abn-audiotest Chapter 2, a x-overs fanfic

Chapter Ten

The ride in Squealer's SUV is smooth. Really smooth. I can barely feel us moving. Thinking back to one of the ads in the Brockton Bay Herald, I find myself wondering if she uses stock suspension or if that's tinkertech too. Neither would surprise me; I know that she'd done work done on the SUV before she had me helping her add on the heavy stuff.

Mush is already at the party. He's incognito; he'll be slipping out after we arrive to get into costume, so to speak. That just leaves the three of us in the SUV on our way to what Skidmark referred to as the party.

Skidmark is oddly quiet during the drive; I notice more than once Squealer giving him a nervous, or maybe a worried look. I know how she feels. Observe.

Skidmark (Adam Mustain)

Gang Leader

Level 30

HP: 196/515

STR 15-4.5=10.5

AGI 18-5.4=12.6

VIT 10-3=7

INT 24

WIS 9

CHA 19

LUK 15

Affiliations: Merchants, Cauldron.

Condition: Addiction (meth), Severe Abscess, Sepsis

The infamous leader of the Archer's Bridge Merchants, Skidmark is known to be a drug addled thug. Less known is his surprising intellect, or the real depth of his plans for the gang. There is more organization to his organization than anyone guesses.

Click to shrink...

I apparently gained another level in Observe the last time I used it. Now I have a sort of yardstick for my own progress and abilities. Like, my strength, agility, and vitality are way higher than his, but his intelligence, wisdom, charisma, and luck are all higher than mine. I knew he was smart, everyone who works with him knows it, but I hadn't realized the gap between us was that high.

I call up Stats to compare.

Spoiler

Level 5(89.7%)

HP: 580/580

MP: 70/70

STRENGTH: 33

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 47

INTELLIGENCE: 10

WISDOM: 4

CHARISMA: 3

LUCK: 1

Unused Stat Points: 0

Wait. My intelligence went up. Was that from the books I was reading earlier?

My mind goes to one of the non skill books that I pocketed, for reading later, just because I thought the title was awesome: How to Win Friends and Influence People. I've gained a level in Observe; let's see if it tells me anything new.

I pull it out of my pocket. Observe.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Instructional Book

Level 7

HP: 5/5

A book to instruct the reader on social interactions in various settings.

Study benefits: WIS+, CHA+++

First published in 1936, Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" is one of the first self help books ever written. This particular copy retains all the original text, even that which would to modern eyes be considered politically incorrect.

Study benefits.

Oh, shit. Now I want to Observe ALL the books on that table. Wait, why didn't I think of that before?

I look up. Well, I have a little time, and nobody's talking. I open the book and begin Speed Reading.

I'm only part way through the third chapter when the low, throaty rumble of the dual engines chugs to a halt. I look up, and Skidmark sits up straighter in his seat. He turns his head to Squealer. "How..." he croaks, then stops, clearing his throat. He starts again. "How do I look?" He says, looking out the windshield.

Easily a hundred or more men and women are scattered around the parking lot of this professionally abandoned business park; most of the lots probably haven't seen a paying tenant for longer than the raT race. There are no intact windows, and even the doors, bars, and security gates are mostly damaged beyond use. A few of the scruffy, unwashed junkies are lounging on crates, or leaned up against the walls, but most of them are milling about on the cracked, crumbling asphalt and concrete between the buildings.

"Like shit," Squealer answers. "You need to-"

"I need to get my ass out in that fucking parking lot and show everybody that I'm just fucking fine, show off our newest cape, and encourage the hangers on in getting high as fuck." There's the drive I'm used to hearing. "No fucking weakness. Law of the goddamn jungle, baby."

She doesn't say anything, just pulling off the seatbelt and kicking her door open. A ragged, disorganized cheer comes up as she gets out.

I almost forget to do the same Skidmark opens his door, but instead of stepping out of the truck he plants a foot on the arm rest, steps up onto the upper edge of the door, and climbs up onto the top of the SUV. "What's up bitches!" He shouts, hands raised in the air. I think I'm the only person who sees his legs wobble slightly before he locks his knees. "Are you piss licking losers ready to party?! You god damn better be, because we got a reason tonight! I'd like to introduce our newest member: Spurt!"

Oh shit! The fuck do I do now? I look up at him, a little disbelieving. I feel a small hand planted in my back between my shoulder blades as Squealer hisses from behind me, "Your cue, asshole! Get out there!"

I step forward; Squealer attempts to help me along but it's not much of a push. I stumble forward, looking at all of them.

They seem... Disappointed.

Skidmark handles it. "A twenty percent discount to the motherfucker that knocks him out one on one!"

There are a lot of broken hands. Only a couple of them managed to even deal damage, all of which healed before they could throw their next punch. At Squealer's suggestion, a few of the larger guys tried tire irons. That actually dealt me a few points, but even the largest guy wore himself out before I had even twenty seconds worth of damage to regenerate.

The party goers all seem to be having a good time, and I'm starting to loosen up too. Between challengers someone shoves a beer in my hands; someone else passes me a joint that looks more like a cigarillo. I take a hit; hot, thick, heavy sinsemilla smoke roils down into my lungs like a fog bank of relaxation. I pass it on, and repeat my hold of the toke like I did with Skidmark night before last.

By ten seconds the people gathered around me are chanting the seconds. Cheers start up at twenty. I let it out at thirty; this stuff is stronger and there's a lot more weed rolled up in that fatty than there was in the roach Skidmark shared with me. I feel like everything is alright.

"Hey, check it out!" Someone says. "Let's play a game."

Wait. That someone is me. Everybody's looking at me; the half formed idea starts tumbling out of my mouth. "Check it out. Ten of you guys all come at me, with whatever weapon you like. You drop me, the group gets their discount. But if I disarm you, you're out. If I disarm you all I won."

Skidmark laughs from his position on top of the armored SUV. "You crusted syphilis swabs hear that? Spurt's calling you shit stains out! Who's in the first group?"

A line forms up including more than a few women and a bunch of the guys who tried solo. Around us, people are cheering us on.

New quest! Body Rockin'

You just offered druggies the carrot of discount highs if they can collectively beat your ass with whatever sticks they like before you can take the sticks away from them.

Time limit: 15 minutes

Bonus: "Do No Harm"

Cause no serious injuries during the scuffle.

Reward: 1500 Exp, increased reputation with the Merchants

Bonus Reward: 750 Exp, increased reputation with the Merchants, New Quest: "Double Down"

Failure: Decreased reputation with the Merchants

Click to shrink...

I mentally focus on the window to move it away; the window moves just in time for me to see a tire iron flying at my face.

Quest complete!

You received 1500 exp.

Level up! You gained 5 stat points.

New Perk!

I missed the bonus; the ruckus was wild and at one point I disarmed someone using a bat and threw it to the side, but there was a person in the way. Looking back, maybe I shouldn't have said any weapon they wanted- I didn't have time to feel bad as someone else took the distraction as an opportunity to shoot me in the face with a shotgun. It knocked me over backwards but it seems my Mitigation applies to each pellet; I didn't even get a red mark. A couple of them tried to dog pile me but I was able to get my feet under me and lift all three of them and myself off the ground. By the time it was over there were several people with broken bones, including the broken jaw of the guy I hit when I threw the bat.

Still, people watching are in a pretty good mood, and even a few of the injured are toking up or doing lines or just drinking and trying not to move too much. A couple of splints and slings have already been assembled. Skidmark and Squealer left already partway through the fights. Supposedly they're doing business. Personally, I hope Squealer is making Skidmark do something about his abscess.

Off in one of the nearby buildings, the sounds of the party progressing to the "play" part of "Party and Play" is just loud enough to be noticeable if I listen close enough. It's uncomfortable to think about. Although...

I shut down that line of thought quickly, instead knocking back another beer.

I'd probably fuck it up, anyways. I've never had sex, never been popular or good looking or really had anything about me that anyone would find attractive. A person hears enough in high school to know that done wrong, it sucks for the other person, and... well, I'm not looking to ruin anybody's night or good times.

My thoughts are interrupted the a thunderous boom as something slams into pavement, shattering it and sending dirt and chunks of asphalt spraying everywhere; people who had been chilling and toking scramble in panic. A couple guys- who had been in the process of hauling a keg from the partially sandblasted junker that pulled up five minutes ago- drop their cargo and run for the car.

They don't make it far. A bright beam of some kind of light picks off first one, then the other, knocking them both face first into the cracked asphalt. Both are still moving, but neither looks like he's getting up for a while.

"Imagine our surprise," a young, confident female voice says blandly, "when my cousins follow a couple guys who knocked over a convenience store and find a bunch of Merchant refuse waiting for them." The crouched figure in the- well, crater seems like a good word at this point- crater stands up slowly, letting everyone see her fashionable white dress, high boots, and the gaudy crown that probably cost more money than passed through my hands in the six years before I got my powers. She flicks her shoulder cape dramatically as she tosses her head, sending a ripple down her hair.

In the air, another teen girl hovers next to a teen boy. The girl's white body suit is decorated with fancy arrows and swing lines, while the boy's jumpsuit is covered in shields. He moves a few stands of blue hair out of his eyes as he looks at us with contempt.

Shit shit shit! Menu, Perks! Perk Trees!

Spoiler

PERKS:

Chameleon:

Your skin can darken or lighten based on your surroundings; occurs automatically when attempting Stealth. Grants a 5% bonus to Stealth benefits and Stealth experience. +2 AGI.

Requirements: Regenerator

Adonis:

Your body is so good at healing itself, that it begins to take on an ideal form. CHA +5% of STR, +2 STR.

Requirements: Fast Regenerator

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind:

Your ever increasing physical fitness grants you clarity of mind. INT +5% of VIT, +2 VIT.

Requirements: Fast Regenerator

Quick Witted:

You are, through agility training, learning how to get out of the way- and you also are learning WHEN to get out of the way. WIS +5% of AGI, +2 AGI.

Requirements: Fast Regenerator

Tough as Nails:

You're ridiculously hard to injure. After any other damage reduction, reduce damage taken by your level. +2 to STR.

Opens Juggernaut Perk tree.

Requirements: none.

Fast Learner:

You pick up new skills quickly. You gain +5% increased experience to skills and abilities; reduce requirements from skill books by 5%. +2 to INT.

Opens Scholar Perk tree.

Requirements: none.

The Artful Dodger:

You're nimble, light on your feet. You have 10% increased chance to dodge attacks while using acrobatic abilities or skills. +2 to AGI.

Opens Acrobat Perk tree.

Requirements: none.

Scrounger:

You have a knack for finding what you need, at a good price. Increases chance to locate objects for sale by 10%, and reduces the cost of those items by 0-15%. +2 to CHA.

Opens Well Connected Perk tree.

Requirements: none.

Hunch:

You have acquired a talent for making better decisions. While making a choice, you have a 10% chance of getting a good vibe off the better alternative. +2 to WIS.

Opens Guiding Light Perk tree.

Requirements: none.

1 Unused Perk Point

I don't have time to read shit right now. Select Juggernaut.

Perk not found or not revealed. Did you mean Tough as Nails?

Yes!

You have selected the Perk Tough as Nails. Once you confirm this selection, it cannot be undone. Continue? Y/N

Yes! Stats-

"I guess this is a twofer," Glory Girl continues, her eyes drifting across the group of us, before settling on me. Her eyes narrow. "And a new scumbag joins the trash heap. You get one chance to surrender, and then we take you down."

I almost protest my innocence, that they have nothing on me- a bluff, of course, given screwing up and forgetting Habeas Corpus. Except I'm a cape now, for the Merchants. This is my first night out. This is my reputation too. This is... This is my home turf.

I don't look at the screen. All points into VIT.

Due to your exceptionally high Vitality, a new Trait has developed!

You now have the Unbreakable Trait!

Wait, what?

"Last chance, dirt bag!" Glory Girl warns.

Mush forces the issue; a compacted wad of debris flies into the air at Laserdream. Her brother calls up a blue shield, and the lump slams into the barrier with a loud crack. But as the rest of the druggies, hookers, and dealers scatter, Laserdream and Shielder veer off after Mush.

-9 hp (23 resisted)

I barely see her move before the world flips over a couple times and I'm on my back. But 9 hp isn't terrible, something like four seconds of regenerating. I sit up, and get to my feet.

Glory Girl's eyes widen, as she says, "You're a Brute." Her features slowly break out into a grin. "I don't have to hold back."

She flies at me, even faster than before.

Spoiler

Level 6(15.8%)

HP: 646/655

MP: 75/75

STRENGTH: 35

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 52

INTELLIGENCE: 10

WISDOM: 5

CHARISMA: 5

LUCK: 1

Unused Stat Points: 0

CONDITIONS:

The Bum

Regenerator

Fast Regenerator

Tough as Nails

Unbreakable

TRAITS:

Unbreakable:

You are ridiculously healthy; you are no longer subject to Disease type statuses, and heal at double speed. This trait becomes inactive if your VIT drops below 50 until such time as your VIT increases to 50 or higher.

PERKS:

The Bum: You are hardy, or at least, you're used to sucking it up when times are shitty. Because they always are.

+2 VIT, 55% chance to ignore effects of spoiled food and bad water.

Regenerator: You heal stupidly fast. You recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every thirty seconds. +2 to VIT.

Opens Regeneration Perk tree.

Fast Regenerator: You heal even faster. You now recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every twenty seconds instead of every thirty seconds. +2 VIT.

Tough as Nails:

You're ridiculously hard to injure. After any other damage reduction, reduce damage taken by your level. +2 to STR.

Opens Juggernaut Perk tree.

ABILITIES

Observe level 3 (95.2%) Active

You can gain valuable information about people and things just by looking. The amount of information gained is determined by the target's level (if any) and the level of Observe.

Resist Damage level 10 (24.8%) Passive

You are tough, harder to injure than most.

All damage taken is reduced by 16.5%.

Mitigation -Passive

Through mutilations both self inflicted and otherwise, you've gained a level of immunity to various types of damage. Mitigation is counted after damage reduction.

Corrosive: level 1 (34%)

-2 to all corrosive damage.

Crushing: level 6 (86%)

-12 to all crushing damage.

Heat: level 1 (15%)

-2 to all heat damage

Piercing: level 9 (38%)

-18 to all piercing damage.

Slashing: level 5 (28%)

-10 to all slashing Damage.

Poison: level 1 (21%)

Reduce the effects of intoxication and poison by 2%.

Electricity: level 1 (22%)

-2 to all electricity damage.

SKILLS

Basic Parkour level 8 (91%)

You can navigate obstacles without breaking stride. 40% improved footing while moving at a run, +16 effective AGI when avoiding obstacles at a run.

Basic Unarmed Combat level 10 (61.5%)

You understand the basics of hand to hand combat, and how to apply them. +30% attack speed, +50% unarmed attack damage.

Computer Programming Level 1 (0%)

You understand how to construct algorithms for computer programs, and possess knowledge of C++ and Java. +5% speed and +2 effective INT when programming computers.

Minimalist Martial Arts level 6 (8.0%)

By adopting the goals and thinking of "take away everything you do not need and what remains will be simple, effective, and elegant," you have taken a simplistic approach to hand to hand combat. +12% to attack speed, +30% to melee damage, +18% dodge, parry, and block.

Running level 18(92.8%)

You know how to move quickly, whether endurance jogging or fast sprinting. 180% increase to running speed. Current top speed: 28 mph

Speed Reading level 9 (4%)

You read faster and more effectively. Increases reading speed by 225% and retention by 90%.

Stealth level 1 (11%) Active

You can go unseen and unheard.

10% reduced chance to be seen or heard when trying to conceal your presence. This bonus is tripled when at least 50% cover is available.

Crafts

(Cooking) level 1 (12%)

You can prepare food. Improves the quality of taste and nutrition for self-prepared food by 2%.

Last edited: Dec 27, 2017

627

Potato Nose

Mar 21, 2017

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Threadmarks Chapter Eleven

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Potato Nose

(Verified Alpaca) (Monkey With a Typewriter)

Mar 22, 2017

#594

Chapter Eleven

-40 hp (30 resisted)

I go tumbling again, a lot further than before. Slowly I grind to a halt against chunks of asphalt as a string of numbers pops up.

-0(3 resisted)

-0(5 resisted)

-0(2 resisted)

-0(4 resisted)

For a moment I lay there and find myself annoyed the others are largely just trying to get away, but then remember that they can actually be hurt in this fight. Right. Just me and the professional superhero. One on one.

"Was that too much?" She taunts, arms folded dramatically as she hovers about ten feet away. "The convenience store clerks are fair game, but a teenage girl is too much for a big, macho guy- well, a guy, anyway- like you to handle?"

I don't even know what are can do, besides fly and punch me really hard. But I need to buy myself a few seconds to heal. "Hold the fuck on."

"Giving up? Smart choice-" she starts, but I interrupt her.

Stall for time. "Wait a God damn minute here. What are you attacking me for?" Observe.

Glory Girl (Victoria Dallon)

Superhero

Level 19

HP: 560/560

STR 11+50=61

AGI 13+10=23

VIT 10

INT 15

WIS 8

CHA 12+25

LUK 15

Affiliations: New Wave, Brockton Bay Wards

Condition: Cape, Flight Powers, Mighty Shield, Glory

The cover girl for the next generation of the stalled New Wave movement, Glory Girl portrays the classic heroine. In really, however, she takes neither her opponents nor superpowers in general very seriously. Impulsive, rash, and quick tempered, she often relies on her charm- or her sister- to get her out of the trouble her behavior gets her in.

Click to shrink...

She gives me an incredulous look. "Oh, you're gonna try to say you had nothing to do with it? Play the innocent card? Save it for the judge."

She renews the attack again. But I got a good look at her conditions line. Let's see how far the Help will go here. What's Glory?

Spoiler

Abilities

Glory- scalable passive

This ability surrounds the user with an aura that passively provides +25 CHA. Additionally, the intensity of the aura can be scaled from 5% to 100%, with a commensurate increase in the emotional reaction of nearby observers within 30 feet. Those with no reason to feel threatened by the user are affected by a sense of admiration and awe, while those the user is confrontational towards or who have reason to believe the user might become confrontational with them instead experience fear and anxiety. Either effect compels those under it's effects to pay attention to the user's words, even so far as to pause in loud activities to hear her better.

Requirements: unknown

-52(32 resisted)

And I'm airborne again.

I almost got my arms up in time; if I'd gotten my feet under me better-

-0(26 resisted)

That was a new experience; the metal bars I slam into tear free of their worn out mountings. Both the bars and I plow into an office shell.

-0(13 resisted)

The bounce on the floor is really loud, what with the iron bars still half twisted across my back. For some reason I'm reminded of the night I gained my powers, less than a week ago. A fast check reassures me that I haven't pissed myself this time, thank God.

I sit up and peel off the mangled tangle of twisted iron bars, tossing it to the side. Stats.

Spoiler

Level 6(15.8%)

HP: 624/655

MP: 75/75

STRENGTH: 35

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 52

INTELLIGENCE: 10

WISDOM: 5

CHARISMA: 5

LUCK: 1

Well, I'm healing pretty quickly. I get to my feet.

"You know, at first," she says contemptuously from the empty window frame where the bars had been, "I thought you were some kind of mass murderer, what with all the blood. But it's pretty obvious the bloodstains must be yours; you're a pathetic fighter when you're not beating up gas station clerks or mini Mart owners."

Fucking bi-

-58 (33 resisted)

Before I can complete the thought, I'm ass over ears again. She's hitting me harder.

-0 (19 resisted)

I am getting really sick of being bounced off the fucking walls.

She backs away again for a second; she's starting to show signs of irritation. "What does it take to demonstrate you're outmatched, you filthy animal?!" she snarls, hovering briefly before flying forward at me again.

Minimal motion. This time, I'm ready, I manage to dodge to the side by an inch. Still moving too much! Smaller motions. No waste. Belatedly, what she asked registers on me. I answer with the only thing that comes to mind. "Someone that doesn't punch like a girl."

Glory Girl gapes at me, her follow up punch aborted in her stunned disbelief. I take the opportunity to land a punch of my own. It's like punching a steel wall.

She flinches back at my second whiffed swing, though the first did Jack shit to her, and she drifts up out of reach to about level with a partial upper floor in the empty office shell. "Big words from an unwashed drug thug with delusions of adequacy."

This actually offends me on some level. "Fuck you, bitch, I had a shower last night. And if I'm inadequate, what's that make you?" I'm looking around for something to throw at her, when my eyes land on the metal security gate she threw me through earlier.

I dash for it, sliding on my knees the last five feet, but she's too fast.

-0 (4 resisted)

-0 (2 resisted)

-0 (3 resisted)

Critical hit! You are [Bleeding].

-120 (48 resisted)

-5 (25 resisted)

I'm bounced bodily off the floor as she makes a swooping dive that includes a rather brutal drop kick in the part where it runs into me, an ugly crunch coming either from my ribs or the floor itself. I cough, and red sprays from my lips. So, ribs then.

I vaguely remember that you're not supposed to move violently when you have broken ribs. I lay there a few seconds, letting myself regenerate.

You have recovered from [Bleeding].

The sound of wet rasping reduces a bit, but even with my limited training I'm getting my shit kicked in. Glory Girl makes a frustrated sound as I start to get up. "Oh, come on! I know I broke something that time! What does it take to put you down?!" she growls, before darting forward.

I'm halfway up when she grabs me, and flies up. I take the moment to drive an elbow into her three times in rapid succession. Steel wall. She throws me almost the way someone throws a spider they aren't expecting to discover crawling on their hand. I hit the concrete again.

-0 (-22 resisted)

I try to use the bounce to get my feet under me, and manage to get into a crouch. She glares at me for several seconds before she flies forward.

I try to land a punch on her way in; I have longer arms, and I'm pretty sure if I time it right I could make her back off a few more seconds, buy my regeneration a little more time.

Parry!

She's ready for it though, and deflects my punch, throwing one of her own that slides off my own hastily raised elbow. It was far more luck than skill; despite my bonuses I've barely been able to see what she's doing. I'd thought I was pretty fast, but I'm rapidly learning otherwise.

-26 (29 resisted)

Dodged!

-28 (30 resisted)

-27 (29 resisted)

-17 (27 resisted)

-4 (30 resisted, 25 blocked)

-21 (28 resisted)

A succession of fast punches and a knee drive in on me, but they don't have the force she has when she does her flying punches and kicks. After landing five solid hits, four of which are to the face, she backs off out of reach again, taking a glancing shot to the shoulder on her way out.

Something seems off about that. And I wish I could see how much damage I'm doing. Except-

Turn on inflicted damage floaters? Y/N

- I'm not actually DOING any- For fuck's sake. Yes.

"You really should give up," Glory Girl says, tossing her hair again. "There isn't a whole lot you can do to me. Meanwhile, sure you're tough, but I'm actually invulnerable and I won't lie, I've missed playing basketball." She smiles grimly. "Especially dribbling the ball."

Wait. What was that other thing she had? Oh, right. What's Mighty Shield?

Spoiler

Abilities

Mighty Shield- passive

This ability surrounds the user with a powerful, skin tight force field that protects the user and reshapes itself to follow the user's movements. Because of its powerful properties, this grants +50 effective strength while active. Damage to the Shield may be actively reinforced at a rate of 50 points per second; if depleted the shield does not reinstate itself until at least 50% of its maximum durability regenerates. Damage in excess of the shield's power does not carry through to the user.

Requirements: Unknown

Jesus wept. I spit a bit of dusty, blood flecked phlegm to the side. "So, just curious. We gonna break for lunch soon? I could use a snack." How much damage have I taken? Stats.

Spoiler

Level 6(15.8%)

HP: 534/655

MP: 80/80

STRENGTH: 35

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 52

INTELLIGENCE: 11

WISDOM: 6

CHARISMA: 5

LUCK: 1

That's it? My regeneration is really healing me that quickly? I knew it was fast before but...

-92 (44 resisted)

-55

-0 (6 resisted)

-0 (4 resisted)

-0 (6 resisted)

-0 (3 resisted)

The flying drop kick again, plus a white number. That's new. I'm propelled across the room, sliding across the growing quantities of chipped and damaged concrete floor that tears holes in my shirt and snags in my pants, but does fuck all to me. She stops again. "Although I have to admit, I'm really starting to get a taste for soccer."

Wait a second. She has to have figured out by now that I regenerate. Why does she keep stopping?

I get up faster, this time. And... Yeah. Despite her flippant words she's definitely getting frustrated.

-88 (42 resisted)

-65

The flying drop kick again, from directly above and that one felt like it was everything she had. And a white number again. "You really should stay down!" She says, but I'm paying close attention, now. And I think I hear the beginnings of worry.

I jump back to my feet, and this time she's not ready to dodge.

-27

-38

-33

-32

I haven't gotten to plant my feet and just throw punches this whole fight; I hit her four times before she can retreat. She doesn't even swing back, just ducks out of range and flies up again. "Seriously? I'm invulnerable, you idiot! What did you think that would accomplish? You think just punching me more is going to change that somehow? Are you really that stupid?"

I glance at the still open but out of the way window for Mighty Shield. Then, I look back at the one next to it, for Glory.

-85 (41 resisted)

-63

The flying kick again while I'm distracted. And she retreats again. Except it's pretty clear that damage in white is the damage I'm doing to her. Or that she's doing to herself when she hits me.

"Do you like pain?" She spits. "You get some kind of sick rocks off from getting pounded to a pulp by an underaged girl?"

I bust out laughing. I get it now. "Oh, damn! Ohhh damn!"

"What's so funny?" she demands.

"You're not invulnerable," I say with a grin. "You're just talking smack every couple seconds while your power forces people to listen to you, to give your shield time to repair itself after you hit something or something hits you."

I give her credit; she knows she needs to get out before I can try to close the distance. She flies a hell of a lot faster than I can run; she's already met up with her cousins by the time I make my way through the battered interior of the office shell to the outside. The three of them are flying higher while Glory Girl is talking to them panic stricken. I feel proud of the way I put all those pieces together, even while she was bouncing me around.

Mush is nearby. "You okay, Mush?" The walking, probably fifteen foot tall mound of roughly person shaped garbage gives me a nod. "Let's call Skidmark and get out of here."

They watch us from mid air, as we leave, but they don't follow us.

Spoiler

Level 6(88.6%)

HP: 655/655

MP: 80/80

STRENGTH: 35

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 52

INTELLIGENCE: 11

WISDOM: 7

CHARISMA: 5

LUCK: 1

Unused Stat Points: 0

CONDITIONS:

The Bum

Regenerator

Fast Regenerator

Tough as Nails

Unbreakable

TRAITS:

Unbreakable:

PERKS:

The Bum: You are hardy, or at least, you're used to sucking it up when times are shitty. Because they always are.

+2 VIT, 55% chance to ignore effects of spoiled food and bad water.

Regenerator: You heal stupidly fast. You recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every thirty seconds. +2 to VIT.

Opens Regeneration Perk tree.

Fast Regenerator: You heal even faster. You now recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every twenty seconds instead of every thirty seconds. +2 VIT.

Tough as Nails:

You're ridiculously hard to injure. After any other damage reduction, reduce damage taken by your level. +2 to STR.

Opens Juggernaut Perk tree.

ABILITIES

Observe level 4 (11.0%) Active

You can gain valuable information about people and things just by looking. The amount of information gained is determined by the target's level (if any) and the level of Observe.

Resist Damage level 11 (6.3%) Passive

You are tough, harder to injure than most.

All damage taken is reduced by 18%.

Mitigation -Passive

Through mutilations both self inflicted and otherwise, you've gained a level of immunity to various types of damage. Mitigation is counted after damage reduction.

Corrosive: level 1 (34%)

-2 to all corrosive damage.

Crushing: level 7 (74.7%)

-14 to all crushing damage.

Heat: level 1 (15%)

-2 to all heat damage

Piercing: level 9 (38%)

-18 to all piercing damage.

Slashing: level 5 (28%)

-10 to all slashing Damage.

Poison: level 1 (21%)

Reduce the effects of intoxication and poison by 2%.

Electricity: level 1 (22%)

-2 to all electricity damage.

SKILLS

Basic Parkour level 8 (91%)

You can navigate obstacles without breaking stride. 40% improved footing while moving at a run, +16 effective AGI when avoiding obstacles at a run.

Basic Unarmed Combat level 10 (87.2%)

You understand the basics of hand to hand combat, and how to apply them. +30% attack speed, +50% unarmed attack damage.

Computer Programming Level 1 (0%)

You understand how to construct algorithms for computer programs, and possess knowledge of C++ and Java. +5% speed and +2 effective INT when programming computers.

Minimalist Martial Arts level 6 (31.1%)

Running level 18(92.8%)

You know how to move quickly, whether endurance jogging or fast sprinting. 180% increase to running speed. Current top speed: 28 mph

Speed Reading level 9 (4%)

You read faster and more effectively. Increases reading speed by 225% and retention by 90%.

Stealth level 1 (11%) Active

You can go unseen and unheard.

10% reduced chance to be seen or heard when trying to conceal your presence. This bonus is tripled when at least 50% cover is available.

Crafts

(Cooking) level 1 (12%)

You can prepare food. Improves the quality of taste and nutrition for self-prepared food by 2%.

Last edited: May 3, 2017

706

Potato Nose

Mar 22, 2017

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Threadmarks Interlude A

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Potato Nose

(Verified Alpaca) (Monkey With a Typewriter)

Mar 23, 2017

#716

Interlude A

"Back again," muttered Dennis in the PRT building, his feet crossed at the ankles. He leaned his masked head back, stretching out on the seat with his hands behind his neck. "Didn't we just do this yesterday?"

"We have another villain," Carlos replied, sitting in the neighboring chair properly. "At least this time, it wasn't us getting our butts kicked."

"Nope. But what I hear it's two for two in two days for Glory Girl," Missy interjected a little too primly.

Carlos looked in her direction more fully. "Wait. Glory Girl got beaten again?"

Dennis shook his head, his expression not visible but his tone mournful. "Poor Dean."

"She's talking about it with Gallant now," Missy added, her tone taking a subtle downshift.

Nobody called her on it; or at least, not on the emotional elephant in the room. Carlos did, however, feel obligated to bring up something else. "Vista, what've you been told about eavesdropping with your powers outside active duty?"

Her eyes briefly flicked up to the ceiling in the direction of the cameras. "Not to do it?" she answered.

That was the official answer; everyone at the table knew the unofficial answer had an addendum: "... without doing it for everyone."

Edmund was quiet, Carlos noticed, not saying much, seemingly content to lean his elbows on the table, rest his chin on his hands, and watch the door. It was hard to gauge the biokinetic teen's mood; he really hadn't been with the team that long. Plus, yesterday's debacle of being neutralized by Grue's smoke had been a larger hit to his confidence than the formerly independent hero wanted to show.

The Undersiders had come out of left field with a new, surprisingly competent team member, and now a new mystery cape apparently showed up for the Merchants that could go toe to toe with Glory Girl. Carlos wasn't too keen on the implications that had for the Bay. About the only good thing of the last two days was that the gangs who got new members the last couple days were relatively harmless, in the case of the Undersiders, or else well contained.

Although remaining contained might become an issue, with the Merchants.

The door opened, and a secretary walked in accompanied by Miss Militia, alongside Gallant, Glory Girl, Shielder, and Laserdream.

"Director Piggot is currently busy with the Protectorate meeting upstairs," began the secretary, setting a briefcase on the table in front of himself before sitting down. "As such, I'm the sit in on this briefing in her stead. New Wave is offering intel on a new parahuman villain that is either a member of the Merchants or else is at least friendly with them."

Glory Girl looked like she wanted to protest, but thankfully, kept her mouth shut. Considering she was currently on everyone's shit list after the bank mess, Carlos could only approve. In his opinion, she personally owed the Wards a lot of money for the fines, not that he expected she'd ever acknowledge it, much less actually pay them back. He reflected on how he'd rattled the PRT trooper when he stuck his finger in the hole in his chest; he sort of wished he could do it again in front of Glory Girl.

"Miss Militia? Your room," the secretary said.

Miss Militia nodded, her scarf twitching in time with the motion of her lips as she stood at the head of the table. "Thank you. This briefing is to keep all of you up to date on the- yes, Clockblocker?"

"Ah, aren't we gonna wait for Shadow Stalker?" the young cape asked.

"She's currently prepping for a track meet. She'll receive the appropriate documentation when she arrives later." She aimed her eyes at Carlos. "I would like for you to ensure she reads it."

Carlos nodded, although the thought wasn't a welcome one. Frankly, he didn't much care to interact with Sophia when he could avoid it. Not that he could avoid this, of course, nor was he going to try.

"Based on the interview with New Wave, the Merchant cape is a Brute three or four, and Thinker three or four. The Thinker ability is tentatively believed to require close range, possibly physical, repeated contact, but data is thin, and may be altered to a listing as a Striker power instead or additionally." Carlos winced slightly. That wasn't a pretty combination. The rest of the table seemed to be in consensus there. "Right now, there is a standing order for the Wards to not engage this cape, tentatively named Stoner."

The name got a couple of snickers around the table; the amusement seemed to cause Glory Girl's mood to further deteriorate. Miss Militia continued, "The pairing of Thinker and Brute cannot afford to be underestimated. It's the same combination- on a smaller scale, of course- that makes Alexandria the potent force that she is as a cornerstone member of the Triumvirate." The mild levity at the table severely dropped at this reminder. "Stoner managed, in the course of a short fight, to figure out a means to bypass Glory Girl's invulnerability. Rather than prolonging the fight further, she took the wise course to prevent him any further opportunities to gather more information about New Wave. This is an example we would like you to follow."

As opposed to the example she set yesterday at the bank, Carlos didn't add.

"New Wave?" Miss Militia said, looking at the three teens. "Please describe your encounter."

"I was in pursuit of a pair of Merchants who had robbed a convenience store when the pair pulled up in an abandoned business center," Glory Girl said without standing up. "Shielder and Laserdream we're on patrol; when I saw the presence of two capes, Mush and Stoner, I called them in for backup. Once they arrived I announced my presence and called for the Merchants to surrender to arrest." Glory Girl's lips tightened. "The Merchants attacked first. Shielder and Laserdream went to deal with Mush while I engaged Stoner. It didn't seem like it was going to be a difficult arrest, at first. He wasn't able to hit me, and while he was a lot tougher than a normal human- I don't think small arms will even bother him, to be honest- he wasn't able to react fast enough. He tried to distract me, claim he wasn't associated with the Merchants who robbed the store, even though he was right there drinking and doing drugs with them. It was definitely a distraction, though, and he landed a couple punches on me. He wasn't holding back. They were strong enough hits to seriously injure or even cripple a normal person; so he has no compunctions about hurting or killing minors." Carlos felt like something was being left out here, or maybe misrepresented... but then, looking at the expressions on the other two New Wave capes' faces, maybe he was just letting his irritation at Glory Girl color his perceptions. The girl continued, "He's tough. Really tough. It took a lot of power to knock him down, and at one point I'm pretty sure I broke something, but it healed back up in seconds."

Carlos closed his eyes. Durable and a regenerator with Thinker abilities? No wonder they were getting same day briefing. Carlos was a little surprised they hadn't elected to pull Sophia out of track for this. If the bank robbery hadn't happened yesterday, they probably would have. "Ma'am, standing orders regarding Stoner?"

"Do not engage. Report sightings and follow at a discreet distance for flyers only. Immediate disengage and report back for non flyers." As expected, then. Carlos was in total agreement. True, that was the official public stance under PRT policy, but the reality in the Bay tended to be something a little different. "This is a non-negotiable, unconditional standing order." Yep, there it was. "Merchants in general tend to be violent and unpredictable, and in this case his demonstrated powers and willingness to use potentially deadly force against an under-aged cape marks him as a dangerous individual."

After that sank in, Miss Militia continued, "Stoner is described as about five foot ten, with a compact, almost slender build. He was wearing a common domino mask, had nappy, close cropped hair and beard, a t-shirt with both fresh blood and older blood stains, and gray-green cargo pants, although it's unclear whether the shirt and pants are a deliberate costume or just clothing of convenience. Any questions?" There were no takers. "Alright, then. Dismissed."

The Wards got up from their seats, clustering together on their way out of the briefing room. "So... Common area?"

"Mmhmm." "Yeah." "Sure."

It didn't escape Carlos' notice that Glory Girl was following along with them; he shifted his pace a little so he could talk to her. "Hey, I got a couple questions about this Stoner," he said in a low voice.

She eyed Carlos with... Not suspicion, but certainly wariness. "Yeah? What do you want to know?"

"I want to know the parts you didn't talk about," he responded. "It felt like... you're leaving something out."

Glory Girl scowled at him. Great job, Carlos, he thought to himself. That's perfect, forget how to be tactful when asking for information from Collateral Damage Barbie. "Sorry, let me rephrase. There's always more details. Sometimes stuff you take for granted. I wanted to clear up a few things."

The statement felt mealy mouthed even as he said it, but Glory Girl's expression softened anyways, and he felt a surge of relief. "Okay... so... what do you want to know?"

"Well, for one, was the guy actually stronger than you? He wasn't faster, and you don't look injured- or did Panacea heal you up?"

"Well... no. I'm stronger than he is, by a lot, I think," she grudgingly admitted. "And he never actually hurt me."

"And you said he tried to claim he wasn't a Merchant?" Carlos asked.

"No, he never even attempted that. He tried to say he wasn't involved in the attack at the convenience store, which was TOTALLY bull," she said emphatically. "I didn't see him personally, but he was COVERED in fresh blood, like, not even twenty minutes old. Once the security tapes are processed, I'm betting we'll see him. But even if he didn't, he hurt SOMEBODY. Maybe several of them. Maybe worse. It sure wasn't Merchants, though, because nobody was scared of him, all of them were drinking and doing drugs together. What, you think I just charged right in without thinking it through?"

Wouldn't be the first time, Carlos deliberately didn't say. Still, it was pretty apparent that at least this time, she took the time to use her head. "Just wanted to be sure," he said.

"I am capable of learning from my mistakes," she commented, and Carlos knew she'd seen right through what was unspoken. Thankfully, she didn't want to dwell on it, as she changed the subject. "So, I heard Kid Win got in trouble. What happened?"

"Disciplinary review for using untested tinkertech in the field," Carlos answered. "Currently he's banned from his workshop for a week while he pulls console duty and waits for the word to get back..."

Last edited: Feb 7, 2018

628

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Mar 23, 2017

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Threadmarks Chapter Twelve

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Potato Nose

(Verified Alpaca) (Monkey With a Typewriter)

Mar 25, 2017

#840

I know it's short. Sort of a wind down from the previous couple chapters.

Chapter Twelve

"Glad you're here," Squealer says in a short, clipped tone.

'Here' is a small building in a semi populated business center about three blocks outside where most people mark the division between the Docks and the central portion of town. There's a light on inside, one of the few in the center that is. Reinforced metal gates are locked up, and a bell and intercom are bolted to the wall on the side of the door. The intercom is both cheap looking and fairly new. Observe.

Outdoor intercom box

Tool

Level 4

HP: 30/30

A no frills, vandal- and water- resistant intercom, whose sole purpose is to let indoor people talk to outdoor people without actually having to come downstairs. This brand is deliberately as simple as possible to reduce its usefulness to tinker thieves, in an effort to make cannibalizing it for parts more trouble than it's worth.

Wahsega Corp. has an extensive line of inexpensive security products, including the Gorillow model of outdoor intercom, of which this is an example. Most often used in low income districts, the Gorillow system is robust enough that it usually works up until the point some jerk pries it down with a lot of effort and a crowbar. Thankfully, it's cheap enough that such a vandalism isn't that hard on the property owner.

Click to shrink...

Squealer, unaware of my examination of the box, hammers the button with the side of her fist. "It's Squealer. Buzz us in." She looks me over. "Did the white hats nab anybody important?"

I shrug. "They didn't get anybody while Mush and I were there. I think we were the last to leave."

She nods. "Good to know. Skiddie hadn't wanted the goodie goodies to know about you just yet, but it's alright. Sort of. I think he's getting ready to buy a third shop on the Boardwalk; the idea that you can get smarter encouraged him." Her look in my direction turns a little unfriendly. "I told him he needed to drag his ass here two days ago, but he was all about trying to get his new project ready for the weekend."

"I tried to-" I begin, but she interrupts me.

"Yeah, I know. He doesn't listen. To anybody." She adjusts her position, leaning against the wall, and I look away quickly. I'd swear I saw nipple. "It's one of his failings."

I clear my throat. "So... ahhh, your costume... aren't you worried about... I dunno, cutting up your skin when you work on your cars?"

She laughs. "Never cut or burn myself. Part-"

Whatever she was going to say cuts off as there's a buzzing sound. Instantly, she's all business again. She opens the door, walking through, and making me hurry to catch it before it closes behind her. Not staring at the movement of her rear is an exercise in self control. God knows there isn't enough covering it.

Behind the door, as it happens, is a reception area, unstaffed. In the back, there is a hallway with several doorless rooms lining it before it turns left. It's from the bend up ahead that the only light is coming from. Squealer heads straight for the back. I'm assuming she knows where she's going, so I follow.

I glance in one of the rooms as we pass; a reclining chair with various attachments, including an adjustable light and a built in shelf, covers the center of the room. It reminds me of nothing so much as a dentist's chair.

Which, all things considered, makes sense.

The second to the last room on the hallway after the bend is lit up. Activity is brisk in there; someone wearing a plastic apron and mask comes out long enough to get a look at us before gesturing for us to stop. "He's under right now," the man says. He sounds old. "He's on an IV drip with augmentin and metronidazole; I've already removed the molar and drained the abscess but he should have been here days ago. I may up it to vanco if the infection didn't respond. Still, he appears to be stable, so I'm going to take the reduction in crisis as an opportunity to catch some sleep. You're not my first clients today; I've been working fourteen hours, now, and I'm exhausted."

He looks over his shoulder for a second at the figure in the chair- no, at the monitor next to him- before looking back at us. "I don't want him moving tonight, and if I had a full staff I'd be keeping him under observation under ICU protocols. Since I don't and he cannot be taken to a hospital, observing him falls to the two of you. I'll be sleeping in the other room; wake me immediately if he starts to have labored breathing, his temperature spikes past one oh two or dips below ninety six, his heart rate exceeds- write this down, there's a pad of paper and a pen on the table in the next room..."

Observe.

Spoiler

Skidmark (Adam Mustain)

Gang Leader

Level 30

HP: 205/515

STR 15-4.5=10.5

AGI 18-5.4=12.6

VIT 10-3=7

INT 24

WIS 9

CHA 19

LUK 15

Affiliations: Merchants, Cauldron.

Condition: Sleeping, Intoxication: Demerol, Addiction (meth), Sepsis

Slight improvement. He has one more hp than he did last time I looked.

The blood oozing into the clear tube hanging from the corner of his mouth has a... strange look to it. Like there's a hint of brown in the red. I'm not sure if it's my imagination.

Squealer is awake, although her attention has been divided between something she's sketching and Skidmark's monitors. It doesn't escape me that she never goes longer than fifteen seconds without checking.

Me, my mind is wavering between the book in my pocket still- battered to hell from the fight with Glory Girl- and wishing on some level that I could go out and run. It's a lot easier not having to think, easier being just in the moment. On the other hand, any of a thousand other books would be just as-

Wait. This is a doctor's office. Or dentist's office. Sort of. Right? I wonder if there's, like, medical books here. For that matter, another four blocks further to the center of the city is Winslow high school; I find myself vaguely considering giving the school a visit and getting a few more text books.

Observe.

Spoiler

Skidmark (Adam Mustain)

Gang Leader

Level 30

HP: 205/515

STR 15-4.5=10.5

AGI 18-5.4=12.6

VIT 10-3=7

INT 24

WIS 9

CHA 19

LUK 15

Affiliations: Merchants, Cauldron.

Condition: Sleeping, Intoxication: Demerol, Addiction (meth), Sepsis

No change.

He'll be okay. Keep telling myself, he'll be okay. He's not getting worse. He'll be okay.

Spoiler

Level 6(88.6%)

HP: 655/655

MP: 80/80

STRENGTH: 35

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 52

INTELLIGENCE: 11

WISDOM: 7

CHARISMA: 5

LUCK: 1

Unused Stat Points: 0

CONDITIONS:

The Bum

Regenerator

Fast Regenerator

Tough as Nails

Unbreakable

TRAITS:

Unbreakable:

PERKS:

The Bum: You are hardy, or at least, you're used to sucking it up when times are shitty. Because they always are.

+2 VIT, 55% chance to ignore effects of spoiled food and bad water.

Regenerator: You heal stupidly fast. You recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every thirty seconds. +2 to VIT.

Opens Regeneration Perk tree.

Fast Regenerator: You heal even faster. You now recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every twenty seconds instead of every thirty seconds. +2 VIT.

Tough as Nails:

You're ridiculously hard to injure. After any other damage reduction, reduce damage taken by your level. +2 to STR.

Opens Juggernaut Perk tree.

ABILITIES

Observe level 4 (24.7%) Active

You can gain valuable information about people and things just by looking. The amount of information gained is determined by the target's level (if any) and the level of Observe.

Resist Damage level 11 (6.3%) Passive

You are tough, harder to injure than most.

All damage taken is reduced by 18%.

Mitigation -Passive

Through mutilations both self inflicted and otherwise, you've gained a level of immunity to various types of damage. Mitigation is counted after damage reduction.

Corrosive: level 1 (34%)

-2 to all corrosive damage.

Crushing: level 7 (74.7%)

-14 to all crushing damage.

Heat: level 1 (15%)

-2 to all heat damage

Piercing: level 9 (38%)

-18 to all piercing damage.

Slashing: level 5 (28%)

-10 to all slashing Damage.

Poison: level 1 (21%)

Reduce the effects of intoxication and poison by 2%.

Electricity: level 1 (22%)

-2 to all electricity damage.

SKILLS

Basic Parkour level 8 (91%)

You can navigate obstacles without breaking stride. 40% improved footing while moving at a run, +16 effective AGI when avoiding obstacles at a run.

Basic Unarmed Combat level 10 (87.2%)

You understand the basics of hand to hand combat, and how to apply them. +30% attack speed, +50% unarmed attack damage.

Computer Programming Level 1 (0%)

You understand how to construct algorithms for computer programs, and possess knowledge of C++ and Java. +5% speed and +2 effective INT when programming computers.

Minimalist Martial Arts level 6 (31.1%)

Running level 18(92.8%)

You know how to move quickly, whether endurance jogging or fast sprinting. 180% increase to running speed. Current top speed: 28 mph

Speed Reading level 9 (4%)

You read faster and more effectively. Increases reading speed by 225% and retention by 90%.

Stealth level 1 (11%) Active

You can go unseen and unheard.

10% reduced chance to be seen or heard when trying to conceal your presence. This bonus is tripled when at least 50% cover is available.

Crafts

(Cooking) level 1 (12%)

You can prepare food. Improves the quality of taste and nutrition for self-prepared food by 2%.

Last edited: Mar 25, 2017

548

Potato Nose

Mar 25, 2017

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Threadmarks Chapter Thirteen

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Potato Nose

(Verified Alpaca) (Monkey With a Typewriter)

Mar 27, 2017

#907

Chapter Thirteen

The doctor gets to sleep a few hours; around four AM there's a buzz on the intercom. He gets up from the neighboring room, muttering to himself in another language.

I wonder if I can learn languages as a skill book? I mean... speaking a language kind of IS doing a thing. Right? Something else to look into later.

Squealer fell asleep around three. Right now, I'm the only person awake in the room. People talk about how the early hours are supposed to be the most peaceful time of day, but I think it's overrated.

I listen to the sounds coming from the other room. Part of me resents these newcomers, waking up the doctor, taking away the rest that he needs to continue treating Skidmark.

Observe.

Spoiler

Skidmark (Adam Mustain)

Gang Leader

Level 30

HP: 205/515

STR 15-4.5=10.5

AGI 18-5.4=12.6

VIT 10-3=7

INT 24

WIS 9

CHA 19

LUK 15

Affiliations: Merchants, Cauldron.

Condition: Sleeping, Intoxication: Demerol, Addiction (meth), Sepsis

No increase to his hp since last night. Something in me says this is a bad sign; still, he's not getting-

Spoiler

Skidmark (Adam Mustain)

Gang Leader

Level 30

HP: 185/495

STR 15-7.5=7.5

AGI 18-9=9

VIT 10-5=5

INT 24

WIS 9-2.25=6.75

CHA 19

LUK 15

Affiliations: Merchants, Cauldron.

Condition: Sleeping, Intoxication: Demerol, Addiction (meth), Severe Sepsis

"Doctor!" I yell out, jumping to my feet.

Squealer snaps out of her doze at the sound of my admittedly panicked yell. "The fuck-"

But I'm already out of the room. "Doctor, he's getting worse!"

I turn the corner, but find the doctor already busy- a masked man with several visible gunshot wounds weakly stumbling along while the doctor does his best to support him.

"Help me get him into the room!" The doctor snaps.

"The boss, he's getting worse!" I reply, but I do as asked. The wounded man groans loudly, the end of the groan turning high pitched and choked, but it doesn't look like he was shot in the body, only twice in the leg and once in the arm.

"Not bad gunshots, at least," I comment as I carry him into the indicated room. It's literally no effort at all.

"There are no good gunshot wounds," the doctor corrects me waspishly. "Any gunshot can be crippling or fatal. Even relatively simple, low threat areas can still be months of treatment and rehabilitation. Put him on the chair."

I do as asked. "Doctor, this guy gonna bleed out in the next twenty minutes?"

"He's definitely gonna lose the arm if I don't get him sewed up and that tourniquet off," he answers.

"How long does it take severe sepsis to kill someone? Because the boss is getting worse, and you said wake you immediately if he started getting worse." I think a moment. Maybe... "Can I give this guy blood?"

"Not a chance in hell," the doctor swiftly answers. "Blood typing aside, I'm not about to pump the blood of a Merchant into someone I'm trying to keep alive. Disease, drugs, poor nutrition-"

"I only ever do pot and beer for the second, and I'm in good fucking health regarding the first and third complaints. Also, fuck you about diseases." Seriously, dude, don't be an asshole. "Plus, you really think having my blood in him is gonna do more damage than having NO blood in him?"

"What blood type are you?" he asks after a second.

"... I have no idea," I admit.

He looks at me funny. "Have you ever donated blood before?"

"First time I've ever been in the position," I admit.

"I'm still fucking bleeding here," the guy in the chair points out. "If he's the right blood type, I'll probably live long enough to get to get it fixed."

"What about my boss?" I continue.

The doctor points towards a wall cabinet. "Middle shelf, there's blood typing kits. A drop of your blood in each of the vials, look for clumping. Tell me what vials it clumps."

He leaves the room without further comment; I don't know when Squealer got there but she turns and follows him. Leaving me here with bleeding guy and- right. Blood test kits.

The indicated cupboard has six boxes plainly labeled 'Hemolist Home Blood Typing Kit.' I take one dish and open it up. The kit has four small glass vials with liquids in them, an instruction sheet, an alcohol cleaning pad, and a finger sticker.

"Clean with alcohol pad, pierce fingertip, two drops blood, close vial, shake, two minutes, check pictures..." I mumble quickly, speed reading through the instructions.

Seems simple enough.

At least, until I try to pierce my fingertip. The little needle first dulls, then bends.

"Shit."

"What's wrong?" asks the guy on the chair. He's... looking kinda woozy, actually.

Observe.

Alpine (Phillip Cray)

Independent Hero

Level 9

HP: 155/320

STR 9

AGI 15

VIT 11

INT 11

WIS 8

CHA 14

LUK 19

Affiliations: None

Condition: Bleeding x2, Cryokinesis Ice Powers, Cape

A new parahuman, Phillip Cray gained his powers while hiding in the walk-in freezer of the fast food restaurant he was working in after the building caught on fire. Eager for a change to his dead end life, Phillip jumped recklessly into the cape scene of Brockton Bay with both feet.

Click to shrink...

Part of me is a little scornful of this guy; I'm a moron and I knew better than to try and go it alone. Another part of me is wracking my brain trying to think of how I'm going to give blood to save his life; right now I've got a feeling like Skidmark's life depends on me finding a way to save this guy.

Wait. Ice can be sharp. "You!" I look at the guy in the chair. "How sharp can you make ice?"

"How the fuck do you know I can-"

"As sharp as you can fucking make it, I need a spike!" I interrupt. "The needle's not sharp or strong enough, you gotta do this!" He stares at me suspiciously. "I'm not indestructible, but bullets and knives do fuck all to me. I need something that can cut me! Work with me you asshole!"

For a moment, I think he's going to fight me on this. Then, he relents, and a spike of ice grows up from the floor. I jam my hand down on the spike.

-1(30 resisted)

Not even a drop of blood; it doesn't break the skin. I put more force into it.

-13(32 resisted)

There's a solid crunch as the icicle splinters, but it cuts deep enough into my hand that I can get some blood before the wound closes up.

"Lucky fucker," Alpine mutters enviously.

"Lucky for you, snowblower, not me," I reply. Drops in the vials, let them swirl.

"I've got him on increased dosages, and added the vancomycin," the doctor says, walking in. "But if that doesn't work, you'll have about an hour to get him to a hospital because I don't have any other... antibiotics..." He trails off as he looks at the shattered ice on the floor, then at Alpine, who points hastily at me.

"The needle couldn't break my skin," I say apologetically. "I needed something stronger and sharper."

"How the hell am I supposed to get the needle in your-" he starts.

"I'm a regenerator," I interject. "Worst case, I make a big hole, you be ready with the needle before it closes up."

"How about that blood test, then?" he says with a sigh. "Tell me you didn't break the vials, at least."

I shake my head. "No, they're all right here." And slightly smeared with blood. But I don't mention that part.

"Been two minutes yet?" He walks over, hand held out. I hand him the vials.

"Only just finished putting the blood in when you got back," I admit.

He glances at a wrist watch. "Call it thirty seconds, then." He sets the vials on the table of the chair. "While we wait, I can use your hands."

"I'm not..." I start to protest, then stop. Well, shit. In for a penny. May as well help him do the rest of it.

Through personal instruction and carefully following orders, you have gained the Medical skill!

Through personal instruction and carefully following orders, you have gained the Nursing subskill!

Spoiler

Level 6(88.6%)

HP: 655/655

MP: 85/85

STRENGTH: 35

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 52

INTELLIGENCE: 12

WISDOM: 7

CHARISMA: 5

LUCK: 1

Unused Stat Points: 0

CONDITIONS:

The Bum

Regenerator

Fast Regenerator

Tough as Nails

Unbreakable

TRAITS:

Unbreakable:

PERKS:

The Bum: You are hardy, or at least, you're used to sucking it up when times are shitty. Because they always are.

+2 VIT, 55% chance to ignore effects of spoiled food and bad water.

Regenerator: You heal stupidly fast. You recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every thirty seconds. +2 to VIT.

Opens Regeneration Perk tree.

Fast Regenerator: You heal even faster. You now recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every twenty seconds instead of every thirty seconds. +2 VIT.

Tough as Nails:

You're ridiculously hard to injure. After any other damage reduction, reduce damage taken by your level. +2 to STR.

Opens Juggernaut Perk tree.

ABILITIES

Observe level 4 (24.7%) Active

You can gain valuable information about people and things just by looking. The amount of information gained is determined by the target's level (if any) and the level of Observe.

Resist Damage level 11 (6.6%) Passive

You are tough, harder to injure than most.

All damage taken is reduced by 18%.

Mitigation -Passive

Through mutilations both self inflicted and otherwise, you've gained a level of immunity to various types of damage. Mitigation is counted after damage reduction.

Corrosive: level 1 (34%)

-2 to all corrosive damage.

Crushing: level 7 (74.7%)

-14 to all crushing damage.

Heat: level 1 (15%)

-2 to all heat damage

Piercing: level 9 (38.6%)

-18 to all piercing damage.

Slashing: level 5 (28%)

-10 to all slashing Damage.

Poison: level 1 (21%)

Reduce the effects of intoxication and poison by 2%.

Electricity: level 1 (22%)

-2 to all electricity damage.

SKILLS

Basic Parkour level 8 (91%)

You can navigate obstacles without breaking stride. 40% improved footing while moving at a run, +16 effective AGI when avoiding obstacles at a run.

Basic Unarmed Combat level 10 (87.2%)

You understand the basics of hand to hand combat, and how to apply them. +30% attack speed, +50% unarmed attack damage.

Computer Programming Level 1 (0%)

You understand how to construct algorithms for computer programs, and possess knowledge of C++ and Java. +5% speed and +2 effective INT when programming computers.

Medicine level 1 (15%)

You have taken the first steps in general knowledge of medical science. You gain a +2% bonus to experience towards medical skills. You have the ability to practice medicine in the following specific branches:

Nursing: level 1 (38%)

+10% bonus to medical care provided by a primary doctor, and grant a 5% increase in healing when providing basic ongoing care.

Minimalist Martial Arts level 6 (31.1%)

Running level 18(92.8%)

You know how to move quickly, whether endurance jogging or fast sprinting. 180% increase to running speed. Current top speed: 28 mph

Speed Reading level 9 (4%)

You read faster and more effectively. Increases reading speed by 225% and retention by 90%.

Stealth level 1 (11%) Active

You can go unseen and unheard.

10% reduced chance to be seen or heard when trying to conceal your presence. This bonus is tripled when at least 50% cover is available.

Crafts

(Cooking) level 1 (12%)

You can prepare food. Improves the quality of taste and nutrition for self-prepared food by 2%.

612

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Threadmarks Chapter Fourteen

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Potato Nose

(Verified Alpaca) (Monkey With a Typewriter)

Mar 28, 2017

#956

Chapter Fourteen

Today I learned my blood type is O negative. Really lucky for Alpine, fairly unlucky for me- or it would be, if I ever need a blood transfusion. While I can safely give anybody blood, including Alpine, who's A negative, the only people I can safely receive blood from is other O negative people. Which makes up only about one sixteenth of the population.

When I asked what would happen if someone received the wrong blood, I received an earful. I got to hear more about blood clots and embolisms than I even guessed existed. Oh, right. I also learned what an embolism is, a blockage in the cardiovascular system. And what the cardiovascular system is, for that matter.

I ended up giving two pints, before the doctor felt comfortable with Alpine leaving. But first...

"I'm gonna need a favor from you," the doctor asks Alpine.

Squealer watches from the doorway; she seems to be doing that a lot. I can't tell if it's because she's that thrown off by Skidmark being out of it, or if this is just her way. Her notebook, smudged and grimy, peeks out from under her armpit.

"Sure, let's hear it," Alpine says, moving slowly. His three gunshots have been sewn up, the bullets removed- not in that order- and some yellow powder called sulfa applied to the injuries, along with a bottle of antibiotics which was given to him. I paid close attention to the process; it seems like the sort of knowledge that could be very useful.

"Since you can make ice, I need you to do that. Make a tub full of it; there's a claw footed tub I keep for serious fevers and the way the other patient is doing, I may need to ice bath him if his fever comes back."

Alpine stops cold, pun not intended. "... The guy in the other room... He's your boss... And you're a Merchant," he says slowly.

I nod at him, not liking where this line of logic seems to be leading. "Yeah. He's my boss."

"That means I'd be keeping Skidmark alive."

God dammit, I knew it. "No. Don't even go there," I snarl at him. "Don't you fucking go there."

"You Merchants sell drugs to little kids, kidnap civilians and forcibly addict-"

"If it wasn't for Skidmark you'd be dead right now!" I snap, grabbing him by his collar. He gives a pained grunt, but his hands come up. "My blood kept you alive! I fucking offered it to you! I didn't even ask for money! I wouldn't even be here is it wasn't for Skidmark!"

"Just cause he-"

"You FUCKING OWE ME!" I roar in his face. "You owe me, and I owe him! This is a little fucking thing you could do so you fucking do it!"

He seems like he's going to fight me for a second, and for that second I'm angry enough that I hope the ungrateful fucker does. But the moment passes, and he slumps a little, wincing. "Alright, man, I'll do it. Jesus. Just... Put me down."

I realize suddenly that I'm holding him about six inches off the floor. I hadn't noticed. I set him down.

The doctor looks a lot calmer than you'd expect from a guy in this situation- but then again, I can't imagine anybody wanting to piss off the guy who patches you up. "Now that the necessary nod towards goodness and right has come up against indignant machismo, I would appreciate it if we could get that ice bath filled."

The ice only took a minute or so; Alpine made all the ice into balls about two inches across. There's now a bathtub full of ice balls. I know there has to be a joke in here somewhere.

The doctor turns to Squealer. "Miss. Go home, get a shower, and get food in yourself. You too... Whatever your name is."

"Spurt," I comment.

The doctor looks a little startled. "Pardon?"

"My name. Spurt."

The look that crosses his face is distasteful and a little irritated. Something about the reaction makes me want to laugh. "... Right. Get food and a shower."

"I'll stick around here," I said. "I'll take my turn when she gets back. Don't want to leave Skidmark alone."

The doctor makes no protest. I walk with Squealer to the door; Alpine trails along behind us.

As Squealer leaves, I turn back, only to see Alpine standing there, like he was waiting for me. "Listen, I wanted to talk to you." Oh. He WAS waiting for me.

"What?" I ask. Admittedly, I'm a little annoyed with him still for making me strong arm him earlier.

"Yeah. I just... Look, you know I'm a hero."

I shrug, although he's right. I did already know that.

"And I know you're a villain," he continues.

I make a sort of 'get on with it' gesture.

"And if we end up on the opposite sides on the street, well... We both know the score there. End of the day, you're a villain and I'm a hero." I feel my eye twitch; he hurries on. "I just... dude. You seem like a decent guy. A GOOD guy. You don't belong with the Merchants."

"You don't know me." The implication he's making is heightening my annoyance.

"You stabbed yourself four times on freezing cold ice to give me blood." Well, technically, yeah. The needle slipped out at one point, and I healed up before the doctor could get it back in. "You gave me two pints of your blood. A total stranger. You're not a bad person."

"And just 'cause someone's a Merchant, they're supposed to be bad people?" I retort. "The fuck you know about it? Maybe some guy in the Merchants is just a homeless guy, lost his family, went crazy from the grief. Maybe he burned his house down trying to commit suicide, got sent to jail for arson, lost his job while he was in jail, no insurance because it was arson, maybe the only place left for him was the Merchants." I get in his face. "Maybe a guy joins the Merchants because he's angry at his family who has ties to Gesellschaft, so he joins a gang led by an obviously African-American cape. Maybe a guy joins the Merchants because he had no options, barely speaks English, and slinging coke and weed was the only way he could support his illegal family." I step back. "You fuckers with your ready homes and easy lives come out here and judge us. Kick us around, because we're the one target nobody bitches about a so called hero beating on." I spit to the side. "Why the fuck did you come here instead of a hospital?"

He looks at me, surprised. "I... thought this was what a cape did, when they got hurt. To... protect their identity, or something."

"Asshole." I'm seriously pissed off now. "You came here because of image. We're here because we have no other choice."

I shoulder my way past him. I hear the door close by the time I'm halfway down the hall. I don't look back.

I get what he was trying to do. Like Caleb said, I'm valuable. Alpine wanted me along to back him up. Switch sides, be a hero with him. Well, bullshit. The Merchants took me in. They've helped me. Made me into something. Skidmark especially made me into something. This asshole, this hero, wouldn't have pissed on Skidmark if he was on fire. I had to strongarm him into a small use of his powers, less than he ended up using to save his own life with the ice spikes.

Yeah. I know Skidmark wants something from me, wants me to work for him. But right now, the track record I've seen of the heroes and the Merchants? Even before I got my powers, they gave me work. They never dismissed me, even when I was worth dismissing. Meanwhile, I was shot by a cop, attacked violently by one superhero, and my thanks for saving the life of another superhero is an attempt to get me to just abandon the people who stood by me from the beginning.

Spoiler

Quest Rally High complete!

You received 2500 exp.

Level up! You gained 5 stat points.

Something pops up; I swipe it away without looking at it. I'm not in the mood for wordy bullshit right now.

I lean against the doorway, my foot accidentally bumping against Skidmark's chair.

"... The fuck... Are you still doing here?" mutters Skidmark thickly.

"You're awake?" I blurt out.

"Obviously I'm... a fucking wake... you baboon's taint," he pants. "And you're... still not out there training... dick weed..."

"You're still here," I retort. "Why the fuck would I leave you here alone?"

"Squealer's out... she gonna be... back soon?" he says after a moment.

"Yeah," I answer. "She's bringing food."

"Good. Hope the bitch... remembers to bring some crystal... When she... gets back here, your dumb... ass needs to get back to... the warehouse, get the books... train like fuck... with me down, the... other gangs... sense weakness. Punish them if they... get into our territory."

"Uhh..." I'm not sure he should be doing meth right now.

"Guard my shit, cumstain!" he says emphatically, wheezing. "I'm gonna be back for it... make sure it's all there."

"Yeah, it'll be there for you."

He shivers. "Good. Now get me... a fucking blanket, or something. Cold in here..."

It's not that cold in here. Observe.

Spoiler

Skidmark (Adam Mustain)

Gang Leader

Level 30

HP: 175/485

STR 15-7.5=7.5

AGI 18-9=9

VIT 10-6=4

INT 24-2.4=21.6

WIS 9-3.15=5.85

CHA 19

LUK 15

Affiliations: Merchants, Cauldron.

Condition: Intoxication: Demerol, Addiction (meth), Severe Sepsis, Mild Fever

"You've got a fever still," I say. "Probably why you're cold. Doctor's got an ice bath waiting if your fever gets bad."

He groans. "The doctor can fuck a blue waffle. I hate the cold."

I shrug, although that comment is a new one to me. I remind myself to find out what a blue waffle is. Knowing Skidmark, it's probably as funny as it is obscene.

Spoiler

Level 7(9.2%)

HP: 680/680

MP: 90/90

STRENGTH: 35

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 52

INTELLIGENCE: 12

WISDOM: 8

CHARISMA: 6

LUCK: 1

Unused Stat Points: 5

CONDITIONS:

The Bum

Regenerator

Fast Regenerator

Tough as Nails

Unbreakable

TRAITS:

Unbreakable:

PERKS:

The Bum: You are hardy, or at least, you're used to sucking it up when times are shitty. Because they always are.

+2 VIT, 55% chance to ignore effects of spoiled food and bad water.

Regenerator: You heal stupidly fast. You recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every thirty seconds. +2 to VIT.

Opens Regeneration Perk tree.

Fast Regenerator: You heal even faster. You now recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every twenty seconds instead of every thirty seconds. +2 VIT.

Tough as Nails:

You're ridiculously hard to injure. After any other damage reduction, reduce damage taken by your level. +2 to STR.

Opens Juggernaut Perk tree.

ABILITIES

Observe level 4 (24.7%) Active

You can gain valuable information about people and things just by looking. The amount of information gained is determined by the target's level (if any) and the level of Observe.

Resist Damage level 11 (7.0%) Passive

You are tough, harder to injure than most.

All damage taken is reduced by 18%.

Mitigation -Passive

Through mutilations both self inflicted and otherwise, you've gained a level of immunity to various types of damage. Mitigation is counted after damage reduction.

Corrosive: level 1 (34%)

-2 to all corrosive damage.

Crushing: level 7 (74.7%)

-14 to all crushing damage.

Heat: level 1 (15%)

-2 to all heat damage

Piercing: level 9 (39.2%)

-18 to all piercing damage.

Slashing: level 5 (28%)

-10 to all slashing Damage.

Poison: level 1 (21%)

Reduce the effects of intoxication and poison by 2%.

Electricity: level 1 (22%)

-2 to all electricity damage.

SKILLS

Basic Parkour level 8 (91%)

You can navigate obstacles without breaking stride. 40% improved footing while moving at a run, +16 effective AGI when avoiding obstacles at a run.

Basic Unarmed Combat level 10 (87.2%)

You understand the basics of hand to hand combat, and how to apply them. +30% attack speed, +50% unarmed attack damage.

Computer Programming Level 1 (0%)

You understand how to construct algorithms for computer programs, and possess knowledge of C++ and Java. +5% speed and +2 effective INT when programming computers.

Medicine level 1 (15%)

Nursing: level 1 (38%)

+10% bonus to medical care provided by a primary doctor, and grant a 5% increase in healing when providing basic ongoing care.

Minimalist Martial Arts level 6 (31.1%)

Running level 18(92.8%)

You know how to move quickly, whether endurance jogging or fast sprinting. 180% increase to running speed. Current top speed: 28 mph

Speed Reading level 9 (4%)

You read faster and more effectively. Increases reading speed by 225% and retention by 90%.

Stealth level 1 (11%) Active

You can go unseen and unheard.

10% reduced chance to be seen or heard when trying to conceal your presence. This bonus is tripled when at least 50% cover is available.

Crafts

(Cooking) level 1 (12%)

You can prepare food. Improves the quality of taste and nutrition for self-prepared food by 2%.

Last edited: Mar 28, 2017

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Mar 28, 2017

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Threadmarks Chapter Fifteen

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Potato Nose

(Verified Alpaca) (Monkey With a Typewriter)

Mar 29, 2017

#1,035

Chapter Fifteen

The collection of books, neatly separated, all gathered together in a collection of boxes in Caleb's apartment. I pick one of the self help books from the non skill books, and look at it. Observe.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Instructional Book

Level 5

HP: 5/5

A book to instruct the reader on forming good habits for improving performance, instilling self discipline, and increasing one's own effectiveness in achieving goals.

Study benefits: WIS++, INT+

Stephen Covey's iconic self help book, 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' outlines a simplified life style for governing oneself and working with others to achieve actualization. While effective in many situations, the book attempts to encourage optimism in all circumstances, even when unwarranted or counterproductive.

Click to shrink...

I smile to myself. None of the words are crossed out; a result of the dictionary my powers ate earlier. It's a good feeling. Something confuses me, though. There's the study benefits thing again. How does that work?

STATS

Instructional books are a tool usable to improve your attributes by applying their principles in day to day life. By reading the book and then slotting it in an instructional book equipment slot in your inventory, it grants increased likelihood of stat growth from actions and activities which would improve the affected stats, albeit normally at a slower pace.

You currently have [2] unused study book slots.

Wait. Inventory? Study book equipment slots? How the hell did I miss these things for this long?

Inventory.

I'm treated to a visual interface, a grid of squares. At the top, there's a couple tabs, the active one reading 'INVENTORY' while the other reads 'EQUIPPED.'

I look at the book in my hand. Then at the grid. Okay, so my inventory is stuff I have. Why isn't it showing up here?

I mentally poke at the 'EQUIPPED' tab. The window changes; a listing of stuff, everything I have on my person, right there, along with two empty squares at the very bottom clearly labeled 'Active instructional books'. Other listings are simply text; sock, left foot, layer one. Same on the right foot. Converse low top shoe, layer two, left and right foot. I snicker a little at the listing 'tighty whiteys' on hips, layer one. Then I laugh at myself for laughing at that. What am I, six?

And... Yes, there's the book. Left hand, held. Also, right front pocket, How to Win Friends and Influence People. That's another instructional book. I take it out of my pocket; the equipped listing changes to 'held.'

Observe.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Instructional Book

Level 7

HP: 1/5

A book to instruct the reader on social interactions in various settings.

Study benefits: WIS+, CHA+++

I turn back to Inventory. On a hunch, I try pushing the book into the inventory. It disappears; a small icon appears in the first square on the top left.

One by one I stuff every book on the table into the inventory.

Oh hell yes. Hell. Fucking. Yes.

It's official. I have the coolest fucking powers anybody got, ever.

The next half hour is a blur of Observe, thumbing through books, and mulling over my choices. I avoid the skill books for now; Skidmark's statement about getting good at a few things rather than being barely functional at a lot of them sticks with me. I think getting to level 6 in a skill should be my minimum before I start picking up new ones. It's not really high or anything, but doesn't seem very difficult and I get nice bonuses there. I can level skills fairly quickly just by doing things.

... Although I'm going to skip cooking. Seems to me that there's a lot better things to do with my time. I'm not going to be a chef, after all.

It takes me a while, but I finally settle on How to Win Friends and Influence People, and a textbook called Business Communication.

Business Communication

Instructional Book

Level 6

HP: 7/8

A book to instruct the reader on maintaining coordination in business.

Study benefits: INT+, WIS+, CHA+

Written in 1991, Himstreet and Lancet's college level text on the introduction to business communication remains one of the better texts on the topic. This is a fourth edition copy, in very good shape considering the number of hands that it has passed through.

Between the two books, there's four pluses in charisma, two in wisdom, and one in intelligence. Since I couldn't find any books on luck, these two books cover my weakest stats in the order they're weakest. I've read them both through, and even with speed reading it took a couple hours, so now I can equip them both. And I do so.

Okay, then. Now, to put them to work, I need to find smart stuff to do.

The public library isn't very far from Winslow. I could jog that in like five minutes. Except... I'm really fast. That would make it glaringly obvious that I'm a cape.

I could waste the half hour it would take to walk, but... That's not effective time management. If Caleb weren't out doing his thing, I'd get a lift from him. And over that short a distance, the bus isn't a lot better than walking. So what to do?

Walking seems like my best option, despite the extra time. I can probably make use of the time by reading one of the fifty odd books I've got stuffed in my inventory. Maybe something with math.

It's a nice day. Not too warm, clear skies- a nice change after the heavy rains a couple days ago- and not many people driving. Which is odd, now that I think of it. Why aren't there-

My train of thought is disrupted as I notice a Japanese woman standing on the street corner, staring at a small pub style bar across the street, a place called King's Court. She's got tears in her eyes, and... she looks terrified, actually. She looks down the street for a second, before stepping off the curb and walking towards the bar.

I can't imagine why she'd be going to that place, of all places, since last I'd heard, the owner is an Empire sympathizer.

... Observe.

Keiko Homura

Civilian

Level 7

STR 7

AGI 11

VIT 8

INT 12

WIS 14

CHA 12

LUK 7

Affiliations: ABB

Condition: Frightened, Implanted Bomb

A single mother from the Cherry Blossom district, Keiko has worked hard in the apartment brothel to provide for the children she had at too young an age. In preparation for her mission, she has taken what little money she had saved and given it along with her two daughters to a distant cousin, in hopes the children will be cared for after she is gone.

Click to shrink...

I'm stuck in place, horrified. Implanted bomb? Mission?

Oh my God she's

-962 (238 resisted)

Spoiler

Level 7(9.2%)

HP: 0/524

MP: 90/90

STRENGTH: 35-10.5=23.5

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 52-15.6=36.4

INTELLIGENCE: 12

WISDOM: 8

CHARISMA: 6

LUCK: 1

Unused Stat Points: 5

CONDITIONS:

The Bum

Regenerator

Fast Regenerator

Tough as Nails

Unbreakable

Recently Revived

TRAITS:

Unbreakable:

PERKS:

The Bum: You are hardy, or at least, you're used to sucking it up when times are shitty. Because they always are.

+2 VIT, 55% chance to ignore effects of spoiled food and bad water.

Regenerator: You heal stupidly fast. You recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every thirty seconds. +2 to VIT.

Opens Regeneration Perk tree.

Fast Regenerator: You heal even faster. You now recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every twenty seconds instead of every thirty seconds. +2 VIT.

Tough as Nails:

You're ridiculously hard to injure. After any other damage reduction, reduce damage taken by your level. +2 to STR.

Opens Juggernaut Perk tree.

ABILITIES

Observe level 5 (MAX) Active

You can gain valuable information about people and things just by looking. The amount of information gained is determined by the target's level in relation to the user.

Resist Damage level 13 (55.5%) Passive

You are tough, harder to injure than most.

All damage taken is reduced by 21%.

Mitigation -Passive

Through mutilations both self inflicted and otherwise, you've gained a level of immunity to various types of damage. Mitigation is counted after damage reduction.

Corrosive: level 1 (34%)

-2 to all corrosive damage.

Crushing: level 9 (24.2%)

-18 to all crushing damage.

Heat: level 2 (65%)

-4 to all heat damage

Piercing: level 9 (39.2%)

-18 to all piercing damage.

Slashing: level 5 (28%)

-10 to all slashing Damage.

Poison: level 1 (21%)

Reduce the effects of intoxication and poison by 2%.

Electricity: level 1 (22%)

-2 to all electricity damage.

SKILLS

Basic Parkour level 8 (91%)

You can navigate obstacles without breaking stride. 40% improved footing while moving at a run, +16 effective AGI when avoiding obstacles at a run.

Basic Unarmed Combat level 10 (87.2%)

You understand the basics of hand to hand combat, and how to apply them. +30% attack speed, +50% unarmed attack damage.

Computer Programming Level 1 (0%)

You understand how to construct algorithms for computer programs, and possess knowledge of C++ and Java. +5% speed and +2 effective INT when programming computers.

Medicine level 1 (15%)

Nursing: level 1 (38%)

+10% bonus to medical care provided by a primary doctor, and grant a 5% increase in healing when providing basic ongoing care.

Minimalist Martial Arts level 6 (31.1%)

Running level 18(92.8%)

You know how to move quickly, whether endurance jogging or fast sprinting. 180% increase to running speed. Current top speed: 28 mph

Speed Reading level 10 (85.4%)

You read faster and more effectively. Increases reading speed by 250% and retention by 100%.

Stealth level 1 (11%) Active

You can go unseen and unheard.

10% reduced chance to be seen or heard when trying to conceal your presence. This bonus is tripled when at least 50% cover is available.

Crafts

(Cooking) level 1 (12%)

You can prepare food. Improves the quality of taste and nutrition for self-prepared food by 2%.

Last edited: Mar 29, 2017

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Mar 29, 2017

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Threadmarks Chapter Sixteen

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Potato Nose

(Verified Alpaca) (Monkey With a Typewriter)

Mar 30, 2017

#1,105

Chapter Sixteen

Motion. There's an obnoxious warble of a siren of some kind. I'm rocking from side to side; something is holding my arms in place. And my legs. And my head.

"-telling you! They just released that shit on the news last night, the one that tried to kill Glory Girl! Looks just like the composite except no eye mask. The hair, the beard, the shape of the jaw, it all matches the sketch! This is the new Merchant, Stoner!" someone is saying.

"I know! I can only call the PRT once, Carson! They're meeting us at the ER," replies someone else.

"This is a stupid idea!" someone else says, from... Above? No, forward of me. Towards the front of the vehicle. "Unconscious or not, he's regenerating, right? We should've just left him there and backed out soon as we saw him!"

Wait- PRT? Oh shit! My eyes snap open; I begin struggling against what's holding my arms and legs in place, but I can't pull free.

"Shit, he's coming to!"

"Christ he's strong!"

"Tighten the belts!"

I feel the grip of my restraints cranking down. "Let me go!" I snarl.

The ambulance jolts, and the gurney I'm strapped to rocks sideways. I throw my weight in that direction, kicking, and the thing lands edge on against the guys knee. There's an ugly crunch as he collapses, screaming bloody murder. From this angle I can see his knee is bent sideways, his calf pinned under the gurney edge and held there by my weight. Somehow I'm not sympathetic.

"Fuck! Mike, lift the-" "I can't lift the-" "-oh God my knee-"

The driver looks back, a longer look than just a glance, bad fucking time. "This is fucking crazy! If he's a villain we should just-" I have a split second view of a shadow crossing the cab of the vehicle, before there is an ear rending shriek and crash of tearing metal.

-0(30 resisted)

Everything flies around wildly as the ambulance jerks hard to the side and starts rolling.

-0(11 resisted)

-0(17 resisted)

Hot liquid splashes my face and gets in my left ear, and something soft and stinking of blood and sweat slams into my face but I can't get a clear view of anything.

-0(26 resisted)

-0(15 resisted)

About half way through there's suddenly daylight wildly spinning through the back of the vehicle.

-7(34 resisted)

Something lodges in my body but I can't tell what or where. I think I catch a glimpse of something red and tattered tumbling awkwardly through the air, scattering bits of itself as it goes.

-0(21 resisted)

-0(18 resisted)

Then I'm tumbling through the air, still strapped to this fucking gurney.

-78(52 resisted)

There's a tremendous impact; I feel the air knocked from my lungs. And suddenly I'm bent forward, and the gurney is bent around me, holding me in position, as the telephone pole shoves bits of sun rotted wood in my eyes and nose and mouth. Then I begin falling.

-0(8 resisted)

It's not a long fall. This shit is embarrassing as hell, though, an exercise in humiliation. Uncontrolled and injurious flight terminating in being completely at the mercy of forces outside my control. A metaphor for my life, really.

And I look down to see what it was that stabbed me: it looks like a twisted chunk of sheet metal. Ironically, the six inch medical caduceus logo is still clearly visible on the chunk- and son of a bitch, it's in my junk. A piece of the torn up side of the ambulance is stabbed into my junk. There is no God.

A passage from Seven Habits floats in the back of my mind, reminding me that there is a positive side to everything, and that at least I'm out of the ambulance. I tell that traitorous voice to go fuck itself with a dead cactus.

Then, looking back at the ragged, sharp chunk of metal in my unmentionables, I realize that I can reach it, and that maybe I can use that problem to solve my other major problem, of being tightly strapped to a mutilated gurney.

-0(15 resisted)

The metal chunk pulls free. The ragged edge is hard to inspect from this angle but I can slip the end under the belt across my arms and chest.

Sawing through the belt is laborious, but I'm pretty damn strong, and what my tool lacks in refinement I make up in determination. With more room to move my arms, I'm able to slip a wrist out of the restraint. Considering the series of belts intended to prevent random movement, I can only guess that whatever hit me in the explosion broke every bone in my body. Or worse. This is the sort of restraint you use when you don't dare let the injured move around. Although the head strap tore away sometime during my unplanned flight. It's the little things, I suppose.

In less than a minute I'm free of the rest of the restraints, as a crowd gathers to gawk at the accident. I don't want to look, but I end up doing a little gawking myself.

It's an unholy mess. A city bus sits somewhat askew most of the way through the intersection, the front end mashed pretty solidly. In a gracefully arching curve, you can see the debris of the ambulance, from where it was hit by the bus, to where it rolled over the hood of the white Ford Taurus, to where the last of the pieces to carry the momentum landed: or, more specifically, a gurney with a schmuck strapped to it that was flung hard enough to bend the gurney around the pole. The other occupants of the ambulance couldn't possibly have survived; not with this many bits of them scattered this far across the intersection.

Am I lucky that I survived, or am I unlucky in that something else shitty is liable to happen again soon?

As I stagger away, start running from the dozens of witnesses and more than a few phone camera, I conclude no. I'm not lucky at all.

I run. I run through the traffic jam caused by the accident, parkour letting me navigate the cars like side walk. It's daytime, and I'm covered in blood, mostly my own, but it doesn't matter. I'm not going to get to the library today. I'm probably not going to get to the library during operating hours at all. Not after the debacle I just went through. It's a miserable mess, a complete cluster fuck. I'm outed to the public. My shirt is virtually non existent and my pants and shoes not a whole lot better after the blast. It's not like there was anything to cover my face, not that it would have helped because while I was trying to wiggle and cut free of the gurney straps there was no way to hide my features.

All outside my control. Just my luck. My shitty, cruel luck.

If anyone has proof that some people are born lucky, while others were born under a bad star, it's me. I can see it. And I have the worst luck I've seen. Except... I can change that. I'm probably the one person on Earth who can change the luck I was born with.

Stats.

Spoiler

Level 7(9.2%)

HP: 524/524

MP: 90/90

STRENGTH: 35-10.5=23.5 [+]

AGILITY: 20 [+]

VITALITY: 52-15.6=36.4 [+]

INTELLIGENCE: 12 [+]

WISDOM: 8 [+]

CHARISMA: 6 [+]

LUCK: 2 [+]

Unused Stat Points: 5

When did I gain a level? No. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

I dump all five of my unspent points into luck. It's not something I'd do regularly... But I think I'll do it again next time I gain a level. Seven luck is miles better than two- but it's also the same amount of luck as that lady who went from prostitute to suicide bomber.

I'm going to give it at least one more level's worth of points... Maybe two. I'm sick of being at the mercy of shit outside my control.

Meanwhile, though, I'm going to get to Caleb's place, get some sleep, then I'm going to train like crazy. Running, exercise, everything. I'll lift car engines in the junkyard, or shit, cars, for that matter. I'll carry drums of sand and car parts while I jog, I'll-

Wait. Are there instructional books that can give me bonuses to physical stats? If so... Maybe I can swap out between them as I change my training during the day.

Dammit. Now I want into the library more than ever.

Nothing I can do about that now, though. For now... Sleep. I'll figure out how to get the books I need after I get rid of Recently Revived.

Spoiler

Level 7(9.2%)

HP: 524/524

MP: 90/90

STRENGTH: 35-10.5=23.5

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 52-15.6=36.4

INTELLIGENCE: 12

WISDOM: 9

CHARISMA: 6

LUCK: 7

Unused Stat Points: 0

CONDITIONS:

The Bum

Regenerator

Fast Regenerator

Tough as Nails

Unbreakable

Recently Revived

TRAITS:

Unbreakable:

PERKS:

The Bum: You are hardy, or at least, you're used to sucking it up when times are shitty. Because they always are.

+2 VIT, 55% chance to ignore effects of spoiled food and bad water.

Regenerator: You heal stupidly fast. You recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every thirty seconds. +2 to VIT.

Opens Regeneration Perk tree.

Fast Regenerator: You heal even faster. You now recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every twenty seconds instead of every thirty seconds. +2 VIT.

Tough as Nails:

You're ridiculously hard to injure. After any other damage reduction, reduce damage taken by your level. +2 to STR.

Opens Juggernaut Perk tree.

ABILITIES

Observe level 5 (MAX) Active

You can gain valuable information about people and things just by looking. The amount of information gained is determined by the target's level in relation to the user.

Resist Damage level 13 (67.9%) Passive

You are tough, harder to injure than most.

All damage taken is reduced by 21%.

Mitigation -Passive

Through mutilations both self inflicted and otherwise, you've gained a level of immunity to various types of damage. Mitigation is counted after damage reduction.

Corrosive: level 1 (34%)

-2 to all corrosive damage.

Crushing: level 9 (37.4%)

-18 to all crushing damage.

Heat: level 2 (65%)

-4 to all heat damage

Piercing: level 9 (39.2%)

-18 to all piercing damage.

Slashing: level 5 (28%)

-10 to all slashing Damage.

Poison: level 1 (21%)

Reduce the effects of intoxication and poison by 2%.

Electricity: level 1 (22%)

-2 to all electricity damage.

SKILLS

Basic Parkour level 9 (11.4%)

You can navigate obstacles without breaking stride. 45% improved footing while moving at a run, +18 effective AGI when avoiding obstacles at a run.

Basic Unarmed Combat level 10 (87.2%)

You understand the basics of hand to hand combat, and how to apply them. +30% attack speed, +50% unarmed attack damage.

Computer Programming Level 1 (0%)

You understand how to construct algorithms for computer programs, and possess knowledge of C++ and Java. +5% speed and +2 effective INT when programming computers.

Medicine level 1 (15%)

Nursing: level 1 (38%)

+10% bonus to medical care provided by a primary doctor, and grant a 5% increase in healing when providing basic ongoing care.

Minimalist Martial Arts level 6 (31.1%)

Running level 19(0.7%)

You know how to move quickly, whether endurance jogging or fast sprinting. 190% increase to running speed. Current top speed: 29 mph

Speed Reading level 10 (85.4%)

You read faster and more effectively. Increases reading speed by 250% and retention by 100%.

Stealth level 1 (11%) Active

You can go unseen and unheard.

10% reduced chance to be seen or heard when trying to conceal your presence. This bonus is tripled when at least 50% cover is available.

Crafts

(Cooking) level 1 (12%)

You can prepare food. Improves the quality of taste and nutrition for self-prepared food by 2%.

Last edited: May 4, 2017

611

Potato Nose

Mar 30, 2017

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Threadmarks Interlude B

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Potato Nose

(Verified Alpaca) (Monkey With a Typewriter)

Mar 31, 2017

#1,231

Interlude B

"-spree has left at least thirty dead, an estimated hundred fifty injured, and caused sixty one million dollars in property damage. With open gun battles on the streets between members of the ABB and local police, Mayor Christner has requested the assistance of Homeland Security and the National Guard. No word on-"

Neil shut off the TV; there was no point to hearing the rest. New Wave was barely holding ground against the sudden surge in activity from the gangs, especially the ABB. With bombs going off at seemingly random intervals and locations, people were spending a lot of time hiding in their homes. Worse still were the surfacing rumors of kidnappings in broad daylight, tinkertech experiments on civilians, and more heinous acts of savagery.

The front door opened; Neil turned his head in time to see Eric and Crystal walk in. "Hey kids. How was class?"

Eric shrugged, letting his backpack slip off his shoulder, then catching the strap as the bag feel before setting it down on the table in the entryway. "It was okay."

Crystal set her bag by the stairs. "Okay?" she scoffed. "It was a pain. Vicky would NOT shut up about the new Merchant cape. Stoner? Isn't that what the PRT is calling him?"

"Yeah." Eric sounded like he was as tired of hearing Crystal complain about it as she was of hearing Vicky do so. The boy walked into the kitchen, pulling open the fridge and grabbing a package of bagels and the butter.

"It's hardly a surprise," Neil said reasonably. "This guy DID get past Vicky's invulnerability."

"Not really," Crystal said. "I mean, he figured out HOW to, but he didn't actually do it. Truth be told, I kind of got the impression he didn't much want to fight."

Neil frowned at this. That... sounded off. A brute type cape that didn't want to fight? Brutes tended to be very physical people in the first place. Their powers lent naturally to trading shots in hand to hand, and even Neil had to admit there was a certain heady exhilaration to applying boot to ass personally. "You're sure about that?"

"I don't know about SURE but it sort of seemed that way to me," Crystal answered, flopping onto the couch and pulling out her phone. "Of course, I only paid attention to him after he'd been fighting Vicky, which might have removed some of his enthusiasm."

Neil scratched his cheek thoughtfully. "I thought he threw the first punch."

As she began typing on her phone, Crystal's attention and responsiveness took a sharp down turn. "No, that was the trash guy," Crystal replied absently. After a second, she added, "Mulch or whatever."

Neil knew from experience that he wasn't likely to get much more out of his daughter; he looked in Eric's direction where he was waiting for the bagel to pop up from the toaster. "So after Mush started the fight, Stoner jumped in to help him?"

Eric rolled his eyes. The look on his face clearly conveyed 'et tu, Bruté?' "No, he stayed behind after me and Crystal got into it with Mush. Why are we talking about this? Can't we just talk about something else?"

Neil raised his hands placatingly. "Alright, alright. We'll talk about it later. And I think we all need to have a sit down with my sister-in-law and your cousin."

The discussion around the Dallon dinner table was heated. Mark said nothing during the proceedings, and Neil almost wanted to ask if he'd taken his medication today, but that really wasn't what they were here for today.

"Of course he's a Merchant!" Victoria protested. "He didn't even deny it! And he was there drinking and doing drugs with the rest of them. It's not like-"

"That's not really the issue, Vicky..." Neil said, but Vicky interrupted him.

"And why are you taking his side anyways? He's a criminal! We're heroes, is our job to take villains off the street- and the Merchants are some of the worst in the city!"

"It's not about taking sides!" Neil said irritably.

"Neil, kindly remember that's my daughter, your niece, that you're talking to," Carol said a little sharply. "Your first loyalty should always be with us."

"Carol, this is about the law," Neil said. "And that directly affects the family. There has to be proof of wrongdoing-"

"He WAS breaking the law, drugs are illegal!" Vicky interjected.

"A legal adult doing drugs isn't that big... isn't that high on the list," Neil said. "Not compared to selling, or robbery- which was why you were there in the first place. And that brings up the other problem: you had proof of the ones you followed there; why didn't you pick them up and take them in?"

There was an uncomfortable silence at the table. "If I'd just taken them in-"

"-Then they wouldn't be out on the street still," finished Carol. "Our ideological differences aside, he's quite correct about that."

Neil brushed aside the barb aimed at his comment about the relative importance of doing drugs versus selling them; it was an old argument and would have detracted from the point he was trying to make. That Carol was conceding this much was a blessing, as it was quite frankly more than he'd expected. "Exactly. You had hot pursuit and a solid chain of evidence from the guys who robbed the convenience store. It would have been an open and shut case, swift justice, and very good for our image. Instead, you crossed paths with an unknown parahuman with unknown powers, and you paid for that mistake." He sighed. "Which is why this next part is VERY important. Victoria... Crystal and Eric were fighting Mush away from the two of you, and Stoner made no effort to help him. When you fought Stoner, who threw the first punch, you or him?"

"He would have helped if I hadn't-"

"Who threw the first punch?" Neil pressed.

"I stopped him before he could help Mush!"

"Meaning you attacked him," Neil said. "That he's possibly a Merchant-"

"He IS a Merchant!" Vicky stubbornly protested, but this time Neil talked over her.

"That's not the point! You had no evidence of his involvement. Nothing beyond circumstance. That he was there. In fact... Did you see him doing drugs? Did you personally witness him shooting up or smoking or snorting anything?"

"Uh..." Victoria was rapidly progressing from indignant to worried.

Carol's expression was darkening as well. "Vicky... You said he was doing drugs with them."

"He had to have been!" she said weakly. "Everyone there was doing drugs, it-" At the use of the word 'everyone,' those gathered around the table tensed. Victoria winced a little.

For a few seconds, there were no words spoken. Even Mark seemed to be snapped out of his funk, looking at Vicky gravely.

"So for all we empirically KNOW," Neil said in the silence, "Stoner might have been a rogue."

Vicky didn't make any further protest. Carol rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly. "Neil, I have a lot of cases in the morning, and it's getting late. What do you suggest?"

"We have a lot of supposition and guesswork right now," he said. "So, about Stoner I suggest we do nothing. He could have just bypassed Vicky's shield without giving her warning; as it stands he didn't make a single aggressive move after he informed her. Personally, I say let sleeping dogs lie. As to Vicky, I suggest no more solo patrols. And no," he said with a raised finger as Vicky sat up a little straighter, "Amy doesn't count. Your mother, your father, your aunt, or me. You need an experienced member of the team who won't get distracted from the big picture."

"That sounds good to me," Mark said, his first contribution of the evening.

Carol nodded as well. "I agree. We can't afford bad press right now of all times; and we definitely can't afford legal complications."

Neil felt something inside him relax just a fraction. Vicky seemed to be accepting the mandate without protest, although far as he was concerned, the real victory tonight was Vicky's forced understanding of just how serious this incident actually was and could have been.

Considering how badly the New Wave movement had stalled, he'd take any victory he could get.

Last edited: May 28, 2017

703

Potato Nose

Mar 31, 2017

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Threadmarks Chapter Seventeen

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Potato Nose

(Verified Alpaca) (Monkey With a Typewriter)

Apr 3, 2017

#1,388

Chapter Seventeen

The doorknob rattles with the sound of key scraping on metal, then the door opens. Caleb is standing there with a package tucked under his arm. "Here," he says, tossing me his car keys. "They're in the trunk."

I smile, hopping to my feet from the couch and tossing my book on the cushion. "Fuck yeah. Thanks, man."

"Forget it. Bring in the groceries and we're square." Caleb pulls the package out from beneath his arm and tosses it to me in passing as he walks to the kitchen and opens the fridge. "New phone, too. Skidmark's orders."

I look it over- standard burner phone. "Activated already?"

He pulls out the last of the beers, cracking it open. "Yeah. And could you hurry on the groceries? I got ice cream in there." He brings the can to his mouth and guzzles a good third of it in one pull; I'm hoping there's more in the car. Yet another reason to hurry, now that I think of it. Warm beer sucks.

The apartment is active, today. It's late afternoon; those with kids have already brought them home from school and a lot of the younger ones are running around the halls making lots of noise. Beneath the children's play, there is an undercurrent of tension. The adults are all watchful, quick to curtail any attempts to actually leave the apartment complex. I keep my head down as I leave the building.

Away from the noise of the apartment, I can hear the distant pop-pop-pop of scattered gun fire. Another skirmish going on; there's been two or three a day since the first night Skidmark's been in the doc's. This one sounds relatively close. I don't waste time, I just hustle out to the car, grabbing the groceries and putting all the plastic bag handles in one hand, before opening the trunk and pulling the suitcase full of books out with the other.

I hear the now familiar sound of a slide being racked from behind me. "Drop the shit motherfucker or your gonna have some lead poisoning."

Slowly, I set the suitcase back in the trunk well, before carefully gripping the frame behind the taillight and lifting. The suspension groans as I slowly begin lifting up the back end in a deliberate fashion. The back wheels are about a foot off the ground before I hear a profusion of profanity and rapid footsteps fading away.

I shake my head. At this point... what good is a secret identity doing me? Pretty much anybody can potentially identify me after the shit they put on the news or whatever; going maskless would at least prevent stupid shit like this.

Providing they aren't too high to notice. Fuck it. No point in losing the mask just yet.

There's a clunk; I look back into the trunk to see the suitcase has slid into the back of the seat. Oh. Right. I slowly set the car back down, noting with annoyance that the grip I took on the frame tweaked it a bit. Taking the suitcase out and closing the trunk confirms my suspicion. I've left a grip mark on the frame of the car. Dammit.

Oh well. Probably a company car, not like he's going to have it very long. And the ice cream isn't going to last very long out here. I take the suitcase and the bags back into the apartment.

The suitcase is full of books on physical fitness; three of them stand out: the Navy Seal Fitness Guide, Yoga for Health and Stability, and the Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Between the three of them, I've got a good spread of physical training bonuses, meaning that as near as I can tell all the trainable stats are covered. The yoga book is by far the smallest of the three; however it provides AGI+++ and VIT++, the largest number of total pluses I've seen from a study book. Modern Bodybuilding gives STR+++ and VIT+ while the Navy Seal Fitness Guide gives STR+ AGI+ VIT++.

I don't know who Arnold Schwarzenegger is, but his Modern Bodybuilding is going to be really useful. I speed read through all three books; it eats a couple hours. I eat the sandwiches Caleb sets in front of me, along with the pair of chilled beers out of the case. It's only Stella Artois, not one of Caleb's fancy microbrews, but it goes well enough with the chicken salad.

Bodybuilding and Navy Seal are slotted; I get to my feet. "I'm heading out to the junkyard, I've got the phone. You get a new burner too?"

"Yeah," Caleb says, pulling it out of his pocket and checking the back.

We swap phone numbers, and I leave.

The junkyard was in the far north of the city. Frequently sifted through by Tinkers, Squealer included, the West end consisted of the heavy stuff. Twisted I-beams, rusted out cars, ruined cargo containers, the heavy and mostly useless was habitually dumped here.

There were certain exercises that were virtually impossible without a lot of screwing around; I eventually managed to arrange a pull down setup that leveraged the most intact I-beams I could find, pivoting on a fulcrum of crushed car, another beam anchored that I can hook my ankles under, and lifting a small vehicle I recognize as an old style VW Beetle. It doesn't take me long to figure out that I can adjust the effective weight by shifting the contact point on the levering I-beam. Unfortunately, it turns out that they're not designed for this sort of stress and by the end of my workout, while I've gained 9 points of strength I've also bent the beam to pretty much useless. I'm pretty sure I could manage a few more points of strength tonight but is need to rebuild my setup for the next set of pull downs. Maybe I should just go running instead.

I'm halfway through rebuilding it when my new phone rings. "I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob."

"... The fuck?" responds the voice on the other end. "Listen, asshole, we've got ABB pushing in on East Singer."

Singer is two blocks from Caleb's place. "On the way."

I hang up. Should have known it'd be an emergency if someone called me. Not like I have a huge social network.

I slip my mask on and run full tilt for Singer.

Spoiler

Level 7(9.2%)

HP: 690/690

MP: 90/90

STRENGTH: 44

AGILITY: 20

VITALITY: 53

INTELLIGENCE: 12

WISDOM: 10

CHARISMA: 6

LUCK: 7

Unused Stat Points: 0

CONDITIONS:

The Bum

Regenerator

Fast Regenerator

Tough as Nails

Unbreakable

TRAITS:

Unbreakable:

PERKS:

The Bum: You are hardy, or at least, you're used to sucking it up when times are shitty. Because they always are.

+2 VIT, 55% chance to ignore effects of spoiled food and bad water.

Regenerator: You heal stupidly fast. You recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every thirty seconds. +2 to VIT.

Opens Regeneration Perk tree.

Fast Regenerator: You heal even faster. You now recover hp at a rate equal to your VIT every twenty seconds instead of every thirty seconds. +2 VIT.

Tough as Nails:

You're ridiculously hard to injure. After any other damage reduction, reduce damage taken by your level. +2 to STR.

Opens Juggernaut Perk tree.

ABILITIES

Observe level 5 (MAX) Active

You can gain valuable information about people and things just by looking. The amount of information gained is determined by the target's level in relation to the user.

Resist Damage level 13 (67.9%) Passive

You are tough, harder to injure than most.

All damage taken is reduced by 21%.

Mitigation -Passive

Through mutilations both self inflicted and otherwise, you've gained a level of immunity to various types of damage. Mitigation is counted after damage reduction.

Corrosive: level 1 (34%)

-2 to all corrosive damage.

Crushing: level 9 (37.4%)

-18 to all crushing damage.

Heat: level 2 (65%)

-4 to all heat damage

Piercing: level 9 (39.2%)

-18 to all piercing damage.

Slashing: level 5 (28%)

-10 to all slashing Damage.

Poison: level 1 (21%)

Reduce the effects of intoxication and poison by 2%.

Electricity: level 1 (22%)

-2 to all electricity damage.

SKILLS

Basic Parkour level 9 (18.5%)

You can navigate obstacles without breaking stride. 45% improved footing while moving at a run, +18 effective AGI when avoiding obstacles at a run.

Basic Unarmed Combat level 10 (87.2%)

You understand the basics of hand to hand combat, and how to apply them. +30% attack speed, +50% unarmed attack damage.

Computer Programming Level 1 (0%)

You understand how to construct algorithms for computer programs, and possess knowledge of C++ and Java. +5% speed and +2 effective INT when programming computers.

Medicine level 1 (15%)

Nursing: level 1 (38%)

+10% bonus to medical care provided by a primary doctor, and grant a 5% increase in healing when providing basic ongoing care.

Minimalist Martial Arts level 6 (31.1%)

Running level 19(12.3%)

You know how to move quickly, whether endurance jogging or fast sprinting. 190% increase to running speed. Current top speed: 29 mph

Speed Reading level 11 (14.2%)

You read faster and more effectively. Increases reading speed by 275% and retention by 110%.

Stealth level 1 (11%) Active

You can go unseen and unheard.

10% reduced chance to be seen or heard when trying to conceal your presence. This bonus is tripled when at least 50% cover is available.

Crafts

(Cooking) level 1 (12%)

You can prepare food. Improves the quality of taste and nutrition for self-prepared food by 2%.