Comatose

I thought he was surprised because David's father didn't fear him, and that he was able to trigger his weakness, rather than the existence of the weakness. When you are Steelheart, with his weakness being what it is, I think the fact that it is triggered is still pretty surprising, even if you know exactly what your weakness is. Firefight Spoilers:

This is his updated powerset, for reference. I was working off of the lessening of his connection to the physical plane bit, thinking that since sound was muffled and difficult to hear, perhaps the commands wouldn't function as well? You'll notice that Insight actually takes a while to kill the Iron Ogress, despite the fact that she already gave away quite a bit about him. I was chalking that up to him taking a few moments in real time to understand what was going on, because of his lack of connection to the physical plane. As for Euphoria's weakness, I thought all epics instinctually knew their weaknesses. How else would Steelheart know to avoid people who did not fear him? David was only able to work it out with help from Steelheart's behaviour (the propoganda, etc), which were all responses to the weakness. Since it would have been rare for Steelheart's weakness to manifest from the beginning (who wasn't afraid of that guy), it seems illogical for him to have been able to figure out his weakness. I also thought Megan mentioned something about Epics "just knowing" their weaknesses, but I don't have my book on me right now to look it up. Glad you enjoyed it, seeing both characters at their worst was the goal, so glad I succeeded. I included the powerset above for reference, it might have changed since you saw it last (I can't remember if you were around when I made my last edit). I broke the cognitive space power into separate powers, after rereading bits about Nightwielder in Steelheart, and how incorporeality works, and because of there being less unique powers than we originally thought. Instead of one super unique power, I decided it would be better to have several less unique powers. What is all required for Commands to work? Do they work as long as an epic is in earshot? Insight only appears (1) for the amount of time it takes to drop the flower, and (2) for the amount of time it takes to move the sticks through the Iron Ogress's body. It reads as longer because of the description, but I really only intended it to be two quick flashes. Then after, once he's immaterial Insight can slow down or speed up his time relative to the others on the physical plane, so it shouldn't be too hard for him to escape. If he sped himself up as soon as he killed the Iron Ogress, he could get away before Hypno got a word out (when do commands take effect exactly?) Anyways, if you want to have Hypno try to command Insight, I can edit my post and split it into two. I can also have the Insight/Euphoria scene take place farther away. Euphoria says she watches the crowd disperse, but not from where, so maybe they floated up high, out of earshot (especially since sound from the physical plane would be muffled and difficult to hear to begin with, so the distance wouldn't have to be as great). Then I could have them float lower once the group has left, perhaps during the memory viewing. So yeah, if you want to add a Hypno post in, I'll just edit out the Euphoria/Insight scene, then you can post, and then I'll repost the Euphoria/Insight scene with some adjustments. I think that answers everything. Edge, I'll try to find that reference I'm remembering, and see if it exists. Let me know if you find something that indicates the contrary. What does everyone else remember? EDIT: Also, before I forget, Happy Independence Day to my southern neighbours!

I'm not sure exactly how Hypno's powers work but Insight was only tangible for a second, and he's generally immune to all powers when immaterial (or whatever I call it) unless it is another immaterial person using the powers . Plus, based on how I understand Hypno's powers, he would have no one to target. I can always change things though if people (mainly Mailliw) disagree. If Hypno need another post, I could also take out Euphorias bit and then add it in after.

Reckoners RP Babble (Ignore if you are just here to talk about the movie - it's not totally off topic, I promise, but I completely understand if people would rather not read about it): Back totally on topic, I also loved the eye-shadow comment. From a visual standpoint, I also loved how the animators emphasized the primacy of the core emotions compared to the other denizens of Riley's mind by making them glow. I mean, we knew all along that a person can never totally lose their joy, sadness, anger, fear, or disgust, only that they can be suppressed or lost for a time. I think it really raised the stakes by having the main conflict not being that Joy and Sadness would be lost forever, but that they would not return in time to prevent Riley from changing who she was. The conflict was very compelling.

Whew, sure glad I didn't lose that post. Probably should have written it in a word document, but I was on a roll. I'd like a short break (just a day or two), and then I'll post again to begin Day 2. I can't believe we've completed Day 1 already! I hope everyone else had as much fun as I did. Is it bad that I kind of enjoy putting my characters through awful situations?

Rainmaker ignored Buttercup's miniature outburst, content to let the Head of Security go about her assigned duties. Attitude problems could be dealt with later, when they were in less questionable company. For the moment, Rainmaker felt no need to explain her actions. She was a goddess, and had no need for accountability to lesser beings. "Iron Ogress!" Rainmaker called once Hypno's command was complete, "Do you know where Euphoria is?" The Iron Ogress seemed to resist for a moment, before shaking her head. "I do not know." The epic hesitated, no doubt fighting Hypno's command to give full answers. "She is likely with Insight. He planned to abduct her himself if Fast-Forward and I failed to destroy the Enslaver." Now we are getting somewhere. "This Insight, is an epic? Was he the one who ordered you to attack Corvallis?" The thought of yet another rogue epic running loose in Corvallis was discomforting, but at least she was finally getting answers. Both questions were answered with affirmative nods. "Does this Insight have any form of base? Some place he might be hiding with Euphoria?" The Iron Ogress shook her head. "No, he moves around. His powers allow him to hide in plain sight." Rainmaker frowned. The ability sounded dangerous. She needed to know more about her strange enemy. "What do you know of Insight's powers? Why did he take Euphoria? Is it likely Euphoria is still alive?" Again, the Iron Ogress paused for a moment, no doubt fighting against Hypno's compulsion. Before she could answer, an unfamiliar figure appeared out of nowhere, dropped what looked like a lily on the Iron Ogress, before vanishing again in less than a second. Could it be Insight? Had he shown himself at last? "Insight, is that you? Show yourself coward!" The effect of the flower on the Iron Ogress was instantaneous. As soon as it made contact with her she changed, re-assuming her human form. The figure--Insight--appeared again, this time carrying two sticks in his hands. This time, Rainmaker noticed that she could see through him if she looked hard enough. That meant he was an incorporeal. As Insight faded away completely, she heard Hypno shouting for the mysterious epic to stop. It seemed like the command might take hold, but after a moment of hesitation Insight was gone, before she had time to react and strike at him with lightning or trap him with her winds. Rainmaker found herself beginning to glow with new-found anger, but was distracted by the Iron Ogress, who now had sticks piercing her head and chest. Parting gifts from Insight. Hypno continued to call out, but Insight did not return. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed in the distance, responding to Rainmaker's fury. The Iron Ogress was dead, killed while her weakness was activated, and with her, whatever secrets Insight was willing to kill to keep. Rainmaker took a few moments to calm herself before speaking. "Well, we know more than we did before, at least, and may have gotten a look at our foe. Hypno, you may leave. Your payment will arrive first thing tomorrow. Buttercup," as Buttercup rose above the water line, Rainmaker unwove her cyclone, letting the river continue on its regular course. "Get Jumpdrive and Reflection..." realizing that Insight might still be nearby listening in, Rainmaker stopped speaking suddenly, and instead, brought out her mobile and began texting. "Get Jumpdrive and Reflection working on tracking down this 'Insight'. Just tell them he's an epic with the power to turn invisible and incorporeal, and that he's an enemy of the city. I don't want them knowing he has anything to do with Euphoria's disappearance, or where we got this information. Once they've confirmed receipt of their instructions, get some rest. Tomorrow will be busy." Satisfied that her underlings could figure things out from there, Rainmaker took off, a flew towards home, eager to get some much needed beauty rest. Euphoria watched as the group at Harrison Street Bridge slowly dispersed. After nearly being taken in by Hypno's initial command, Insight had sped up time to avoid hearing the rest, until he and Euphoria were both floating high above the bridge, and out of earshot. It had been good to see that at least something could surprise Insight, even if he had managed to get things back on course without much trouble. Evidently, he had not taken time to research all of the epics in the city thoroughly, and had not realized that Hypno's powers could be so effective on other epics. If he could be surprised, that meant he could be beaten, Euphoria just had to wait for an opportunity. Now that Rainmaker knew he was out there, she would start being more careful with her communications, and might find a way to locate them before it was too late. "Wipe that smug smile off of your face." Insight appeared suddenly, hovering in the air next to her. His voice contained hints of anger, even though his face remained composed. He took her hand, and began tugging her towards the ground. "Our night isn't over yet." Yet another memory took over before Euphoria could respond. This time, they came quickly, one after the other without pause. It would seem that Insight was getting close to whatever he was looking for. Euphoria looked around, disoriented. What am I doing here? More importantly, why was she carrying her father's gun, and why was her outfit splattered with blood? "Leila?" Euphoria turned at the sound of her name. That's right, her name was Leila. The name felt strange and foreign to her, even in her thoughts. Her thoughts were fuzzy, and her recent memories were fragmented. She wasn't sure where 'Euphoria' came from, but somehow the name felt right, far more so than Leila did. Something about her old name was wrong, like a sweater that didn't fit any more. The last thing she remembered clearly was looking up at Calamity, and being blinded by a red light... "Leila? What's going on?" On instinct, Euphoria raised her gun at the man standing in front of her, pulling the trigger before she knew what she was doing. Unfortunately, the weapon announced it was empty by clicking uselessly. Stupid gun! Euphoria cast it aside angrily. When did I use all of those bullets?" "What the heck, Leila!?" Danny was there, eyeing her with shock in his eyes. "Did you just try to shoot me?" Euphoria frowned. His expression was wrong, somehow. The shock and fear in his eyes seemed unnatural. Danny should have been happy to see her, everyone else in town was. He should have a dopey smile on his face, and his eyes should be blank and trusting. "ANSWER ME!" Danny lunged at her, attempting to take her by the shoulder, but Euphoria batted him away, retreating a few steps. Why wasn't he happy? The others all had been. Others? "I..." Euphoria's voice came out strained and weak. That's impossible, I'm not weak. Why was she having so much trouble thinking? "Danny... I... I don't know what's happening." Danny's flinched as she took a step towards him. Why was he afraid of her? He was supposed to be happy. My powers. They don't work on him. For some reason, the fact that her powers weren't working was far more startling than the realization that she had powers in the first place. Of course she had powers, she was Euphoria. Barely understanding what she was doing, Euphoria reached out with her powers, hitting Danny with a powerful does of positive emotion. She had vague recollections of doing this before, and seeing people relax instantly as they adopted dazed smiles. "Leila..." Danny remained unaffected. He was... immune to her powers somehow. Shaking her head slowly, Leila began to back away, terrified by the expression on Danny's face, and the look in his eyes. What is happening? Euphoria turned and fled, ignoring Danny's frantic shouts for her to stop. ***** Euphoria sat in her room, trying to convince herself to kill her best friend. She had gone into hiding, alternating between her childhood home, and the University Dorms. Her father was nowhere to be found, and she could only assume she had killed him with his own gun. The details of the time after she discovered her powers were still a blur to her. She knew she had killed people, but not how many or who. All she remembered is that she had tried to kill Danny by lulling him with her powers and then shooting him, as she had others. But her powers hadn't worked. Something about Danny had blocked them somehow, and though she didn't know why, that fact terrified her. After a week of secretly testing her powers, both on Danny and on other people, she was certain that something about Danny personally was making him immune, which meant that Euphoria wouldn't feel safe until he was gone. As long as he was around, even if she tried not to use her powers, it was only a matter of time before an enemy epic tried to use him against her. But could she really kill him, even for her own security? This was Danny, the boy who had offered to be her friend when no one else was interested, and the man who made her laugh and had stuck by her all these years. Remembering those feelings of friendship and affection confused Euphoria. Aside from the brief periods during which she was testing them, she had not used her powers much since they failed to work on Danny, but she was still having trouble piecing together exactly who she was. She certainly wasn't Leila anymore, that much was clear, but was she really the sort of person who could kill Danny of all people? Euphoria sighed, and reached for her coat. She had been avoiding leaving the house except to test her powers, fearful that some of the remaining citizens of Corvallis would remember what she had done and would recognize her. Nonetheless, she had to find Danny, and try to talk some sense into him. She wouldn't be safe as long as he was near. If she couldn't bring herself to kill him, she would just have to find another way to ensure Danny was removed from her life, permanently. Reaching for her phone, she texted him, asking him to meet her at the Crystal Lake Sports Field so they could talk. ***** "So you're an Epic now, huh?" The sun was setting on the horizon. They were alone, sitting in the middle of one of the soccer fields. Euphoria's rending, if it could be called that, hadn't been the first encounter the city had with epics, and people were generally keeping indoors. "I heard that the powers changed people, but I didn't realize it happened so quickly." Tentatively, Euphoria reached out with her powers, hoping that maybe, they would work now that Danny realized she was an Epic. Danny remained oblivious, his expression unchanged. "I can't believe it either. Danny... I think I did some really horrible things. I'm pretty sure I killed people. I know I killed people. And you were almost one of them!" She had pointed a gun at him and fired. How could he still sit and talk with her like this? "That wasn't you though Leila, it was the powers, or whatever it is that makes Epics go all evil. I know you Leila. You're a good person. You would never have done those things if you were in your right mind. It's like when an insane person or a sleepwalker commits a crime. You weren't in control of your actions. From the sounds of things, you don't even remember them." Euphoria frowned, biting her lip. What was it that she was missing? What was it about Danny that made him immune? Talking with him, here and now, everything felt so natural, almost like they could pick up their friendship again and pretend nothing had happened. And yet, Euphoria knew that their friendship would never be the same, not when Danny was carrying with him the key to her destruction. She could never feel safe with him again. "Danny... I think you need to leave the city. Get out of here. I don't think it's safe for you, or for anyone to be around me anymore." Danny looked at her, an incredulous expression spreading across his face. "Are you crazy? Leila, you're my best friend, I couldn't just abandon you, especially not after all that's happened. The way I see it, you need more than ever. Can you really expect me to leave?" "But Danny.." "Nope, I don't want to hear anything more about how 'unsafe' you think it is for me to be here. I'll deal with it, okay?" Danny took a deep breath, and Euphoria recognized that he was building up his courage to say something. "Listen, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now, and with everything's that been happening, I feel like I need to tell you know, while I have the chance. While Mom and I were away, and we started hearing about all of these people with super powers on the news... well, let's just say there's a reason why I was calling you pretty much every day. If something had happened to you, while as I gone, and I had missed my chance to... I don't know if I could have forgiven myself." Euphoria felt shivers run down her spine as she realized where Danny was going. No, no, no, no,no... "Danny.." "Let me finish." Danny cleared his throat, and Euphoria thought she caught a glint of moisture in his eyes. "When I found you that night, and you were... you weren't yourself, and you pointed that gun at me, it really put things in perspective for me. I mean, I think I've always known deep down, and I've been figuring things out this last while, but when it comes down to it, almost losing the person you care about most really forces you to confront how you feel about them. And that's what I wanted to tell you: how I feel about you." Danny paused again, organizing his thoughts. Reaching out, he took Euphoria's hand in his own. "Leila, I think... no, I know, that I'm in love with you." He's in love with me! How could she have been so stupid? Of course he was in love with her. The string of girlfriends that never worked out, their constant debates about the nature of love, how could she have been so blind? It had been naive to assume that Danny was different than other guys, and that they were actually just friends. For all she knew, he had been actively hiding his feelings from her for years. Their friendship had been one of the few things Euphoria had cared about, and then he had gone and ruined things by falling in love with her. How could she trust him now that she knew at least part of their friendship had been a lie, disguising his true feelings for her? Furthermore, how could she continue on now that their friendship would never be the same? All at once, Euphoria realized just how much the thought of Danny's love terrified her, and that she had been actively avoiding evidence of his feelings for years, all in the hopes that her suspicions were wrong and that their friendship was exactly what it seemed. And now, after years of looking the other way when he made a flirtatious comments, her worst fears had been realized. Danny was in love with her. And that was why her powers didn't work on him. The two sat in silence, staring into each other's eyes. The expectation in Danny'e eyes terrified her. She had to run, to flee, escape before something worse happened. If she left now, maybe she could forget everything that had just happened, and they could go back to being friends again. Only, they couldn't go back to being friends. As long as Danny loved her, he provided proof that Euphoria's powers had a flaw that could be exploited. He was living evidence that she had a weakness. As long as he was there, loving her, she would never be safe. She might not be able to bring herself to kill him, but if she was going to ensure he could never be used against her, she would have to make him stop loving her, and then make sure he stayed away. "I know it's a lot to take in." Danny finally looked away, staring at his hands, which were playing with the grass. "And, obviously, if you don't feel the same way... I mean, that's fine. We can get through it. I just wanted you to know, I guess. And there's lots of time. If you aren't ready right now, just change the topic and we can chat more later, when you're ready" Danny chuckled, forcing a grin. "Look, if you could say something and break this tension, that would be great, but your silence is kind of killing me." For a moment before Euphoria gathered the courage to speak. "I've... I've been afraid to ask, but is your mother... is she..." Danny's eyes widened. "No Leila! She's fine! She was with me on our trip. When I found you... we'd just gotten back." Danny shivered at the thought of her killing his mother. Euphoria tried her powers again, but still they had no effect. She'd basically just admitted that she could have killed his mother, the most important person in his life, and still he was in love with her. "I... I need to go." Euphoria stood suddenly. She needed time to process, and to plan her next move. "I... I shouldn't have come here." "Leila wait, this isn't about the whole love thing, is it? I'm sorry, I should have waited to say something. Please, I can help you. Maybe you can learn to control your powers. You don't need to be afraid!" "Danny, I think... I just need some space, okay? I'll let you know when I'm ready to talk again." Euphoria waved good-bye awkwardly, and then ran as fast as she could for home. ***** Euphoria watched Danny's house from her hiding spot across the street. He'd tried to text her dozens of times, and had even stopped by and tried breaking into her house. She'd taken to sleeping in other abandoned houses on the street, ignoring the fact that they might be abandoned because she had killed the original occupants. Taking a deep breath, Euphoria opened her mobile and set her plan into action with a simple text message. "Meet me in the soccer field, just like last time. Don't text me back or try to call me. I might be late, but wait for me." In moments, the door to Danny's house opened, and he came running out, dashing towards to soccer field. Euphoria counted to a hundred, and then came out of hiding. She crossed the street. In his haste, Danny hadn't locked the door, so Euphoria just entered, not bothering with the spare key he had given her years ago. Danny's mother was sitting at the computer, reading new stories about epics. Apparently one who called himself Steelheart was beginning to make headlines. She spun around as Euphoria shut the door behind her. "Leila! Danny just left to find you. He said it was urgent. Thank goodness you're okay, with everything that's been happening. Have you heard from your father? Here, let me call Danny..." It seemed like Danny hadn't informed his mother of Euphoria's new powers. She would make him regret that oversight. "There's no need, Karen, let's just wait for him here." As she spoke, Euphoria slammed Danny's mother with a powerful dose of happiness. "Just put down the phone, and let's sit and chat while we wait for him, shall we?" Karen nodded, a blissful smile spread across her face. She sat down at the table and motioned for Euphoria to do the same. "Now Karen," Euphoria continued, "I'm going to hold your hand for a bit, is that okay? Just hold still, and I promise everything will be all right." Karen, nodded enthusiastically, and held out her hand. Keeping her placid with a constant blast of happiness, Euphoria grasped Danny's mother's hand firmly in her own, and began using her second ability. Memory by memory, she began to rewrite the history of the only person Danny might love more than herself, clouding every moment of laughter and joy with the perception of hatred and disgust. Knowing Danny's history as well as she did made it easier. As she worked her way backwards, she increased the intensity of the hatred while focusing on moments that she knew Danny held dear. After reaching the date of Danny's birth, which she had memorized long ago, Euphoria started over, layering her revision with more negative emotions. Once and a while, a troubled expression would cross Karen's face momentarily, until Euphoria increased her happiness dosage, forcing the smile to return. She might not be able to stop Danny from loving her on her own, but she could stop Danny's mother from loving him, and maybe that would be enough. ***** She was still at work, hours later, when Danny returned. "Leila? Mom? What's going on? Why didn't you call me? I've been waiting in that field for hours." "Karen, give us a moment?" Euphoria kept Karen's dosage high as she went into the other room. "Listen Danny, I would like to say I'm sorry, but I'm not. This is the way things are, and you can just deal with it. If you need to talk more, you can meet me in the field tomorrow night at eleven. This time I'll be there, I promise. After that though, I never want to see your pathetic little face again, understand?" Danny's eyes started to water slightly. "Leila, what's going on, is it the powers? Is this about what I said earlier?" "No," Leila snapped. "This is all me Danny. The truth is, I'm a pretty awful person." Stupid, he hates seeing people beat themselves up. "Actually, nevermind. I'm not a terrible person. You are just pathetic, and after we talk tomorrow, I never want to see you again." "I don't believe you. It's your powers. Leila, just listen to me, if we put our heads together we can find a way..." "My name is Euphoria! And I haven't been using my powers until today, when I used them on your mother." "My mother? Leila... what did you do?" "I just gave you what you deserve. Now go be a good boy and talk to your mother." Euphoria turned and left, slamming to door behind her. She waited until Danny stopped calling after her, and then withdrew all the happiness she had given his mother. Let's see him love me now. ***** He was waiting for her at the soccer field when she arrived at 10:30. His face was red, and streaked with dirt and tears. One of his eyes was bruised. "I don't understand." His voice sounded dead and hollow. "How could you? I don't even know how you did it. Do you have some sort of mind control powers or something? What did you say to hear to make her hate me that much?" "I'm not interested in explaining myself to you." Euphoria knew she had to be careful. If she revealed too much, Danny might realize why she was doing what she was doing, and discover her weakness. "The only reason I'm here is to offer a trade. I can make your mother love you again, but I want you to do something for me first." Danny narrowed his eyes, and stared at the ground. He was making a small nest out of grass. "Leila's gone, isn't she? What did you say your name was? Euphoria? You've destroyed her, haven't you? Just like you destroyed my relationship with my mom." Danny looked upward. Calamity continued to shine, bright and red in the sky. "Congratulations, you stupid star. You did it. You took the two people I love most away from me." Euphoria held her silence, not daring to try using her powers again until she was certain they would work. "Well, what do you want then?" Euphoria took a breath, steeling herself for what was to come. "I want to hurt you Danny. I want to hurt you really bad. Then, once I've reversed what I did to your mom, I want you both to leave town, and never come back again." Danny laughed. The sound, which used to bring a smile to her lips even at the worst of times, sent shivers down her spine. "Hurt me more than you already have? Fine, go ahead. Give me your worst." Euphoria hesitated, wondering if the next part of her plan was even necessary. For this to work he has to hate you. She couldn't be too thorough. The only other way was to kill him, which she still couldn't convince herself to do. "First," she said, removing a packet of pictures from her jacket, "I want you to look at these." The pictures all depicted her either kissing or in some other way engaging in some form of romantic behavior with men she knew Danny detested. It had taken her time to track so many of Danny's enemies down, he didn't have many, especially not many left in Corvallis, but he did have some. She hadn't actually slept with any of them, but some of the pictures implied she had. All of the guys in the photos were looking at her with adoration, dosed into a stupor by her powers. "When you're done," she continued, "I want you to kiss me." Danny's hand began to shake, and he threw the pictures to the ground. "You disgusting animal. You're sick, you know that? Sick. I should kill you for what you've done to her..." Euphoria's spine stiffened and she suddenly wished she had brought her gun. "I won't... I couldn't... but I should." Danny sniffed loudly and stood. "Well, let's get this over with then." "It has to be the real thing, not just a peck on the cheek. I want a long one, the full Danny experience, so you have lots to regret later." The kiss was necessary. She needed an excuse to touch Danny for an extended period of time. If she was up front about it, like she had been with his mother, he might get suspicious, and she didn't want him wondering what she had changed, lest he uncover her secret. "Well," she asked after a moment. "I'm waiting. Should I..." she was interrupted when Danny grabbed her forcefully, and pressed his lips into hers. As soon as he made contact, Euphoria began using both of her powers at once, slamming with him a powerful dose of emotion, which given the current context could only be lust, while setting to work rewriting his emotional perception of his memories. To her surprise, she could feel them working. She kept the dosage strong enough to encourage him to keep kissing her, but not so strong that the emotions would overpower him and force him to enjoy it. Each time their lips parted briefly for air, she made sure that a hand was resting against his cheek, or his neck. After a few close calls, she ripped his shirt open and pushed him to the ground, all to better maintain skin to skin contact. Euphoria did her best not to cringe as his hands slipped inside her jacket. There was no trace of love or affection in his touch, only desperation and an overpowering hunger for more. Knowing she did not have as much time as she had with his mother, Euphoria worked on multiple emotions at once, intensifying them during all of their shared memories. Hate, fear, disgust. Hate, fear, disgust. She repeated the mantra again and again as she worked, ensuring that Danny would never love her again. Finally, she reached the day they first met. They had been paired together for a group activity, and Danny had made her laugh by sticking pencils in his nose. With one last burst of negative emotion, Euphoria pushed away from Danny, recalling all of her power as she did so. On the ground, Danny gasped for air a couple of times, before beginning to sob quietly to himself, responding both to what had just transpired between them, and the sudden withdrawal of emotion. "Stay away from your house until sunrise." The frost in her voice almost scared her. "I'll undo what I did to your mother before you return. Then, you both need to leave immediately. If you don't, I'll make you hate her next time, and then watch you kill her." Danny continued to sob on the ground. Euphoria rolled her eyes. "Raise your hand if you understand. I said..." Slowly, Danny sat up and raised a hand for a moment. As soon as he met her eyes, the sobbing started again, and he collapsed back to the ground. Satisfied, Euphoria straightened her clothing, and buttoned up her coat, and then walked away, leaving her best friend to cry himself to sleep. Euphoria gasped as the vision ended, breathing heavily. He knows. Euphoria tried to calm herself, but she remained paralyzed by fear. He knows, he knows, he knows, he knows. "Well now." Insight's face quirked into some semblance of a smile. "That was a fun trip down memory lane, wasn't it? Making sure they were alone on the bridge, Insight struck at her, returning them both to the physical plane just as the back of his hand connected with her face. Euphoria, who had been floating several feet above the bridge, was sent sprawling to the ground, while Insight landed lithely nearby. She was struggling to regain her breath as he kicked her in the side, forcing the air from her lungs once again. "Your little scheme almost worked, you know. For years I lived in terror of you, unable to comprehend what had ever possessed me to stick around you for as long as I had. Even after I got my powers, I might still have stayed away, if you hadn't made a mistake." Before Euphoria could begin to guess what he meant, he kicked her in the side again, and all she could think of was the pain. "You don't even know what you did wrong, do you?" Insight laughed. He vanished for a moment, and then reappeared with a stick, likely from the same tree as the ones he had used to kill the Iron Ogress. He's going to kill me. Euphoria tried to struggle to her feet, but Insight forced her back down with a sharp blow to her back. "You forgot. You remembered wrong. You see, we didn't meet that day I stuck pencils up my nose like a buffoon. We met a week before that. You were on the swings, and I..." Insight trailed off, and a look of concern spread across his face. "Anyways," he struck her across the back again for emphasis. "The point is you missed a memory. And that memory has been bothering me ever since I left Corvallis. 'How,' I thought, 'Is it possible that I was so wrong about her? Why was I so certain we were going to be friends, when every other time I remember spending time with you, I was terrified. When I gained my powers, and was able to review my own memories, I realized I wasn't crazy, and that something really was strange about them." How long had they been viewing the memories? Had it been minutes, hours? Usually the memories seemed to take place in real time, but Insight could distort time relative to the physical plan while they were intangible. Perhaps Rainmaker or Buttercup was still nearby. If they heard her scream... Her scream echoed into the night, but was cut short by another kick the ribs. "Your allies are long gone, Enslaver. They are probably snug in their beds now, dreaming sweet dreams. Even if they were close by, I could kill you now, before they ever had the chance to save you." "Do it then," Euphoria spat, trying to stop herself from shaking. "Just get it over with." Insight laughed again. "Kill you? Now why would I do that, Enslaver?" Reaching down, Insight touched her on the shoulder. Colour that Euphoria hadn't yet realized had returned vanished again, and she felt her now intangible body begin to float now that it was no longer supported by the bridge. Insight sunk down into the bridge, so that he could meet her eyes. "I don't want to kill you, Euphoria. I want to hurt you. I want to hurt you really bad." END OF DAY ONE (Day Two will start shortly)

If they are anything like my parents (or my mother at least, my father always pretends he doesn't care), their behavior, though frustrating, is likely coming from a place of love and a desire to see you more often. That, and grandchildren. If they are anything like my parents, or other parents I've encountered, (*cough-inlaws-*cough), no matter how remote the possibility of actually obtaining grandchildren, whether or not there is already a plan in place, or if grandchildren already exist, the desire to have them (or have more), and to have them close by, is always an acceptable motivation for doing things.

Ooooh, I was only thinking of the kind of hierarchy or pecking order. Considering how those emotions actually represent is even more interesting! I'll need to think more about that, before I post any guesses. Since I'm in my mid-twenties, my emotions would probably be in the process of shifting from being more unique in appearance to being more uniform (like the mother and father's). I also like the point that Riley is not necessarily traditionally feminine in her gender expression as an explanation for her emotions expressing their genders differently. In this context, it's interesting that all of her emotions represent a distinct binary gender (male or female--none express as non-binary or androgynous). I wonder if this was intentional, or for simplicity's sake because of the genders of the voice actors. Another thing I loved about their treatment of sadness is the necessity of sadness for contemplation and for processing pain. It was a very astute observation, and one I should be reminded of more. Also, did anyone else love the cat/dog emotions? I found the cat especially to be incredibly accurate. EDIT: Another fun thing to consider (but not necessarily to share if too personal) - what would you consider to be your core memories, and what emotions are they primarily associated with (at the moment)? I'll need to think more on this one too. Firefight Spoilers: .

For me, it's a toss up between these: And these: (Yes they both flip open.)

I also loved the movie, and how the emphasized that too much of one emotion, or the absence of any, can be a bad thing, particularly how dangerous it can be for joy-dominant person to suppress traditionally negative emotions, such as sadness. I also loved how Riley's emotions were all very diverse, but when you went into the heads of older people, you saw that they assimilate more after becoming balanced and used to working together. For example, for the Mom, who was apparently sadness-dominant, all of her emotions resembled sadness, while the Dad, whose anger seemed to be in charge, had anger-ish emotions. Riley's emotions bore resemblances to both of her parents, reflecting the fact that they were inherited, and still developing. I'm curious to see if the gender expression of the emotions would change as Riley grew into maturity, since all of the mother's emotions seemed to be female identified, like her, while all of the father's emotions were male-identified. Since I watched it, I've been trying to figure out which emotion would be dominant for me. On one hand, I'm fairly positive and energetic (and I definitely have a goof-ball island), but I'm also fairly discerning and critical (which to me relates more to disgust), and can be paranoid or neurotic (fear). I definitely share Riley's tendency to suppress sadness, and have likely tried to keep anger in the "circle of anger" as well. What do you guys think your emotional make-ups look like?

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I had some ideas, but I am definitely open to suggestions! What did you have in mind??

I kind of would like to see Euphoria to get Nighthound subdued in a room, so she can rewrite his emotional history and increase his empathy, making him extremely sympathetic to every person he's 'encountered', and then let him live with his new-found sense of guilt. This, of course, runs contrary to the general forum-wide desire for Nighthound's death, so I'll accept a reprimand for mentioning a scenario in which the most prominent member of the ATTD list lives.

I'm sorry too (and not just because the Glamour post was lost). As someone who has lost many posts of the years, I know how it can sour a mood, especially if it wasn't great to begin with. Personally, my posts never turn out as good the second time around, so I hope you are different! At the end of the day, it happens, so my sympathies are with you, and let me know if I can do anything to help . Anyways, I suck at cheering people up, so check out Pinkie Pie:

LOL! I see what you did there. [PS: Thanks for tolerating the pony!]

As requested, I will now introduce Her Royal Highness, Princess Genevieve Oprah Ornatia Delicious, as a pony:

I would like to announce that forest fires in Northern Saskatchewan have made the sky look like Scadrial here (either full of smoke, or red). I'll let you know what living in Luthadel feels like, haha. All I need now is some brown plants.

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0 Introduce yourself! (KILLED - Sorry new members, no idea why this was the first to go.) 10 17th Shard Discussion 8 Tech Support 7 The Coppermind Wiki 11 General Brandon Discussion 9 Events and Signings 8 Interview Database 11 Cosmere Theories 11 Stormlight Archive 11 Mistborn 9 Elantris and Emperor's Soul 10 Warbreaker 8 Cosmere Short Stories 10 The Reckoners 12 The Rithmatist 8 Alcatraz 9 Other Stories 8 The Wheel of Time 10 Writing Excuses 11 Reading Excuses 11 General Discussion 7 AMAs 9 Entertainment Discussion 10 Creator's Corner 10 Role Playing 18 Mistborn: The Inquisition 11 Sanderson Elimination 12 Reckoners RPG 9 Social Groups, Clans, and Guilds

Just updated Elariel stuff. I also have a lot of random trivia knowledge, so I was thinking of going through and adding some of that in to the Chapter summaries.

Her powers and demeanor were definitely influenced by Storm from X-Men. I'm trying to come up with inspirations for the rest of her personality/history, but I'm drawing a blank. I guess part of her history may have been influenced by the Good Wife? I'll see what I can do about the wiki article. Elantris and Mistborn Era 1 are both well within my comfort zone (especially Mistborn, which I've reread a lot for MBI). My comfort level thing is more with the act of editing itself. I'm always afraid I'll break something. Once I get more familiar with the system, I'm sure I'll be fine. EDIT: Looking through the articles that need attention, I'm not sure what I have to contribute. I think what I know the most about is the noble Houses of Luthadel, and the Kandra, so I might focus on adding to those. I'm drawing blanks on a lot of the Elantris stuff. My copy of Final Empire is lent out at the moment, so I'll do some editing as soon as I get it back .

Quickshift's power reminded me of sympathy from the king killer books, and that just made me wish Pat Rothfuss could craft his exquisite prose a touch faster.

Something tells me Funtimes and Princess GOOD would get along. EDIT: Make that Funtimes, Princess GOOD, and Shiny Sparkle . We can call them the Sparkly Trinity.

I've had peanut butter and jelly in a wrap before, if that's what you mean. I've never tried frying it like a quesadilla though, so I'll have to try that! This is the thing. I love Wikis. I read them all the time. Writing them intimidates me. What I really need to do is just wade in, figure out how to edit things, and then go to town. As for something you can do, I respond well to being given specific assignments. So, assign me an article, and we'll see . Go for it! It would be good for my stats.

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