What Happened in Portland

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

Back doors opened as the homes' inhabitants poured out and ran, climbing over fences and racing away from the street. Nathan saw a small, blonde-haired girl carried off by her parents, running as fast as their legs could carry them until they were out of sight. Oregonians knew how to handle Epics. 

 

Meanwhile, Doctor Funtimes was humming, pulling levers and peering through a scope. Nathan recognized the tune, but couldn't quite place—"Jingle Bells." That was the tune. She was humming a Christmas carol, but when she sang, the lyrics were very different. 

 

"I got through checkpoint A…" 

 

A dot on the Jeep's radar screen attested to a target acquired. 

 

"…but not through checkpoint B…." 

 

Metal folded back as a missile the size of a Christmas ornament deployed from the hood of the Jeep. Funtimes rolled down her window and sang at the top of her lungs: 

 

"That's when I got shot in the butt by the Funtimes military!" 

 

Small though it was, Nathan was certain the missile packed a punch. It flew out, aimed directly for the feral Epic's bare backside. 

 

"Oh, jingle bombs, jingle bombs…" 

 

"What's it do?" 

 

She grinned. "It goes splodey. But only for him." 

 

Nathan raised an eyebrow. A heat-seeking missile designed to only damage its intended target. He thought it safe to assume it wouldn't explode upon contact with any other target. "That's….really sophisticated. I don't know how much it'll do, though." 

 

She giggled again. "Sing it with me, Alice! Jingle bombs, jingle bombs, sploding all the way…." 

 

Alice joined in, singing along in that monotone of hers. 

[Edgedancer he/him]

Headshots were about the worst thing that could happen to him; it took a couple of seconds until he shock of the dizziness and managed to stand up. He was rewarded with a sight to behold. Lightwards did apparently have some kind of guts, wonder how much of them he ate. Luckily, either he or his zombies didn´t eat the brains to go along with those. Now on its side the vehicle couldn´t do much but unload their weapons at him and so they did. Everything from high caliber rounds to rockets and burst of flames were headed for him. They in fact were headed so straight for him that the rockets and flames crossed path for a prolonged period of time. And what do explosives do when subjected to a flamethrower? Exactly, they explode before they make physical contact.

 

Not that he was out of range of the actual radius. His body was knocked away. As he rolled over the ground he saw another rocket headed right at him. Where did this one come from? Nighthound desperately tried to grab any kind of projectile from the ground, futile. He reached the only alternative that he could think of, one of his own teeth. How high was the chance that this would trigger the rocket´s detonator? Only one way to find out.

 

With all his might he hurled his teeth at the rocket. Miraculously, he hit. In fact it seemed as if his target slightly veered towards his teeth. Another shockwave hit his tattered body and threw him into the wall of a nearby building. 

[Matrim Bloody Cauthon he/him]

"I have a telepath with me. He made all of your guards think you were expecting me." Psy-fi admitted. "I didnt care much to talk to your guards, wait for them to get the message to you, and then have a conversation through the guards."

Psy-fi looked Altermind up and down noting the differences since they last saw each other.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

"They can't die," Nathan murmured. "They'll just keep going." 

 

He had never done what he was about to do. He had never had occasion—or permission—to try it. Let them fight, that was the Newcago way Let them fight until someone wins and someone is dead. 

 

But this wasn't Newcago. This was Oregon. 

 

Nathan didn't think through his plan. Thinking through it would give Lightwards and the feral Epic time to cause more damage, and give Nathan time to talk himself out of it. Heart racing, he caught Funtimes' eye. "Let's put an end to this." 

 

He took her arm, and when he opened his eyes, he stood in the middle of a smoking crater. Right between the two dueling Epics. 

 

Calamity, what was I thinking? 

 

He forced a chuckle, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Girls, girls, you're both pretty." He heard a weapon charge, a foot scrape across the torn asphalt, and lifted Funtimes' hand. "Don't either of you try anything. You've seen what she can do. And while you—" he nodded to the feral Epic, who had pulled himself away from the detonation site— "might not be wearing anything anymore, she can still do plenty of damage with the ground you're standing on."

 

This isn't going to work, they're going to kill me, I'm going to be a zombie in a minute...

 

"CorpseMaker. Altermind. If those names don't sound familiar, you haven't been paying attention. They both control quite a bit of this fair city, and if you two keep fighting until you finally realize that neither one of you can actually die, they'll move in and do Calamity-knows-what while we're not looking. And I for one don't want to be a sitting duck when I find out what Calamity knows they'll do." 

 

Nathan turned in a slow circle, Funtimes' hand still clasped in his. "So what do you say? An alliance would be far more efficient than tearing this street apart until we're victims of an ambush." 

[Kobold King he/him]

Lightwards fumed from this flipped vehicle, fully intent on leading his Warriors of Light into a charge to rip Nighthound limb from limb. But as he gingerly rose and performed his miracle on an increasingly dazed vulture, Traveler and Funtimes appeared in the street between him and his target.

 

Traveler began to give a speech, raising up his girlfriend's hand as he faced both the nude Epic and the wrecked tank. "Girls, girls, you're both pretty..."

 

Lightwards opened the door on the side of the combat vehicle, crawling out and having Simon the zombie pass a rifle up to him.

 

"CorpseMaker. Altermind," Traveler's voice continued. "If those names don't sound familiar, you haven't been paying attention. They both control quite a bit of this fair city, and if you two keep fighting until you finally realize that neither one of you can actually die, they'll move in and do Calamity-knows-what while we're not looking. And I for one don't want to be a sitting duck when I find out what Calamity knows they'll do." 

 

The dust-covered professor began a stride across the street. Traveler and Funtimes moved in a circle that carried their gaze over both the battling Epics. "So what do you say? An alliance would be far more efficient than tearing this street apart until we're victims of an ambush."

 

Lightwards hesitated. He'd planned on firing a few shots into Nighthound while he was distracted by the duo, but the fact of the matter was that Traveler had a point. Nighthound was an aimless monster, but Donald--poor glazed, buried Donald--had seemed very fearful of CorpseMaker and Altermind. In his vacant, fearless way, of course.

 

Traveler was right. The Empire of Light would remain only a dream if he didn't make some sacrifices to keep the concept moving forward. Moving forward, in this case, meant gaining as many allies as possible.

 

Even if he was entirely set upon murdering his allies once they ceased being useful.

 

So Lightwards slowly lowered his rifle, keeping it pointed to the ground as he shot a contemptuous glance towards the naked Epic.

 

"Nighthound," he said slowly, before he could change his mind, "Have you ever wanted your own dinosaur?"

[Mailliw73 he/him]

A telepath. Interesting. Altermind could definitely use that. "Josh. You're friends with a telepathic Epic? How is it that you've survived? Epics tend to kill non-Epics." Altermind was curious, could his childhood friend be another Epic too?

Flashpoint held his silence in the back of the room, knowing that Altermind didn't like it when he burst out saying things. Voidgaze was watching the proceedings and the prisoner, Travis, was glad the attention had been taken away from him.

[Edgedancer he/him]

The first thing Nighthound saw after he reoriented himself was the rusting couple standing between him and Lightwards, right he still had to kill those two as well. The guy started to hold a speech about joining forces with each other, while Nighthound pulled himself out of his hole. The undead Epic also moved in closer, as the teleporter continued his speech.

 

He did have a point; dealing with these people had become more annoying than entertaining a long time ago and he himself found evidence of a war building up. Still, ripping out at least the throat of the Slontze´s girlfriend was tempting. Lightwards called Nighthound’s attention. "Nighthound, have you ever wanted your own dinosaur?"

 

His eyes snapped open. “A dinosaur!?” It could be possible, if he could raise a dead vulture why not a dead reptile? He let himself fall on the ground and laughed, for the first time in the night without an aggressive undertone. “If you can actually give me a dinosaur, we have a deal, I´ll even take back all the insults. Calamity, just imagining the look on my sister´s face when I tell her that I took control of an undead dinosaur, priceless.”

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

A sister. Sparks. Of course he had a sister. Why would one of him be enough?

Then again, if he wanted to gloat about having a dinosaur to her, perhaps she would be more enemy than ally to him. Nathan, knowing what was said about enemies' enemies, filed that bit away for later.

He let his hand, still clasped in Funtimes,' fall. He released his grip, but she held fast. She smiled up at him, brown eyes shining--and then, before he could explain why or how, she was on tiptoe, her arms around his shoulders, kissing him like she'd never kissed him before.

Which was the truth. Still, it was surprising.

So Nathan did the only thing a fake Epic could do when being kissed in the middle of a smoldering suburb by a beautiful woman who could turn his clothes to acid: He kissed her back.

It was not unpleasant. Terrifying, but not unpleasant.

"Isn't he the best?" she gushed, pulling away and leaving a hand to brush against his stubbled cheek. "I think I'll keep him."

Nathan laughed at her joke. To anyone else, it would sound like flirting, though there was a warning in it too. He was hers, and if anyone moved against him, they would have her to contend with.

The message to Nathan was clear: I'm keeping you.

He had no idea why.

Edited August 5, 2014 by TwiLyghtSansSparkles

[Matrim Bloody Cauthon he/him]

"You weren't the only one to turn onto an epic. I might have actually become an epic as well." Psy-fi reluctantly admitted.

[Kobold King he/him]

Who doesn't love a dinosaur? Lightwards thought with a smile. Nighthound seemed to cheer right up at the thought, uneducated buffoon that he was. Nighthound mentioned a sister, but he brushed that thought off as irrelevant. Surely no single family would produce two different Epics.

 

His smile left as Funtimes and Traveler started smooching in the middle of the street, replaced by a look of distinct discomfort. Lightwards didn't like kissing couples. They made him feel... awkward. A naked man running through the streets of Portland at night? Lightwards had no problem with that, although he would insist on getting Nighthound some clothes rather quickly. But kissing was a reminder of what he used to be. Thomas Cardinal, that socially awkward misfit who'd always take the long way around rather than walk by a pair of smooching college students on the campus.

 

He pawed at the ground with his foot until the pair broke apart, immediately beginning a short exchange of flirting and laughing. Lightwards coughed rather pointedly and approached them.

 

"I assure you, Nighthound, that I can procure a dinosaur for you," he said loudly. "The Portland Museum of Natural History has quite the collection, assuming their pamphlet isn't a complete fraud. Imagine flaunting an Allosaurus or a pack of Velociraptor in front of her, or anyone else for that matter." He gestured at the zombie heads poking out of his overturned tank, beckoning for them to join him.

 

"I would meekly suggest that we all get some sleep," he continued, not very meekly, "as tomorrow we take the Museum and launch our war against the rest of Portland. One generally tries to stay focused during such endeavors, and sleep works wonders towards that end."

 

He wouldn't admit it to Nighthound, in case the bestial Epic wasn't, but Lightwards suddenly felt very tired.

[Mailliw73 he/him]

Joshiua was an Epic? "I'm not sure what kind of Epic you are, but would you and your telepathic friend like to join us in our mission? This lady here and I have a vengeance to fulfill with one called CorpseMaker. The more additions to our team, the better. That goes for you too, Travis," Altermind added as he glanced at the prisoner. "I want any information you have on him. Weaknesses, strengths, extent of his powers, anything and everything. I'm going to get the information somehow so you might as well comply."

Travis gulped and told Altermind, "Yes, sir. If you take me home, I'll gather my notes and pictures. I make copies of all of them just In case." Altermind smiled. "Good. I'll use you as a spy too. What do you say, Josh?"

[Matrim Bloody Cauthon he/him]

"Sure, if you'll have me. I am a precog, in addition i have enhanced reflexes. My epic name is Psy-fi, i dont expect you to call me that except around other epics. I brought my own weapons but they're out with Mason, he's the telepath i told you about." Psy-fi said.

"What is the problem with CorpseMaker." Psy-fi asked.

Edited August 6, 2014 by Matrim Bloody Cauthon

[Mailliw73 he/him]

"Psy-Fi, I like it," Altermind grinned. A Precog Epic would be a very nice addition to his team, not to mention the telepath. Gesturing, he introduced the others, "This is Flashpoint, my head Security official and right hand man. He can fly and send small electric pulses. You know me, and since you walked through that wall, you know about my powers. This lady here is Voidgaze, who I met earlier today. Her powers normally have a, uh, more powerful visual effect." Altermind motioned for Voidgaze to showcase her powers to his old friend.

"Travis here photographs Epics. He's now helping me fight Corpsemaker. Information will be his specialty," Altermind finished introducing the room's occupants. "Tell your friend, Mason, was it, that he can come in now. I'd like to hear more about your and his powers.

"Corpsemaker. He's a self-serving, stuck-up Epic. He stole my other assistant, a fire Epic from me, and managed to piss me off pretty bad. He thinks he can take my land from me. Voidgaze here has a personal vendetta against him."

[Matrim Bloody Cauthon he/him]

Mason walked into the room. He handed a long dagger to Psy-fi, next came a pistol and then a sniper rifle. Mason himself carried a recurve bow, and a belt knife.

Psy-fi glanced at Mason and a silent conversation seemed to go on between them.

"If you wish to know more lose the other two. I just met them today and would rather not reveal everything without knowing them better."

[Mailliw73 he/him]

"Fine. Flashpoint, Voidgaze. Take Travis out in the hall. Let me talk to these two," Altermind told his two associates.

Flashpoint wasn't happy about that, Altermind could tell. "But boss-" he started.

"Flash. Take Travis and wait. Do it," Altermind ordered. "Voidgaze, if you would t mind leaving for a minute or two." Flashpoint unchained Travis from the table and walked him outside. He kept his hand on Travis' back, threatening to shock him if he tried anything. "I see you came fully armed," Altermind said, smiling at his old friend.

[Edgedancer he/him]

Voidgaze wondered, if that Psy-Fi guy was really trustworthy. Yes, Altermind claimed to know him but he also just admitted to having pulled the same mind trick on the guards and Altermind did have trouble remembering him. Coincidence? Maybe. 

 

Anyway, they were getting quite chummy with each other, Altermind even ordering a power display. Before she actually had a chance to demonstrate anything Psy-Fi called in his friend and asked for her and the others to leave, with Altermind´s approval. What a polite pal. Then again her waffles were almost empty, so this was a good chance to stock up.

 

She let the paper twist itself into a straight form and used it to cut apart the table´s surface, seperating it in two halves, in the process shaving of the edge of the paper. On her way to the exit she dropped the remnants of the piece of paper and let it fall into the ground, making a square hole appear in the ground.

 

After she already left out of the door she turned around and poked her head back through the door. “Given that I don´t seem to be needed her I am going to the cafeteria, if I can find the place. Oh, if your friend there shows himself to not be that friendly after all just scream like a little girl or something. I´m gonna come right to the rescue.” Voidgaze smiled at Altermind and confidently bumped at fist on her chest.

                                                     

 

Nighthound jumped back to his feet, ignored the make out session and looked at Lightwards, who seemed overly uncomfortable whit the scene. Pansy “Sure, never thought I would join up with another Epic than my sister but this seems… promising. I don´t really do that whole sleeping thing but a nice comfy bed and maybe a good book still seems pleasant right now.” He let his eyes wander on the ruined landscape. “Does anyone have a idea where the closest beds actually are?” Let´s just hope that the lunatic doesn´t want to let all their beds have a punk rabbit design.

Edited August 6, 2014 by Edgedancer

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

I kissed an Epic. Holy burning Calamity, I kissed an Epic! 

 

Nathan wanted to release Funtimes, fall to the ground, and curl into the fetal position while he pondered his life, fate, and whether or not the kiss signaled some kind of impending apocalypse. Wanted to, but didn't. There were two other dangerous Epics, neither of whom wanted to kiss him, and if he wanted to live he had to stay in character. 

 

No one had suggested it yet, but the last thing he wanted to do was stay the night at the Sadrys'. Especially if the feral Epic—whose name was apparently Nighthound—would be there too. He envisioned a long, sleepless night in a bed surrounded by zombies with Nighthound clawing at his door and suppressed a shudder. Then he remembered, with a start, the book he'd hidden beneath the blankets in one of the bedrooms. Lightwards might not go through the rooms in search of anything of import he and Funtimes had left behind, but Nathan couldn't take that chance. If Calvin and Hobbes was banned in Newcago, it would be suspicious—if not outright seditious—in Portland. He might be able to pass off his reading it as a quirk—but he might not, and he didn't want to push his luck. 

 

"I think we'll head back to our place," he said, smoothing down Doctor Funtimes' hair, searching her eyes for any trace of disagreement. "But if you don't mind, Lightwards, I left my duster at yours." He tossed Lightwards a smile. "We'll just stop by and grab it, and then we'll be out of your hair." 

[Matrim Bloody Cauthon he/him]

"I dont go anywhere without weapons. Its a rough world out there." Psy-fi began, he moved to a chair while he talked. "Anyways, there was no way of hiding my precog or enhanced reflexes. I have one other power, i am hyperobservant. So i notice things that others miss. I tend to keep that a secret because it is very useful to have hidden."

Mason took over stating, "I am a lower level epic. I only have telepathy, no second secret power. One of the things Joshua and i have found useful is that i am very good at directing people during invasions, fights, etc. I can read everyones mind so that they can communicate quickly and silently without speaking or using their mobiles. Being telepathic also allows me to get an edge in a fight because i know what my enemy is thinking."

"Those are what is really important to know about us, and what we can do. What has happened with corpsemaker so far, and what do you know about him."

Edited August 6, 2014 by Matrim Bloody Cauthon

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

That went a bit further than Anticipated. Sightline limped down the Corridor, teleporting every so often to take the weight off his wounded foot. According to Gordon, Kathy’s Cell was near the regular cells, so He should be close. There weren’t any guards to worry about any more. After he’d stripped them down and dropped a wall on them, they’d given him free reign.

 

Unfortunately, not of them had lived to do so. It was annoying when the vanillas got in the way. He’d much rather just kill the Epics. Though Altermind might be exempt from that rule. Of all the cells he’d passed, only 4 of them had been occupied.

 

None of the Occupants had looked, well, normal. So Altermind was pulling criminals off the streets. He might have to consider an Alliance with the Ruler of Thoughtown. He teleported again, to the center of the T Intersection. To his left was a group of large rooms. One had a door open, and when he peeked inside, revealed itself to be an Interrogation Room with an Observation Room next to it. Down the right side of the hall were several cells, set into the floor, so that you would have to crawl out.

 

He bent down and peeked into each cell. Most were Empty, but the third one had Kathy. She was curled up in a corner trembling. A hallucination probably. That’s one way to keep an Epic down. He might be able to Keep CorpseMaker in here, if he couldn’t figure out his weakness. He teleported into the cell.

 

Kathy started violently, and threw a fireball at him. So he teleported back out of the cell.

 

“What in Calamity? That’s a New One. Hey Altermind, you sick freak! Let me out of here.” Well she still had fight left in her.

 

“Ma’m. I’m not with Altermind, nor am I an Illusion. I’m here to rescue you.” He knelt down, and peered through the bars at her.

 

She stared at the door for a long moment, then stood. “Do you know anything about Travis? And who are you Teleporter? And what do you want with me?”

 

“My name is Sightline. My job is to stop Epics from killing the Mortals, and you and Travis have made my Job easier in this city. So I wish for the two of you to continue living. And Travis is being interrogated right now. Want to help me free him?”

 

“Yes, please. Get us out of here.”

 

He teleported back inside the cell. She was wearing shoes unfortunately. “As you guessed earlier, my Power is Teleportation. Your’s is Fire correct?”

 

“Uh, yes. My name is Kathy, by the Way.”

 

“I know. Now, do you have anything important in your pockets?”

 

“What? No. They took my stuff when they captured me. Why?”

 

“No reason. Take my hand please.” He reached out and took her hand. It hurt to use his Left arm. He put his other hand on her hip, making sure to touch both her shirt and pants. Then he teleported outside of the cell.

 

“What the!” She looked down at her feet. “Where did my shoes go?”

 

He removed his hands and scanned the hallway.“My Teleportation works through Skin Contact. Anything I wasn't touching was left in the cell. Hence, what’s in your pockets.”

 

“Wait, so anything you weren’t touching. . .” She paused and looked down at herself again. “Umm. . “

 

He winced. “Yeah, sorry about that. anyway. We should get to Travis.” He turned at started walking down the hallway, not looking behind him. The only interrogation room that appeared to be in use was the first one on the right. He peeked under the door of the observation room next door, and saw only one pair of feet. Probably a Guard. He teleported in, behind where the feet were pointing. Sure enough. One guard was in the room, watching the Interrogation through the Glass. Sightline grabbed him by the neck, and teleported them back out into the hallway. Before the Guard could react, he teleported them again, into Kathy’s Cell. Then he punched him in the Head. Hard. He left the naked man in the wet cell, and went back out the Observation room. The door was unlocked. They walked in.

 

“That was well done. How long have you been doing this stuff?” She looked around the empty room, her gaze settling on the different tables and chairs, before seeing the Window. “It’s travis! We have to get him out of there.”

 

“Not yet. They can’t hear us, but we can hear them. I want to know what they’re asking him. I’ll pull him out if they start using Pain.” He pulled out a seat for her, and took his own.

 

Inside the room were a lot of people. There seemed to be some introductions going on.

 

"This is Flashpoint, my head Security official and right hand man. He can fly and send small electric pulses. You know me, and since you walked through that wall, you know about my powers. This lady here is Voidgaze, who I met earlier today. Her powers normally have a, uh, more powerful visual effect."

 

So know he had a Name and a Power to put to the Albino Woman. Though looking closer, she wasn’t Albino, she just had white hair.

 

"Travis here photographs Epics. He's now helping me fight Corpsemaker. Information will be his specialty," Altermind finished introducing the room's occupants. "Tell your friend, Mason, was it, that he can come in now. I'd like to hear more about your and his powers.

 

"Corpsemaker. He's a self-serving, stuck-up Epic. He stole my other assistant, a fire Epic from me, and managed to piss me off pretty bad. He thinks he can take my land from me. Voidgaze here has a personal vendetta against him.”

 

Sightline Froze.They were going up against CorpseMaker. A Group of Epics, who wanted to take down the greatest threat to Oregon ever seen.

 

“What? The recruited him?” Kathy was standing up again, looking at Travis.

 

“It looks Like it” Was all he could say. Another man walked into the room, and started dropping weapons.

 

"If you wish to know more lose the other two. I just met them today and would rather not reveal everything without knowing them better." So two new Epics were looking to join Altermind.

 

"Fine. Flashpoint, Voidgaze. Take Travis out in the hall. Let me talk to these two,"

 

“But boss-"

 

"Flash. Take Travis and wait. Do it, Voidgaze, if you wouldn't mind leaving for a minute or two.” After the three of them had left the room, He continued on. “I see you came fully armed," Altermind said, smiling at his old friend.

 

Well. Well well well. This could be very good, or very bad. “Kathy, could you lean Casually against the wall for me. We’re about to make an Entrance.

 

And, I have to go to Work. So I’ll post again in about 9 or 10 Hours. And that's when We'll actually Enter the room. Until then, have fun!

 

Edited August 6, 2014 by The Only Joe

[Mailliw73 he/him]

"I myself carry weapons," Altermind said, gesturing to his guns. He decided to make sure to pick up some other weapons just in case. "Hyperobservance? That's an interesting power. A very useful and rare one too. I have to ask about the telepathy though. You put thoughts in people's heads as well as read their minds, correct?" Altermind thought it was similar to his own power in that regard. He put sensory signals in the brain, Mason put thought signals in. That could be very useful, especially coupled with his power.

"Corpsemaker is like a basilisk of legend. He can kill with one glance. He can also nullify powers, it seems to be that he can only block one at a time though. I think he has to have some sort of knowledge of the power to block it. He claimed he couldn't die, so I'm guessing he has healing powers or reincarnation. He used to be in charge of a bank. He ruled the area around it, but earlier, a lady Epic, insane, changed it into a bouncy castle. She has powerful transformation powers. Corpsemaker was furious and a fight broke out. I showed up with my fire Epic and we discovered the change in the building and decided to investigate. When Corpsemaker offered to pay anyone who supported him, my associate abandoned me. An electric Epic who was there also joined with Corpsemaker. That's all of what I know. Will you join us?"

[Edgedancer he/him]

Voidgaze walked down the hallway, pouting. There she goes through the trouble of cutting apart a table and telling Altermind that she got his back and they completely ignore her. They really seem like friends. Anyway, she took the last on left, so to get to the cafeteria she now had to go… somewhere. She did so.

 

Orientation was lost, completely. Aimlessly wandering somewhere didn´t yield results. Maybe she should ask someone for directions. She saw a man in a lab coat and walked up to him.

“Excuse me. I´m new here, could you tell me the way to the cafeteria?”

The man turned towards her, while taking a bite from some kind of burger. “Not a lab coat but at least it´s white. Not that it matters with Scorch gone. I didn´t report the guy that´s obviously an intruder, so why would I report you?”

 

“Um, thank you? Actually, I think I meet that other guy and he seems to be a friend of Altermind so you don´t have to worry,  so, what about the cafeteria?” Voidgaze asked again.

“Easy, you just go that way, and then take the third right, next the second left and…” He saw Voidgaze blinking at her in confusion. “How about you just follow me?” The man took another bite and changed the direction he was walking into.

 

Voidgaze walked after him. “Wait! I haven´t actually introduced myself,” She took a couple quick strides to come even with him and hold her hand out. “I´m Voidgaze or Rita Blue, doesn´t really matter much.”

He shook her hand. “Pleasure, to meet you, Rita. I´m Big Al. What brings you to Thoughttown?”

“Well, Altermind and I are working together to take down another Epic called Corpsemaker. A jerk I tell you. I just wanted to ask for directions and hopped around in his bouncy castle and then he made my brain explode or made it collapse, hard to tell the difference.” Voidgaze rambled, while gesturing wildly with her hands.

Al pulled out another one of his burgers. “Sounds tough. Sausage McMuffin?”

Voidgaze took the McMuffin and carefully started to nibble on it. It tasted, good. This was the first time she ate fast food like that, by the time she had the money all McDonald’s branches were blown up.  

 

“Meh, getting your brain destroyed is actually one of the least painful ways to die. By the time it happens you can´t notice it anymore. Drowning and suffocating are the really painful deaths and most likely burning but I never died that way and I don´t really plan to, so what do I know. Sparks, did I really just went on a tangent about the most pleasant way to die?” Voidgaze let her body slump down. “I really am messed up.”

Big Al gave her a comforting pat on the back. “You´re not that bad, trust me. Now, there was a whole army of cats running around in town and I think the cafeteria lady picked one up. Sounds nice, doesn´t it?”

Voidgaze took another bite out of the muffin and smiled at Al. “Yeah, a cute kitty does sound nice.”

[Matrim Bloody Cauthon he/him]

Psy-fi glanced at him. "Of course i will. How about you Mason?"

"Did you even need to ask? You know i will. But to answer your earlier question altermind yes i do. It can also give an entire team almost precog abilities because they will know what their opponent is thinking." Mason answered.

[Mailliw73 he/him]

"Very useful in a fight, indeed. And it'll help with those Epics we don't know much about," Altermind said. "Glad to have you join us. Can I bring the others in again? Mason, you can read their minds and tell Josh and I if they're loyal. I believe they are. Voidgaze will help us for now, but I can't guarantee her loyalty. What do you say? We bring them in and you tell us if they're loyal? We'll go to a bigger room to discuss and plan." Altermind was glad to have these two join his team. They would be useful in the time to come. They would be bad to make enemies though. Voidgaze too, Altermind thought. He would need to keep her happy.

 

"Ask Voidgaze to meet us in the Planning Room," Altermind sent out on his mobile to his guards

[Edgedancer he/him]

“You can create sausage McMuffins out of nothing?” Voidgaze asked Big Al, with big eyes.

“Yup, never have been hungry since.” He answered.

“Sounds awesome!”

“Sure is.”

 

Voidgaze took a bite out of a blueberry muffin; apparently the staff had no more waffle batter, and hugged the cafeteria lady´s white cat. From what she heard Smiles was most likely the Epic that made the cats. Making cats, hugging people, she does seem nice… maybe.

She looked back up from the cat and at Al. “I think I meet the Epic that created the cats.”

“You did?” Al asked between bites.

“Mhmm, very fancy dressed women with lots of glitter in her hair and-“ Voidgaze was holding up her own hair to illustrate her point, when one of the guards stepped up to her.

 

“Excuse me ma´am but Altermind asked for your presence in the Planning Room, if you could follow me.” The guard gestures towards one of the exits.   

Voidgaze winced a little bit and stood up, in one hand a couple of muffins and the cat in the other. “Okay. See you later Al.”

Big Al gave a slight approving gesture with his McMuffin holding hand, as Voidgaze followed the guard to wherever the panning room was.

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

"All right, everyone's in the room. Ready to make our Entrance?" They had followed Altermind though his school into the planning room. Most of the Epics in the building were there, including Big Al.

 

"So we're really going to join them?" Kathy was still fretting about Travis joining up with Altermind.

 

"Yes, they're going up against the biggest Epic on the Block. We're going to help them. So, Could you lean against the wall?"

 

She looked at him. "We really have to make an Entrance like that?"

 

"Yes. Be sure to look confident, as if you know everyone and everything. Don't worry about Travis, He's Ok."

 

They both leaned against the wall, and he put his hand on her waist. He didn;t want her to lose anymore clothes than she already had.

 

The Epics in the Room were just begining theri Discussion when they teleported in. The first one to Notice them was Big Al. "Hey, the Intruders back. Though maybe you not an Intruder, Ms Muffin here wasn't after all."

 

One of the Epics looked at Al, "What are you talking about? None of- Whoa! Where did you come from?" Now they all saw them.

 

Sightline smirked. "Why is it that an Illusion ist never thinks to check for hidden Epics? Seems someone needs to be a bit more Paranoid. Anyway, I'm Sightline, and this is Kathy, who some of you already know. We're here to Help kill CorpseMaker."

 

So feel free to put us into your Post at whatever time is convinent.