This post's authors have general content warnings that might apply to the current post.
View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
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]
characterquarry
witchwatcher
"Yes, all Witches are female. About one in 500, I don't remember the exact figure, and more common in well-developed parts of the world for some reason. Children of Witches aren't any more likely to be Witches. It comes in during puberty, peaks at age 16 to 18 or so, and declines sharply when you pass 25."
wormcan
"It sounds like it might be related to fertility somehow. Are there many Witches who aren't in an army? If so, do the ones with more mana tend to have more children on average?"
witchwatcher
"Oh, there's lots of us. A million or so across the whole world, and most not in the army. I'm not actually sure about the children thing, I don't have data, but I think the anecdotes I know point in that direction."
wormcan
"If it's just anecdotes, that's at least suggestive.
But if that's it, there's nothing I can do. If it were some disease where losing magic was a symptom in Witches I could cure that, but I'm just a healer."
But if that's it, there's nothing I can do. If it were some disease where losing magic was a symptom in Witches I could cure that, but I'm just a healer."
witchwatcher
Grendyne raises an eyebrow. "Your healing felt extremely versatile, that time I copied you. But I guess you'd know more than me what your power can and can't do, since I can't copy you all the way. Oh well."
wormcan
Important note: do not get copied again.
"I'm sorry I can't give you all unlimited mana," she lies.
"I'm sorry I can't give you all unlimited mana," she lies.
witchwatcher
"Thank you for trying," lies Grendyne.
As they walk back into the PRT building, the commander decides that once Knight and Armsmaster are finished with the tinkered steelwing it'll be time for the whole team to go home, and return some time tomorrow with someone authorized to negotiate on behalf of the UDF. The new steelwing would serve as proof that they hadn't all gone crazy.
Lytee asks to be shown a good spot to arrive.
As they walk back into the PRT building, the commander decides that once Knight and Armsmaster are finished with the tinkered steelwing it'll be time for the whole team to go home, and return some time tomorrow with someone authorized to negotiate on behalf of the UDF. The new steelwing would serve as proof that they hadn't all gone crazy.
Lytee asks to be shown a good spot to arrive.
wormcan
They show them one. It's on the inside of some of the secured doors—no sense in having interdimensional visitors appear in full view of the public or anything like that—and a short distance from where Armsmaster and Knight are still improving the steelwing.
witchwatcher
The witches settle down to wait. Work like that can take a while. A few of them bring the other steelwings into the building and work on them in more of a maintenance way than an improvement way. Two of them continue trying to absorb Wikipedia (one is scribbling notes on engineering, the other is reading about art). The rest just seem bored.
wormcan
Eventually they do complete it. It's recognizably a steelwing, it just happens to also be better at being a steelwing. Armsmaster passes it to Knight to test.
witchwatcher
She climbs on top of it. It hovers. She zips across the room and stops on a dime. "Easily twice as much acceleration." She puts it through a surprisingly varied set of midair acrobatics for a confined indoor space. "WOOOOOOOOOO! This thing is great! No good way to test max speed inside, though. Who gets to keep it?"
wormcan
"You, probably. Or the army you're part of, whichever. If it's part of opening inter-world negotiations, my employers aren't exactly going to lay claim to it."
witchwatcher
"I can definitely see myself spearing Neuroi on this thing. If I show up on this it'll definitely get everyone interested in a big hurry. I know some engineers, I'll make sure they get on the shortlist to visit."
The commander has figured out the borrowed computer's email client. Director, you can expect a delegation from our world in the designated place probably some time tomorrow. Anything else before we leave?
The commander has figured out the borrowed computer's email client. Director, you can expect a delegation from our world in the designated place probably some time tomorrow. Anything else before we leave?
witchwatcher
They disappear.
Next afternoon, Scatter, Highlander, Copycat, Angel, Knight, and Seer are back, escorting a dozen older, variously self-important people.
The biggest trade on offer is Witchpower in exchange for shipments of weapons and training, and hopefully mass manufacturing of Steelwings (two of these fellows design the things).
Next afternoon, Scatter, Highlander, Copycat, Angel, Knight, and Seer are back, escorting a dozen older, variously self-important people.
The biggest trade on offer is Witchpower in exchange for shipments of weapons and training, and hopefully mass manufacturing of Steelwings (two of these fellows design the things).
wormcan
A trade they're happy to make. Crates of weapons have been obtained since yesterday, though Earth Bet suggests sending some people to train the users in the new weapons. The bottleneck on what they can send is likely to be how much can be teleported; this may limit their ability to provide artillery. They're trading primarily for as many difficult prophecies as Seer is able and willing to make, along with Copycat to add more, though firepower at approximate three-month intervals would be appreciated. They are very clear up front that volunteering for the latter comes with a substantial risk of injury or death.
The local PRT is not doing most of the negotiation. Apparently the government has designated "first contact" diplomats. (One of whom is the Chief Director of the PRT, naturally, or else she's just there because it's a particularly relevant first contact.)
The local PRT is not doing most of the negotiation. Apparently the government has designated "first contact" diplomats. (One of whom is the Chief Director of the PRT, naturally, or else she's just there because it's a particularly relevant first contact.)
witchwatcher
Part of Seer's enlistment contract included a limit on how often they could order her to predict things. She wants large bonuses for bumping this number up and still won't do it for more than a few hours a day.
Copycat might join the PRT, as long as the training and weapons returned to her side are more than worth her absence, and the pay is good. Mostly because there's more interesting stuff over here.
There are more teleporters available. The bottleneck on moving people and material back and forth is wider than one person. The UDF is perfectly happy to have people come with and train their soldiers on the weapons. Deploying Witches against Endbringers will be a volunteers-only mission.
They also want technology and engineering skills in full generality to deploy and start mass-producing in their world (Suggested name: Terra). The most advanced thing they can make on their own is a telegraph, for reference.
Copycat might join the PRT, as long as the training and weapons returned to her side are more than worth her absence, and the pay is good. Mostly because there's more interesting stuff over here.
There are more teleporters available. The bottleneck on moving people and material back and forth is wider than one person. The UDF is perfectly happy to have people come with and train their soldiers on the weapons. Deploying Witches against Endbringers will be a volunteers-only mission.
They also want technology and engineering skills in full generality to deploy and start mass-producing in their world (Suggested name: Terra). The most advanced thing they can make on their own is a telegraph, for reference.
wormcan
The people from Earth Bet, especially the PRT people, are very willing to supply large bonuses. Silver and gems as well, if the material is in short supply; production is better here. Infrastructure and education and so on are going to take time to increase technology but there's no reason not to start. (Earth Bet has been internally calling the new world Earth Gimel, since they have a sequence going, but there's little reason not to use Terra's preferred name in negotiations.)
The PRT is glad to have Copycat join; a power as versatile as hers would be useful anywhere. And the amount of firepower they're supplying to Terra is hopefully enough that the loss of a single Witch is a rounding error.
The PRT is glad to have Copycat join; a power as versatile as hers would be useful anywhere. And the amount of firepower they're supplying to Terra is hopefully enough that the loss of a single Witch is a rounding error.
witchwatcher
Gold, silver, and gems are indeed very welcome forms of payment. The stuff is hideously expensive on Terra, since its rarity is compounded by excellent practical applications.
Negotiations, training, and infrastructure-preparation continue. Seer predicts various things in the meantime, with Copycat helping to the extent she can.
The paperwork for Copycat's transfer is complete in short order, and she is no longer part of the UDF. She signs on to the Wards after negotiating a slightly higher than usual wage, and she's no longer particularly relevant to the continuing diplomatic exchange.
She is presumably assigned living space and schooling in a similar way to most Wards. Though disguising her foreignness might be tricky.
Negotiations, training, and infrastructure-preparation continue. Seer predicts various things in the meantime, with Copycat helping to the extent she can.
The paperwork for Copycat's transfer is complete in short order, and she is no longer part of the UDF. She signs on to the Wards after negotiating a slightly higher than usual wage, and she's no longer particularly relevant to the continuing diplomatic exchange.
She is presumably assigned living space and schooling in a similar way to most Wards. Though disguising her foreignness might be tricky.
wormcan
She gets assigned space in the combination Wards/PRT building (coincidentally upstairs from here). Wards typically don't live here full-time, due to usually not having appeared out of nowhere, but some did appear out of nowhere and others just find it more convenient. Most of the pay for Wards goes into a trust fund they receive when they turn eighteen. Something about this civilization not liking to give children large sums of money for some reason.
It's suggested that she adopt a secret identity—she herself doesn't have family members to be targeted, but it might endanger other Wards if their faces and civilian names are often seen around the known cape. She will also need a costume; a military uniform for a force that doesn't exist would send a variety of confusing messages.
The school for most of the local Wards (officially all of them, but no reason not to use some misdirection) is Arcadia High. Earth Bet's ordinary curriculum is probably unfamiliar to her.
It's suggested that she adopt a secret identity—she herself doesn't have family members to be targeted, but it might endanger other Wards if their faces and civilian names are often seen around the known cape. She will also need a costume; a military uniform for a force that doesn't exist would send a variety of confusing messages.
The school for most of the local Wards (officially all of them, but no reason not to use some misdirection) is Arcadia High. Earth Bet's ordinary curriculum is probably unfamiliar to her.
witchwatcher
The money thing is a bit annoying. But she mostly wanted it to send to her mom, so she just uses her savings from Terra. She'll be 18 by the time it runs out.
Her codename from her old unit, Copycat, would do unless it's taken. She'll need to think some more if so. The ordinary curriculum is indeed very, very strange. She assumes they'll cut her some slack as long as she makes a good effort.
As to a costume... She discovers the most popular Cape forum after a couple hours of browsing for ideas, registers under the name 'witchwatcher,' says she can fly and blast and shield and lots of little things, she likes purple and maybe the witch aesthetic, who has costume advice?
Her codename from her old unit, Copycat, would do unless it's taken. She'll need to think some more if so. The ordinary curriculum is indeed very, very strange. She assumes they'll cut her some slack as long as she makes a good effort.
As to a costume... She discovers the most popular Cape forum after a couple hours of browsing for ideas, registers under the name 'witchwatcher,' says she can fly and blast and shield and lots of little things, she likes purple and maybe the witch aesthetic, who has costume advice?
wormcan
It's a large enough forum that she gets suggestions (mostly taking the aesthetic bit literally, complete with pointed hat; they may not be entirely serious). Since she's not yet verified as a cape not everyone believes her; this is apparently a fairly common first post from the less-than-reliable members of the Internet. But given the number of people, there are probably suggestions or at least elements of suggestions that she might like.
witchwatcher
Not being taken seriously is annoying. She sends an email to the guy who arranged her housing asking how to be a 'verified Cape' as witchwatcher and generically thanks everyone for their suggestions, saying she'll sleep on it.
In the meantime, she should probably meet her new teammates before they're required to work together on some sort of crisis.
In the meantime, she should probably meet her new teammates before they're required to work together on some sort of crisis.
wormcan
Not all of them are in the Wards base, but a few are.
"I'm Aegis," one of them says, and takes off his helmet. "Carlos, out of costume. Welcome to the team."
The others introduce themselves. Clockblocker, Vista, Browbeat, and civilian identities for each.
"I'm Aegis," one of them says, and takes off his helmet. "Carlos, out of costume. Welcome to the team."
The others introduce themselves. Clockblocker, Vista, Browbeat, and civilian identities for each.
witchwatcher
"Grendyne Nylund. I'll probably go by Copycat, since I can copy powers. With varying difficulty, though, and I don't have great endurance. I can keep the simple ones though, I've got a bit of an arsenal built up."