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]
+ Show First Post
characterquarry
wormcan
And she gets brought to Coil's base. Not to be confused with the several secure locations she's seen before, this one is an honest-to-Scion underground lair. Not that she is in much of a position to appreciate this.
Once behind locked doors, the tranquilizers are gradually replaced with a very different drug.
"Unfortunate that it turned out this way. I would have liked to employ your abilities more willingly, but you're nearly as much use to me this way....pet."
Once behind locked doors, the tranquilizers are gradually replaced with a very different drug.
"Unfortunate that it turned out this way. I would have liked to employ your abilities more willingly, but you're nearly as much use to me this way....pet."
witchwatcher
"The fuck are you... It hurt people. Can't think. What the hell did you give me."
wormcan
"Oh, you won't need to do much thinking. It's just a concoction to make you less dangerous and more suggestible. And, very important, more dependent. In just a few days you'll do anything for more.
If you're still in a state to use your power, you may copy the precognitive one and look for the chance you escape. Otherwise, good night."
He prepares another syringe.
If you're still in a state to use your power, you may copy the precognitive one and look for the chance you escape. Otherwise, good night."
He prepares another syringe.
witchwatcher
She can smell the precognitive power. She doesn't bother trying to grab it. Instead, she calls up Angel's regeneration from memory, to clean the drug from her system.
...Except, she can't. No matter how hard she pulls, she can't find the right feeling, the right pattern, in her memories. Same thing when she tries to bring up Lytee's teleporting.
Well, damn.
...Except, she can't. No matter how hard she pulls, she can't find the right feeling, the right pattern, in her memories. Same thing when she tries to bring up Lytee's teleporting.
Well, damn.
wormcan
The next time she's conscious of anything, it's Coil asking her questions. "Now, pet, the chance that I succeed in taking over the city? Just answer one question, and you'll feel better."
witchwatcher
"Fucking."
God dammit, fine, maybe with a dose she can think clearly enough to teleport. She pulls for the power and asks it.
"Gah, that's nasty hard. Sixty three point two zero two nine percent."
God dammit, fine, maybe with a dose she can think clearly enough to teleport. She pulls for the power and asks it.
"Gah, that's nasty hard. Sixty three point two zero two nine percent."
wormcan
"Thank you, pet." He rewards her with another dose. With luck, she'll be able to increase the number of questions he can ask at a time, but this is a good start.
witchwatcher
Fuck you lazy memory remember how to teleport!
Nope.
The next time he asks her to answer something, she just swears at him. But the time after that, the dependence is too painful and she gives in.
This continues for about a week.
Nope.
The next time he asks her to answer something, she just swears at him. But the time after that, the dependence is too painful and she gives in.
This continues for about a week.
witchwatcher
...And then at a time when nobody extra is in the cell, suddenly there are eleven more people flying machines very like Grendyne's, half inside the cell and half in the cell next over, all holding antique-looking revolvers.
A powerfully muscled dark-haired woman whispers, "Telescope, map the area! We're separated but only by a wall. Copycat's here. She's on some kind of drugs. Angel, work her over. Dragon, work on the wall between us. Who's the extra contact?"
Over the sound of falling chunks of concrete, "Little girl, not a Witch, also drugged."
"We'll get her out of here too, then. Knight, open the door."
"Got it, boss." Her crystal spear starts poking holes effortlessly through the steel of the door, trying to find a locking mechanism.
"There's more people nearby. Maybe guards. Stay alert, 42nd."
A powerfully muscled dark-haired woman whispers, "Telescope, map the area! We're separated but only by a wall. Copycat's here. She's on some kind of drugs. Angel, work her over. Dragon, work on the wall between us. Who's the extra contact?"
Over the sound of falling chunks of concrete, "Little girl, not a Witch, also drugged."
"We'll get her out of here too, then. Knight, open the door."
"Got it, boss." Her crystal spear starts poking holes effortlessly through the steel of the door, trying to find a locking mechanism.
"There's more people nearby. Maybe guards. Stay alert, 42nd."
wormcan
There are a lot of people nearby. And cameras, to warn them that people arrived and what they look like.
While Knight's spear is extended through the door, it suddenly opens. Whether this will wrench the weapon aside and leave its wielder vulnerable or just leave more of a gouge in the steel, Coil's soldiers have no idea. But that door was a loss in either case.
The soldiers are going helmetless and maskless, in a deliberate attempt to make it harder for Strike Witches to fight them. The first weapon to enter the room is a flashbang grenade, useful against an enemy unlikely to recognize it
Some of the weapons are loaded with tranquilizers and, to the limited extent possible when using bullets, the rest are aimed to injure.
While Knight's spear is extended through the door, it suddenly opens. Whether this will wrench the weapon aside and leave its wielder vulnerable or just leave more of a gouge in the steel, Coil's soldiers have no idea. But that door was a loss in either case.
The soldiers are going helmetless and maskless, in a deliberate attempt to make it harder for Strike Witches to fight them. The first weapon to enter the room is a flashbang grenade, useful against an enemy unlikely to recognize it
Some of the weapons are loaded with tranquilizers and, to the limited extent possible when using bullets, the rest are aimed to injure.
witchwatcher
The boss clearly knows the soldiers are coming. Knight's spear disappears when wrenched, but it rematerializes in her hands after a moment of surprise. She does take a bullet and three tranq darts, being a little too slow to shield. She drops to the ground, and someone else picks her up.
Most of the Witches catch the flashbang in the face but meet further projectiles with shimmering shields. Once they mostly recover, a blast of wind knocks a good portion of Coil's soldiers over, and the upright witches charge for one end of the hallway with their three passengers.
At least one of them has no problem shooting back. The others start blasting at one of the reinforced elevator shaft doors or keeping shields up in all likely directions of attack.
Most of the Witches catch the flashbang in the face but meet further projectiles with shimmering shields. Once they mostly recover, a blast of wind knocks a good portion of Coil's soldiers over, and the upright witches charge for one end of the hallway with their three passengers.
At least one of them has no problem shooting back. The others start blasting at one of the reinforced elevator shaft doors or keeping shields up in all likely directions of attack.
wormcan
They make progress easily. The soldiers are used to giving ground against capes, and are reluctant to use heavier firepower while inside the base. The door goes down, pieces of it clanging down the elevator shaft.
witchwatcher
They make their way up the shaft, blasting into another hallway where it's blocked by the elevator car.
The one they call Telescope is directing their escape path, if Coil's soldiers want someone specific to target.
The one they call Telescope is directing their escape path, if Coil's soldiers want someone specific to target.
wormcan
They've been targeting the ones carrying passengers, both because they're farther behind and because they're in less of a position to defend. But once they catch on to Telescope's importance they'll switch.
When the Witches enter the elevator shaft, the empty car above them drops. It wouldn't be a proper villain lair if at least some safety precautions didn't have deactivation switches with no good reason to exist. Any Witch who does not exit fast enough is likely to get trapped at the bottom of the shaft below the door to the lowest level.
When the Witches enter the elevator shaft, the empty car above them drops. It wouldn't be a proper villain lair if at least some safety precautions didn't have deactivation switches with no good reason to exist. Any Witch who does not exit fast enough is likely to get trapped at the bottom of the shaft below the door to the lowest level.
witchwatcher
Actually, the one called Dragon catches the elevator and the others blast through it in short order. It does slow them down, though, and several Witches appear to be tiring.
wormcan
Knowing how the limits on magic use work from Gren, they continue focusing their fire. With luck, Telescope or one of the Witches in the back will run low on mana and have to be carried along with the rest. But once the Witches disappear up the elevator shaft, there's little they can do to stop them except warn their teammates on higher floors.
witchwatcher
The witches keep going up as quickly as possible, blasting through things as necessary. One more falls to a tranq dart. Her and her passenger are picked up by the others.
They'll probably reach the surface before running out of mana at this rate.
Also, the Knight is waking up. Angel is apparently a healer.
They'll probably reach the surface before running out of mana at this rate.
Also, the Knight is waking up. Angel is apparently a healer.
wormcan
Several of the doors ahead of them seal, but it's nothing they haven't already demonstrated they can deal with. And if passengers are waking up, the defenders aren't even making progress. The rate of fire lets up slightly as the soldiers receive orders to let them go instead of escalating. The remaining fire is mostly meant to obscure the change in orders.
Coil, meanwhile, is aware that it could be worse. Lost two major assets and the secrecy of the location, but at least Ballistic isn't seriously wounded and Genesis' real power didn't get revealed. Nor does anyone know the Travelers are working for him. And bringing down the upper levels of the base would have, as in most cases where the option came up, not been worth it. So he lets them go and accepts it as the worst setback of his career.
Coil, meanwhile, is aware that it could be worse. Lost two major assets and the secrecy of the location, but at least Ballistic isn't seriously wounded and Genesis' real power didn't get revealed. Nor does anyone know the Travelers are working for him. And bringing down the upper levels of the base would have, as in most cases where the option came up, not been worth it. So he lets them go and accepts it as the worst setback of his career.
witchwatcher
When they break through to the surface, their first action is to ascend about half a mile.
Their second action is to wonder where the hell they are.
Their second action is to wonder where the hell they are.
wormcan
Brockton Bay. A city of some kind, far larger in every dimension than anything their civilization could build. Looking down, they see contraptions of some kind traveling along wide roads. Most of the buildings directly beneath them are tall, wide, and ugly. Most of the ships in the harbor are dead and rusted out hulks. A single building is in the water, surrounded by a glowing sphere.
witchwatcher
The commander makes the executive decision to go land in one of the abandoned boats and wait until Gren finally wakes up, in the hope that she can explain this place. They're not exactly hiding, if someone comes looking for them.
wormcan
They do get seen, and the appropriate authorities notified, but the heroes are more busy with the fact that some capes just broke through an underground complex in the middle of downtown. Once they've found it empty and moved on to investigating it for whatever they can find on the previous occupants, they send someone to talk to the group of what is probably the same capes.
He arrives at their ship and boards it using a grappling hook. "I'm Armsmaster. Are you the ones who fought your way through Coil's base downtown?"
He arrives at their ship and boards it using a grappling hook. "I'm Armsmaster. Are you the ones who fought your way through Coil's base downtown?"
witchwatcher
"Captain Morgana McAllister, 42nd Witch Wing, United Defense Force. Highlander if you must use a nickname. If that place was Coil's base, then yes. We are just here to rescue Copycat. Scatter got us in, almost completely blind, Dragon and Telescope did the heavy lifting to get us out. We're going home as soon as we can. Are you in charge around here?"
wormcan
"I'm the leader of the Brockton Bay Protectorate. If there's a hero team with you and forty-one other Witch Wings, I ought to have heard of you. Where do you operate?"
Can't be close. Dragon is a big name all across the continent; using that name would be like someone naming themself Eidolon.
Can't be close. Dragon is a big name all across the continent; using that name would be like someone naming themself Eidolon.