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Snippets Of The Legendary II: You Know, This Means War!
Do You See What I See?
#76
One could say that Valles was often glowing.  As a Peacebringer, the fusion of a human with an alien being composed of pure energy, most open displays of her powers involved copious displays of the raw quantum flux energy that the Kheldian race had evolved into. It was necessary for any number of her abilities, from the energy that kept her aloft in the air, to the defensive fields that protected her in combat. All of these, by their nature, generated a powerfully bright white light that most had come to associate with the alien fusions as much as their darker kin were known by the clinging purple energy they manifested.

And all of that had absolutely nothing to do with why Valles was beaming today.

Her coworkers had noticed it at Portal Corp.  More than a few had been curious about her good mood.  She'd just waved it off as a private thing.  Most of her coworkers had promptly known exactly what it was about, with quite a few reactions racing about the intern ranks. It boiled down into three general groups, barring overlap: happiness for her situation (from most of the straight women and a few of the men), jealousy over how lucky she was (from most of the straight men and several of the women, straight or otherwise), and the occasional bouts of weary tolerance of the sheer good cheer radiating off of her.  

As the latter group consisted of the people who'd remember the precise date of Valentine's Day better than actual celebrants so they could log onto the internet and gripe about a holiday that excluded single people, most people ignored them.

The intern pool at Portal Corp was always where more long established staff went fishing for new available singles, mostly because it was easy to work out who you shouldn't be fraternizing with based on their project code. And Valles had certainly attracted significant attention when she'd started work, for two large reasons and a half a dozen smaller ones. However, she'd made perfectly clear that she was taken, and the general consensus from rumor was that whoever she was dating must be a hell of a person to keep the unchallenged affections of a girl who could clearly have her pick of about any person she cared to show attention to. And whoever it was was clearly reliable as well, as V-chan's good mood could be identified to be on the same day every year... which wasn't her birthday.

It was on one such day that she landed on the steps to their flat, observing the supervisor’s rules about no unnecessary flying to upper floors, and started the jog up. The stairwell leading up the front was an efficient design, albeit with less of the old 50s sensibilities that had gone into the design of similar apartment complexes in the Row about housing the stairs indoors. Ms. Kala from 209 was just heading out to walk her dogs and V-chan exchanged a few friendly words with her as well as their mail which had been put in her slot by accident again. V resolved to speak to the mailman about that at some later date, but filed it away for later. Nothing was going to ruin her mood today.

Stepping into the living room, V-chan was surprised to find it deserted, but smiled at a small wrapped box sitting on the dining table just past the couch. A black box tied in a silk-like white ribbon, it unfastened with little trouble, leaving Valles to open the box and blink at... nothing, save a small note written in Lynna’s handwriting.

For you to wear when I give you your *real* present in the bedroom

- L

V shook her head mildly at her lover’s sense of humor but walked over to the front door, locking it before disrobing as the note’s implication had instructed. As she walked down the hall, Valles found herself wondering what precisely Lynna had gotten her rather than the usual lingerie that she’d been expecting in the box, but decided to let herself be surprised. Most people didn’t have to make an active choice about such things, but most people also couldn’t see through walls like Valles could.  Being able to see more energy wavelengths than possible for the average science lab was one of the more useful things that came with Kheldian symbiosis.

Once she walked into the room, V-chan looked around, absently wondering if Lynna’s choice of gifts was something that would’ve led to awkward questions on the tram home if someone’d spotted the bag. However, her thoughts were interrupted by a flash of motion out of the corner of her eye. The coloration and build was wrong for Lynna, and Valles started to bring her hands up to try, however futilely, to cover herself...before she stopped and actually looked at the naked woman trying to cover her substantial assets looking back at her.

A reflection.

“Surprise,” a familiar voice said as Lynna appeared at her shoulder, having probably turned invisible to let her girlfriend walk in without noticing her.

“Very funny,” V-chan said, a little sourly, as she looked back at the full-length mirror sitting with a bow on one corner in front of the closet. “Was there a point to this besides raising my blood pressure?”

Lynna smiled softly, which left V-chan staring at her, anger fading into perplexity. The Warshade, however, spoke up as she looked at her. “Just look at it, hmm?”

Valles turned, looking back at the mirror, taking a moment to force herself to relax from the brief fright Lynna’s plan had given her. The darker skinned woman was looking at the reflection too from her place behind Valles, chin resting on her shoulder. “What do you see?”

“...me, I guess. And you.”

“Correction: you see an attractive young woman with a body that most preppy cheerleaders and would-be social divas would slit their own throats for,” Lynna corrected her, still smiling slightly. “That’s why I got you this.”

Valles frowned at her, before Lynna sighed and rapped her knuckles gently on the shorter woman’s head. “Dummy. I wanted you to see what I see when I look at you. Not what you think you look like,” she said warmly.

The click of everything sliding into place left Valles at a loss for words for a moment, before she blushed. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Lynna returned, not saying anything else as V-chan looked back at the mirror and her reflection in it, this time not avoiding taking a long look at herself. After a moment, she smiled, the blush still there.

“When did you become the sensitive one, Lynna?” V-chan wondered, looking over her shoulder.“Well, there are other side-benefits to getting you naked in the bedroom, I’ll admit,” Lynna chuckled, her grin growing a bit more crooked.

“There’s the girlfriend I remember,” V-chan laughed as she turned around to give herself a position to reach under Lynna's shirt in turn.

“Happy anniversary, Nat.”“Happy anniversary, Lynna.”
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."
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Influence and Power (2/2)
#77
AN: Apologies for the length, its more a story then a snippet, but it just kept coming and I had a bit of ground to cover and certain characters just wouldn't shut up. Also sorry if it seems a bit 'talking head-ish' - Its really needs a few more going overs by myself and by another pair of eyes but I promised to have today.I'll rewrite it if I get a chance and a hand.

It was a typical afternoon on the fourth floor of the Villa de Rogue. The windows were letting plenty of light and scenic ocean view in while keeping street noise and pollution out. Victor (aka RedThorns) and Julia (aka Red Fortunata) were busy working quietly on Victor's work desk while Danny (aka Night Marshal) was entertaining himself on the lounge chair. In truth they were waiting for several of the Sisters Spider to either wake up (Redback Spiderbite) or return from 'shopping' (in the case of Vine Widow and Arachna Tormentia).
Danny was sitting comfortable on the lounge with the latest iteration of the Longbow Nullifer Rifle partial on his lap and spread over the coffee table in front of him. He was both relaxing and working at the same time. The rifle worked perfectly well... for a paperweight and was an utter travesty of craftsmanship and design-work. He was pulling it apart with his hands, partly for the challenge, partly for the thrill of it, and partly so he could compare its design with the others he had also pulled apart. He was looking both for ways to improve it and for clues as to its designer so he could go have a 'discussion' on and 'inform' them to leave 'designing to the experts' namely him. He had come to the conclusion partway through this process that the only redeeming factors for this weapon was that it had none, was government made, and that he could strip it down and rebuild it into something usable.
Around his head the hovered and occasionally bounced down with a soft metallic bong sound a gray metal sphere about the size of a fist. It acted much like a squishy stress relief ball/mental exercise ball for him and allowed him to focus while out of uniform. At the moment it was working overtime as Danny vented much of his frustrations into the ball, deforming it into various shapes before *carefully* bouncing it around the room.
Victor on the other hand was reclining on a rather plush leather seat reading the latest finanical times insert. There was something visceral about reading news and figures on actual paper that appealed to him. Sure, the world was increasly going more online much to his dimay and disgust, but he'd buy a book any day of the week before buying one of those kindling eye-pog gizmos thingawhatis. Yes computers had their place, but they were a tool, nothing more nothing less. Not a crux on which to base a whole society.
Victor was just reaching for his pipe when the phone rang and Red Fortunata stopped her typing. Since she only ever stopped typing on important calls, and he was moving anyway, he decided that he might as well answer it. Still if it was some smuck ordering pizza or reporting a ghost running through a shop...all bets were off.
A short one-sided conversation followed during which Danny stopped what he was doing and Red Fortunata called up a particular news article on the laptop she was working on.
"Well," began Victor with an air of contemplation about him. "That was one of the Irregulars, who just so happens to work in one of the largest hotels in Paragon. Seems something rather special is going down in the city. Almost -every- single room has been booked in every single hotel or motel on April 29th. This is almost unprecedented. There is usually some room somewhere... but its a first. They almost asked me if I could shake a few rooms loose."
"Would it have anything to do with the up-swell in engagements from Valentines Day?" asked Red Fortuanta with a sweet serene smile, "According to the tabloids there are speculation that certain high profile heroes and A-List and B-List rich and famous are getting hitched, and almost all of them on that day." According to her body language she already knew the answer but she was just being friendly and polite, and participating in the conversation.
Victor leaned back into his chair and pull up his cane from beside him and glanced at it as if it could talk to him and tell him what to do. It was a rather unique cane - maple, polished, about waist high and solid looking with a rather distinctive knot just below the handgrip. The knot looked rather like a skull, to the point that there were two jewels embedded deep in the wood where one would imagine the empty eye sockets to be. Victor grinned slowly and stared deeply into the gems of the handle of his cane, watching them as they caught the light as he turned it. "One of the other Irregulars reported previously that they had spotted a group of Lady Nogitsune's Ninja's have arranged to secure a small temple on the edge of Paragon City."
"Where's there's smoke there's fire." remarked Danny, leaning back into his chair. Now that he wasn't actively pulling the weapon apart and was paying attention to RedThorns and Red Fortunata, the various components that were arrayed on the table were dancing on invisible hands to a beat of their own. It was like watching mop and bucket portion from the Sorcerer's Apprentice, as they reconfigured themselves and rebuilt themselves into a copy of Night Marshal's standard rifle.
"There is that saying," agreed Red Fortunata agreed gesturing.
"Hmm..." mused Victor, still gazing at the cane, tossing the various schemes and possibilities in his mind. "We all know what the 'good' Lady Nogitsune claims to be. She can not afford her image to be tarnished by marrying a 'mere mortal'. Hence her Ninja's must be arranging it for someone else... someone who's favor of the week." Putting his cane down but resting one hand on it he continued looking at the both of them, "She'll probably be acting as 'security'. Thus if the ninja's are there as security, one can easily reach the conclusion that the Mistress herself would be there to ensure everything went smoothly.  To do otherwise would run the risk of her honor being tarnished. I know her type: Honor is paramount."
"But why the small little chapel?" asked Danny.
While Victor was talking Red Fortunata had been busy typing away on her computer, and now pulled up a list of all the various church and places where one could 'tie the knot' in Paragon City. "Because they're all full on April 29th. Everyone wants that particular day."
"The van Craft family and their industries and at least a dozen of my other identities are going to get invites till they come out of my ears," sighed Victor. "Danny, you'll be going in my stead."
"I will?" asked a momentarily taken aback Night Marshal. Both his eyebrows shot up his forehead. Flashing through the back of his head was the simple circuit he would need to gimmick the scanner at Pocket D to allow him access again to Paragon City. No computer would stop him and he wouldn't need to turn all hug-the-trees-goodie-two-shoes for a day.
"Danny, Danny, Danny. Have you been spending to much time with your robots again?" asked Red Fortunata with a tender note of concern in her voice. "Remember what April 29 is? Victor and I will be in Europe then, remember. We have a different wedding to attend and ... we're going to inspect The Baron's holdings."
"No - Oh. Ah... Ah." Muttered Danny as processed what Julia said, or rather what she didn't say verbal. It would be their one of the few times that RedThorns and Red Fortunata had recently gotten away together alone for any length of time, and it looked like they both had plans. Plans that require no interruptions. "Which one's you want me go to? Not all of them I hope!"
RedThorns and Red Fortunata shared a moment together before both turned to Danny.
"We'll have to wait and see what ones come, but definitely the one Lady Nogitune is arranging and that one." Victor stated point to a list of weddings that Red Fortunata had pulled up on the screen. "Julia will know if there are any others you need to go to." To this Red Fortutana just smiled a serene smile and nodded, clearing the screen. When Victor got in this mood it was best just to sit back and let him go, it was clear he had a plan and it was going to be spectacular.
"Anyway," smiled Victor with a smile of a good deal many teeth, his rich Scottish accent developing a burr that indicated he was up to something particularly devious, "It strikes me that there are going to be quite a few of our fellows with nothing to do on that day. Or with rather nefarious plans for no good. Idle hands are the devil's playthings. Therefore, they need something do to. Something to prevent them from interfering in the events of the day, while still appealing to their baser instincts and motives. Thus I propose a competition. Besides, its been a while since I've hosted one of them. Say beginning in the morning around 9am and ending around noon. Fastest Documented Lady Gray will get a set of what is called "Purples". Those who kill or rather dispose of the most Rikti, documented of course, will also get a set of "Purples" to share among themselves. Of course they have to get proof to me or yourself or one of the Sisters within say a few hours, but if word spreads to the Irregulars it should keep them busy. My gift to the people of Paragon: Keeping those of a liberal persuasion and morals busy for the day. What the heck, in the spirit of goodwill, I'll even open it to both sides of the morality debate."
All in the room shared a knowing smirk. It was well known among them Victor's opinion of the Rikti invasion and the subsequent scrambling by all parties to form Vanguard and the back and forth ever since.
Casting his eyes to one side and up one level, Danny remarked, "I'm going to go and tell Redback the good news: Open season in the Warzone or me in a tux. Knowing her, she'll take the warzone any day." With that he slung the now completed rifle over his shoulder and walked out of the room, bouncing his metal stress ball like a tennis ball as he went.
"I swear," remarked Victor, shaking his head, once Danny had left, "Those two. I see the attraction between them. I don't comprehend it, but its there. How those two ever got together, I will not ever understand."
"Victor, darling." soothed Red Fortunata "Love is a strange thing. Don't question it, and don't try to comprehend it."
"My Dear," smiled Victor bowing his head, "Once again, I must bow to your superior wisdom."
"You have more tricks up your sleeve? Are you done with your plans for the city?" asked Red Fortuna, settling back in her chair with a smile.
"Why of course my dear... When do I not? PET!" commanded Victor into the open air with an authoritative tone of voice.
The shadows shimmered and into the middle of the room a humanoid from came forth, intoning "Yes Master."
"Pet," commanded RedThorns, his voice ringing with power and authority. His eyes and the jewels on his cane seemed to glow as he spoke, his hand brushing a chain link on his belt. "I want you to ensure that Longbow are aware of Lady Nogitsune's whereabouts on April 29. Also put Silent Blades on her tail for the same date. Use fund 6 and a trusted go between."
"Yes Master."
"Also use fund 7 and the Irregulars to get the police to hound, or otherwise distract the following individuals: Leading Lady, Valles, Terrence Knight, Silicon Sabre, and Jelidan."
"Yes Master."
"Go!" he commanded.
The shadows shimmered again and the pair were alone again. So they took the time to enjoy the moment.
"The wedding gift dear?" prompted Red Fortunata when they separated.
"Ah, yes. Thank you dear. It would be rather poor form to send Danny boy along without a suitable gift for the happy couple."
"And knowing you," chuckled Red Fortunata, "you'll be after something both shows off and also that tweaks a few individuals noses, Nogitsune included."
"But of course," Victor said leaning back in his chair, rubbing his hands. "Opportunity beckons. Just rubbing shoulders with 'mere mortals' is enough to tweak her nose, but take it a step beyond and she's twitchy and off balance despite her outward signs of calm. Her type are ever so much fun when they're twitchy - that's when you have the most opportunity to strike."
"Any ideas?"
"Nothing appropriate." At Julia's questioning eyebrow he elaborated, "Severed head of enemy surround by said enemy family's eyeballs would probably fall flat. Works a treat in certain parts of the jungle."
"I can foresee that would not working here. How about starting with wedding sayings and going from there."
"Fair enough. Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue."
"Look down you gods on this couple and drop a blessed crown"
"When love is not mad then it is not love."
"There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends."
Victor paused and tilted his had to one side, "Yes..." he pictured the present in his mind and saw Red Fortunata's face light up as well. "Yes... that will be perfect. Working off the first two, and including the third, its not going to raise any flags going in and is go really annoy several people, particularly Lady Nogitsune. Particularly if that fool Toa plays his part and delivers the right property. It'll be perfect. You'll help Danny get it in pass the screening?"
"Of course. Want me to go get it now?"
"Please."
"Back soon."
"Love you." Victor called out as Red Fortunata seemingly disappeared in a flash of light.
Victor leaned back and indulged in a old-fashioned belly-laugh before picking up the paper and commenced reading it again. He loved it when a plan came together.

Irregulars: Network of Ferrymen, Train drivers, Retailers, Porters, Paper-boys, etc that no one sees but interacts with on a daily basis.
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#78
Quick question: Where can we put off forum stuff? I have something that could be potentially offensive (*gasp*) and I'd rather put it somewhere off forum and post a link so it can be easily torn down if needed. Any suggestions?
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#79
This is part of my contribution to DS's "Sound of Bells" storyline. I thought it better to post it here, rather then in his thread as its my work. He's read it and given his OK. I would have had this out earlier, but my connection has gone wonky.

Preparations
Word had been spread out through the various channels that RedThorns was hunting certain items and that any who 'procured' those items would be rewarded. As normal the closer to the due date, the greater the posted reward was, but conversely the greater the risk that someone else would come along and claim the reward. There was whispers that if one was discrete enough, and managed to get the particular item that RedThorns wanted without alerting anyone else, and deliver it at the right time, the reward would include a Favor.
And it was a known fact that having a RedThorns bestow his Favor on someone was something rather special. He never forgot a Favor, and he always followed through with them. And Favors, as such knew little bounds.
Thus it was that with several weeks to go, you could find several parties quietly scouring both Paragon City and Rouge Isles for the items that RedThorns had requested.
Currently about midway down the list of requested items were as follows:
 - Sakura Wood
 - Arachnos IDs
 - A dozen blood red roses.
 - A sword
 - A fiery glove.
In a "disused and apparently abandoned" warehouse a bunch of thugs quietly stripped some KoA of their weapons after a short but brutal "aggressive negotiation" on the virtues of continual breathing. A supply cabinet elsewhere was likewise being raided by some opportunistic individuals.
In a prize-winning garden in St. Martial, after careful selection, thirteen roses were carefully plucked and dipped in ... coloring... provided by the gardener before being put into careful storage.
In Grandville, NightMarshall, one of RedThorns known seconds, was pretending to be a building support, watching the traffic from under an awning when a shadow detached from the building across the way and made its way over to him.
The shadow flicked three IDs out like playing cards, which NightMarshall took and made a show of holding each up to a "light", as if checking diamonds, to check how good they were. In reality he was examining them with his "metal-sense" and reading the details off them. They were valid Arachnos IDs, Current and running the latest set of codes, and would probably suit RedThorns' needs. Mentally he shrugged, it would have to do. Holding them all in his right hand at once he passed them around his back, into his left hand and then brought them back out to the front. Now there were six IDs in his hand. Behind his visor he grinned as the shadow that was Sable Kat did a slight double take. It was one of his various 'party tricks' that he had down pat. They didn't call him the Fixer for nothing.
He pocketed a set and then looked at the set remaining in his hand... /Just there... flip that bit and nudge that one.../ and smiled widely. /Perfect./ He handed them back to the shadow, and muttered, "You did good Kat. Now put them back where you found them. Without getting caught, and then I might let the Boss know."
Sable hiss something rather rude under her breath and then vanished up the wall. NightMarshall chuckled. There were times when being a Villain was so much *FUN*, it should be criminal.
-----
One Week Later
-----
Victor contemplated the box sitting to one side of his study carefully. It was a masterpiece. Solid polished Sakura wood, with various flower and petal motifs and an ancient script engraved at key locations. It was solid in that it not craftboard and then simply veneered; but rather whole pieces of wood joined together using a Master's touch. It was truly something special, particular considering its size, that of about a man's forearm in each direction.
Red Fortunata flashed into the room, hovering in mid-air. Behind her, there hung a bundle of draped in cloths.
"Do you have it?" he asked.
"I do." She smiled, bringing the bundle forward. The cloth fell away, and Victor gasped. It was exactly what he needed. Putting his hand under it, he levitated it above his hand and spun it around.
"They are like little sapphires..." he whispered watching the light play and catch over its surface. "Does it have..."
"Yes it does."
"Perfect." Victor smiled. With a few small hand gestures, he floated it over to the box and installed it into it and almost reverentially closed the lid. Another few gestures and the rest of the gift assembled itself,  items floating as if on invisible hands and paper folding to razor-sharp creases.
After a few minutes they both stood back and considered the goods sitting on the table before them.
"Still missing a little something..." mused Victor, stroking his chin.
"A lock?"
"The lock." Victor turned to the blades lined up against the far wall of his study. There was blades of all sorts of shapes and sizes and ages, some even still with "discoloration" on them. Collecting blades and relics was as much a hobby as gardening was one of his hobbies. Casting his experienced eye over the blades, he pointed to one in particular. It seemed to call to him in particular.
"That one." Julia nodded smiling at his choice. Fate would smile on the selection. She had seen it.
A brief exertion of mental will later and the blade was placed just so and the gift was complete - perfect. The entire assembly was then lifted up and placed into a slightly larger box and wrapped. NightMarshal got called in and Red Fortuanta told him what scanners would be pointed at it and he whipped up confounders that made the contents of the box look harmless.
Finally it was ready.
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Travel Arrangements
#80
Trying to depart from the normal "talky" type of snippets. Examines how NightMarshal got to The Wedding and explores a little more of the world in general. Any problems can be easily edited away. 

Travel Arrangements
The problem with getting from Rogue Isles to Paragon City was the sheer logistical nightmare it involved that often it was a fruitless exercise unless it was truly warranted. Sure, there were /easy/ methods available, most notably the various crossing points at Pocket D, Vanguard, and so forth, but those were monitored. Everyone knew who was crossing what zone, were and when. And everyone branded them as morally suspect for doing so.  If you were genuinely wanted to do it (cross from one city to the other) properly and trying to stay undercover the process was most difficult and rather elaborate.
Still, several times a year, NightMarshal found himself making the trek off Rouge Isles to Rhode Isle and Paragon City. (The similarity in the pronunciation of the isles by some speakers was a never-ending source of amusement for him - it was as if they were deliberately mixing one for the other.) It just so happened that this time he was obligated to make the trip a week earlier then normal and do the whole process slightly faster then usual 2 weeks it normally took him.
The reason for NightMarshal's trip was very simple: it was to maintain a corporate persona and to fly the flag at various offices of the Kraft Industries Group around the world. The office in Paragon City was merely the latest in office to be opened around the world. They had branches across 4 continents and 10 countries and a numerous offices in America not to mention the ones scattered across Europe and Asia.
The hassle and subterfuge was due to basically Politics and he preferred to live in Rogue Isle. (Oh the joys of teleworking! How stress relieving it was to be able to blow stuff up in the middle of mind numbing committee meetings!) None of this would be necessary if he lived elsewhere, but where's the fun in that? Working along side Victor is what got him the job in the first place.
Also the task would have been simpler if the two Isles weren't effectively at Cold War footing with regards to each other, but that just made life more interesting. And as Victor put it once: War is Good for Business. (He then launched into a string of rhetoric about backroom deals keeping UN interference out and maintaining the status quo... in the end NightMarshal started tuning him out.) Of course, the global Rikti invasion tossed a lot of metaphoric mud and dust into the air, and provided many opportunities, in every sense of the word. And now that there is yet another entire dimension gunning for this world, things were stepping up a pace. The round table discussions that went on at times, and the contracts and proposals that passed through his hands, even before he tossed in his own two cents worth... he shuddered at times in recollection.
Regardless of the political makeup of the world, the entire process of getting from Rouge Isles to Rhode Island was rather involved. First there was a container boat ride out of Sharkshead, an ID change, another boat ride to Florida, using yet another ID to toss away. Then it was traveling overland leaving several false trails for anyone following using a lookalike, before finally driving over the bridge in New York with his final ID and all his disguises running and catching the ferry to Rhode Isle.
Every time he did this trip he got a chance to see the ongoing devastation and rebuilding cycles that was happening around America. Those in Paragon City tended to think locally and think that it only happened to them, but the Rikti invasion was a Global event, with Global effects and ramifications. Zombie attacks, were also world wide, just less frequent outside the big cities. Victor let slip once that he knew why and the method to trigger an attack but refused to be drawn.
Alongside the devastation from the various attacks, and the various impacts of weather and natural phenomena, you would have the re-construction work going apace by various companies, of which Kraft Industries was but one. Sure, others liked to help out, say Arachnos, Crey and Wyvern, (plus a few others that weren't worth mentioning) but unlike them wherever possible Kraft Industries liked to help local and regional industries, supplies and expertise before shipping in outside contractors. Of course this may not be the most cost effective, but it supported local communities and generated good will.
And he since he was higher up the corporate ladder, and involved in a 'stakeholder company' he was able to write most of his travel expenses off as an 'inspection tour' since he moved through area were Kraft Industries were active. The exact dynamics and legal loopholes and financial gymnastics /that/ invovled was best left to the brains down in Finance Department, which was what they were being paid for after all.
Each time he crossed the city limits of Paragon City he had to grin to himself: NightMarshal, who wore *always* this full body armor and had this /thing/ with metal was this big bad wanted criminal with arrest warrants out in several states including one on the federal level (at least according to the computer). On the other hand, Daniel de Groves, Head of Engineering and Deputy CEO of Kraft Industries (America), was an inch shorter and basically a nobody in the grand scheme of things - a mild mannered individual who was almost a 'flat-liner'. They did some low level heroics in their day with some gadgets and thus had an out of town license, but had since retired and had taken up corporate life. Danny de Groves and NightMarshal most definitely were not the same person, they didn't have the same accent!  At least that's that the computer said - and the computer record is never wrong.
Once he berthed in Paragon City itself and made his way into the city and had a look around, he saw that nothing much had changed since the last time he was here. Finally someone in City Hall had fixed the tram system and judging by the foot traffic, Wentworths were doing a roaring trade which would make their partners happy. The air still had that certain tang to it and the drivers still were just as crazy as ever. It would be oh-so-easy to reach out and flip the cars or at least push them into the correct lane but he dare not. The Daniel identity didn't have that ability (it would have raised too many flags) and it took all his control to clamp down on powers. If he did reach out and push something he'd burn out the penshaped dampener he was carrying, and it wasn't as if he could quickly replace it.
Having successfully navigated Paragon City Daniel entered Kraft Industries Offices in Steel Canyon and started his 'preliminary inspection' (picking up the parcel sent on early) and arranging accommodation for his stay. There was a few brief tense moments when the Chief of Security, one Jelidan muttered about about some sword not liking him, but a reminder that they were employing her and not her sword set her straight. And he even turned the tables on her when he told her that as Chief of Security she'd be his escort for the functions he'd attend while in town. The look on her face was almost worth all the hassles. 
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Preparation for War...
#81
As was her tradition Angelitia Valentia made a little note in diary after she completed her ritual prayers and daily weapon maintenance. It was one of the many adjustments she had made after finding herself in Paragon City. One of her 'acquaintances' suggested the diary as a means to order her thoughts and help with her language skills. That was almost heretical in itself! Her thoughts were ordered and her faith was strong! Blessed be the mind filled with Faith and filled with thoughts of Him! She was a Solider, not a Scribe or Oracle. Even so, the process was strangely soothing. Hence she adapted the practice and it had taken on an almost ritualistic fashion to it.
Today she felt was of special note, not because it was one of the days of Fasting, but because of the announcement from Freedom Phalanx. She was still tingling. She hadn't felt this level of excitement in ages. Still she managed to control herself, if only barely.
Quote:For two score fifteen years I served the Emperor loyally and basked in his most glorious light, before my posting here. In that time I have seen the taint of the Darkness and spat in its eyes from one end of the galaxy to the other. I have seen the vileness of the Xenos, witnessed the corruption of the Mutant, and stared down the Heretic and given them Absolution. Never once has my faith wavered, nor has the prospect of facing in a Warp incursion stirred my heart so.
It was announced today in the commons that the locals call Atlas Park that the Warp threatens to breach shortly and that all should make ready to defend themselves.
This people here are a weak lot, unused to the nature of War. They are easily swayed and tainted. Corruption and Heresy is rampant and around every turn. Foul Magiks are openly embraced and even encouraged! The stench of their taint hangs heavy in the air. How I long for the day that I find the source of the rift and I can call my Sisters. Do not mistake my longing for a lack of Faith, My Faith Ever Strong. The day of Purging will come. I wish to see the Glory of the Emperor once more.
Praise be to the Emperor.
I have seen War in all its forms. Pax Sidnet, where the cities burned as the Jackels laughed and were Purged. Astarte countless times dropping into the jaws of death and by the Will of the Emperor rising up victorious. Lardos Prime, the savages using rocks brain each other. Guardsmen becoming paste under the trampling of Titans. Black Ships and Exterminatus.
Let the Warp invaders come.
I will be Ready. I will be Prepared. I will bring them War!
Let them seek Death, for I shall grant them Absolution!
I will met them with the Emperor's Fury and His Hatred!
Praise be the Emperor and pass the ammunition - what one won't solve the other surely will.
This will be GLORIOUS!

Elsewhere in Paragon City
Jelidan was sitting cross-legged in the center of her rooms with her blade across her lap, hovering about half a foot in the air. There could be several reasons for this, especially as this was Paragon City, from force fields to localized disruptions of reality but the real reason was fairly mundane. Jelidan was simply meditating rather deeply after a series of stressful days.
She had been doing quite a bit of that recently. The purpose was two fold: achieving inner calm and preparing. Her inner calm had been rather rattled of late, particularly after meeting that individual from out of state as part of her duties at Kraft Industries. There was something about Daniel de Groves that set her blade off and really disquieted the spirits of the blade. Merely meeting him was bad enough, but having to spend several hours in his presence resulted in a foul taste in her mouth and a really bad headache.
Still she shouldn't complain too much... it was no worse then how much her blade had been reacting in recent months to some of the others she now saw openly walking the streets of Paragon City claiming to be Heroes or this new termed 'Vigilante'. Whatever they called themselves, the spirits in her blade were rather vocal in their disapproval and it took a bit of effort to ignore them. It wasn't something that she liked doing, as the act of ignoring the voices brought back memories that were best left buried. It actually might be time to consider relocating.
The other reason she was mediating was to prepare. The word had gone out that there was an invasion inbound from Praetoria, and everyone was being called to stand ready. It striked her particular that the company she was working for already had a quiet alert out and the message from the Freedom Phalanx as merely confirmation. How that happened, she didn't know, and would be something she would work out later. For now she would concentrate on defending this city.
Put bluntly War, in all its horror, was coming to Paragon City and she would be ready to aid in its defense.
She had no illusions that she might not survive the coming battle. Many holders of Jelidan's Final Whisper had fallen in War. The difference however between them and her was that she could now summon Storm's Lighting and use the blade faster and better then her ancestors. If she had been a General or a Leader, she might have increase her survival chances, but this particular incarnation was more a front-line solider, and she wouldn't have it any other way. If she had been a General, she might have organized a counterstrike or mounted a preemptive assault inline with Sun Tzu. That wasn't to be however much she'd wish it, so there was not point dwelling on it, nor on the images of the past.
Besides, there are some stains that can only be washed away with blood.
All she could hope for was that when Zeroth hour struck, she wasn't tied down in a building somewhere. And if she was, the defenders could hold the line until she was able to arrive.
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RE: Snippets Of The Legendary II: You Know, This Means War!
#82
(Threadnomancy powers activate!)

------------------------------------
"... Bad Touch?  You call yourself Bad Touch?  Really?"  Rhea raised an eyebrow at the villain they were facing.  She hovered a foot or so above the ground, the rainbow effect of her magic rippling around her figure; beside her, Terrence Knight scowled, cracking his knuckles.  Around them, the office was a shambles, their fight to reach this point having taken its toll on the abandoned corporate building -- as well as on Bad Touch's henchmen, who lay sprawled in concentric circles around the hero pair.

Bad Touch glowered.  "Do not mock me!" he spat, and made a gesture.  Something rippled the air between them, and Rhea yelped, clutching at herself as she fell to the ground, her magic vanishing like smoke -- as well as something else, something almost as intensely private.

Their opponent sneered and waved her underwear like a lacy red flag.

Rhea tried to hurl the most scorching blast she was capable of, but her power just... wasn't there.  She could feel it, dimly, as though it were far away; whatever he'd done hadn't torn it from her completely, but had effectively switched her abilities off like a light.  She turned to look at Terrence Knight.  "Terr," she said in a pleasant snarl, "can you please explain to him why that was a horrible idea?"

"Gladly," Terr grunted.  He took a step and let loose with a simple uppercut, direct to the solar plexus -- often the best target, it would incapacitate and was a lot easier to hit than a face.

His fist hit -- and stopped.  Terr winced as pain -- actual, physical pain! -- lanced through his knuckles.  He staggered back, clutching his fist, staring at the thin armor plate protecting the villain's chest -- armor that should have crumpled like tissue paper but instead showed not a single blemish.

"Now you understand!" Bad Touch crowed.  "You cannot hurt me!  Your powers are mine to control -- mine to command!"  He struck a pose, eyes glittering maniacally at them.  "With but a touch, the merest HINT of my will, I can strip you of your superhuman abilities!  And other things," he added with a leer.  He turned dismissively, his cape swirling around him, and began ambling down the hall.  "You came here to bring me down, but instead it is YOU who are laid low!  And now that you've seen my power..." he looked back over his shoulder at them, grinning nastily.  "You will serve.  If you want to feel super ever again, you will kneel before me.  And beg," he added thoughtfully.  "I think you'll need to beg, too."

"Go for the eyes, Mr. Whiskers!" Rhea cried, winding up and hurling said cat with all her strength.  The stuffed toy flew unerringly at Bad Touch's face.  Beside her, Terr took three steps.

The first step, he reached out and yanked the fire extinguisher from its bracket on the wall.

The second step, he swung it back over his shoulder, grunting at the effort -- those things were heavy without his superhuman strength making them seem light as a feather.

The third step, while Bad Touch irritably batted Mr. Whiskers out of the air, Terr swung.

"What--" Bad Touch started to say, but was cut off by a resounding klongggg.  Terr stumbled to a halt, nearly losing his grip on the extinguisher, as Bad Touch sprawled senseless on the floor.

"Ow," Terr said after a moment, wincing.  "I think I sprained something."  He rubbed at his shoulder, then relaxed as his abilities came flooding back and the pain receded into nothingness.  Behind him, Rhea floated back up into the air and drifted forwards.

"Jerk," Rhea said, bending down to retrieve her unmentionables.  She stuffed those into a pouch on her tights, and from another, produced a pair of nullifier cuffs, which she snapped a trifle more tightly than required around Bad Touch's wrists.  He groaned and began to stir just as she finished that task, and she floated back up out of range, scooping up the fallen Whiskers as she went and attaching him to her shoulder.

Terr squatted down next to Bad Touch, lightly tapping the fire extinguisher on his open palm like a chubby baseball bat.  "h-how?" Bad Touch croaked.  "i ... i stole your powers..."

Terr glanced back up at Rhea, and the two of them smirked down at the fallen villain.

"Physics," they chorused.

-----------------------------------
(This wasn't inspired by anything directly, but I woke up this morning seeing it in my head, so.)

--sofaspud
--
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RE: Snippets Of The Legendary II: You Know, This Means War!
#83
<applauds>
-- Bob

I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh, Clark Kent, Mary Sue, DJ Croft, Skysaber.  I have been 
called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the sun grows dim and cold....
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RE: Snippets Of The Legendary II: You Know, This Means War!
#84
nice 8)
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RE: Snippets Of The Legendary II: You Know, This Means War!
#85
Implacable had dealt with Arachnos before. There were few supers around who hadn't. But it still felt a bit wrong to be fighting them in the neighborhood of Atlas Park, where he could look over his shoulder and, through the smoke from the burning warehouse behind him, still see the Atlas statue standing in front of City Hall in the distance.

However, dealing with these was taking too long when there might be a man's life at stake for charging into their clutches.

"This is Implacable to anyone in the vicinity of the Atlas Park warehouse district," he said, touching the earpiece in his ear before throwing another punch that flattened a less prepared Arachnos trooper while his fellows hesitated a moment at the strength on display. "Multiple Arachnos contacts. Is anyone available to give additional support?"

"Copy your request, Implacable," the channel crackled, the voice masculine but with the odd reverb of a speech distorter. Whoever it was didn't want their natural voice heard. "Support in five seconds."

Implacable looked around before parrying another mace blow with his gauntlet. Five seconds? No one was nearly close enough to make it that quickly, but if the unknown hero had super speed, perhaps...

There was a whistle in the air and Implacable shifted to the side just as three Arachnos agents went down on the ground as if they'd been punched in the gut with a jackhammer. Implacable's own foe, their commander, crumpled a second later, and this time the elder hero could feel the air-distortion as the rifle round hit the man in the chest and bowled him over into a pile of garbage.

"...assistance appreciated, sir-?" Implacable replied, leaving it open to his unseen ally.

"Sell-Sword," the man replied. "And to answer the question you're not asking openly, they'll live. It's why I like Arachnos over Hellions."

Another whistle and a fifth Arachnos trooper fell off the roof from where Implacable hadn't even seen him trying to come at him from behind.

"Military body armor means I can use normal rounds. Non-lethal smart bullets for thugs wearing t-shirts are expensive."
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RE: Snippets Of The Legendary II: You Know, This Means War!
#86
Snippets of The Legendary: Badging

A veritable pile of seething green Troll-flesh writhed and shook on a hillside in The Hollows, frantic demihumanoids beating and throwing rocks against a central opponent, invisible under the constant barrage of attacks. Atta screamed and flung another colossal boulder, ignoring the collateral damage against his crammed in cohort.

A flash of white and blue, a massive explosion, and Trolls catapulted into the air. Unconscious figures plummeting to the ground in a grotesque rain. As medicom teleports whisked the still bodies off to prison doctors, the squat figure in his rounded blue and white armor carefully turned in place. Consulting a map readout with laser focus, Mag Flashlight took two steps forward and knelt.

As he brushed the dust aside from a survey marker, Atta gurgled in incoherent fury and charged. Mag smiled at the notification from his badge tracker and launched into the air, leaving the infuriated Troll standing alone.
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