Bluntness seemed to work, surprisingly.
"Is there anyone that can help me with my new Epic powers?" Mistwraith asked, but before BusDriver could respond, she answered herself. "I guess so, yes."
Suddenly, she flew backwards into the mist, disappearing from sight. BusDriver heard a crash as she landed on something. A single brick landed in front of BusDriver.
Then the entire sparking building started to topple down.
BusDriver yelped and made for the exit of the alleyway, managing to not get crushed by stray rubble. The mist that had spilled out of the crevice was thick enough that the sun didn't touch his skin even when he was out.
He could see the form of Mistwraith stand up inside of the alley. Sparks! he thought. That woman is strong!
She just kept talking like nothing had happened. "Any major faction ought to have really powerful Epics to keep up with the others. Are you an Epic?" She walked forward until he could see more than just her shape in the mist.
"What was that for?!" BusDriver yelled. "You almost crushed me! You knocked down the entire Calamity-cursed building! What the sparks?" He sighed. "I can make anything into a bus. Here, come with me and I'll show you. Then we can get back to Quicksilver." He headed out to the sunlight, checking over his shoulder to see if she was following.
When they got to an empty part of the road, BusDriver picked up a pebble. "Stand back," he said. "I wouldn't want to be near this thing when it transforms." He set the pebble on the ground, then got away as quickly as he could. The pebble grew and stretched and turned into a shiny party bus, complete with stripper pole and laser lights.
BusDriver sighed. "Unfortunately, I can't choose which type of bus it becomes." BusDriver pulled open the door and stepped inside. "Come on in. The party's waiting."
Miner continued his trek north to Ironmonger. He figured he was almost there, the state border was in about one more mile, and Ironmonger was said to have set up shop in Goldendale, Washington.
Suddenly, Miner sensed a deposit of rubies underneath him. Really, really deep down. And it was tiny--no more than 5 good sized rubies and a few more smaller ones. Not like it mattered to Miner, not anymore. When he'd first got his powers, rubies and sapphires and diamonds had seemed of incredible worth to him. But, with the onslaught of Epics throughout the Fractured States, not even precious jewels seemed to have that much value. Besides, why use money when you can just make anyone holding you back drop into a chasm that leads to the center of the earth?
A vanilla man ran past him with his head down. Miner caught his shoulder, forcibly turning him towards him. "Hey," he said in a harsh whisper. "I know where we can find some rubies. Want to get some?"
The man tried to pull away, but when Miner wouldn't let him, nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Good. I'll show you where they are." Miner stepped away, then opened a chasm directly underneath the man. His screams echoed up the cavern as he fell directly into the ruby deposit, his body crunching as it hit the bottom.
Miner laughed gleefully and looked down over the hole. "They're down there."