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Grendyne groans and starts pulling on her boots when the alarm goes off. Again. She quick-marches to the broom hangar, sits on her machine and is handed a plethora of loaded weapons by attentive corporals.
"Two flyers in one day? They're getting way too common."
"It's worse," the commander informs them, "South Karlsland got hit with three at once. We're taking Lytee's express and sleeping there. You can sit out if you absolutely need to, but Freya's still recovering so we could use you as a comms relay."
"No, I'll come. I just reserve the right to complain about it."
The 42nd United Forces Witch Wing takes off and assembles into a perfect synchronized formation as Lytee charges her teleport power.
...This is not South Karlsland wilderness.
[note: halfway through this thread I created a unique account for Grendyne. Do not be alarmed by the change in account. -Rockeye]
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characterquarry
wormcan
"Well, um, we can bring her in. Get her side of the story.
I don't have a mask on me, but you're dressed as a civilian. Do you need one?"
As a PRT van pulls up, Dauntless picks up Shadow Stalker. "Crossbow bolts." He taps the tip of one with his finger. "Sharp ones, not tranquilizers. Definitely not something she should be using."
I don't have a mask on me, but you're dressed as a civilian. Do you need one?"
As a PRT van pulls up, Dauntless picks up Shadow Stalker. "Crossbow bolts." He taps the tip of one with his finger. "Sharp ones, not tranquilizers. Definitely not something she should be using."
witchwatcher
"I suppose not. Nobody who's seen me use powers and oughtn't to know my face is still here and conscious. Your power is very interesting. My own powers will start to fade in a few years, it's just how Witches work, but if I make gear tuned to me by copying your power, I'll stay useful longer."
She picks up one of the three criminals in a shoulder carry and follows as Dauntless hauls Shadow Stalker to the van.
She picks up one of the three criminals in a shoulder carry and follows as Dauntless hauls Shadow Stalker to the van.
wormcan
They load the captives into the containment van. Shadow Stalker gets put in a passenger seat, in handcuffs to make a point even though she could easily phase out of them were she conscious.
"You mean to improve your steelwing? Better equipment is always better."
"You mean to improve your steelwing? Better equipment is always better."
witchwatcher
"That's one option, but I can store power in gems and jewelry. They have a purpose besides being decorative to me, so I bet I can put charges into them and store up a very deep well to draw on for, say, Endbringers."
She keeps staring at him. "It's tricky, though, I'll probably lose my hold on your power before I have a charge unless you stay near me for the twenty hours. I'm gonna try my damnedest to keep this power, but it doesn't always work. It'd help if we patrolled together or something."
She keeps staring at him. "It's tricky, though, I'll probably lose my hold on your power before I have a charge unless you stay near me for the twenty hours. I'm gonna try my damnedest to keep this power, but it doesn't always work. It'd help if we patrolled together or something."
wormcan
He's started to get unnerved by the staring. (Not daunted, of course. Never that.) "They can probably arrange that."
witchwatcher
"I would be stronger for it, I'd appreciate it a whole lot. Sorry about the staring. It helps with the copying. I can give it a rest if you want."
wormcan
"I guess, if it helps. Another power like this, go ahead. For now, let's get back to base."
witchwatcher
So they head back to base.
Shadow Stalker will wake up about halfway there, faster than Gren was expecting.
Shadow Stalker will wake up about halfway there, faster than Gren was expecting.
wormcan
"Uuugh.
You! Who even are you, and why am I the one in handcuffs?" She moves her wrists through them, having gotten the point.
You! Who even are you, and why am I the one in handcuffs?" She moves her wrists through them, having gotten the point.
witchwatcher
"I'm Citrine Mage, the new Ward. I saw what looked like you calmly overseeing a crime in progress. Admittedly, I shot first. My apologies. Wouldn't have attacked you if I didn't think you were a villain at the time. I called the Protectorate after stunning you, and Dauntless is the one who decided to cuff you."
Pause. "You recovered from the stun faster than I was expecting. Probably 'cause you're a cape. I'll have to keep that in mind in the future."
Pause. "You recovered from the stun faster than I was expecting. Probably 'cause you're a cape. I'll have to keep that in mind in the future."
wormcan
"Probably just 'cause I'm a badass. And, overseeing? What you saw was me about to jump in and save the day."
"You had crossbow bolts," Dauntless comments. "Sharp ones. Even aside from what Citrine Mage says, deadly weapons are a serious violation."
"She probably planted them. I didn't have any before she knocked me out."
"You had crossbow bolts," Dauntless comments. "Sharp ones. Even aside from what Citrine Mage says, deadly weapons are a serious violation."
"She probably planted them. I didn't have any before she knocked me out."
witchwatcher
"It's not strictly impossible that I framed you. But I wasn't expecting you to be on patrol, I'd barely even heard of you... This reminds me of that time with Sparky and Opera. Your word against mine. I'll shut up and let someone else decide."
wormcan
They pull up to the PRT base. The captives get unloaded, and Dauntless escorts the Wards to the someone in question.
"Shadow Stalker. You know the stakes, so I'd highly recommend that you start with the truth. Start."
"I was out doing an extra patrol, and saw three people in ABB colors attacking a civilian. And then this bi– this presumably well-intentioned hero stuns me."
"And the darts?"
"OK, I had darts. But I never used them, for anything."
"Citrine Mage, does this mesh with what you observed?"
"Shadow Stalker. You know the stakes, so I'd highly recommend that you start with the truth. Start."
"I was out doing an extra patrol, and saw three people in ABB colors attacking a civilian. And then this bi– this presumably well-intentioned hero stuns me."
"And the darts?"
"OK, I had darts. But I never used them, for anything."
"Citrine Mage, does this mesh with what you observed?"
witchwatcher
"She didn't use the sharp darts. When I attacked her with stunbolts, which I admit may have been slightly hasty and she had no way of knowing they were nonlethal, she still didn't use the sharp ones. I think it's a grand misunderstanding."
wormcan
"Very possible. Certainly that would be the simplest explanation to deal with, if true.
You told Dauntless it looked like a cape overseeing a crime. What gave that impression?"
You told Dauntless it looked like a cape overseeing a crime. What gave that impression?"
witchwatcher
"It took me some twenty seconds to approach close enough to get them all before they had time to react by, say, trying to use their victim as a human shield. She was standing on a nearby roof during this time. It felt like she was waiting for something. I'm not sure how reliable my intuition is here, though."
wormcan
"More like ten. I was waiting, for a chance to get them from behind while there was a crime in progress.
Misunderstanding is one thing, but I'm supposed to be on a team with someone who attacked me?"
Misunderstanding is one thing, but I'm supposed to be on a team with someone who attacked me?"
wormcan
"In light of the darts Dauntless found, we'll be investigating your conduct. If there are any instances of you having used deadly weapons, you won't have to worry about being on the same team as Citrine Mage."
She turns to Gren, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, especially if it turns out not to be a mere misunderstanding. Dismissed."
She turns to Gren, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, especially if it turns out not to be a mere misunderstanding. Dismissed."
witchwatcher
She takes one last look at Dauntless, then gives a little bow as she leaves. It's meant as completely serious and unironic, but the people of this world probably have different standards of conduct so it might not get taken that way.
She more or less ignores Shadow Stalker as she walks back to the Wards area to put her purchases away unless the latter re-initiates conversation.
She more or less ignores Shadow Stalker as she walks back to the Wards area to put her purchases away unless the latter re-initiates conversation.
wormcan
Shadow Stalker is going to avoid her to the best of her ability for the immediate future.
She runs into another Ward or two on the way. "What was that about with Stalker?"
She runs into another Ward or two on the way. "What was that about with Stalker?"
witchwatcher
"I was out shopping, ran into some thugs. She was on a nearby roof. I shot stunbolts at her 'cause I didn't recognize her and thought she was a villain at first and we had a little fight. No lasting harm, I hope."
wormcan
"That is the best mistake to make. God knows she was asking for it, with that costume."
witchwatcher
"They wouldn't let me wear purple 'cause she's already got dark-and-broody covered. But all's well that ends well."
wormcan
"Ending with Shadow Stalker losing to another hero is definitely well.
Except, you don't just attack everyone who looks villainous, do you? I hope?"
Except, you don't just attack everyone who looks villainous, do you? I hope?"