Thursday, March 4th, 2010
I write a list of the names of known bus passengers that I knew died, and their descriptions. Although I knew them via Observe, there were enough names I had actually overheard in conversations or that I had asked personally, I could truthfully say that I knew them from that source. I just didn't specify which ones.
As for the second half of that hellish encounter itself, I write almost everything down, reviewing FRAPS to get the details as accurate as I am willing to admit to. There are deceits of course, clever wording to get the readers to make certain conclusions, and lies by omission. However, I feel a paranoid need to make sure everything actually stated is technically true, just in case that matters to a bunch of thinkers.
They captured us with Burnscar's walls of flames outside the burning house we fled from. Greg Bonner got eaten by Crawler, and I ran away relying on my brute rating to survive the burns hoping to find help, but got smacked unconscious by Hatchetface.
I get to the scene where I wake up on Bonesaw's table, and endure her torture and conversation. I state they brought me to where the other prior captives were at, (technically true). I mention I didn't know who all of those individuals were (technically true). I did not mention that the prior ones not from the bus were already dead. I describe much of what I observed. I mention the conversations I had or overheard with the Nine that let me make conclusions about their personalities, and those I managed to 'touch'. The implication is that I have a touch based thinker power that lets me know enough to explain away important things, like my blatant descriptions of their powers. Examples are Bonesaw when she was working on me, and Hatchetface when he punched me, though I mention in that case my power didn't work. Later on in the report, Burnscar is covered when I hit her in the face, Shatterbird when I took her down, Crawler when he grabbed me, and the Siberian when it bit my fingers off. I guess that Jack may have touched me while I was unconscious.
I mention how I came to the definite conclusion they were purposely trying to trigger people, first suspected from the trap house. I describe how Jack had brought me over to translate his sick games to some people that only knew Spanish, Chela and her parents included. I just did not mention they were actually the only ones. I write how they had some people suspended over fires and some strung up by nooses, and some chained to poles. All Technically true, I just omit that there was actually only one of each. Someone finally triggered and some of the Nine fell unconscious (technically true). I state there were Parahumans hiding among the survivors (technically true, me). With some of the nine down, we all took action to attempt to escape. I put the table I was attached to in stasis, freeing myself, and ran to help the other survivors. Someone cut the ropes that made the suspended people fall, a Portal from a parahuman appeared, and some parahuman makes the bonfires flare into a blinding light. Chela, Reuben, myself and the Portal cape manage to escape.
I go on from there, almost dying by Crawler after the building collapses and we lose Reuben. Crawler grabs me, while Jack decides to make a game of hunting us. He even wanted to make it sporting by sending one member at a time. Crawler tries to melt me with acid but I put most of it in stasis. I escape again by only jumping through a Portal. I just never mention that Portal and Chela are the same person.
I describe how Portal tricked Hatchet-face to drop him from half a mile up, but I learned later that he didn't die from the impact. I describe how we use the river as shelter from Burnscar's fires and how Portal and I finally manage to kill her. I mention how we flee from Mannequin and Shatterbird. I go over how I got the tracker out of myself, and tried something similar on Portal (technically true, but I did not mention if I succeeded). I mentioned that I failed to get it out of Chela. (Technically true at a previous time.) I describe baiting and failing to attempt to get Mannequin cut in half with a closing Portal. We run away again but Chela is captured. I describe how I managed to capture Shatterbird, and the insanely stupid idea I had to trade Shatterbird back for Chela.
I couldn't convince Portal this was a good idea to help me with because she had left. (technically true). The implication is she abandoned me at that point, so I imply Shatterbird leads me back to Jack's campsite under threat of death. I do mention that I had a gun, but not more than that.
It gets decidedly more difficult to twist words at this point. I describe my conversation with Jack and mention how he makes me second guess myself and foils my plans of putting Mannequin in stasis. But apparently he doesn't actually care about Shatterbird and aims to call my supposed bluff about shooting her. He lets Chela go anyway, because he thinks it will be amusing to watch what happens. Then he tells Shatterbird the gun I am holding had no ammo, which he somehow knew, and she starts to summon glass to eviscerate us, so I kill her by melting her with Crawler's acid spit I put in stasis earlier.
We are saved again by a portal appearing. I say I'd feel guilty about leaving someone behind so I imagine she would too. Probably technically true, but these may be my weakest statements in the report. Chela and I flee through the portal. I discover Portal has been cut up by Jack Slash (technically true, I just don't mention it occurred before Chela opened it.) I speculate that if Hatchetface's null field could go through the portal earlier that Jack's power could have as well.
Finally I describe our flight from Crawler and the Siberian, how Crawler got stuck and cut in half, and how everyone was so badly injured already. Finally the Siberian catches up with us and grabs me, breaks my hand and bites my fingers off. I carry Chela through the portal that is made, despite Portal the cape bleeding and being quite weak, and we are all stuck on top of the fire watch tower. Chela is barely conscious. I grab what useful things I can from the fire tower, which includes the sleeping bag while Portal rests to recharge and find a new place to make a portal to escape to. Then the tower shakes so I look outside, Crawler survived being cut in half, is even bigger than before, and is trying to knock it down. Portal makes a portal and I carry Chela through it, but when I turn around to look, no one else has followed us through (technically true). The portal is suspended in air while the tower collapses to the ground. Chela is dying, so I put her in the sleeping bag and put her in stasis. Then the Portal winks out, and I was the only one left on the mountaintop. I hope that Portal isn't dead but feared for the worst, (technically true) But I'm far away from wherever the other end of the portal is and can do nothing. Then I wander around the mountain top in a fevered daze until I find help.
I glance at my watch, it is just after 8am when I finish writing the report up at a picnic table in a park that I'm sitting at. I'm still wearing the disposable surgical gloves I swiped from the hospital when I started, so I still technically have not touched the report with my bare skin. It seems to matter for Trivia based on what I overheard yesterday.
I pull up a new notification that has appeared.
For performing a repeated action you may gain the 'Journalism' skill.
Huh. Repeated, because this is my second report? I query it with Parapedia.
You know how to research, prepare and write about subjects intended for consumption as news or technical reports about current or past events.
It supports specialties, and is decently broad. I haven't accepted a new skill in a while and I feel like those 22 unused slots are going to waste. It doesn't say anything about whether or not the content is required to be truthful or not. I decide to accept it, it might help in all kinds of ways in the future.
Your Observe skill has increased by 1
It seems a single Observe use on a new skill managed to top that off. Should I try for another specialty on Observe? Meh, it will probably be ridiculously difficult with such a high base level, though I should do so at least one more time just to see how difficult it may be compared to other skills.
I'll decide later. For now I make sure no one is watching before pulling some breakfast out of my inventory and I eat as I walk over to the post office across the street. I keep my gloves on as I buy a generic large express delivery envelope and stuff my report in it. I address it to Sara Clark at the office address on her business card. Since it's within the same city, she should get it later today.
I sneak onto the MARC train to Baltimore and manage to take a 45 minute nap. A notification pulses at me when I wake up at my destination.
+550 XP 'Vanish like a fart in the wind' quest completed.
Your Stealth skill has increased by 1
Well that's good. Stealth was my skill up reward? What I need to do now is figure out how to use some of these train vouchers to get further north. I'm already in Penn station, so I peruse the Amtrak route maps. There are daily runs to Boston, but a run to Brockton Bay only happens once a week on Wednesday. Damn, that was yesterday. Why is it so infrequent? I ask a counter attendant and he explains the demand isn't high enough to service runs there more than once a week. That sucks. I don't want to wait another damn week. I can use the vouchers for a ticket to Boston, but I'm faced with the ID problem I expected. I can do the unaccompanied minor thing again, but I'll have to find an adult with a valid ID to pretend to be a guardian. I could try sneaking on board, but it's a seven hour trip, and isn't tied into the Baltimore DC subway system which is more no-ID friendly. This makes it much more risky to do. At least I can pick up the permission form for an unaccompanied minor passenger while I'm here.
Now who can I find to pay to do this? I've 200 bucks but I'll have to save some for further travel when I get to Boston. Guess I should go 'shopping' again, and restock my supplies and cash.
****?
Your Thievery skill has increased by 1
I may have overdone it but I'm 240 dollars richer after pawning stuff and I now have a fully stocked inventory now. Anymore and I'll suffer movement penalties which I want to avoid. I could carry more if my injuries weren't giving me penalties to my STR.
I'm in a bathroom with my shirt off, experimenting with dying my hair. I haven't had a haircut since valentine's day. That was when I had it bleached. There should be some roots showing but I don't see any. Has my hair grown at all? I want a different look just in case, now that I've left the PRT behind. The dye job gets me a few percentage points in Disguise, and I have greenish-black hair now, which was not exactly what I was going for but it was my first try.
Can I inventory the dye off my hair? I separate a single lock and give it a try. It works, not much different than what I did to the face paint previously. I re-dye the streak so it at least looks even if still off-colored. Maybe it will improve when it dries more. I inventory the dye off my skin where it made a mess when it dripped.
I look at myself in the mirror. I haven't done a self-observe in a while, but I won't be doing a specialty at this level if I do. I can wait until I'm stable somehow after I'm in Brockton and figure out what I'm doing. If I injure myself again and get another STR de-buff, I'll hit encumbrance. I should have left some buffer room. I have 17 unspent points, and an unspent perk.
I decide to put a point in STR, and watch as my muscles get more defined in the mirror, bringing my base score from 17 to 18. That's a bit more above the average of 16 for males that I've seen so far. Still not at the totally ripped look but I don't think I even want that. Damn, my wuss flaw didn't go away either, why are you unfairly punishing me like this? At least I have a buffer zone in case of a debuff.
I won't know what additional STR perks are available until I reach 25 base STR. Both AGI and WIS are at 23. I decide to put two points in AGI as well. I'd rather not do that to WIS because It will waste the training progress I already have in it.
25 base AGI unlocks the ability to take Uncanny Dodge: +25% to dodge against avoidable attacks that I can see coming. Nice but I'll wait for now. I want to compare it to what WIS will offer me when that reaches 25. I need to read all that strategy and philosophy stuff I downloaded back in Houston on the train. I'd like to know what perks are available at 25 for the other stats as well, but they'll cost a lot more in points or training to get there.
****?
It's been frustrating that despite running around Baltimore all morning and early afternoon stealing and pawning stuff I hadn't found any takers for an offer to pretend to be a parent. I've lost my chance to travel to Boston today anyway, as they won't let a minor do an overnight trip. That means I have to stay in Baltimore overnight, and if I do that while awake, I need to get some sleep this afternoon. Where will I do that? The library study room trick didn't work without a local ID.
At least I have camping supplies, I set up a cot and a sleeping bag in a dry culvert to rest on. It was warm enough and I was cold resistant anyway that I didn't need to get it in the bag, but it made it more comfortable. Now to handle the clay I swiped because I'm not going to sleep here unguarded.
Your Create Mana Golem skill has increased by 1
I put 14 new clay Golem snakes into my inventory, and keep three out to guard me. I wish I could have used the concrete mix I stole, but it will take way too long to dry. It's about 3pm, I can give myself a few hours to sleep before I have to try finding someone to help me again.
****?
I wake up, pack up and wander the city again for a couple hours, finding my way to a seedier side of town, and spot someone that Vibes says I might be able to take a chance on.
Observe.
Ethnically similar enough, age 34, could pass as a parent if she had a kid in her late teens. Above average CHA and PER, average everything else, even has acting at a skilled level.
I cross the street and walk toward her.
"Het, baby face, what you lookin' for?" one of the other streetwalkers ask I walk by.
Observe. "Not you." Wrong ethnicity, too young and Vibes for her isn’t ideal.
"Hey." I call out to Melody.
"You want the old bitch?" The one I ignored asks.
"Fuck off, Keisha" Melody yells. "Look kid, this ain't the way you should lose your virginity."
"Hey, if the kids got the dough…" Keisha says. I feel very tempted and conflicted right now, but this is more important.
"Yeah, well I don't need to risk statutory rape too, and I'm no cradle-robber."
"Good, because I'm not here for that anyway. But if you have legal ID, I can offer…"
"I'm not buying you beer either." Melody says.
"I will, you pay me." Keisha adds. She is getting annoying.
"You're 20, you're not old enough to buy it!" Melody yells. "Come on kid, go home. You're gonna scare off customers."
"I got a fake, ain't stopped me."
What the hell is wrong with these people? "Damn it, I don't want alcohol. I want someone to pretend to be my guardian at the train station tomorrow so I can buy a ticket out of the city."
"Hah, Seriously? That's a new one." Melody asks.
"Whatever does it for ya…"
"You're too young and the wrong ethnicity to be even remotely convincing" I tell Keisha
"Whatever man, that's racist"
"What the hell, no it isn't!" I say but leave it as Keisha wanders off. I look back to Melody, as I put my uninjured hand in my pocket and inventory a voucher and some cash into it. "I am serious" I say, pulling it out and flashing it to her. "It will take less than 20 minutes tomorrow morning, sign a paper and show an ID. Not even illegal."
"No, I'm sure that's probably illegal. You running away or something? Trust me, that will lead to bad life choices."
"Like what you're doing right now isn't illegal. And I'm running to something not away, but don't worry about me. Come on, easy money. I'm paying for the ticket myself, what will it take, 50 bucks?" Observe indicates she might be interested but cautious. "Penn Station, 8am, public place, daylight It's only 15 minutes from here."
"8am on a Friday morning? I don't get out of bed before noon for less than 200."
A car slows down but then drives off as I tag the driver with Observe. Just a John. Melody looks displeased. "Except you don't have to do what you normally would, and you can go back to sleep, 75?"
"Damn it. You're not any good at this, are you. You use increments of 20 dollars, nobody wants to deal with change. Nor am I some cheap trick going that cheap."
"Well, no the teenager has not in fact had any conversations with a prostitute, or should I say, escort professional before, so why would I be any good at it? Would telling you a sob story about how I'm trying to reunite with my sister because we got split up in the foster care system, but I can't buy a ticket without an ID, so I have to improvise help at all? 100 bucks."
"Ha-ha, it might've." Another car drives up but pulls away. "Damn, you're not going to go away are you? If I agree, will that make you go away?"
"Only if I think you're actually going to."
"Fine, 180"
"What was her name? Keisha? Maybe I should ask her and just pretend I'm adopted or something. I bet she'd do it for cheaper. 120"
"That strung out whore will fuck it up, 160"
"Who the fuck is that kid, Candy?" Says some big guy coming out of a building off behind her. Observe. Melody's frowns and fear and worry gets added as current feelings in her Observe record. Concern shows in her eyes toward me.
"Deal, 8am Penn Station, be sober, dress like a soccer mom." I say quickly and quietly enough that the guy walking up behind her can't hear, while I take a few steps backward and read his info. He's a pimp. So, Candy was her streetwalker name.
"Nobody Jessie; some teenager trying to pop his cherry. I told him to get lost." Melody says while adopting an easy smile before turning around.
I run off down the street like how a scared teenager ought to do, before slowing down. Wait, now where am I? I look over my mini-map and reorient myself.
Wait, there's a counter of two people watching me. Shit did Farsight find me again? No, they go to zero as I turn the corner into an alley, but I hear footsteps approaching fast.
Activating stealth proves pointless, as there isn't immediate cover available and it breaks as two guys round the corner, one pointing a gun at me.
"Gimme your wallet!" the gun holder yells.
I'm already walking backward to create space between myself and them while I observe the gun and the two goons.
"A mugging? Fuck man I don't have time for this. And I don't got a wallet, see?" I say as I turn my pockets inside out revealing them to be empty.
"Bullshit we saw you flash cash at the hooker." The other man, Maurice says as he waves a knife in my direction. I guess my Speech check failed.
Actually where is my wallet? Right, lost it dumping everything into the Siberian. I forgot to get a replacement. Inventory snakes. All attack Nathan Mills. Inventory Mask.
-158 HP (24 Resisted)
Two gunshot goes off as a flash of light from my inventory comes off my hands while I dive to the side to put a dumpster between me and the gun.
"Fucking Cape!" I hear Nathan yell.
"You fucking shot me you asshole, this was a new shirt!" Damn that still stings. Center mass hit, got my fake blood everywhere. Inventory Bat. Snake 1 – 8 subdue Maurice Gibson.
I rush back around the dumpster with my bat up and roll across the ground as Nathan levels the gun at me, fires and misses. He's already on his knees with a snake around his neck, one on his gun arm, and several around each leg. I should have waited. He got a shot off because most of the ones on his gun arm left to go after Maurice.
Power Strike. I bring the bat down onto his gun hand, unfortunately smashing one of my own snakes in the process.
-65 HP
Predictably his gun clatters to the cement, while he wails in pain. Man, I fucked up his hand real bad. Probably would have been worse if I had done a two handed swing. Stupid injury. I step on the gun and inventory it.
Snake 9 – 17 subdue Nathan Mills. I change my orders after Nathan's scream gets cut off and he struggles to breathe. I don't want them to choke him to death.
"Y'all are a couple of idiots." I say as I finger the hole in my shirt. My voxel blood hasn't quite faded yet, but it will soon enough. I walk over to Maurice, kick him, step on his hand, pry the knife from it and inventory that too. Fucker managed to cut some of my snakes apart. I didn't bother to reinforce them, I didn't have enough mana at the time I made them all.
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"Help! Help!" Maurice was still yelling, while Nathan gasps for air. I move the snakes around their heads to cover up their mouths, while I zip-tie them and go through all my notifications.
Snake 15 has been destroyed
Snake 12 has been destroyed
+264 XP For defeating Nathan Mills
Snake 5 has been destroyed
Snake 8 has been destroyed
+198 XP for defeating Maurice Gibson
I rifle through Nathan's Pockets and inventory his wallet. Then I do the same to Maurice, but I'm suddenly struck by a blast of water hard enough to push me up against the brick wall of the alley and his wallet goes flying out of my hand. I glance over but can barely speak as the water spray gets into my mouth.
"Stand down villain!"
"What the fuck! Those two fuckers tried to mug me!" I manage to yell out as I try to block the fire hose force water with my hands.
"A liar too! I saw you rob one of them, as you stood over him with a bat!"
"He attacked us!" Maurice yells. Bastard's mouth managed to slip free.
Fuck this. All subdue Water Jet.
I manage to dive behind the dumpster again while my snakes distract him.
"I'm not a villain you Jackass! They shot me!"
"Where's the blood and the gun?"
Fuck it had faded already. There were notifications firing off, I was worried that meant more of my snakes were getting killed. Some certainly did as I spy pieces of clay smashing into the wooden fence behind me. Well this sucks. I have to go through him just to get out of the alley. I haven't even managed to tag him with an Observe yet.
A much stronger water blast hits the dumpster with constant pressure enough to make it slowly start moving. Cops or the PRT are going to show up soon enough, I need to get out of here. A glance around the edge of the dumpster shows that both Maurice and Nathan fled the scene. Water smashes me in the face before I can observe. I summon what bits of a costume I had acquired and grab an errant trash can lid off the ground to use as a shield before darting around the corner.
I don't want to shoot a hero but I need to get out of here. I summon Nathan's gun and shoot the ground at Water Jet's feet to warn him off as I power dash forward against the stream. Where the hell is all the water coming from and going to? "Just let me go man!" I yell over the roar of the spray.
-6 HP (24 Resisted)
The water pressure on the trash can lid drops suddenly and I fall forward while one leg shoots out from under me. The stream he shot narrowed to a thick pencil sized beam and struck me in the leg slicing right though my summoned trench coat and pants.
"Shit! Don't you know the rules! You shot at me. Don't go lethal in a cape fight!" Water Jet yells as I turn my unbalanced momentum in a power-dashed roll to get closer to him.
I finally tag him with Observe, and notice at least some of my snakes are still on him. All Attack Water Jet's Head. "Bullshit! Half the capes I've ever met have tried to kill me!"
"Because you're a Villain!" He says as he blasts me again with an even tighter beam of water.
-24 HP (24 Resisted)
If that's all the damage he is doing I can tank them except the pressure still throws off my balance.
Water Jet blasts himself in the head with a weaker stream and sends a couple snakes flying off. I throw the lid at him and he uses his other hand to blast it away. I power dash up close now. I inventory the gun and summon the 50 lb. bag of concrete I was planning to use to make golems from and power strike him in the head with it.
-45 HP
It didn't do as much as I hoped. He's wearing a helmet and he still managed to blast a tight hole completely through the bag and powder. The impact on his head rips the tough paper sack the rest of the way and the dust mix flies everywhere. It quickly becomes a wet mess among all the water. I manage to Power Strike slap a handful of wet concrete right into his eyes. As he aims at me with both hands.
-10 HP
-60 HP (24 Resisted)
I dodge one hand's blast. The other hits and spins me like a top. My clothes are ruined. I get close enough to Power Strike kick him in the leg and knock him to the ground.
-32 HP
One of my last few snakes is constricting his neck now. I switch them to subdue and have the other two attack his hands, keeping them pointed away from me and away from trying to pry the other one off his neck. I observe him again as he finally passes out. I inventory my three remaining snakes, make sure Water Jet still has a pulse, and power dash out of the alley and down the street. I pass a police car whose sirens are blaring. Unfortunately they slam on their brakes as they pass me. I dash down yet another narrow alley, but make sure it actually has an exit this time. As I'm passing between the buildings, I inventory myself dry, inventory all the dye off my hair, and swap out my clothes.
This time with my hands in my pockets I casually stroll as the same police car passes me and stops at the alley entrance I just left. I turn stealth back on and make my way back to the culvert I slept in this afternoon.
+594 XP, +2 Water Affinity for defeating Water Jet
****?
Reviewing Water Jet's Observe record even though the fight was long over, showed me that the only reason I won was that his unarmed and melee fight skills were as shitty as mine are. He's a blaster that relies on suppressing people with water, almost entirely non-lethal but he could still make it lethal, and tried to after I shot at him. But I didn't know how else to escape. He's a trigger, conflict seeking cape, shitty WIS score. He wasn't a brute but was wearing Kevlar body armor. He still kept me pinned, and if not for Avatar those tight water blasts would have pulped right through my flesh. The wall he hit when he missed me was scoured clean enough to have blasted away old spray paint from gang graffiti. His water must evaporate after a time limit or something because the street should have been a lot more flooded than it was.
What I should have done better was pay more attention to where I was and where I was going. Entering a dead-end alley was stupid.
I look around my newly set up temporary camp. Now to fix some of these deficits with some grinding. I'm nearly at another CON point from the fight damage. I burn off all my mana before napping. I have all night, till the train ride next morning. I just hope Melody actually shows up.
Your Melee Weapons skill has increased by 1
You have unlocked the 'Auto-Parry' feature for Melee Weapons.
For testing the limits of your endurance and vitality, you have gained 1 CON
Your Damage Resistance (Physical) skill has increased by 1
Your Damage Resistance (Fire & Heat) skill has increased by 1
For testing the limits of your endurance and vitality, you have gained 1 CON
****?
Friday March 5th?, 2010
Last night's gains weren't too bad, despite torturing myself. Power Strike still doesn't raise against inanimate objects but it's the most effective way to hurt myself quickly for physical resistance gains. Fire resistance gains are a lot slower because I'm being careful, but at least it's steady progress. Melee Weapons hit the same wall that Unarmed did. No more gains from self-practice. CON gains are nice, but slowed down a lot after hitting 60.
I grind Power Dash in a park sprinting for a while before sitting down at a picnic table to make a week's worth of sandwiches but stop when I manage to gain the 'Sandwiches' specialty for my cooking skill. I swear, some of the things my power does in this system. Sandwiches, really? Will that ever be important? Ever at all?
Your Power Dash skill has increased by 1
You have gained the 'Sandwiches' specialty for Crafting (Cooking & Brewing)
****?
After an hour at the train station trying to train WIS by reading philosophy and strategy stuff on my HUD while meditating, I spot Melody, get up and walk over to her.
"You're late" I say as I come up next to her. It doesn't matter too much, the train I want doesn't leave till 10. I had to make sure I gave myself time to find an alternate or sneak on board if she fell through.
"Yeah well, whoa, didn't you have black hair last night?"
"Temporary hair-dye. I washed it out this morning."
"Sorry, some cape fight had the police and PRT crawling over the neighborhood. Bad for business."
I gave her a quick Observe. "At least you look the part. Come on."
"No, I have to make sure you got the money first, that's how this works."
"Okay, see I got it, $160. But not giving it till after I get my ticket and form. That's how this works."
We briefly rehearse a quick story and I give her the form to fill out while we stand in line waiting. Several minutes go by and we reach the counter.
"…Don't forget to get your homework done."
"Yeah, Mom, whatever." I roll my eyes as we go up to the counter and I put a voucher and the form up.
"Simon Warren, Unaccompanied Minor. You know if you're 16 you can use your own driver's license?" The ticket agent says.
"Yeah well I'm 15"
"Parental ID?"
"Here you go." Melody says, showing it off. I look at it as she does so, it matches her overhead tag name.
"We can use these right?" I ask.
"Yes, that's fine. Next train to Boston is at 10:00 am. Who will be picking him up?"
"His father, John Warren."
"Yeah, unless he bails and sends Stephanie. That's his girlfriend."
Melody gives an exaggerated scoff.
"Does Stephanie have a last name?" The ticket agent asks.
"Her last name is Bitch." Melody adds.
"Mom!"
"Sorry, it's Stephanie Gersky."
"Right, will you be staying with Simon on the platform until the train arrives?"
"No, I have to run to work, will that be alright?"
"It's alright, I'll let a platform agent know. They'll escort him."
A few moments later my escort arrives.
Melody leans over and gives me a slight hug. "You be good alright?" That wasn't part of the script but I roll with it. I probably squeeze her too close cause she tweaks my ear, but I pass the $160 into her hand.
"Ow!"
"Hey, I mean it. I don't want to hear about you getting into any trouble."
"Okay."
"And tell your father to stop shorting his child support payments. Bye now"
We wave at each other and Melody exits.
I resume reading my philosophy stuff and meditating while pretending to listen to music on an MP3 player I got while 'shopping'. A bit over an hour later and I'm on my way.
Seven more hours later, after a peaceful train ride spent reading, meditating, and napping, I arrive in Boston.
Hopefully I won't run into any more random encounters like I did in Baltimore and Virginia.
Simon's Character Sheet:
Name: Simon Clarence Anderson
Alias: Potter, Stasis
Gender: Male
Age: 15
Ethnicity: Hispanic, Native American, German, Scandinavian
Race: Human (Parahuman)
Class: Teenage Runaway / Rogue
Faction: None
Money: $345.75
Title: Gentleman Thief
Level: 28 (29.96%)
XP: 74548
Primary Attributes
STR: 18 (-0.95) 17.05 (0.00%)
AGI: 25 (-1.25) 23.75 (2.08%)
CON: 60 (-2.28) 57.72 (20.30%)
INT: 30 (+0.00) 30.00 (1.72%)
PER: 12 (+0.00) 12.00 (64.04%)
WIS: 22 (+0.00) 22.00 (67.95%)
CHA: 14 (+0.00) 14.00 (26.65%)
LUC: 15 (+0.00) 15.00 (79.33%)
Unspent Points: 14
Secondary Attributes
Health Pool: 3300/3300
Stamina Pool: 2040/2040
Mana Pool: 10500/10500
Stress Pool: 489/520
Attack: 21.9 (+1.00) 22.9
Speed: 3.29 (+0.00) 3.29
Dodge: 21.89 (+1.00) 22.89
Armor: 0.4 (+0.00) 0.4
Carry: 170.5 (+0.00) 170.5
Allure: 4 (-0.25) 3.75
Status Effects
Teenage Acne: ALU -0.50
Alluring Charm*: ALU +1.00
Stylish Outfit*: ALU +0.50
Fractured Ribs: STR -0.50 AGI -0.75 CON -1.50
Bruised Organs x4: AGI -0.30 CON -0.75
Severed finger: STR -0.15 CON -0.02 ALU -0.13
Partially-severed finger: STR -0.10 CON -0.01 ALU -0.13
Broken Hand: STR -0.20 AGI -0.20
Butterfly & The Bee: DOD +1.00 ATK +1.00
Visage of a Wuss: ALU -1.00
Skills
Max Slots: 68
Free Skill Slots: 21
Artistry: 10 (85.89%)
Athletics: 13 (10.37%)
Basic Academics: 9 (0.00%)
Computers: 10 (11.23%)
Crafting (Cooking & Brewing): 1 (0.00%)
Crafting (Stone & Pottery): 10 (5.67%)
Create Mana Golem: 13 (22.70%)
Damage Resistance (Corrosive): 2 (43.31%)
Damage Resistance (Electrical): 3 (24.35%)
Damage Resistance (Fire & Heat): 6 (79.26%)
Damage Resistance (Ice & Cold): 8 (0.00%)
Damage Resistance (Physical): 13 (8.74%)
Damage Resistance (Sonic & Concussive): 1 (0.00%)
Disable Device: 12 (21.14%)
Disease Resistance: 14 (25.45%)
Disguise: 4 (58.76%)
Drug & Poison Resistance: 25 (2.76%)
Empathy: 15 (90.42%)
Firearms: 1 (5.00%)
Gamer's Body: MAX (0.00%)
Gamer's Interface: MAX (0.00%)
Gamer's Mind: MAX (0.00%)
Journalism: 1 (0.00%)
Language-English: MAX (0.00%)
Language-Spanish: MAX (0.00%)
Mathematics: 4 (0.00%)
Medicine: 3 (25.67%)
Meditation: 13 (92.28%)
Melee Weapons: 5 (0.00%)
Null Resistance: 16 (10.56%)
Observe: 31 (56.57%)
Parahuman Lore: 13 (26.55%)
Power Dash: 6 (54.98%)
Power Strike: 10 (35.74%)
Programming: 10 (0.54%)
Psychology: 5 (12.61%)
Science (Biology): 1 (53.22%)
Science (Chemistry): 1 (0.00%)
Science (Earth): 1 (0.00%)
Speech: 11 (24.70%)
Stealth: 15 (9.54%)
Strategy: 6 (74.76%)
Survival: 2 (67.65%)
Thievery: 12 (72.60%)
Unarmed Combat: 5 (12.31%)
Vehicle Operations: 3 (0.00%)
Video Games: 26 (16.74%)
Unspent Skill Points: 0
Perks
Free Perk Slots: 1
Gaia's Blessing: Mana Pool and Mana Skill access
Gaia's Attunement: Elemental Affinity access
Light Sleeper: Need only 5 hours to get fully rested
Mana Reserve: Bonus MP per level increased by 25%
XP Whore: +10% Level XP
Fast Recovery: x4 HP, Stamina and healing regeneration speed (Free at 50 CON)
Toughness: Bonus HP per level increased by 50%
Quick Items: Retrieve and place items in inventory instantly w/out using the window
Flaws
Selective Amnesia: We had to make room for stuff in your head
A Bit of a Troll: Sometimes you just can't help yourself
Unnatural Curiosity: Can't always resist the urge to find stuff out
You still look like a Wuss: Even with a few extra muscles, you still look like a wuss.
Wanted by the S9: You think they'd forget? Git gud, skrub
Affinities
Earth: 8
Water: 4
Plant: 2
Lightning: 3
Fire: 4
Air: 1