This post's authors have general content warnings that might apply to the current post.
View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
The PRT catches wind of a strange increase in disappeared domestic animals in the downtown area. Given that the people who live there are the rich and powerful, this is clearly a problem that needs to be investigated and solved immediately. The PRT, of course, agrees that this is of utmost importance, and not just because of precedent about mass abductions of pets, of course not, why would you think that, they are so very worried about Fido, even Scion recognizes the merits of rescuing lost pets.
(Lorica's asked to maybe keep a few more eyes there than she has been.)
Sadde and Bell in Worm
"Are you kidding me I can fly and shoot stuff out of my hands to tag people and there's a HUD it's awesome of course I like it!"
And just as Rewind is walking away from Lorica's workshop, one of the bots patrolling downtown notices some suspicious movement over there.
It's an apparently ordinary office building. A bit less fancy than the average, for the area, but otherwise pretty ordinary. But what caught the bot's eye was a flash inside one of the tinted windows, and—
Crusader flies through it, shattering the window as he's thrown outside. He generates a duplicate to catch himself before he goes splat on the concrete.
And a tree branch with crimson leaves grows out of the window he just broke, much faster than branches ought to.
Crusader flies through it, shattering the window as he's thrown outside. He generates a duplicate to catch himself before he goes splat on the concrete.
And a tree branch with crimson leaves grows out of the window he just broke, much faster than branches ought to.
thinkering
The bot sends up high alert and solicits immediate glambot backup.
Lorica is jolted out of programming fugue to attend to the situation.
Lorica is jolted out of programming fugue to attend to the situation.
Two hybrid monkeys jump out of the window after Crusader, and two of Crusader's clones that were inside the building follow them. When they're outside, one of the ways they've evaded tracking this long becomes obvious to the bot: at least some of them seem to have evolved a very advanced form of camouflage, quickly taking on the properties of their background (though it seems not quick enough when they're actually running around). That, coupled with their very low body temperature, coupled with Brockton Bay being a big city, meant that they could effectively stay out of sight most of the time.
thinkering
Lorica writes thirty lines of code real quick to sharpen the bots' visual discernment for this situation and then goes back to paying attention to the fight. Glam's shoulderbot suggests that flamethrowers would be good too.
mxglam
While she was looking away, Purity showed up from inside the building and started shooting the monkeys, causing worryingly little damage in spite of going at it with enough force to crack the concrete they were standing on. As Lorica watches, a blindingly fast vine shoots out of the window, wrapping itself around Purity's midsection and pulling her back inside.
Glam gives the bots a gun that can throw flames or a flame retardant depending on a setting, which is just as well because the two camouflaged monkeys are running away in different directions. Armsmaster has started gathering some heroes and sending them in—he and Drupe are coming on his bike, Miss Militia is supposed to pick Windflower up, Glimmer and Silica are patrolling and for the moment needn't come but should try to stay nearby in case their help's needed.
Glam gives the bots a gun that can throw flames or a flame retardant depending on a setting, which is just as well because the two camouflaged monkeys are running away in different directions. Armsmaster has started gathering some heroes and sending them in—he and Drupe are coming on his bike, Miss Militia is supposed to pick Windflower up, Glimmer and Silica are patrolling and for the moment needn't come but should try to stay nearby in case their help's needed.
thinkering
Bots chase the escaping monkeys with extreme prejudice. Other bots - disposable Glambots - enter the building with the tree to check it out.
Yup, that's a tree. A huge tree, apparently going through all floors and occupying the entire building, while having managed to keep far enough away from the tinted windows that it wasn't visible from the outside. The tree moves, sluggishly, but still in ways trees ought not move.
Its purpose becomes clear, as well: in addition to the several differently-mutated monkeys here and there, many of which are fighting Purity and Crusader's clones (even being impaled is not enough to stop them most of the time), there are several monkeys connected to the tree, duplicating quickly, with mutations, and then having one of the duplicates killed for nutrients, with some help from other monkeys to ensure only "good" mutations persist.
Its purpose becomes clear, as well: in addition to the several differently-mutated monkeys here and there, many of which are fighting Purity and Crusader's clones (even being impaled is not enough to stop them most of the time), there are several monkeys connected to the tree, duplicating quickly, with mutations, and then having one of the duplicates killed for nutrients, with some help from other monkeys to ensure only "good" mutations persist.
thinkering
The robot informs everyone that it is definitely time to freak the fuck out and solicits permission to torch the place. It is sure the flock could contain the fire barring unforeseen circumstances. (The flock looks for non-Empire human presence in the building.)
Apparently Purity, Crusader, Hookwolf, Stormtiger, Krieg, Cricket, Night, and Fog are in the building, isn't that interesting? Also very peculiar how no one called the Protectorate about this, almost as if this building might not be just your regular old civilian building.
In any case, even if the Empire are villains, killing them would break the unwritten rules of the cape community. Besides unforeseen circumstances seem to crop up pretty terribly often when these monkeys are involved, and you never know what they could have evolved in the meantime. Using fire: definitely not allowed. Too much risk.
In any case, even if the Empire are villains, killing them would break the unwritten rules of the cape community. Besides unforeseen circumstances seem to crop up pretty terribly often when these monkeys are involved, and you never know what they could have evolved in the meantime. Using fire: definitely not allowed. Too much risk.
thinkering
The bots attempt to form a three-dimensional perimeter and shoo civilians from neighboring buildings while they can still pretty much go down the street on foot. Maybe the monkeys (and the E88) should be contained with foam on the various exits?
mxglam
That sounds like a swell idea! Glam provides imaginary foam sprayers and pops in a couple of copies under their own control so they can help along, too. They need to be transmitted a visual of their copies so they can go into the building and see if they can't contain the monkeys more directly.
mxglam
Good! So the copies go inside and start foaming monkeys and—
—that sets them off. Before the bots and copies can cover more than a couple of exits and windows, monkeys explode out of every exit and non-exit like an angry hive. Several of them, it appears, have evolved wings, and are carrying some less fortunate hybrids in all directions away from the building.
—that sets them off. Before the bots and copies can cover more than a couple of exits and windows, monkeys explode out of every exit and non-exit like an angry hive. Several of them, it appears, have evolved wings, and are carrying some less fortunate hybrids in all directions away from the building.
thinkering
"Auntie Em," Lorica indulges herself; the comm doesn't transmit it. "Glam, I need population and if you can't sustain it I need kamikaze bots."
mxglam
"On it, make sure they beep really loudly if even one of them disappears. What do you want on them?" they ask, already making a couple here and there where people aren't looking and then where people are looking 'cause at this point it's pretty much a given that Glam works remotely to anyone who's been paying attention.
thinkering
"Narrow flamethrowers that only burn organics if you can swing that, and infinite foam supplies."
mxglam
"Of course I can swing that," they say with much more confidence than they feel.
And the monkeys keep coming, there are so many of them, but Glam is onto you, Glam is making so many bots.
And the monkeys keep coming, there are so many of them, but Glam is onto you, Glam is making so many bots.