every now and then.
Take care and have fun.
Rabbits & Hares:Blue (Mind/Emp Controller)Maroon (Rad/Thermal Corruptor)and one of each AT all at 50
MA Arcs: Apples of Contention - 3184; Zen & Relaxation - 35392; Tears of Leviathan - 121733 | All posts are rated "R" for "R-r-rrrrr, baby!"|Now, and this is very important... do you want a hug? COH Faces @Blue Rabbit
This was the most beautiful way of saying good bye and why. Sorry to see you go for now.
By far the best leaving post i've ever read.
Goodbye scarlet sorry to see you go but speaking honestly im sure its for the best there's no point playing if you don't find it fun any more.
ah dammit i wish i had your imagition to help me finishs off my Agency MA stories
take care Riff, sad to see you go as well. Hope you will be back one day. Enjoyed the teams and your posts
i dont normally post in leaving threads mainly as folks do so often end up returning back.
@Snow.
Defiant: Snow + many other alts
Arc ID 61069
Brilliant until "They can't have my stuff! You never know... I might just be back some day.". So many people would have formed an orderly queue for that lot .
Seriously though, I don't want to be a DOOM mongerer, but it does appear that lots of long time players are starting to call it a day. I too will be leaving soon (July/August), if not before (Champions Online)... but mainly because of RL issues, a new baby is going to take up my time!
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Very nice post Scarlet - some meshes very well with my own feelings, some less so, but in any event well said.
tl;dr
Bye!
@MidnightGuard - on Union you may know me as:
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Wow way to be a **** MG
-10 Respect Points.
Brawling Cactus from a distant planet.
Nicely Written and very accurate for it, I wisj you well.
[ QUOTE ]
"They can't have my stuff! You never know... I might just be back some day."
[/ QUOTE ]
Then can I look after your stuff until you get back? Not like you'll be needing it.
It takes Chaos to move the world to Action.
Scarlet Shocker leaned over the railing at Pocket D, looking down at the dancers raving in Zero's club. The music was loud and repetitive just how the regulars liked it. She swilled the dregs of the martini around in her glass and knocked it back, then looked at the woman in green beside her. A whimsical notion crossed her mind then; red and green, opposites but complimentary. With those two colours you could make up almost the entire spectrum.
"You've got something you want to say." War Witch looked at Scarlet and there was a smile on her lips and warmth in her eyes. Since Scarlet was hunched over the rail, it was one of the few occasions the shorter woman could look her in the eye. Not many could ever do that.
"It's time to move on," admitted Scarlet. "I am torn I guess. I've not been sure, but... it's time to go."
War Witch studied her tea for a moment then looked at Scarlet. "Are you sure? Paragon still needs heroes like you. People who will fight the good fight, no matter the cost."
"That's exactly it, people LIKE me. Not me." Scarlet shrugged and stood, suddenly dwarfing her smaller friend, and first confidante. War Witch, or at least one of them, knew most of Scarlet's secrets. There weren't too many places for an eight foot tall rock star-turned-superheroine during times of crises of confidence, or when the burdens of leadership were too much. But War Witch was always there... either her ghostly self on the hill in Croatoa, or Pocket D. Scarlet was still unsure of how the two related to one another, but frankly, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. What she did know was that she could tell her friend anything and although the phantom would never presume to tell Scarlet the solution, somehow it always made things seem clearer.
War Witch studied her friend for a time. "I think I understand. Where will you go?"
Scarlet shrugged a smaller shrug and walked over to the barman, signalling for a refil. "I'm not totally certain. Millenium City may be an option... or... I'm not sure."
"Metropolis?"
Scarlet looked shocked and raised an eyebrow. "Not likely. The guy in blue is too much like Statesman. It'd be swapping like for like... besides, that bat guy... he's twisted and freaky. I couldn't work with him."
"Well I guess you could just travel around for a while. You're bound to come up with something marvellous." There was an impish grin on War Witch's face, as though she'd struck a plan.
"I don't think they're ready for me yet, and as a famous person once said, 'That's another fine mess you've got me into Stanley.' I just don't want to get into something I know I'm not going to... well I guess I dont' want to meet my doom yet, or get smooshed by some hulking great thing. I guess I'll pass on that." Scarlet sat, kind of disconsolate. "Besides, I'm good... but I'm not that good. They beat up world-breakers for breakfast, I mean on a galactic scale. I can't cope with Recluse or Ghost Widow without backup."
War Witch sat beside her and placed her hand on her friends. Her tea had cooled by now. "Don't sell yourself short Scarlet. Tell me truly, what's brought you to this?"
Scarlet sniffed, feeling choked for the first time since she'd plucked up courage to admit it to her friend. "I guess it takes more than just being a hero. I've been here a long time and I guess you've got it covered. We... by we I mean the rest of us... we're kind of superfluous to requirements. Freedom Phalanx and Vanguard and the Vindicators... they've got it all sewn up. The rest of us heroes are just making up the numbers.
"I guess in the beginning... I felt like I was making a difference, you know? There was so much to do, and we were doing it and learning the job. Now I'm not even sure anyone even knows I'm here. I tried to get to speak with Positron the other day. I'd got some intel, figured it would help him coordinate stuff but it fell on deaf ears. We're not making any headway and, I think, some people at the top like it like that. We've stopped being important. Now it seems like we're just here to make up the numbers!"
War Witch nodded. "I understand. But, you've been here a while. Most heroes - and villains - don't stick around half the time you do. You've seen - and done a lot."
"So I'm burned out? Maybe but it's more than that. Millenium City's looking pretty exciting right now and the Freedom Phalanx are mostly saying 'Jam tomorrow.' We try and hone their skills fighting each other in the arena and so they change the rules so you can't actually do what you do out there in the streets; it's pointless. Now they got into bed with Aeon Entertainment with their fantastic new facility and what happens? First time they hit the streets in anger they hit it face first. Half of them just go around in circles doing the job they think needs doing. They don't learn their powers old school, they just pick what sounds good and then get face planted the first time they get out there. Kind of makes a mockery of doing it 'old school.' And don't dare even mention 'Soon!'"
War Witch grinned. "C'mon Scarlet, things change. You're old and wise enough to know that people will take short-cuts whenever and wherever they can. You've even done it yourself on occasion."
"Sure I have," she admitted. "But that's not been a constant. I've done it because I wanted to get to a specific point, not get to retirement age before I'd worked the beat. Sure it's less tough than when I was a rookie and look what happens? People don't stick with it as long. This way they'll do all their training and then jump ship when they realise how tough out there it can really get." Scarlet sniffed and snapped her fingers irritatingly for another drink.
War Witch leaned back in her chair and grinned. "Scarlet, I do believe you're sulking," which elicited a pained look.
"No, I'm not sulking but I'm a few miles away from happy. I'm not bored either. There's stuff I still want to do. But when we... the heroes on the street, ask something of the support network it's not forthcoming. If anyone in Freedom Phalanx ever pays attention they just expect us to get over it or fit around them. I hear it's even worse in the Isles. Why clean up a city when nobody cares?"
War Witch nodded, in understanding. "You realise you probably won't win too many friends if you quit."
The drinks arrived, Scarlet's martini and a chai latte for War Witch. Scarlet sipped on hers first then sucked the olive from the cocktail stick. "It's never been the number of friends that important. It's the quality and I've got a wealth of that from my time here. If anyone feels I'm an idiot for this, well that's not a problem I have to deal with. My friends are all grown up enough to choose their own path, without my help. I don't even expect everyone to agree with me, but I suspect I'm not alone here."
War Witch nodded and stood, preparing to leave. "You know we'll still be here if it doesn't work out wherever you find yourself. So long as there's a Paragon, there'll be a place for you."
Scarlet frowned at that. "That only works so long as Positron and Freedom Phalanx realises they need us. Without us, well... there won't be a Paragon. But one things for sure," she brightened as she spoke. "They can't have my stuff! You never know... I might just be back some day."
Thelonious Monk