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File: Deseret Portrait.jpg (53 KB, 581x495)
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Previous Thread:http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/936272/




You frown as you watch your fellow Statesman, the rain-summoning Kentucky Rain, cringe and bellyache about how he doesn't feel like he's good enough to be on your team, how he doesn't trust his powers, how he's worried about hurting people, and so on and so on and it disgusts it. This defeatist, whiny attitude is exactly what you hope your team, The Connection, can combat.

"You have NO history of losing control." You lean across the table. "There's NO mention in your file. As a matter of act you're commended for your restraint and control."

"That was then..." He flinches uncomfortably in his seat. "...I told you...things are different now..."

"HOW?" You demand.

"I...I guess I just really started to -get- how my powers could be dangerous. I mean I knew from the start they could hurt people but its only now that I really get it. Sleet like machine gun fire. Rain so thick it drowns people. I can make those things and worse if I really tried..."

"So try then! Who is to say we won't ever be fighting someone that couldn't take your full power? Who is to say you really trying is a bad thing?"

"Me, okay?" Kentucky Rain snaps. "I don't like feeling like I can snuff out life with a careless thought. I don't like feeling like I can just smite people....I'm sorry..." He slumps in his seat. "I don't mean to get snippy with you Deseret..."

"No, it's okay." You say. "I know I can get a little intense with people sometimes."

"Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do here. Honest. But look...I'm the weirdo that dresses up like Elvis and stops droughts and irrigates farmlands. I'm a helpful guy. I only ever help. I don't fight against anything and when people look at me they laugh at me and...and it sucks sometimes but on the whole...I like that they laugh at me. Compared to how they could act towards me I like that they laugh..."


>Tell him about how scary it was when you first developed powers. Tell him he's not the only one that's been scared.

>Tell him to man up. There's always superhero work for strong superhumans, always something to do.

>You sense there's something here about his power he's not telling you. Do you drill him to tell you the truth?
I'd like a mix of column option 1 and 2. I'd write it down but I'm at work and my breaks over
>Point out there are lots of people with powers they could use to kill people, but never do.
"Come on Kentucky, man up will ya?" You urge him. "There's always superhero work for strong superhumans, always something to do."

"I'm sure there is. There's always some overpowered psychopath we want to stock heavy hitters against Q bombs...but I don't want to be a weapon...I don't want people to see me like that."

"I'll be honest with you Kentucky, being a superhero means fighting. It means being a bit like a weapon. But we're more than weapons. We're guardians. We're defenders. We fight to protect our own."

"I don't want to be a weapon..." He sighs raggedly. "I don't want to hurt people, even if they're bad people. I make rain. I make things grow. I...I just don't have it in me to fight like a superhero."

"I think you do. I think everyone has it in them to fight against evil."

"Not me."

"Look...what you're dealing with isn't exactly uncommon. You could fill a library with self-help superhuman books about how hard it is to have destructive powers at your fingertips. I've dealt with how scary it is. I've been scared of my powers..."'

"You worked past that. You and people like Captain Justice or Holo-Grahm who can just...deal with it. I'm not like that. I'm not you. When you guys grit your teeth and knuckle down your hands stop shaking, your powers focus. My hands just shake. And I don't even want to know what happens to my powers..."

"Just listen okay? I was a superpowered kid."

"Really? How young?"


"I'm sorry. That's got to be rough."

"There are downsides to being a super kid...I had to grow up fast. I got teased a lot because of the sparks. Kids would put fireworks next to me and wait for me to set them off. Or they'd throw magnets at me."

"I'm sorry..."

"Hey, it wasn't anything really. Just kids being kids you know."

"I never had to deal with that though. I got my powers in college. The worst part of me was everything suddenly changing. I mean I was just about to wrap up my major and suddenly my doctor is telling me I can make rain. It felt like I had been cursed for the longest. I spent my adult life trying to become a doctor so I could help people and then bam, out of nowhere I get this power and the obligation to start using it to help people...because doctors are real plentiful compared to weather manipulators..."

"You gave up being a doctor for being a superbuilder though. That's commendable. That's heroic. You did the right thing."

"I put it off for the longest time though. I heard all the arguments about keeping a low profile on your powers, how if you go public you attract crazies like HECTONCHIRES that want to turn you into bioweapons...and I bought them. It wasn't so much that I was actually afraid. I trusted NIGHTINGALE to protect me and the other superbuilders. I just didn't want to give up on my old life. I was just afraid of being something so new, so different. It's why Elvis helped me a whole lot. You get a confident persona, you dress confidently, you talk confidently, and sure enough you become confident...or in my case at least you become good enough to fake being confident." He says with a nervous chuckle.

"You were afraid then and you got over it. You're afraid now but Kentucky, you will get over it. I can help you. The connection can help you."

"This isn't the same. This isn't about hurting my pride about something I can do by chance being way more valuable than something I spent my whole life studying. This is about me fighting people."

"...You know, let me tell you a little more about growing up with superpowers. The hardest part was learning how fragile things were...how people were. When you're little you can't take care of yourself. You don't know how. You're made to expect adults to do everything important and then...well listen, you know how much electricity it takes to run the human brain?"

"It can't be too much."

"20 watts. Just 20 watts. That's a lightbulb. A dim lightbulb. Do you know how many watts are in a single bolt of lightning like what I throw around? 500 trillion."

"Damn..." He gasps.

"I...well its hard to describe. Its not like seeing. It's sort of like how you can sort of "feel" how close an object is next to you. But I got a built-in-sense of electricity. I can tell where it is and how much is there. One of the scariest moments I had growing up was finding out people run on electricity. For a long time I only detected large concentrations of electricity-like thunderstorms or power grids. And the world and everything in it felt durable and safe because if I ever messed with anything it took real effort and the only things I could break were machines, objects, stuff you'd get yelled at for breaking but still just stuff...then when my powers developed alongside my body I started to sense what I called "souls". I started to sense people's bio-electricity. And it scared me so bad...all my life I was told that souls were immortal, that they were strong and invincible and never died. And when I sensed what I thought were souls and felt how weak they were, how dim they were, how they were like wisps of candlesmoke to me...god that scared me bad..." You nearly shiver at the memories.

"...I'm sorry." He says simply.

"Don't be. As scary as it was the experience tempered me."


>Tell him how Mormonism helped you come to terms with your power

>Lay off the religious stuff.
>Lay off the religious stuff.
For now, I'm sure we'll get plenty of that later.
>Lay off the religious stuff.
If he wants to know more, he'll ask

>You said you discovered something new about your powers. Something that scared you. What was it?

"It got me to think about souls, and what souls really were, and what the purpose of having a soul-" You stop yourself.

"Don't screw this up Meagan..." You say to yourself very quietly so as to not accidentally say it through your crackling aura. "Don't scare him away with proselytizing stuff..."

"...It made me think about people." You say, and its not too far from the truth. "Even the Atlanteans say our powers aren't just random bits of nonsense. I mean yeah you get guys occasionally that are really a danger to themselves. You got super-diseases that set people on fire or push them between dimensions or make them go so fast everything gets frozen in time for them...but you also got people like me and you and everyone else with functioning super powers, and we more than make up for it. They say our humanity keeps our powers form hurting us because they remember our primal ancestors in the Dream-Time, but I think there's more to it than that. I believe there's a purpose to each and everyone of our powers, even the harmful stuff, even the useless stuff. It's all useful...and if we just figure out how to make it all useful then we'll do better than the Atlanteans or the Primal Humans or the so-called Gods in the Mystic Earth. We'll be...well, we'll all be New Gods. And the old ones won't be a patch on what we become." You give an earnest but awkward smile. You hope that all didn't sound too abstract and Mormon-y.

"I don't got this power just for nothing and neither do you. These are gifts."

>Roll 3D20+2 to see how well your pitch is going!
Rolled 18 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

Rolled 7 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

Rolled 9 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>Good +

Kentucky Rain takes a deep, calming breathe. "Okay...lets so I do join up..."

"You're going to join?"

"Woah woah woah...I didn't say that. I'm just saying if I do join...I mean lets say I do and..."

You smile big. "You want to join, don't you?"

"Let's just say hypothetically that I do. And lets just say hypothetically I suddenly decide to up and quit."

"Why would you quit?"

"I don't know, lets just say that I do though. Will I be under any obligation NOT to quit?"

"What? Like a contract or something? No, of course not. The Connection is about us, its about building us up into productive members of the superhero community. If you cut and run, that's fine. We'll of course be sad to see you go but no one is going to try and take you to court."

"Okay...let me rephrase that a little. Say I become a part of the team, a big part, and teammates start relying on my powers. They need me, they rely on me. Let's say I'm the MVP, I'm the Black Bishop to your Chessmen, the ace in the hole. And then I quit..."

"But why would you quit if you're that well integrated into the team?"

"Ehhh..." He sighs and scratches his stubble of a beard. "That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking what happens if I, for whatever reason, leave the team?"

You give a knowing smile. "What happens if you let the team down? I ask myself that all the time, just not in that way. The best answer to it I've come up with is that you just soldier on through whatever shit happens."

"That's not what I'm asking though..."

"Is it?"

"I'm not talking about letting down the team, I'm talking about....well shoot, I guess I sort of am..."

"You haven't even joined and already you're worried about the team. That's good!"

"I have not said I've joined."

""What if I join? What if my powers go bad? What if suddenly leave? What if What if What if."" You lightly chide him. "You know Kentucky they should have called you Chicken Little."

"Heh." Kentucky Rain chuckles. "Chicken Little...that's actually kind of clever. I've never actually thought of that..."

"That's because you've never seen yourself for the worry wart you are. That's another good thing about being on a close team, you see yourself how others see you. It helps you fix your blindspots...so what do you say Chicken Little, are you in or aren't you?"


>Roll 3D20+2 to seal the deal!
Rolled 12 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

Rolled 4 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

Rolled 3 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

Damn, sorry
Taking a break for the night, but this BAD result is not the end. It just means we have more talking to do.

How you guys liking things so far?
It is enjoyable, sure

Kentucky Rain begins to stick his hand out to offer you a handshake...but then quickly retracts it.

"...Sorry...I just...don't know..."

"Oh come on!" You say probably a little louder than is appropriate for the diner. "Enough with it already Chicken Little!"

"If I join up its going to be like it was with the Supebuilders. I'm going to form bonds. People are going to start relying on me. People are going to start needing me..."

"And that's a BAD thing? On what Earth?"

"Well maybe YOU don't think its a bad thing because you're so...so YOU." Kentucky Rain replies testily.

"Hold on..." Your static aura starts to crackle angrily. You feel sparks leap up and down the hairs of your ponytail. "What do you mean I'm so you...I mean me!?"

"Well..." Kentucky Rain scoots his seat back as you stare him down. "...I mean you're so intense, so in-your-face-get-up-and-go, like you're the second coming of the Laughing Lightning himself."

You grit your teeth. Try as you my you can't help but remember how Mountain Lion nearly brought you to tears by being personal. Kentucky Rain isn't trying to be mean, but he's jabbing you in sensitive spot.

"So you're telling me that people like that are... what? You telling me that they need to feel like they're wanted, that they crave attention or something?" You cross your arms. "Because I've heard it all before. I've never been convinced."

"Come on." Kentucky Rain sighs. "That's not what I'm saying at-"

"-Not that I'm one of those persons!" You quickly add. "That's not what I'M saying at all!"

"...Well okay. Look...if for whatever reason I have to leave people are likely to miss me. I don't want that to happen. I don't want to leave a team hanging."


>Promise Kentucky Rain that he can leave anytime and no one will complain.

>Ask him to stop talking in vague probabilities. Is he afraid someone on the team is going to find out a secret about him? Is he worried about privacy?

>Tell him to come clean about what he's afraid about. He's not fooling anyone.
Call him a nigger and leave
Deseret isn't that kind of Mormon. And Kentucky is white.

We can however give up on recruiting him if we want to.
"Look, I am inviting you to join because I need the help. I am not going to pretend like your joining and leaving later wouldn't cause me trouble. The best I can say is I would try not to hold it against you. If that isn't good enough, I fear we might be done here. I need help, you can help me, but I'm not going to lie or beg to get it."
"Alright look." You press your face close to him. Kentucky Rain cringes back. "Chicken Little. I am inviting you to join because I need the help and because I see potential in your record for being a useful supehero. Your attitude frankly sucks."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize!


You slap your forehead. "Just...look, I am NOT going to pretend like you joining and leaving later for whatever imaginary reason you dream up won't cause me trouble. Dropping in and dropping out would cause anything you join trouble, superhero team or not. The best I can say is that I would try not to hold it against you. But I'm not going to pretend that I can give you assurance and security about future things I can't control. I can't do that. No one can. Even a precog couldn't help you because you're the type of person to say "what if they're wrong" "what if the future changes", "what if the timeline shifts". ENOUGH with the what if stories!"

"...I'm sorry?"

You sigh, and your aura crackles with you in sympathy.

"This team is about personal growth and betterment. I don't know if you'll believe me about this or not, but any kind of personal growth involves risk. Everyone that joins does so at a risk. The Connection could fail. People could quit. We could have arguments and disagreements and I'm not going to treat Chicken Little like a precious snowflake because he's neurotic about "what ifs". You join up, you take a risk. It's the same for you as it is for me and Virginia and Snake Charmer." You rise out of your seat. "And if that isn't good enough for you then I fear we might be done here. I need help. You can help me. But I am NOT going to lie or beg or treat you special to get it."

You turn around and start to storm away, fists clenched by your side. Your aura angrily heats itself against your skin and makes you sweat.


>Roll 3D20+3 to recruit Kentucky Rain
Rolled 10 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

Rolled 4 (1d20)

Rolled 17, 3, 20 + 3 = 43 (3d20 + 3)


You look over your shoulder and see Kentucky Rain holding his hand out for you to stop.

"...Would you be mad at me? I mean if I screw up?"

You slowly shake your head. "I told you no more of this "what if" nonsense. I don't know." You turn around and take a step. "Stop looking to others for your confidence Kentucky. If you want to do more for others start by doing more for yourself." You walk away, face downcast.

"I want to join..." Kentucky says scurrying up behind you. "Deseret I want to join."

You're sure to hide the goofy smile you feel spread across your face before you turn around.

"You promise to give your all?" You wag a glowing finger in his face. "You promise not to cry if something goes wrong?"

He nods. "I want to give this a shot."

"Even if you screw up or I screw up or the entire team screws up?"

"Yes...I don't think there's going to ever be another chance for me...." He fidgets on his feet and scratches the back of his neck. "I mean, you kept pushing me and pushing me to join and I kept pushing you away and making excuses and its only now that you're walking away. Its only now that I realize I've been trying to push you away...and I don't think anyone else would fight for me to be on their superhero team like you have. If I turn you down I think I'll be turning down ever trying this superhero thing..."

"I don't want you to join because of that. I want you to join because you want to. Do you want to?"

"I want to." He says looking you square in the eye.

"Good!" You grab his hand and give it an enthusiastic shake. "Welcome to the Connection Kentucky Rain!"


>Assemble the Connection for their first meeting.

>Track down Mountain Lion. Talk to her about her challenge. Maybe you can learn something?

>Check in with your BFF Emerald Blaze back at your homestead
>>Assemble the Connection for their first meeting.
Aren't we missing someone? It's us, virginia, and kentucky, who was the fourth?
Snake Charmer, our old teammate from the Ecumenicals.
> assemble the connection
Let's get the crew together
>Assemble the team

You remind yourself to send a hand-written letter of thanks to the Supervisor and his team. They've been more than generous with everything they've done for you and your project. They've let you set it up, they've helped you register with Interpol's superhero team registry, and they've even given you a meeting room in the third floor of the Museum. You aren't sure if its going to be the "official" headquarters of the Connection, but for now its where you can hold meetings and get things going.

You fly up the stairs past faculty in suits and dresses mulling over class schedules and international regulations and workmen in overalls carrying desks and display cases and Kirby generators. You start to wonder if your little clubhouse would even rate among the strangest things in this campus plus museum.

You're so anxious to get ready for your first meeting that you don't exactly watch where you're going and find that you're suddenly stuck in the fog-like arms of Mad Meg, the fear thought-form slave of the Statesmen of Tennessee, the Bell-Town Haunter, or just Haunter.

A shrill voice enters your air on a breath colder than a winter's night.

"Oh my my my deary, you were flying fast. Running away from something hrm?"

You suddenly find yourself thinking about Mountain Lion. You think about her smug expression. You think about yourself standing alone and vulnerable while she mocks you. No one stands by your side...

A sharp whistle makes the thought-form drop you to the floor. You look up and see the Bell-Town Haunter herself offering you a hand up.

She's a gaunt, strong-looking woman, but you think she'd be rather pretty if she ever bothered to smile. She's an inspiring member of the superhuman community. When she was a girl she summoned Mad Meg to terrorize her family and her town as her poltergeist. She couldn't control Mad Meg. She didn't even know that she was subconsciously responsible for Mad Meg's rampage, the abuse she suffered from her father and suppressed violently lashing out through Mad Meg. She was a classic poltergeist case, and it took a classic investigator to help her. It was only with paranormal investigator and fellow Statesmen Miss Cryptic that she learned that she could control Mad Meg and began the long journey toward mastering the violent thought-form.

It was a long, hard struggle, but now as an adult Mad Meg is her loyal slave. She commands her with her mind but uses sounds and music to focus her thoughts. Simple whistles cause Mad Meg to do simple things. For more complex actions such as changing the spatial-temporal properties of an area through a "haunting' effect she uses a violin. The Haunter has devoted her life to helping prevent children with psychic powers from suffering as she did. She is known to be a strict, uncompromising teacher, but a teacher that produces results.

"You should watch where you're going." She says curtly. "You could hurt yourself".

>Quickly Apologize and high-tail it to the meeting

>"Oh...Hey Haunter...what's up?"
>apologize to Haunter
>Explain that you're on your way to a team meeting and didn't wanna be late
>try to excuse ourselves so we can get to said meeting
>>"Oh...Hey Haunter...what's up?"
>Thanks for the hand, sorry, just first-meeting jitters.
This. Apologize, but don't stick around.
You take her hand and she pulls you to your feet. "Sorry about that Haunter... I got a meeting set up, I mean for my superhero team..."

Haunter stares at you with her usual hard, cold stare. Behind her Mad Meg gathers herself. A skull-white face of an old crone emerges out of the black mist framed with straw-like hair. She studies you with cold, colorless eyes...and her lipless mouth slowly crack open to reveal a shark smile of dagger point teeth. "Eh he he heeeee...You have the same name as Mad Meggy I wonder what thatttttt means? I wonder if you could be my sisterrrrrrr..."

You can't help but shake a little. It IS a being made out of fear after all.....

Seeing how uncomfortable you are Haunter gives a quick whistle and Mad Meg vanishes like smoke hitting sunlight leaving only a greasy blur that vanishes totally when you blink.

"Uh....well then...thanks for the hand up. Sorry about nearly hitting you like a big Mormon lightningbolt, I don't want to be late for my first meeting you know, I just got these first-meeting-with-your-own-superhero-team jitters...."

Haunter stares silently.

"...And I probably should go now..."

"Good luck."

"Come again?"

"I said good luck. Your team is going to take up Mountain Lion's challenge right?"

"Oh-oh yeah. We are...." Sometimes you forget that she's one of your fellow Statesmen with her grim demeanor and monster servant. "And thanks. Knowing Mountain Lion we're probably going to need all the luck we can get....I probably should he heading off now. Thanks for wishing us luck though, I'll pass it on to the others."

"Before you go Deseret, could you tell me where the Supervisor's office is?"

"Wait a minute...you can't find his office? But can't Mad Meg find it with thought-form stuff?"

"You see how disorganized things are here in the Physical Earth? It's worse in the Mental Earth. The Librarian's new wing is putting pressure on the Atlantean Walls between Earth."

"Oh...well, his office is down on the first floor, I'm exactly sure where. He's been spending a lot of time in the Command Center talking to China so he might be there though. If you can't find him talk to the front desk, they're usually able to find him or his friends."

"Thank you." Haunter says turning and walking away.

"Don't mention it." You start to bolt down the halls, this time slower than before, but as you leave you notice Mad Meg spring up in front of Haunter and scoop up the super-speeder Statesman Turnpike.

"Grah...let go of my you overgrown Halloween decoration!" Turnpike squirms as Mad Meg holds him upside down by an ankle.

"Eh he he he...everyone running, nobody watching, is it the season for disasters don't you think?"

Haunter frowns as she orders Mad Meg to flip Turnpike around and set him on his feet with two quick whistles. "I think the Museum might need traffic controls...or something."

File: Haunter.png (156 KB, 792x620)
156 KB
156 KB PNG

The Museum's traffic is getting out of hand what with all the super-speedsters and teleporters and flying Mormons. Should we start implementing traffic controls? It'll slow things down, but will also make things more safe.

>Yes do it! Create hall monitors!

>That sounds like it could just create more problems. Don't do it.
>Do it
Can we create different lanes? Speedsters get one out-of-the-way hallway during busy hours so they can GO FAST, but everyone else takes priority and the speedsters have to slow down in common areas
Yes, we can create a lane system.
Voting for lanes, then
Sounds like a decent idea.
May as well.
>Lane system will be constructed.

You open the doors to your quaint, bare meeting room to find your team already waiting on you. Snake Charmer sits at a table across from Virginia Daring and watches her with heavy, judging eyes. Virginia as usual looks beautiful and happy. Kentucky Rain sits by himself in a corner.

They all look toward you, the leader, as you you enter.

"Oh man I'm sorry guys! I thought I was going to get here way before time. Is it really already 2?"

"Three actually." Virginia says.

"3? Oh man...this is Central Time right?"

"No. That's the Clubhouse base in DC. This is Rhode Island." Virginia answers.

"Darn it...well, sorry everyone."

"Oh no. It was fine." Snake Charmer says eying Virginia icily. 'We had a lot to talk about while we waited."

"Hrm?" Virginia says. "But we didn't talk about...ohhhhhh I see. That was a joke."

"Yes. Yes it was."

"Well then...first of all you get over here at the grown-ups table Chicken Little! What are you doing sitting over there by yourself?" You say.

"Oh...nothing. Just sitting..."

"And that's the problem! Now get over here!"

Kentucky Rain walks over to the table. He's wearing a modest Elvis wardrobe today with tinted blue glasses and a leather jacket with ELVIS written on the back and a pinstripe jailhouse shirt. Virginia is wearing one of her trademarked bikinis, a festive black outfit with a top designed to look like a bat to go with the candycorn colored skin she's sporting for the season. You old pal Snake Charmer is wearing his usual immaculately clean white suit and slacks with golden cross shaped buttons and a rather grumpy expression.

"Chicken Little...is that another joke?" Virginia asks. "I"m sorry, it's just that things go over my head sometimes..."

Snake Charmer gives a rude chortle.

"Yeah its a joke." Kentucky Rain says awkwardly pulling out a seat to sit down next to Virginia before pushing it back in and moving around Virginia to take a seat behind Snake Charmer. You think Virginia might be making the nervous little guy uncomfortable for the reasons she makes most young men uncomfortable. "Sky's falling....rain....ya know?"

"Ohhhhh I get it!"

"Also because I'm well, sort of nervous..."

"It's alright." Virginia places an orange hand on Kentucky's hand. You see him go as rigid as a stone statue. "This is something new for all of us. We're all a little uncomfortable here."

"Uh...y-yeah..." He says realizing a supermodel just touched him.

You hover above the table to get everyone's attention. This is it. Your first superteam orientation.

"O-Okay....well, first of all thank you everyone for coming. I just want to go over the basics of being on a superhero team, you know, stuff you've probably already read up on. Mostly I just want us to get to know each other today and....I see you all have already started that!"

"Well, its hard NOT to know about some of us..." Snake Charmer says cutting his eyes at Virginia.

"We're all popular within our own spheres of influence." Virginia Says. "I have my modeling, Snake Charmer has his congregation, Deseret has her energy farm, and Kentucky Rain has his humanitarian work."

"Ah..." Kentucky says bashfully. "I wouldn't call it humanitarian work. I mean I just make it rain where they tell me to. The real credit goes to all those 12th level intellects in the Superbuilders that plan everything."

"We're not popular in the same way YOU'RE popular..." Snake Charmer says pointedly. "I mean it's not like anyone's got a pinup of me or Meagan on their wall..."

"Oh, actually Meagan has agreed to do a swimsuit shoot with me for Super NOWER to help promote The Connection."

"....What?" Snake Charmer nearly jumps out of his seat.

Kentucky's face turns a bright shade of red.

"The girls of the Connection! I thought it would be a great way to use assets to help the team!"

"WHAT?" Snake Charmer turns toward you.


>Talk about the swimsuit shoot

>Address the friction in this team. We need to work together!

>Skip all this drama, start hitting the basics! Stay on topic, show that you're the leader that's in control of her team!
>Talk about the swimsuit shoot
"Part of what this team is about is pushing people to do more, to go outside their comfort zone. I'm asking all of you to go beyond what you're used to, so when i was asked to do a shoot that could help the team, what kind of leader would I be if I didn't lead by example?
Also... It'll be modest, don't worry."
this is a good explanation, I like it
>Talk about the swimsuit shoot
"Part of what the Connection is about is pushing people to do more, to go outside their comfort zone." You explain. "I'm asking all of you to go beyond what you're used to, so when Virginia asked if I could do a shoot that could help get us publicity how could I say no? What kind of leader would I be if I didn't lead by example?"

"Meagan..." Snake Charmer says. "There are other ways to get publicity! You don't have to...display yourself like that!"

"It's not just the publicity Snake Charmer, listen to what I'm saying. I've...never done something like a photo shoot before. It's something new, something personally challenging, and something that'll help others. It's a symbol of what I want us all to do..."

"You want me and Kentucky to get out our swimtrunks?"

"I'd uh...really rather not..." Kentucky says.

"No! No..." You slap your forehead. "You aren't getting it..."

"Whats there to get?" He says. "You want to get us attention. This'll certainly give us attention. Climbing Ace tower in my underwear is sure to get us attention, but Meagan, is this little stunt going to give us the right kind of attention?" Snake Charmer says pouring on the preacher voice. "No! Will you dangling yourself in front of lascivious teenage boys say anything about the Connection and its mission? No! Will it earn you the serious respect a superhero team leader needs? No!"

"Actually many successful super-heroines model, even team leaders." Virginia Daring says. "People like attractive, strong, confident people. People follow them."

"There's nothing attractive, strong, or confident about taking off your clothes for money." Snake Charmer sneers.

"Well, I happen to disagree!" You state firmly. "Snake Charmer, you seem to think this photo shoot is going to be degrading or something, like its a punishment I'm inflicting on myself. It's not. It's not trashy. It's going show off my strength, confidence, and attractiveness."

"It's going to show off something all right..."

"It'll be modest!" You blurt out. "See what I'm wearing now? It's just this without...this..." You motion to your legs and arms. "...And why does it matter to you anyway? I'm a grown woman and furthermore I'm your leader. I don't need nor do I want you to pretend to be my parent Snake Charmer."

The old preacher looks away guiltily. "...I just don't want you to be pushed into doing something you don't want to do Meagan..."

"Well..." You cross your arms. "I can't say I'm not nervous about it. But that's no reason to not try something new. That's the important message of what I'm doing, not how much or how little I wear Snake Charmer!"

"Meagan, you do what you want." Snake Charmer plops down into a seat. "You're right. You're a grown woman who can make her own decisions."

"Snake Charmer, I know you don't look favorably on what I do." Virginia Daring says. "But I promise you it won't be a bad experience for Meagan. I wouldn't do that to her."

Snake Charmer gives an aggravated sigh. "I don't think you would, not intentionally anyway."

"I know you don't approve of my modeling, and I'm not asking for you to do. But I ask that you trust me with Meagan. We're teammates. If you can't trust me with our leader how can you trust me to have your back in a battle or emergency?"

Snake Charmer motions her away with a shake of his head and wave of the back of his hand. "I already said it's fine. Go off and do what you're going to do."

"AHEM!" You clear your throat as you hover above the team. "If everyone is done talking about what I will or will not be wearing we still have the actual meeting to get to. You know, the reason we're here..." You hold your hands out and project a three dimensional image of the team with your powers underneath a banner that says CONNECTION, CONNECT-UP! The whole picture is made with the detail of chalkboard drawings. Your team are little more than stick figures. Still, you wanted to run this presentation with your powers instead of a slide show. You wanted to make it special.

"Oh, that is an adorable little facsimile of me!" Virginia Daring says pointing to her drawing. "Poor thing looks a little underfed though!" She chuckles.

You give a wry smile and with a snap of your fingers the Virginia drawing towers over the rest. Virginia giggles.

"Alright." You say. "Now superheroes are a breed apart. We're something that doesn't have any parallels. We're part soldiers,part EMTs, part police, part FEMA. Anytime someone says we're just this or that but with superpowers they miss out on something. Superheroes are superheroes. No other title accurately describes us. And its important to remember that, because a lot of times you get people saying "this is how a superhero should be" or "so-and-so isn't a real superhero". And when people say that it makes other people think its harder than it is to be a superhero. The thing is being a superhero simply means being a superhero. If you want it and you work for it then you're a superhero regardless of whether your powers have might or utility or whether you even have powers at all. If you want it you can be it."


>Stress the importance of teamwork. Back each other up at all times no matter how weird it gets.

>Stress the importance of individual responsibility. We are only as strong as our weakest link.

>Stress the importance of participating with the wider superhero community. No one is as strong as all of us together.

>Stress the importance of hard work and training. This job is like being a soldier or firefighter. 99 percent of the time you're training to take care of really quick disasters. Never slack off.
I think we should kinda of stress all four, other wise we're only addressing a small part of why we're trying to assemble the connection.
Lead with
follow by
>wider super hero community
mention though that
>everyone does have personal, individual responsibility like Snake Charmer's congregation, Kentucky's humanitarian work and Virginia's modeling
and that we're not expecting everyone to put their lives on hold just for deseret
and finally
>yes there will be hard work and training, because that will synchronize with teamwork, being part of the community and even helping us with out own private lives

Also holy shit Snake charmer is an asshole, why'd we think this guy would be a good fit on a team?
Because Deseret is Mormon, and Snake Charmer is one of those Southern Baptists.
"Too many superhumans don't become superheroes. They say "I'm doing fine doing my own thing. I make money. I help people. I make a difference."" You give a quick glance to Snake Charmer and Virginia Daring. "Or they say "My powers are no good. They're not useful. I'll just get in the way."" You look at Kentucky Rain. "But there won't be any excuses on this team! We're about going beyond ourselves. We're about pushing it past the limit. If you find its too hard, if you find you don't have it within you to continue, then deep down deep inside and pull up all the strength you got in reserve! And if that's not enough, and it probably won't be, then you draw strength from the team. That's how it works!" You snap your fingers and summon up an image of the Mystery Club, the late 1930's organization of superheroes, then called Mystery Men, which many consider the world's first superhero team.

"That's how it's always worked!" You snap your fingers again and your electric puppets cheer throwing their arms in the air. "Why did the Mystery Club work? On the surface it shouldn't have. In terms of powers they ranged from men skilled in theatrical illusions and coastline geography like the Fishermen to so-called angels from heaven like Manakel. In terms of interest they ranged from ciphers that remain mysterious to this day like The Voice to genius industrialists like Doc Challenge to social activists like the Star Man Gold. They had nothing in common. Many of their powers were made redundant by their teammates. But they stood together and they stood firm and they fought the good fight straight on through WWII. How did they do it? They did it because they were a team. They did it because they had one single thing in common and held it to the highest importance: that they were superheroes, and that they pushed themselves to their limit and past their limits, and that they drew strength from one another."

You blur the electric assembly together and form back the four figures of your team.

"Nothing has changed. They were superheroes. We are superheroes. You, my friends, are superhereoes."

You snap your fingers once more and the four electric puppets crackle in unison: "THE CONNECTION: CONNECT UP!"

>Roll 3D20+2 to inspire your friends!
>Why'd we think this guy would be a good fit?

He's an asshole we have experience with. I don't think we were confident enough to try recruiting our other Eccumenicals teammate, Reverend Luther. He's got his uses though. His power is basically being a White Mage and he's very influential as a traveling preacher.

You got to remember, being associated with walking sex bomb Virginia Daring isn't going to help his Billy Grahm image. He's taking a hit to make this team work.

And hey, every team needs a healslut .
Rolled 17, 10, 7 = 34 (3d20)

They weren't kidding when they said Deseret had extreme superhero tendencies and would probably abandon the Statesmen if she didn't get to act like one (and take everyone else with her).
Eh, 3 1D20s from 3 posters...I probably need to start phrasing roll prompts better...

Deseret expects 100 percent from herself and others. Which is why Mountain Lion's sim chamber challenge is going to be very, very interesting.

BIG SPOILERS: It involves Deseret having to choose which of her teammates to sacrifice
Rolled 1 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

let's hope my roles tonight are better than last night's
Rolled 7 (1d20)

okay fine, I'm not rolling from my laptop ever again.

"Uh..." Kentucky raises his hand.

"Oh Kentucky, you got a question?" You say acknowledging him. "Go ahead, what's up?"

"You mean besides the sky right? I mean you know...because Chicken Little...rain...ha...ha..AHEM...Well, I see you're really gung ho on us giving one hundred percent."

"Yep. You got that right." You nod.

"But...what if you can't give 100 percent?"

"Can't isn't a word I recognize. Humanity didn't defeat the Nebula King with can't."

"But this Connection thing is all about balance right? You want us to do our lives and superheroics at the same time?"

"It's been done before by people that had way more hurdles to face than us."

"So what do we do? 50/50 down the line?"

"100 on both sides Kentucky. 100 all the way, all the time. We're superheroes now. They don't make action figures out of us because we take the easy route."

Kentucky Rain adjusts his blue tinted sunglasses. "...I think you're setting yourself up for failure..."

"Come again?"

"What do we do when we fail?"

"Well IF we fail then we just pick ourselves back up and-"

"That's not what I asked." Kentucky shakes his head. "I mean WHEN we fail-"

"Why do you got to keep at the defeatist stuff Kentucky?"

"Look. I worry too much. I do. I get that about myself. But Deseret failure is something that's going to happen. Every superteam fails-"

"Not the great ones. Not the truly great ones."

"Deseret...I don't think we're those kinds of people alright? I think we're just the kind of people doing the best we can..."

"The lad's got a point Meagan..." Snake Charmer says.

"I...I sense that failure is something you don't want to talk about Deseret..." Virginia Daring says. "But you must understand that in itself is a failure. In that way you've already failed...so you don't need to be afraid of it okay?"

"I...I am NOT afraid of failure!" You snap. "Just...why do you guys have to talk about it? We haven't even DONE anything yet and already you're talking about failure! I mean what...what do I got to do to get you to put your faith in me..." You look pleadingly form one concerned, confused face to the next. "...What am I doing wrong?"

"You aren't doing anything wrong Meagan." Virginia Daring says. "You're just doing things very, very hard. You've prepared for hardship and sacrifice and hard work but...that can't solve every problem. It won't solve every problem."

Oh god...this was supposed to be your big debut as team leader and they're turning it into one of your sessions with your psychiatrist...you got to turn this around, you got to make this work...


>Um...CARRYING ON WITH THE MEETING NOW....lets move on to how we'll operate... (requires easy roll)

>Sim chamber NOW, it's time for trust building exercises! (no roll)

>Okay...okay yeah, failure isn't something I'm good with...I'll admit that. Is there...going to be a problem here? Anybody? (requires medium roll)
A representation of how Deseret feels right now:

>"Every superteam fails-"
>"Not the great ones. Not the truly great ones."
Yeah, they do. They totally do. They bounce back, but not before they get kicked around a bit. Deseret doesn't seem to understand that you don't get strong if you don't struggle.
I think we should admit we're not good with failure.
I still think Desert is a bit too proud to publicly admit she's scared of failure.

"Um...CARRYING ON WITH THE MEETING NOW!" You try to put everything behind you as you cause sparks with your hands to get everyone's attention. "Okayyyyyyy....let's move on to how we'll operate...first thing we need to talk about is ORGANIZATION!" You start to add color to your sparks as you start conjuring up the next image. "We're like firefighters or soldiers, 99 percent of the time we train and get ready for the 1 percent of the time..."

>Roll 3D20+3
Rolled 3 (1d20)

This reminds me of the cooperation talk from The secret of Monkey Island

Deseret, chill down, the governor can take care of himself
Rolled 19 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

Rolled 12 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

I can't do any worse than I did yesterday night
Saved the day!

"Most of what we'll be doing will be in balancing our schedules. We have our own lives and I want to show that superheroics WILL NOT interfere with those lives." Your electric display shifts to a model of the Museum's Sim Chamber. "Practice and meetings are the brick and mortar of superheroics. Sim Chambers are expensive as hell, especially the high-grade ones like the one the Museum has. We'll be using it, taking turns with regular Statesmen and the school staff. Training is the most important part of being a superhero because it gives you practical practice, but until we prove ourselves we can't expect to have priority with the Sim Chamber, so in the event we can't use the Sim Chamber during one of our thrice weekly meetings we'll be meeting up here to discuss tactics, our non-superhero lives, and what missions we should register The Connection for..."

You snap your fingers and the electricity transforms into a neon-glowing version of the golden thunderbolt and sunburst logo of international superhero organization LIGHT.

This is going good now. They're looking at you with rapt attention. You think you've turned this around from being a therapy session back to being a superteam meeting.

"LIGHT isn't an international group any of you have experience with. On the Eccunemicals Reverend Luther was the only one technically registered with them. Snake Charmer and myself were just his sidekicks. Virginia, you patrolled your town but never went international, and thus never dealt with them. Kentucky, LIGHT works closely with NIGHTINGALE and PHOENIX who support the Superbuilders, usually by providing bodyguards, but you've never worked with them directly. I want us all to work more with them, I want us all to familiarize ourselves with their systems and databases. LIGHT has been controversial sense it was founded by NATO back in the Cold War but its always been useful. It's kept superteams from stepping on one anothers' toes. Its kept teams from throwing themselves at enemies they couldn't defeat. It's helped direct teams to the kinds of problems they're best at solving. And I want you all to go beyond that. I want you to familiarize yourselves with Interpol and PHOENIX. Get good at the red tape and it won't slow you down. The two key functions of superheroics are apprehending supercriminals and assisting with disasters. Beat the badguys, save the innocents, that's what its always been about. Interpol helps with the badguys, PHOENIX with disasters. Now sometimes we run odd jobs. ARGO might get us to investigate a new timeline or alternate dimension. NIGHTINGALE might get us to deal with stuff from the Mystic Earth and Mental Earth or from outer space. But generally its beating the badguys and saving the day, generally its Interpol and PHOENIX and LIGHT which networks us to them and other groups."

Kentucky Raises his hand again.

"Yeah Kentucky?" You ask suppressing your growing inner fear. "What's up?"


"Well, I was wondering if we could start doing bodyguard work for the Superbuilders. I mean I already work with them and stuff, so it should be a job I can get us real easy. And its rare anything happens. When something does happen its some HECTONCHIRES dweeb trying to kidnap someone and you got lots of backup to help you protect them from NIGHTINGALE and PHOENIX. Bodyguard work is something easy we can start with and work our way up from."

Virginia and Snake Charmer nod in agreement.


>Easy? That's exactly why we AREN'T doing it. We're doing it the standard way. We put ourselves on the E rank list and then put in ranked Sim Chamber runs and let LIGHT decide what we should do. (no roll)

>We...We could...I mean, if you guys really want to... (Medium Roll)
Deseret doesn't know how to compromise on this sort of thing.
I agree Deseret isn't one who would compromise, but if something does go wrong an environment like the Superbuilders would be a good place to build team work and do that superheroics/EMT stuff deseret was talking about.
Makes sense. She has to convince herself it's okay to start small-scale.
maybe that's why we gotta roll?
That and to see if we convince our teammates we aren't to salty about them changing our plans.

>Roll 3D20+2
Rolled 7 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

here we go
Rolled 1 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

She is absolutely salty about having to guard the Superbuilders.
we still got 1 roll left
Rolled 11 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

"Well..." You start. "...We...We could...I mean if you guys really want to...we could do that..."

"You don't want us to?" Virginia asks.

"Well its...its just an awfully easy thing to do. It'd be a lot harder if we did ranked missions in the Sim Chamber and had LIGHT assign us based on our performance. I mean that's their purpose. To maximize our utility as a group."

"But what if we don't want to maximize our utility?" Virginia asks. "What if we just want to help people...this way?"

"That way is the easy way though. Body guards for the Superbuilders are numerous. If we work the Sim missions we can get clearance to be assigned to real problems, we can do some real good!"

"Helping make sure no one kidnaps people isn't some real good?" Kentucky asks.

"Well...it's doing good yes, but its not the MOST good we can do. We don't know what the most good is right no, we have to test ourselves and see."

"Meagan...I think the lad's right." Snake Charmer says. "This is a good start to being on a superteam, and it works with people Kentucky is already familiar with..."

"But didn't I say this was about going past ourselves? Didn't I say this was about doing more? We haven't even really started and now you guys want to put on the breaks!" You shout.

"Deseret...we are doing more. We're just doing it in steps, not in leaps."

"Well I want us to leap! The point is to leap, not...not crawl!" Your LIGHT logo starts to crackle as you grow angry.

"Deseret...may I be frank with you?" Virginia asks politely.

"What?" You snap. "Go on, what?"

"If you keep going on like this, pushing us, fighting us...the team isn't going to work..."

A chill runs down your spine. This can't fail. You can't fail. You haven't even had your first mission yet. What kind of failure has a superteam crumble at their first mission.

What are you doing wrong? Didn't you make this clear to them the purpose was to go 100 percent?

What is wrong with them? Are they afraid of failing? You are to. Are they afraid of the danger? Are they cowards? Cowardice you can't forgive. People need heroes. There are too many people that die because there wasn't just one more hero.

What's wrong with them?

Or...or is something wrong with you?

>Roll 3D20 to avoid spilling large linguini strands of electric spaghetti everywhere
Rolled 17 (1d20)

oh my god deseret has a lot of issues to work through...
Rolled 12, 9 = 21 (2d20)

Learning that she could kill a person just by willing it at a young age really did a number on her. She's determined to be worth her powers. If she's saving people then she's the furthest away from hurting them. That's why she's so obsessed with being a hero.

Her Mormonism ties into it as well. Mormon eschatology adapted to a world with superpeople and living gods by rationalizing that superhumans are apart of God's plan for the human race. Superhumans -must- use their powers wisely. They have a God-given duty to use their powers wisely.

Remember what she said in the diner to Kentucky. The human brain is a dim lightbulb. 20 watts.

I wish I could have found a cool mechanic for her story. But the next one (the Bobcat vs Kitsune one) will have a cool mechanic. A certain super powered hobo smoker tasked with reconciling gods to humanity and humanity to gods can blend the lines between the mystical and physical. He can make gods more like men and men more like gods with his magic smoke. It'll be fun to have options like "Make X more like Y or Y more like X?"
Rollin from my phone
Rolled 13 (1d20)

Fucked up, trying again
"What you guys want us to do...its not the best use of our abilities." You say choking down anger and frustration. "We owe it to people to do the best!"

"No Deseret..." Virginia gives a sad shake of her snow white head. "No. We owe it to people to do what we can."

"Doing bodyguard duty is the LEAST of what we can do!"

"But its something. It helps people. It's good, helpful work and you're acting like its nothing." Virginia says. "I'm sure the Superbuilders will appreciate our help."

"That's low level work. We'd be adding to a security detail that already is virtually flawless. But we can do more. People die all the time because during the big disasters and attacks, people that could have been saved if there was just one more hero, just one more person standing there to catch them..."

"And if we're able to become those kinds of people then we become those kinds of people." Virginia says. "But lets start here. Then we'll work through the ranking system."

"But we'd work faster without the bodyguard work!"

"Deseret, this isn't a race. It's not a sporting competition-"

"Which is exactly why you have to give it your all! We're dealing with peoples' lives here! How can you guys take it easy when the world is counting on us to be heroes? If anything you all are the ones treating this like its some kind of sport, some kind of game..."

"Deseret..." Virginia says frowning. "I know what its like to talk and talk and talk and just say a lot of confusing stuff from the heart. The heart's an odd thing. It's words aren't easily translated."

"Oh for the..." You angrily mumble. "Care to give me that in ENGLISH Virginia?"

"Be careful what you say Deseret. Please."

You take a deep breathe. You've done this wrong. You've gotten angry in front of the troops. You're supposed to be their leader.

"...I'm sorry everyone...I...Well this is supposed to be a challenging venture for all of us right?" You grin bashfully. "But I am sorry. I'm going full bitch and I'm sorry."

"We understand." Virginia says. "You want us to be the very best we can be. We want that as well. We wouldn't be here, we wouldn't be trusting you or the Connection if that wasn't true."

You nod.

"I shouldn't have said sporting competition...oh I'm so bad with words sometimes...I didn't mean to trivialize what we're doing..."

"No its okay Virginia." You say. "I know what you're trying to say its just...I don't want this to fail. And I'm afraid it's going to if we start out weak."

"Um..." Kentucky raises his hand then drops it and starts talking when he realizes everyone is just looking at him expectantly. "...I can drop my idea you know. I mean I'm fine with dropping it."

"No Kentucky." Virginia says firmly but politely. "We've decided we're going to be bodyguards, we're going to be bodyguards."

"...Yeah. That's right." You admit. "We'll still do training. We'll work up through the rankings and-"

"If we have time." Virginia says. "But realistically they might need us to dedicate an indefinite amount of time to protecting them through whatever project they're working on. Isn't that right Kentucky?"

Kentucky nods. "Yeah. It's not like they can just say "okay, you guys watch from 9 to five Monday and then take the day off tomorrow". They like to keep the same guards for as long as possible. It makes the Superbuilders uneasy to just keep rotating guards."

"So we'll train, but only when we have time." Virginia says. "We want to do more Deseret, really. Just let us move at a slower pace, okay? We're no good to you if we trip over ourselves and you're no good to us if you're way out in front so that we can't catch up. We have to run this team as a compromise, faster for us, slower for you."

You want to cry, although you'll never admit it to yourself. You wanted to kick this off by firmly putting the team into superheroics, into rescue and supervillian fighting. You don't want this body guarding nonsense. It's basically just what Kentucky was already doing except he's expected to fight rather than run.

This isn't what you wanted and yet no one seems to want to listen to you. Even Snake Charmer is on the side of body guard work.

They're looking at Virginia. And she's being so calm and so collected and everyone is looking at her, everyone is listening to her, and she's directing this all like...like...like she's the leader.

You never thought you'd be even more jealous of Virginia, and yet here you are.


>Politely take back control of your team. Remind them that you are the leader and promise you'll do more to consider their opinions. (Hard roll)

>Explode. This is some bullshit (No roll)

>Apologize for being so...you. You only want what's best for the team. And maybe sometimes you have to work to figure out what that is (Medium Roll)

>Work past all this. Just get through the meeting so you can go cry to yourself. (Easy Roll)
I don't think reminding people you're the leader is the best route, it'll still make Deseret seem like a bitch.
I'd like to go with the apology route, since Deseret did show during her sim with Barnstormer and the Sentai cat guy she can work and compromise with people, she just needs to learn when not to put her own wants ahead of others
I'll swap to apology, in that case.
>Roll 3D20+2
Rolled 18, 20, 7 = 45 (3d20)

Rolled 2 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

all rolls gotta be individual, anon
nice 18 tho
I'm like the unintentional supervillain of Capeworld

"Guys..." You start after swallowing hard. "I'm sorry. Again. I don't mean to be so...me. I only want what's best for the team. And maybe sometimes you have to work to figure out what that is."

"Your enthusiasm is inspiring Deseret." Virginia says.

Yeah. You're real inspiring...

"This is new and stressful for all of us." Snake Charmer says. "Didn't you say that Meagan? There's no need to get bent out of shape because we're having differences."

You aren't bent out of shape because of differences. You're bent out of shape because the difference is purely you against the team.

"It's not going to suck. I promise." Kentucky says. "I'll introduce you guys to my old buddies on my Superbuilders team. They're really good, and it'll help break the ice and get us over the awkwardness of working with strangers."

You hate how they're talking to you. You want to say something about how you don't want them talking to you like this, how you want them to confide in you not baby you like your shrink.

But you remember what Virginia said about speaking from your heart so you swallow down your words along with your feelings.

"Alright team..." You say. "We're bodyguards. For now. So lets be the best bodyguards we can be. Kentucky, get me a meeting with your old Superbuilders bosses. We'll sit down and talk about it with them. I'll talk to the Supervisor in the meantime and get us some training time setup...it won't be diagnostic ranked sims, but they'll be sims that'll train us for body guard duty."

They look at you and nod. They're listening to you. You're still the leader.

But for how longer?

>Head to the Energy Farm, chill and talk to Emerald Blaze

>Hunt down Mountain Lion and talk to her. Maybe you can find some common ground, help diffuse the situation...

>Run your first training mission to prepare for Mountain Lion's challenge

>Get your first body guard duty over with

>Introduce your team at the Halloween Party

>Do the swimshoot shoot with Virginia

Complete (or discard) all six objectives to unlock the final showdown with Mountain Lion!

I did say I was going to label roll prompts better, so I kind of fucked up. I'll take these three rolls and save us from Planet Crunch the dreaded this time.
Deseret is starting to realize how agonizing being a superteam leader is, so she subconsciously is trying to back out of Mountain Lion's bet.
Planet Krunsh is the Galactus/Ego/Brainiac of Cape World. A living "pirate planet" that roams the galaxies raiding worlds for resources, enslaving the best and brightest of the sapient races it finds to tend to its ecosystems.

Smaller slave-worlds orbit it, and it sometimes uses them as cannon ball ammo for a continent sized railgun system on its surface that looks sort of like an eyepatch.
File: PlanetKrunsh.jpg (149 KB, 1000x983)
149 KB
149 KB JPG
that's...pretty damn close to what I was thinking of when I made this guy.
altho the slave worlds are a nice touch, as well as the pirate theme. I was thinking this thing was a living planet that had to eat other ecosystems to sustain itself and it's incredibly consumerist population.
Its favorite method of eating is just ramming into something like Unicron and chowing down.
these are all good options
RRRRG I REALLY wanna see Dice Head's Halloween party
but I also wanna do the swimsuit shoot with Virginia
trying to difuse the situation with Mountain Lion may be the best, but I'm pretty sure with how Deseret's been acting that may lead to a hard roll...
uh... let's hunt down mountain lion
If you weren't a Statesmen it would be nigh impossible to get ahold of Mountain Lion. As a bounty hunter she doesn't leave a trail and keeps limited contact with her CIA and FBI employers, but for all her loneliness she's fiercely loyal to the Statesmen. She's one of the few members with perfect attendance to the weekly meetings, even if all she does when she shows up is take a seat in the back and sip a beer. So all you had to do was show up to a meeting.

As you fly through the front door of the Museum you're stopped by the broad shoulders of Erik the Red, Statesmen of Minnesota and professional handler of the megafauna of the Great Lakes.

Erik is a gentle giant, a good natured superhuman with a heart as big as his red beard...both figuratively and literally. He's a fan of football and Atomic Cowboy, Statesman of Nevada, and uses his enormous strength and training as a marine biologists to keep the Great Lakes safe for people and giant monsters. He's a good guy. He was on your list of candidates for The Connection.

"Woah there Deseret!" The hairy eight foot giant stops you with an enormous circular shield attached to his tree-trunk arm in the shape of a traffic stop sign. You quickly stop before you smash into the octagon. "I'm afraid we're running a traffic system now. I'm going to have to ask you to keep your feet on the ground and keep the speed to a reasonable trot if ya want to use the front hall, sorry."

"It's cool. I'm not in any rush." You say touching down to Earth. "Well that's sure to get everyone's attention." You say regarding his shield.

"It's a little something The Hoosier and Captain Justice whipped up for me. It's a kinetic absorbing shield made of whatsit-alloy. Hear that?" He says tapping it with his thick fingers. "No thump. They even got it so it lights up so's people can see it in the evening." He presses a switch behind it and sure enough its backlit by white light.

"Nifty." You compliment. "You know you should see about keeping it or something like it. I don't remember you every using any gear and normally its smaller, lithe guy that use shields. I think you could really have something novel as a big guy with a shield. LIGHT's always been big on novel combinations of powers and skills."

"Sorry, I don't think I see much use in tools." He says.

You can't help but smile a little. Tools, not weapons or gear. Tools. Erik really is the gentle giant people say he is.

"It's not like I don't like it. It sure came in handy this morning when Turnpike came through here. But every time I've tried anything like a utility belt or backpack the critters always end up eating it. They think its a tiny fish or somethin'. And as for LIGHT and superhero rankings, I'm just not into that kind of stuff Deseret." He shakes his head. "I got the Lakes and I got the critters."

"I think you could do more though." You say walking past him. "Have you heard about my superteam? The Connection?"

The universe is a big place. There can be Planet Krunsh and Captain Krunsh . I wish the Statesmen had more cosmic level heroes. I got a lot of cool ideas for space adventures. Still, its possible to rope some lower-level superhumans into cosmic adventures. The contrast could even be fun...

By the way, I love how its skull texture on the side is an actual continent. Clever!


"Yeah. Cant say I'm interested though."

"Oh its no big deal. I got a lottttt to do with the members I already have!" You say. "Be seeing you Erik."

"You to Deseret. Good luck with that challenge thing with Mountain Lion!"

"Thanks!" You wave as you walk into the Museum.

The Statesmen HQ in DC, The Clubhouse, has a little bar and diner for the Statesmen to mingle and refresh themselves. It's called the Midnight, and its ran by old Jim Albright. With the expansion of Statesmen operations to The Museum Jim expanded the Midnight to follow, and he's brought his alcohol with him.

You find your short-haired, muscular rival sitting a the bar chatting with old man Albright.

"Mr. Albright." She addresses him respectfully. "You know that I like your place. I like your cooking even more. But this is going to be a school..."

"Nottt exactly." Mr. Albright says with a wave of his finger. "We're a supplemental educational facility-among other things."

"Still sounds like a school to me..."

You take a seat at a vacant table and wait. You don't want to interrupt her conversation. She already thinks you're annoying enough.

"What are you worried about ML? We're not just a place to teach young hooligans, we're a public museum, a branch of The Library, a training center, and perhaps most importantly at all-our headquarters. Every headquarters need a place where you can kick back and knock back."

"Kids shouldn't be around alcohol. It never ends well." Mountain Lion says. "I know brats. They'll see it as a challenge to get in here and get drunk and get in trouble."

"They won't get around me. I know everyone in the Statesmen. I'll card anyone I don't know. Problem solved!"

"Illusionists? Shapeshifters?"

"Oh, like I haven't dealt with that nonsense before! Give an old man some credit ML."

"I still don't like it Mr. Albright. Even if you keep them out I still don't like a bar being close to a school-or whatever it is we have. I just don't like it..."

"You're an old soul ML. That's good. But today's kids, they aren't as innocent as you think they are."

"Believe me, I know. It's probably why this is bothering me so much..."


>Keep the Midnight's alcohol in The Museum?

>Tell Jim to get rid of the hooch?
File: Spoiler Image (45 KB, 282x400)
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Also in case anyone missed it...
>Keep the Midnight's alcohol in The Museum?
I think we're mature enough not to mandate being a dry campus. Jim knows his stuff, and any kids found getting in the hooch gets disciplined.
Oh let Midnight keep his bar. He says he can keep the kids out of it, let's give him a shot
plus bar scenes are always fun to read and write. Like in Deep Space Nine

gotta say Communications Systems I'm liking this pirate twist on my old idea, I think I'll have to implement it in the future
plus pirate villains are old school and cool, this cosmic twist is really refreshing
>Keep the Midnight's alcohol in The Museum?
But make it clear we reserve the right to change our mind at any time.
>Keep hooch

"Yeah..." Mr. Alrbight says. "You see a lot of messed up stuff in your line of work. You got to be careful about submerging yourself in all that darkness. Come up for air sometime. Here." He pours Mountain Lion a black drink so strong you can smell its bitter, cinnamon scent from your seat. "A blackout bomb on the house."

"Thanks." She says grabbing the cup and chugging down a couple of gulps. Every time you see her throat move you want to gag. Jalapenos make you want to throw up, you can't imagine what a blackout bomb must be like.

"You're from the old school Mr. Albright. You've seen your fair share of darkness." She asks. "You and the Spy Smasher, you guys were in Berlin when Odin fell...how did you deal with it?"

"Well its no secret." Mr. Albright throws his arms out wide. "Good food, good drink, good friends. I invented a lot of stuff I'm proud of. Doom beams, blackout bombs, wing suits, spring string, but I think I'm most proud of The Midnight."

"Heh." Mountain Lion smirks. "Well I can get two of those things."

"And it wouldn't be hard to get yourself the third if you just worked at it some."

Mountain Lion sighs and sets the glass down on the bar with a bang. "This is going to be about the Mormon girl, isn't it?"

"Her name is Deseret if I'm not mistaken. It means "bee" I think."

"Everyone's been riding my ass about her. I'm getting sick of it."

"Well that's probably because she's a cute busy little bee and you're-"

"An abrasive bounty hunter bitch in power armor with a criminal past."

"Well I was going to say scary mountain lion but that's pretty on the money."

"You guys shouldn't give her a free pass just because she's young and pretty. That never ends well for anyone. I know this."

"Who said anything about giving her a free pass? She's gotten permission from the Supervisor to try out this Connection thing and if it works it works and if it fails it fails. She went through the proper channels like anyone else with an idea for the Statesmen and like anyone else whether it works or not is on her shoulders."

"Her idea should never have been given the go-ahead." Mountain Lion says gravely. "It should never have even been entertained. It undermines what makes the Statesmen great in the first place. We're not a superhero organization Mr. Albright, not matter what Pele or Deseret want to think. We're a superhuman organization. We got scientists and paranormal investigators and mascots and teachers...and even a piece of bounty hunter crap like me."

"Well, you're right about Pele. She's been trying to turn us into another Society of Protectors for the longest time. But isn't Deseret's Connection supposed to be about balancing superheroics with other ways to make a living?"

"That's what she says." Mountain Lion scoffs. "But that's just the sales pitch. What she really wants is to turn as many people possible into good little cookie-cutter superheroes. I like that we're a diverse bunch. I like it a lot."
We certainly have the right to change our mind should anything happen (and discipline any students caught with blackout bombs on campus to our discretion. We're technically the principle).

>Pirate villains are cool

I'm trying to get a high-seas adventure type of feel for Cosmic Capeworld with the Chromians being the big Spanish/English empire.

I think Earth's relationship with the Chromans Empire is interesting. The Chromans don't want the headache of conquering a planet with so many anomalous reality warpers, so they've parked a ship behind Jupiter and are trying to gradually attract Earth to their side through cunning and favors. They've managed to convince a small island nation to abandon Earth and swear allegiance to the Empire, gaining a foothold on Earth. Throughout space Earth is known as a "Chroman Protectorate"...which no one on Earth save the island nation of Chromia acknowledges.

The Chromans are a tyrannical bunch who forcefully export their culture and bioengineering practices to other worlds, but they're also one of the chief peace keepers in the universe and have sometimes worked with cosmic heroes to repel threats to the general peace of the cosmos.
"I wouldn't have managed to fit in with any group that didn't out and out accept everyone..." Mountain Lion says.

"That's not going to change ML. Just because she's talking some people into going superhero part time doesn't mean everybody is going to do it."

"It's still a step in the wrong direction. You notice how she hasn't tried to get a superhero a normal job? It's purely been about making non-superhero superhumans into superheroes. That's the direction of her plan-making us all into the same old superhero...no offense Mr. Albright."

"None taken. You'd be surprised what even the Captain Justice types say when they're deep in their cups."

"I just don't want us to lose our diversity...and you know that bitch Pele is just loving all of this. I'm surprised the kid hasn't officially joined her side."

"Well maybe that should tell you something."

"Well maybe..."


You sit and think to yourself. You never thought of yourself as someone that wanted to turn the Statesmen all superhero. You just want everyone to try doing more. You never considered getting a superhero to find another job. They're already doing really important work and "normal jobs" are so much more diverse than just becoming a superhero, you wouldn't know what to recommend for which superhuman...but maybe she has a point. Maybe you're just trying to justify turning everyone into superheroes to yourself and others....Would that be wrong?

>Agree that you need to balance the equation. Find normal jobs for superheroes.

>You think you're doing enough to balance things. You can't overcomplicate your program, not with your implementation already being so choppy...

>Double down. Superheroes do the most important job in the 3 Earths. We would have lost everything several times over if not for them. They're the most important. They're what people should strive to be.
She doesn't get it yet.
No matter what option we take, Deseret is still kinda missing the point
I think I'll go with
>double down
because she really wants people to be all they can be, but is probably going about it the wrong way

>Deseret is still kinda missing the point

The spark-throwing wonder has some growing to do.

You hold your head as your electric aura whispers what you're thinking.

"...Am I wrong here?"

"I'm not doing anything wrong!"

"I just want everyone to do their best..."

"...Do I really know what that is?"

You suddenly feel very warm.

You look over your shoulder and gasp. No matter how many times you see her she still takes your breath away. All the otherworldly Statesmen deeply amaze you from The Unfathomable Otherthing to Alien God Killer to Coyote to...Pele, goddess and Statesmen of Hawaii.

She doesn't have to float above the ground to dwarf you, but she does so anyway. For a goddess of the Earth her feet don't often touch it. She's as tall as Virginia Daring...and just as beautiful. For the second time today you feel small, overshadowed, and more than a little plain.

She smells of Earth and smoke. Her skin is a lovely Polynessian hue with reddish colors where the light hits it just right. Her long black hair is lustrous with a sheen like volcanic glass. Her eyes are golden, churning magma. She wears only an elegant fire-red skirt that flows down her hips and legs like lava. She wears a crown of flowers not native to this Earth wit sharp petals like bursting sparks and a lei around her neck that falls over her bosom-its the most anyone could convince her to wear.

She is a goddess and you are a little girl that throws sparks. She's older than the Earth and she nearly destroyed Japan when they attacked Pearl Harbor. And she is close enough to make you sweat.

"Ah...you are the one they've been talking about. "Deseret"." Her voice is soft, melodious, and yet strong. The only thing you can compare it to is the sound of a distant rainstorm you heard high above the clouds.

"Uh...yeah." You nod stupidly.

"I have heard you seek to make champions out of the less...combat savvy Statesmen, yes?"


"But I have also heard that this is not QUITE your goal. So I am hear to here you explain yourself to me. There are always conflicting rumors about gods and mortals,and yet rumors can only all be true for those of my kin." She smiles. "So come now, explain your actions to Pele!"

Oh boy. Now you really do need to get your thoughts in order...



>Pele wears a lei over her bosom, it's the most anyone could convince her to wear
one of Pele's powers is that there's never a nip-slip unless she wants it
also with another statesmen now talking to her I think
>you're doing enough to balance things
is the right answer. especially since she doesn't want to over complicate things at the moment
but let's watch Deseret spill her spaghetti to Pele

>You're doing enough. Stay the course.

"W-Well...Pele..." It feels so weird calling a so-called goddess by her name like she was one of your teammates. She technically IS one of your teammates but...you've seen stadiums full of power praising her and bowing to her. She fought alongside the Marvel family. She fought Amaterasu to a stand-still. She fought against things that eat space and time, actually eat space and time like it was food.

She's not a goddess. You don't believe in goddesses. But you can't deny that she's nothing at all like you.

"Come now! Out with it!" Pele urges. "It is good to fear Pele, for she is mighty and beautiful indeed, but not to the extent it renders you insensible!"

"I uh...I mean well...The Connection, that is my team project, it's about connecting people to the superheroic life...that's why it's uh...called...the Connection..." You smile awkwardly.


"Well, it's not about...replacing what people do with superheroics. It's about getting them to do more, not different...I get them to do superheroics AND whatever they were doing before."

Do more, not different? Oh dear, maybe that sounded smarter than it does in your head.

"A pity." Pele says with a haughty flip of her hair. "But I suppose your quaint team is a step toward the day when this alliance of super-mortals and divine champions shall be an alliance of warriors to rival the Society of Protectors!"

"Yeah...you say that a lot..."

"Because it is true! So we have continued to add actors and toolmakers to our ranks, what of it? Am I not Pele? Shall my will not be done?"

"Well...that Statesmen's always been like that. Sense the beginning. Like, that's how it's always been."

"And what of it? Mere decades! You mortals, you think the world began with your birth. We think that as well. Except for us it is true. One day all the non-warriors will be cast out from our ranks!

"Well...I don't believe in doing that. I'd much rather get people to do both superheroics and other stuff. You know...so everyone wins..."

"Hmmm..." Pele studies you intently. "I suppose if all become warriors and champions then my will is still done. It is an inefficient, slow method, and yet has not Pele said that time is an obstacle only to mortals?"

"...Yeah, you did say that..."

"You follow my will young warrior! Not faultlessly, but we gods are patient with your mortal flaws. Pele has decided she shall grant you a boon!"

"You uh...want to do what?"

"Pele is far too busy to deal directly with something as quaint as your Connection, yet Pele would like to help you. Pele shall join your Connection on a provisional basis. It shall be great fun to spar with new warriors, and together we shall win that body hunter's challenge!"

The heat around you rises as Pele emphasizes her fiery speech with emphatic gestures.

>Decline Pele's offer to join. It's for non-superheros or non-fulltime superheros.

>Accept her offer.
>Accept her offer.
Deseret wants a superteam, at the end of the day. Why not get someone who upholds what she wants, even if on an on-and-off basis?
>Accept her offer
>accept her offer
because we need an ace in the hole if we're going to win Mountain Lion's challenge
and a literal goddess may be handy
(although accepting someone who claims to be a goddess that isn't christian's going to ruffle Snake Charmer's feathers)
>Accept offer

I'm actually surprised. This is sure to heat things up. (snare drums).

"You aren't exactly what The Connection tries to recruit..."

"And WHAT do you MEAN by THAT?" Pele responds testily.

"I mean you're great and powerful and wonderful and everything but you're already a full time superheroine. LIGHT has you ranked and everything."

"So? I'll provide raw, divine power! I'll show that your team has the favor of the goddess! What could be better than that?"

"Well...if you want to join us then I guess..."

"Guess WHAT?" Pele growls.


Pele claps her hands together. "Spectacular! Pele welcomes you as her friend and fellow warrior!"

Pele has been described as a creature of wild moods. She is the flowing lava that destroys the land and cooling lava that creates the land. She is a destroyer and a protector, a combative sibling and a nurturing mother.

You get what they say about her when she picks you up out of your seat and hugs you.

It feels like being grappled by a hot shower. It almost makes you forget a bare chested goddess is shoving you against her bosom.

"We shall prove, together, that the Statesmen deserves to be an alliance of warrior protectors!"

You squeak and crackle helplessly.

Pele drops you back into your seat and, much to your horror, hovers to the center of the Midnight.


All eyes turn to her.

"I have joined The Connection and blessed its actions! We shall overcome the challenge of the body hunter Mountain Lion and show what can be done when we strive to be warriors, when we strive to protect and not merely be protected like unpowered mortals!"

All eyes turn toward you.

Around the Midnight Statesmen react. Alien God Killer sits in his shadowed corner and as usual watches with impassive calm. Bobcat smirks mischievously. The Hoosier shakes his helmeted head in disbelief. Captain Justice watches with attentive concern. Ghost O' Jarone chuckles lightly and returns to his card game with several other skeletons clad in suits. Tornado Allie rapidly snaps pictures from her phone. Miss Cryptic starts scribbling on a notepad, and right next to her Extra Human covers his mouth in surprise.

"Yes, we shall DEFEAT you body hunter!" Pele hovers next to Mountain Lion who calmly sips her blackout bomb. "We shall DEFEAT you and SHAME you! Challenge us with whatever you like, as often as you like, we shall pass all challenges with Pele's might!"

You sort of want to die right now.

"Beat it Pele, you're warming up my drink." Mountain Lion replies.

Smoke rises from her hair. Her skin turns an even brighter shade of red.

"Remain as cocky as you like, body hunter, you won't be so prideful when we pass your challenge!"

"Can I get some ice?" She asks Mr. Albright.

Pele seethes.


"PELE TAKES HER LEAVE NOW!" The goddess says hovering back to the center of the bar. "Look for me with THE CONNECTION! They have the friendship, blessing, protection, and approval of the protector goddess of Hawaii!"

Pele leans down and kisses your forehead. A lei of otherworldly flowers appear around your neck. You sort of want to scratch at where she kissed you but think better of it. You think your skin might be peeling.

"PELE DEPARTS!" She says as a blinding white column of liquid fire erupts out of the air to engulf her, transporting her to the part of The Museum in the Magical Earth.

"...Finally." Mountain Lion mumbles beneath the chattering voices of the Midnight customers.

"...Body Hunter eh?" Old Mr.Albright chuckles.

"It's the bounty I'm after. But hey, I do have to bring in a body, warm or not." Mountain Lion jokes. "She's not completely wrong."

"I think I remember a Body Hunter. One of those creepy kooky types from the 70's. Made zombie servants out of his rouges gallery."

"Creative. Better use then locking them up in The Black Hole or The Dungeon." She bangs her glass against the bar. "So Runt? You made a lot of noise tonight." She turns to you and glares. "You going to get over here and take a seat like a grown woman or are you just going to watch me all night?"


>Leave. You're so embarrassed right now. (no roll)

>Take a seat (hard roll not to spill spaghetti)

>Take a seat and order a drink (hard-er roll not to spill spaghetti)
>Take a seat (hard roll not to spill spaghetti)
>Roll 3 1D20 (three posters, each roll 1D20) to keep your cool and not spill electric spaghetti
Rolled 11 (1d20)

Rolled 19 (1d20)

I'm loving this scene, once I get over my cold I'll have to draw Pele
We're doing pretty good! One more roll to go and even a horrible roll won't cause us to do alright.

>Draw Pele

Thanks Crunch. Maybe a fire goddess can help you get over that cold?
Rolled 11 (1d20)

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Genzoman has done a Pele already.
Genzoman does good work
That's an understatement
>Good, Very Good, Good


You nod solemnly and walk over to the bar.

"Can I get you anything Deseret?" Mr. Albright asks.

"Just a diet Dr. Mister please." You say keeping your cool.

Mountain Lion looks at you like her namesake at potential prey.

"So now the truth comes out right?" She asks you pointedly as Mr. Alrbight brings you your drink.

"What do you mean exactly?"

"I mean all that stuff you said about not wanting superheroics to replace the stuff people do in their lives, how you wanted people to have it "both ways"...you didn't really mean it."

"Well of course I meant it. I mean yeah, Pele's loud and everyone knows what she thinks. She makes sure everyone knows what she thinks..." You grumble. "But weren't you telling me I wasn't like, considering the opinions of others? That I was forcing myself to be a leader? Well she's got a different opinion on things then me. And she came up me and asked to join The Connection."

"You don't want people to have it both ways. Otherwise you'd find the hard core superheroes of the Statesmen and find them normal jobs to do. You'd start balancing your scheme with the opposite of what you have been doing."

"That's not what I'm trying to do. Quit saying I'm not doing what I am doing because I'm not doing what you want.... It's...well it's really annoying. And it's beneath a Statesmen to keep jabbing at me when I've said time and time again the Connection isn't some kind of "superhereos are better than everyone" club."

"I don't really care about what you say Runt. I care about what you do." Mountain Lion gives a frustrated shake of her head. "What is WITH you kids thinking words are worth anything? You kids with your internet and telepathic connections and vacations into the deep mystic...you know what words are? Compressed air. In the Mental and Mystic they aren't, but here on OUR Earth that's what they are."


>Words hurt, and you've hurt me.

>Yes I do think superheroes are more important than your average job. I'd like everyone who can be to be a superhero. I agree with Pele on that. I don't agree that we should just give up on superhumans that can't or won't be superheroes. I'm not as extreme as her.

>Look, I'm just trying something new. Why are you giving me such a hard time about an experiment?

>You've got us trapped in this silly wager of yours. You know nothing good can come out of it besides hurt feelings right?
> finding jobs for hardcore heroes
I see your point but that requires resources that I don't have yet. I mean, maybe if my team does well as body guards for the super builders I might send people their way. But what if the hardcore heroes already have jobs in their civilian identities? I don't want to create a program that accidentally outs who people are by saying [insert super hero name here] has a day job already doing this or that.
>not considering the opinion of others
Deseret thinks back to her team meeting "ouch, maybe she's right". But since she takes things personally I imagine her getting a little defensive and saying she's trying.
>the wager
I'm actually wondering if I can get my team out of the wager. Right now they seem less interested in super heroics and more interested in body guard work helping out Kentucky Rain and the Super Builders
>Words hurt, and you've hurt me.

"Look, Mountain Lion...I see your point okay? There should be a balance to living a life as a superhuman. If you don't find a balance...you aren't going to relate to a lot of people..." You say thinking back to your meeting. Virginia honestly led the team while you stumbled at the reigns.

"And the last thing we want is to lose our connection to those we protect. Otherwise we start to become like those "change the world by making it change" types."

"Yeah yeah, that's very sententious of you.

"Look, I'd love to start running my program the other way, okay?" You say snappily. "I'd love to start getting pure superheroes to start applying their powers in less martial ways. I mean I got my power plant. I'm not a pure hard core superheroine. The Connection is about making BOTH ways work..."

"You say that...and then you recruit Pele..."

"Stop giving me a hard time!" You start talking faster."This isn't exactly easy and I'm already doing a million things at once and doing even more stuff is going to require resources I just don't have yet. I mean my team is doing body guard work for the Superbuilders and maybe I can work something where they join the Connection or I send superheroes to them to get jobs but what if the hardcore heroes already have jobs in their secret identities and what if I screw up and accidentally out someone with all this red tape..."

"Sounds like you're a little overwhelmed."

"Yeah I am. And you sure aren't making any of it easier."

"Am I supposed to?" She shrugs. "You're the one who says "I can be leader". You're the one that says "I can have it all and so can you.". You're the one offering easy solutions to everyone so why don't you go offer one to yourself, okay?"

"And then you have to do that. You got to act so...so mean to me. Words hurt. And you've hurt me."

"Ohhhhh....poor baby." Mountain Lion coos mockingly. "Seriously? I hurt you?"

"...Yeah actually..."

"Let me get this straight. You want to be a superhero. You want to encourage others with powers to be a superhero. A superhuman in your mind is -obligated- to throw themselves at insane megalomaniacs, brutal psychopaths, cosmic monsters, and you're saying I -hurt- you?"

"Look I'm just trying something new." You say as you feel yourself burn up with anger and embarrassment. "Why are you giving me such a hard time about an experiment?"

"Because when you have superpowers you shouldn't feel pressured to, in your words "do more". You kids with your big ideas and big plans and big solutions never realize you're crushing the little people that just want to live peacefully without weird, violent shit invading their lives."

"I'm not trying to crush anyone!" You say. "If a person can't or won't be a superhero that's fine. I don't want to force anyone to be a superhero!"

"Your belittling people that choose a path of peace. A mom with heat vision that works a 9 to 5 job should learn how to best fight people with her powers, that's what you want?
"That's not what I want, that's not what I'm saying, that's not what I'm doing and you're....you're...you're really being a bitch, you know that?"

"Oh. Ouch. Words! My one weakness! How they sting...how they hurt..."

"If that person couldn't handle the pressure it's fine she doesn't become a superhero!"

"Hmmmm....and what if she could but just chooses not to? What if she decides her normal life is more important than maybe fighting Murdo the Clown?"

"I...I...I would strongly encourage her to..."

"You'd make her feel like shit for choosing to do "less".

"No I wouldn't!"

"Pele would."

"Pele doesn't speak for the entire Connection! I would tell her that my Connection is about making civilian and superhero life work. That a balance can be struck, a connection can be made..."

"Runt, there's no such thing as a balance."

"Y-Yeah there is! Lots of superheroes find a balance!"

"Lots of superheroes also punch out planets and blow up multiverses. For most though, it's either one or the other, civilian or super."

"Well...Well I believe most don't find a balance because they don't know how, because they don't have someone to show them how its done. I'm not saying its easy but..but its possible..."

"You're such a myopic little girl." Mountain Lion sneers. "You got such little knowledge of how the world actually works. You think willpower and good thoughts can just make anything work for anyone because it has for you.

"That's self-centered. That's you judging everyone by yourself and your circumstances. Runt, you're an extremist, maybe not the same way Pele is but you're still an extremist. Believe me, I've known a lot of extremist in my life. All of you are at heart naive, self-centered little brats that need a wakeup call to reality."

"And is that what this stupid little bet you've trapped us both in supposed to be Mountain Lion, my wake-up call?"

"Yes." She smirks. "That's what it is exactly."


>Ask to back out of the wager

>Don' ask to back out. Don't give the old bitch that satisfaction.
>Don't ask to back out. Don't give the old bitch that satisfaction.
>Page 11

Good thread everybody, Deseret's quest will return with WinnieQuest.

Any questions or comments?
Hopefully more people come along.
27 IPs ain't bad. Me updating when its about to fall off probably convinced some people not to bother responding.
Nah we can't back out now, Deseret's got something to prove.
Also Mountain Lion mentioning how will power and good thoughts can't make something happen, guess power rings don't exist in capeworld?
What is this challenge pf yours, anyway. You haven't mentioned it yet?
I'm liking mountain lion's character. We are getting a side story with her, right?
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>Power rings don't exist in Capeworld

Stuff like that exists. Don't forget pic related exist in Capeworld. Imagination, willpower, and the heart of a child go a long, long way in Capeworld (can you believe he's public domain now?). Mountain Lion is just as cynical as Deseret is idealistic. Her eco-terrorist redemption past really soured her to idealistic talk in general.

Oh yeah. Inbetween stories we do Supervisor stuff, including slowly building up faculty and staff for the school. I'm strongly considering having Mary Marvel as one of our teachers.
The plan is to go through all 50 Statesmen-and beyond. Which means yes, one day there will be a Four Fathers quest where we play as a talking Mt. Rushmore. I also think it would be cool to do flashback stuff to Mr. Albright's time and fight some Nazis as a group of public domain supers. I just wish I could think of something interesting for Stardust. I HAVE to use Stardust, but I'm not sure exactly how.

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