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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
"Typically, criminals with superpowers. About every three months, one of three monsters decimates a city and only capes can fight it. Sometimes there are threats more dangerous than the one and less than the other, but those are the most regular."
witchwatcher
The commander looks thoughtful. "Yvette... Would you mind trying to see if partnering with these guys goes well?"
"You know I hate predicting battles, boss."
"Yeah, I know. But it's important."
Yvette rolls her eyes, but nods and starts to look distant.
Meanwhile, Angel announces, "Lo ciento, no more healing. I cannot keep going. It is too tiring and I used all the stored mana."
One of the unintroduced Witches asks, "Is there a less... Public place to talk?"
"You know I hate predicting battles, boss."
"Yeah, I know. But it's important."
Yvette rolls her eyes, but nods and starts to look distant.
Meanwhile, Angel announces, "Lo ciento, no more healing. I cannot keep going. It is too tiring and I used all the stored mana."
One of the unintroduced Witches asks, "Is there a less... Public place to talk?"
wormcan
"The PRT building is nearby. It's the headquarters for the non-superpowered branch of parahuman law enforcement."
witchwatcher
"Is it a better place to discuss all this? I think we are all tired and would like a place to sit and something to eat."
wormcan
"Better than the middle of a hospital. I'll call ahead so they'll have food ready."
witchwatcher
...Halfway over there, their precog makes a little choking noise and collapses.
"Wh- When is the next Endbringer attack? Because it's a terrible, terrible idea to be in this city in about three weeks. Just. Just. Pain and fear, worse than even the big Neuroi..."
And she vomits onto the bridge. The others are hovering protectively over her.
"Wh- When is the next Endbringer attack? Because it's a terrible, terrible idea to be in this city in about three weeks. Just. Just. Pain and fear, worse than even the big Neuroi..."
And she vomits onto the bridge. The others are hovering protectively over her.
wormcan
"About three weeks.
We need to get you talking to the Director as soon as you're well enough, up until now there were no precogs who could predict Endbringers at all. You say it's coming here?"
We need to get you talking to the Director as soon as you're well enough, up until now there were no precogs who could predict Endbringers at all. You say it's coming here?"
witchwatcher
"I'm not that specific. I get feelings about what I'm trying to predict. And sitting around here for three weeks has a fucking terrible result where everybody suffers and dies, so it kinda sounds like I can."
"God, you're going to want me predicting these things all day aren't you? You'd better be willing to pay me a whole lot of money and tell you to back off sometimes. It's exceptionally unpleasant."
"God, you're going to want me predicting these things all day aren't you? You'd better be willing to pay me a whole lot of money and tell you to back off sometimes. It's exceptionally unpleasant."
wormcan
"If you can do what you just did once every three months, the Protectorate would be willing to pay you a whole lot of money. If you can do it repeatedly, even better. There are millions of lives in the balance."
witchwatcher
"Got lucky. Or unlucky. I'd need to try every place they might attack, which could take a while."
She stands back up. "Lovely. Now I feel all obligated. Anybody got a cigarette?"
None of the strike witches do, at least.
She stands back up. "Lovely. Now I feel all obligated. Anybody got a cigarette?"
None of the strike witches do, at least.
wormcan
Nor does Armsmaster, and they are still in a hospital. Smoking is frowned on here.
"If you'll come with me to the PRT, I can put you in contact with someone who outranks me. Do you have the authority to reach agreements on your own, or would you have to contact superiors in the UDF?"
"If you'll come with me to the PRT, I can put you in contact with someone who outranks me. Do you have the authority to reach agreements on your own, or would you have to contact superiors in the UDF?"
witchwatcher
They resume following him.
The commander explains, "I can negotiate on behalf of Clan McAllister, but not the entire UDF. We are allowed to enter into agreements so long as they do not interfere with the war effort. Involving higher officials will open up more resources from our side, and it'd be necessary if you want to keep anyone on my squad for more than a day or two."
The commander explains, "I can negotiate on behalf of Clan McAllister, but not the entire UDF. We are allowed to enter into agreements so long as they do not interfere with the war effort. Involving higher officials will open up more resources from our side, and it'd be necessary if you want to keep anyone on my squad for more than a day or two."
wormcan
"A day or two at a time would be enough time to hire Seer. But we should open communications if we're going to help directly fight against the Neuroi, or you against the Endbringers."
The PRT building is close. When they arrive, there's a conference room available. Food has been brought, and a woman not wearing a costume is at the head of the table. "This is Emily Piggot, the director of the Parahuman Response Team for this city."
The PRT building is close. When they arrive, there's a conference room available. Food has been brought, and a woman not wearing a costume is at the head of the table. "This is Emily Piggot, the director of the Parahuman Response Team for this city."
witchwatcher
The witches serve themselves.
Captain McAllister asks, "You're caught up on what's been discussed so far? By these 'radios'?"
If not, she summarizes the developments. "I don't own my squad, but if you want to hire them you'll need to buy out their enlistment contracts. Standard rate is half pay for the remaining term. Our currencies won't match up, I'll have someone produce a price index..."
Gren mentions, "Having a tinker work with Knight to improve our brooms could be very productive."
Captain McAllister asks, "You're caught up on what's been discussed so far? By these 'radios'?"
If not, she summarizes the developments. "I don't own my squad, but if you want to hire them you'll need to buy out their enlistment contracts. Standard rate is half pay for the remaining term. Our currencies won't match up, I'll have someone produce a price index..."
Gren mentions, "Having a tinker work with Knight to improve our brooms could be very productive."
wormcan
"Armsmaster is the one you want for that. If you have a spare machine, he can make it better.
If your precognition works on Endbringers, it raises the possibility that your other abilities might as well. They are frustratingly immune to everything we can throw at them. What other powers do you have?"
Armsmaster frowns at being volunteered for a thing that won't make him directly better at fighting villains, but the Director is probably right about this being worth the time.
If your precognition works on Endbringers, it raises the possibility that your other abilities might as well. They are frustratingly immune to everything we can throw at them. What other powers do you have?"
Armsmaster frowns at being volunteered for a thing that won't make him directly better at fighting villains, but the Director is probably right about this being worth the time.
witchwatcher
Knight says, "My crystal spear can pierce throigh anything!"
Yvette responds, "Uh, no I think it can't. Trying it won't end well."
"...Damn."
Gren summarizes their other abilities. Tracking, chain lightning, comms network, enhanced and through walls vision, extra endurance for flying and shielding and blasting on one, guided and charged projectiles, invisibility.
More witches with more powers are potentially available, but this is already an unusually combat-applicable bunch.
Yvette responds, "Uh, no I think it can't. Trying it won't end well."
"...Damn."
Gren summarizes their other abilities. Tracking, chain lightning, comms network, enhanced and through walls vision, extra endurance for flying and shielding and blasting on one, guided and charged projectiles, invisibility.
More witches with more powers are potentially available, but this is already an unusually combat-applicable bunch.
wormcan
"None of those sound unusually applicable against Endbringers, but on the other hand the same goes for most of the capes that hold the line normally.
The Protectorate has a wide variety of powers available, most of them oriented toward combat. What would be most useful against your opponents? I can forward the message to the relevant individuals once we've spoken with whomever we need to."
The Protectorate has a wide variety of powers available, most of them oriented toward combat. What would be most useful against your opponents? I can forward the message to the relevant individuals once we've spoken with whomever we need to."
witchwatcher
"I really think weapons will be a better investment. We usually use starbursts, our blaster attack, or bows and flintlock pistols. Anti air rockets, automatic rifles, even light cannon. Not to mention the gains to be had from simple radios. Though if you have capes with teleporting, large scale shielding, or precise long range attacks those would help."
wormcan
"Flintlock pistols. We will get you weapons. Outfitting your group will be easy enough, though it may take time for you to get used to the newer ones. Mostly it would be better guns, more powerful, more accurate, longer range, and so on. For more powerful and complicated weapons it might be a better idea for our earth to send specialists, at least at first, rather than try to train you from a standing start.
Do you have other predictive powers available, or only the one?"
Do you have other predictive powers available, or only the one?"
witchwatcher
"There's like 5 other precogs in our whole world, and they're all really specific. Like seeing the weather 3 days in advance or something. I'm unique, horray."
wormcan
The representatives of Earth Bet are in complete agreement about how good that news is.
"If you have a Witch who can see the weather three days in advance, we might want to hire that one too. It could be more important than it sounds, if not at the same level as yours. Possibly the others as well."
"If you have a Witch who can see the weather three days in advance, we might want to hire that one too. It could be more important than it sounds, if not at the same level as yours. Possibly the others as well."
witchwatcher
"Yeah, Juliet does weather for most of the continent. Uh, you'll have to talk to them? And probably hire more witches to feed them mana, I think most of them are old."
"And I want to keep disclaiming that I'm not perfectly interpretable. I feel what I'd feel about the results of a plan. Maybe I'm sad because my friend died. Maybe I'm sad because a hot guy turned me down. For example. ...That's a terrible example. Anyway I'm pretty sure this city would be dead if we all just sat here for a month though. Not much can cause that kind of... Despair."
"And I want to keep disclaiming that I'm not perfectly interpretable. I feel what I'd feel about the results of a plan. Maybe I'm sad because my friend died. Maybe I'm sad because a hot guy turned me down. For example. ...That's a terrible example. Anyway I'm pretty sure this city would be dead if we all just sat here for a month though. Not much can cause that kind of... Despair."
wormcan
"Very well. But given that we have Endbringers here and the time frame matches up, I'll proceed under the assumption that it most likely is an attack and won't blame you if it's something else.
Why is age relevant? We do employ minors as superheroes in the Wards program here, but that's primarily as preparation and training for the Protectorate. Absent a strong reason, it shouldn't be anyone other than adults doing the fighting, and you're more like a military."
Why is age relevant? We do employ minors as superheroes in the Wards program here, but that's primarily as preparation and training for the Protectorate. Absent a strong reason, it shouldn't be anyone other than adults doing the fighting, and you're more like a military."
wormcan
"That certainly qualifies as a strong reason.
Is it known why it decays? If not, our doctors may be in a better position than yours to find out, and possibly even prevent it."
Is it known why it decays? If not, our doctors may be in a better position than yours to find out, and possibly even prevent it."