Fragments From the Cutting Room Floor

[Sofaspud]

I'm going through stuff and finding things that aren't likely to be used soon, if at all.  Some of them are amusing or revealing enough that I'd like to share them, so... have some fragments.

I'll add to this as I continue sorting and organizing my 800+ files of notes and random documents.

---------------------

"I call it Terrencium-239," Katy said proudly, eyes shining, as they watched another wave of deadly radiation blasts hammer at the unyielding surface of her latest creation.

"Terrencium?"  Eva raised an eyebrow, while next to her, Terrence Knight fidgeted uncomfortably.

"It's based off a theoretical model I developed after seeing the latest scans of Terr in action," Katy said.  "Two-three-nine is the revision number.  I'm really proud of this batch.  Two-three-eight was... explosive."

Eva and Terr both took a step back from the observation window.


---------------------

She had to finish the job.  Kill Leon McNichol.

The door slammed back open, and the gleaming form of MACH-II plowed through.  Behind him, the catgirl struggled to get through, spitting mad and trying to squeeze past his immense body, which stood blocking the doorway.

"THIS UNIT IS RESPONDING TO A DISTRESS BEACON!" it thundered.  "DO NOT INTERFERE."

"Override!" Naoko snapped.  "Authorize my voiceprint: 'Prometheus'.  Acknowledge!"

MACH cocked his head, staring at her -- almost thoughtfully, she would have said, if it hadn't been a Crey medic-bot.

"UNDERSTOOD," MACH said at last.


---------------------

"I really do appreciate your help, Sylia," Leon noted as Sylia dropped the bag into a drawer behind the counter.  "Perhaps I could take you to dinner tonight to express my thanks?"

Sylia shook her head, a small smile on her face.  "Thank you, but I'm afraid I already have plans."

"Well, tomorrow night, then."

A quiet throat-clearing got his attention.  He turned his head to see Priss leaning against the frame in the archway leading to the back of the store.  "She's with me, Leon," the singer noted good-naturedly.

Leon winced.  "Oh."

Sylia covered a laugh with her hand.

"Well, Nene said you were with someone," Leon noted as he tried to gather the tattered remnants of his suave image, "but she never told me who."

"Well, now you know."  Priss was grinning.

"I'll, ah, just be on my way, then," Leon said.

"Goodbye, Leon," Sylia said with amusement in her tone.

"Shoo!" Priss added.

Leon fled.




---------------------

--sofaspud
--"Listening to your kid is the audio equivalent of a Salvador Dali painting, Spud." --OpMegs

[Bob Schroeck]

Heh.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Acyl]

Inspired by MatrixDragon/Matrix Dragon, who was describing what one of his characters would do to Reichsman. Dramatic punching at superspeed.

Me, my thought processes are rather different. I don't know how many folks remember Syndesis, my original City of Heroes character. For those who aren't familiar, she's a regenerating superspeedster - moves fast, heals fast. And an ex-villain. And an internet troll.

"'ey, Reichspants," Syndesis said, blurring underneath a blast of lightning - and ducking round the subsequent swinging fist. "Hold still f'er one second, willya? Take a look at this."

Eyes crackling, his face a mask of rage, Reichsman bellowed: "WHAT FOOLISHNESS IS---"

"Chill, chill," the heroine said soothingly, pulling a small rectangle of glossy paper from her belt, "cool your Aryan-supremacy jets for a sec, 'kay? 's just a photo, yeah?"

"WHAT IS THIS..."

"Look, see, I got th'time travel armband thing, right? And I got Portal Corp access, right?"

"YES WHAT---"

"Well, I figured, look, Statesman, yer dimensional counterpart from 'round 'ere has a granddaughter, Miss Libby, right. And even ol'Tyrant has his grandspawn kicking round, right. So I figured, all things being equal-like, back in Nazi Earth you gotta have spawned, yeah? So---"

Reichsman stopped, staring blankly at the photo being pressed in front of his face. "WHAT IS THIS?"

"Oh, well, see, I'm a hero, right, I know people, yeah? Lots and lotsa people, and y'know how most heroes are in real good shape and look freakin' awesome in spandex."

"WH---," Reichsman stuttered.

"Well, I figured I'd introduce yer granddaughter to a nice guy."

"WH---"

"I mean, he /is/ black and Jewish, but the kids are cute."

"I---"
-- Acyl

[Logan Darklighter]

"Well, I figured I'd introduce yer granddaughter to a nice guy."

"WH---"

"I mean, he /is/ black and Jewish, but the kids are cute."

"I---"

I don't think it would matter if in the next nanosecond Reichs pulps Syndesis down to a thin paste, she'd regenerate back to health in a week and the first thing she'd say would be - 

"...Worth it!"

^_^

[Acyl]

Superball:

"I don't get it," she said. "You're not an idiot. Why do you act like one when you put on that mask?"
He paused, halfway through donning the costume.
"The first guy to wear this thing," he replied slowly, "was an idiot. Or maybe it was just an act. Looking back, I guess it was. Had to be. Nobody could be that stupid. But I don't know. I'll never know."
"Just because he did it," she said, "doesn't mean you have to."
"Wrong," he disagreed, "it does. Because that idiot died saving MY sorry excuse for a life. Even after all the years I spent making HIS life hell. I owe that son of a bitch. And this is the only way I can pay it back."
She shook her head. "You can do that without...all of this. Wisecracking, playing the fool...this isn't you."
"No, it isn't," he said, "that's the point. This isn't about me."
"Superball is dead. Don't you get it?"
"Dead? Nonono," he laughed as he pulled the mask on. His voice changed, rising higher. “C'mon, keep up! What did I tell ya, what did I tell ya? SUPERBALL is ALIVE!"

***

Alec Kazam:
"Numina," the wizard said, "is the greatest threat. Her bloodline is impeccable. And like us, she has overcome death itself."
The succubus shook her head. "She is not the only one. War Witch has also returned from beyond. And there is the Ghost Widow."
"Don’t overlook the Midnight Squad," hissed a spectral Oranbegan, "have you forgotten what Castanella and his ilk have done to us?"
A quiet voice said: "What about Alec Kazam?"
Silence fell. One by one, the gathered Circle of Thorns turned to stare at their colleague.
"What? That fool in the newspapers? You can't be serious! He claims he learned magic from the Internet, of all things! Look at what he calls himself!"
"He has no lineage," another protested, "no divine gift! He wields no occult artifacts! You fear this...this dabbler?"
"As you say," murmured the one who had spoken, "he has no blood, no blessing, no sources of power. And yet, my friends, consider this: he works magic...all the same."

This snippet is actually Alec's bio in-game, but I don't assume most folks have read it. I include it for completeness, to introduce the next snippet, featuring Alec and Debra Kadabra. I never got round to playing Debra, but she was rolled for Dark Control/Dark Assault, as Alec's apprentice and sidekick.

***

Debra Kadabra:
"I'm not calling myself Debra Kadabra."
"It's an awesome name," Alec argued, "it fits the theme. It's even close to your real one. It's like you have a moral obligation here. It's your birthright."
Deborah sighed. She took a deep breath, counted slowly, then exhaled. "You only want to call me that because YOU go by Alec Kazam. Which is a stupid name too, just so you know."
"You're my minion," Alec pointed out, "that means I get to pick your name."
"I thought I was supposed to be your sidekick," Deborah corrected, through gritted teeth. "Or apprentice. Or, you know, something with a dignified job title."
"Eh, lackey, henchman, intern, same difference. Besides, 'Debra Kadabra' is open. Nobody's using it. Though I suppose we could always register you as 'Crazy Psycho Goth Chick'. Wait, no, that's too many characters. Doesn't fit the entry field."
Deborah sighed. "You know what," she said, "I'm really starting to reconsider my career choices here."
"But Arachnos doesn't have dental!"

And the following one isn't funny, but my rarely-played Kheldian Peacebringer was one of my few non-humour characters.

***

Light Errant



He couldn't stop the bleeding. First aid wasn't enough for this.
A gloved hand gripped his wrist. "It's okay," she gasped, eyes glowing behind her mask.
"It's not okay," he hissed.
"No," she whispered, "save them."
There were more of the monsters flooding the streets. And people. So many people. They needed help. But what could he do?
"You're the hero," he snapped, "you’re the one with powers! I can't, I'm just...I’m not..."
She looked at him. He flinched. By the time he looked back, the light had faded from her eyes. She was gone.
He didn’t even know her name. He wished he had. Maybe if he’d watched the news more, he’d have known she was Light Errant...
...wait...how?
No. He’d mourn later, for a brave woman he now knew. The new memories were confusing, but he couldn’t be distracted. He had a job to do.
Energy swirled round him as he stepped out of the alley, a blast leaping from his hand toward the nearest Shivan.
He wasn’t a hero. Not yet. But he was damn well going to try.

***
-- Acyl

[Acyl]

I never asked Terr's permission for this. Well, here it is anyway.

His eyes opened. He didn't move, he didn't even so much as twitch a muscle. Admittedly, this was because he was pinned down in bed by two warm female bodies, and didn't want to wake either of them. With practiced movements, Terrence Knight eased himself out of the sleeping pile, silently slipping to the bedroom floor.

But there was another reason he was quiet.

There was another presence in the apartment. He could sense it. He was surprised his girlfriends didn't, actually...but then Lisa was still a nurse at heart, not a trained combatant. Rhea had been a soldier, but still...

Without making a sound, he slowly opened the door, and left the bedroom. 

He could see the kitchen lights spilling through the doorway into the apartment's main living space. That bothered Terrence, for he knew the lights had been switched off when they'd retired for the night. But what sort of intruder would turn the lights on?

And what sort of intruder would be tunelessly humming to themselves?

After a moment of concentration, Terrence knew the answer. The ki signature he felt was familiar, but that still left the question of why a certain individual was in his apartment at who knows what o'clock in the morning.


"Alec," Terrence said, as he entered the kitchen, "what are you doing?"

"Oh, hey," said Alec Kazam, casually lifting a hand, as he tore open another cereal box. The magician was dressed in his usual attire, a black tuxedo, complete with bow-tie. But his domino mask was missing, his shirt sleeves were rolled up, his suit jacket was thrown over one of the chairs, and the bow-tie was undone. 

"Alec," Terrence said with some concern, "why are you in my apartment, and why are you pouring my food on the table?"

"Oh, right, right," Alec said, as he carefully poked the intricate patterns of cereal bits with his fingers, "see, this is a standard circle of empowerment. And this here would be the binding element, while the cornflakes over there represent..."

"What are you DOING?"


"Ah," Alec coughed. "Sorry, yeah. Okay, remember how we were talking about getting you more power, right? Little more oomph, gas in the tank during fights?"

"Right," Terrence said slowly, carefully.

"But we already figured magic armour and stuff really wouldn't add much for you, and you're damn magic-resistant and all, so it's hard to enchant you directly. But see, see," Alec explained, speaking quickly, "I realised that just means we need to get the magic inside you."

"And this means you BREAK INTO my apartment and---"

"Well, yeah," Alec said calmly, "it's best done with your own food, you see. Stuff that belongs to you, yeah? Sympathy, contagion. You know."

Terrence rubbed his face with his palm. "Alec, get out."

"But I'm not done! You'll love this, I call 'em Inspirations! Once the cereal bits are enchanted, you just eat one, and..."

"NOW."

"The red ones make you stronger!"
-- Acyl

[Terrenceknight]

Spud:Katy concerns me, That is all. I'm now stuck with the mental image of this Sheet of Metal labeled 238 just sitting on the testing stand spontaneously exploding while idle and not being tested on. Mr. Torgue would love it (Borderlands 2 ftw!)

Acyl:You dun need to ask for permission to use My characters for fics like this, I've given blanket permission for use. Love it by the way, pretty much nailed Terr with his reaction to Alec. Inspirations indeed, either Alec is insane..or a genius. And now I'm deeply curious about how Alec and Katy would get along and what kinda horror they'd unintentionally create *grin*.

[Matrix Dragon]

Let's be fair Terr. Alec didn't ask for permission either

[Bob Schroeck]

Here're a few pieces from various Evangelia stories I started but never finished.

---

Minuet asked me to be one of her bridesmaids.

I said yes, of course, without thinking about it.  How could I not say "yes"?  Min's kind of like the big sister I never had. 
But maybe I should've thought about it first.  Because now I have a big problem.  I'm sixteen years old and my parents don't know I'm a superhero.  There's no way I can show up at what's going to be Paragon City's wedding of the year, in the freakin' bridal party yet with, what, half a dozen other superheroes, get my picture taken, show up in the papers and on television, and not have my folks wonder -- why did these big important superheroes include their little girl in their wedding, and just how does she know them?
I'm going to have to show them the invite that Min promised to fake up for me, after all, so they know I'm really invited. There's no way around that, not if I want to go.  But my parents are far from dumb. They'll connect the dots.  Oh, they won't recognize me -- the transformation magic hides my identity from everyone except witnesses to the change -- but when they can't find me in the wedding photos, they'll know I'm someone in a cape.
And there are only so many slender, perky 5-foot-2 teenaged blondes in the Legendary. 
I spent an entire duty shift at our base talking to Alastair about it.  Alistair's not been around as much as he used to be when I was just starting out -- now that I'm clearance 47 and the leader of almost 150 other superheroes I guess he figures that I don't need nearly as much hands-on guidance as I did when I first got my sword.  Mostly these days he seems to like hanging around with Gil MacHeath, who's one of the two or three members of the Legendary besides me who can actually see Alistair.  Well, former member in his case.  (I don't complain because, honestly, Alistair is a bit of a nag at times, and weirdly enough the two work together well.)  But somehow he always knows when I need someone to talk to about stuff I can't go to my folks for, and sure enough, I'll turn around and find a penguin waiting for me.
Yeah, a penguin.  Other magical girls get cats, or ferrets, or weird little blobby things that live in their cell phones.  I get -- got -- a penguin.
An invisible penguin.
With a British accent.
(You know what's sick?  After everything I've been through in the last year-plus, Alistair's probably the most normal thing in my life!)

---

I used to worry that I was going crazy.
That's a bad thing, you know, when at the same time you've just gotten superpowers.  I mean, you see it in the movies all the time -- guy turns invisible, or learns how to walk through walls, or gets x-ray vision, and the next thing you know, he flips out and goes around murdering his friends in all sorts of yucky ways that have to do with the power that's rotting his brain.
What was it they said in that one story?  "With great power comes great insanity."
(Gee, you'd think the folks in Hollywood had something against us super types, with how many times that little moral pops up.)
Anyway, as those stories usually go, the guy with the power (whatever it is) gets a week or so to go, "oh, cool, looky what I can do" before the big Nutso switch gets flipped in his head and he starts leaving pieces of his fiancee in people's mailboxes.
I didn't even get to have the week grace period.  I got the crazy-worry first, then the superpowers.  With about five minutes in between.
That's how long it took the penguin to tell me that I was Magical Princess Evangelia.
I shoulda booted the little fucker out the window before he did anything else.
...
I know the people around me don't think so, and that's ... well, that's kind of reassuring, you know?  But none of them are exactly what you'd call, like, mental health professionals, so I can't exactly take their opinions as the last word.
Besides, a lot of them seem to look up to me.
Me!
Talk about crazy.
Which we were.
Looney Toons seems to be crazy -- but it's all a "scare the bad guy" act.  When we're back at base, the whole gonzo nutcase thing just goes away and he's, like, that cool uncle you never get to see enough of.
Superball is more than crazy, he's friggin' nuts.  What Looney Toons does in the field, Superball does all the time. 
And Yukiyo's worse than him, sometimes.
Thank God. 
If it weren't for Superball and Yukiyo, I'd really be convinced I'm crazy.
I'm still not sure, though.
I mean, I've asked around.
Far as I can tell, I'm the only person in Paragon City with an invisible talking penguin.
'Course, he goes with the super powers I got when he first showed up.
And I'm still not quite sure how I ended up with, like, a hundred and fifty grownups calling me "Boss".  Including Abraham freaking Lincoln.
And if that's not crazy, I don't know what is.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Bob Schroeck]

And then there's this, which was of course inspired by Skippy's List, but which I never quite got around to really filling out:

Things Evangelia Cannot Do In The Legendary

1. May not say, "Just wait until I'm in charge, things will be different, I promise!"

2. May not point and laugh at episodes of Sailor Moon.

3. May not say "I wish we had her in the Legendary" while watching Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha any more.

4. Not allowed to play "Your Personal Penguin" on the base sound systems any more.

...
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Bob Schroeck]

And then there's this, which is the half-story/half-outline of my next few contributions to "Virtue Is Its Own Reward" 2.0 from a few years back (including material brainstormed here in the Legendary board):

Monday, July 6, 7:54 PM EDT
Raye had suspected that Peggy Schroeck hadn't quite grasped (or
believed) what had happened when Bob had tried to explain it
before they'd taken her to work that morning.  Demonstrating
what had happened after she came back home that evening had
made it clear she hadn't.
The next thing she knew, Peggy had spun off into a whirlwind of
activity, plucking towels and sheets out of the long linen closet
that lined one side of the hallway which extended down the center
of the bedroom wing of the house before vanishing into a doorway
on the wall opposite it. 
Momentarily stunned at the reaction, Raye simply stared after her.
Hey, kiddo, Bob murmured in her head.  Earth to Raye.
Raye shook herself.  What is she...?
She "felt" Bob shrug.  I guess she's setting you up as a
"guest".  There was the briefest pause.  Don't worry if
she's kind of... brusque.  She's not angry or anything... just
not good with strangers.
"Okay..." Raye murmured, before following.
By the time Raye had trotted down the ten or fifteen feet to
catch up with her, Peggy had already begun setting up the room to
handle a semi-permanent guest.  "I'm sorry, but it would be just
too strange to have you in our bed so if you have to sleep while
you're..."  Peggy looked up and made a vague gesture at Raye's
5'2" form. "...Like that, you'll do it in here.  And here are
towels for when you need to wash up and... oh, you're going to
need clothes, too, aren't you?"
Raye nodded glumly.  "But I don't have any money to pay for
things."
 

Shopping with Peggy
*So glad I don't have to carry what you're buying.*
"You kidding?  I'll just change back to you and let you tote
it all while I get to ride back to your house in comfort."
*Evil child, you.*

...You realize that Raye's coming to LBI with us next week?...
Peggy blinks, then whirls.  "Bathing suits, beach togs,
beach towel..."

Raye apologizes for how much they're spending on her

(---- BREAK HERE ------)
July 7
Evangelia's pronouncement, and her appearance at the grease
trucks, makes the Home News Tribune.  Dani swings by briefly
and they talk about it.
After a comment by Bob, Raye tries all her teleporter settings.
Mish porter goes nowhere (right now -- it might work later during
first villain appearance).  Assemble the team is skipped, as she
has no team to assemble.  Base porter goes nowhere.  Pocket D
takes her to an empty shadow shard (the truck is there, though),
and she tries Oro in a panic, and finds the abandoned complex --
complete with med tubes.  The Oro gate out front brings her back
to New Brunswick

(---- BREAK HERE ------)

Thursday, July 9, 6:18 PM EDT
The knob on the front door rattled, and Raye paused the DVD
player.  A moment later

Peggy comes upon Raye watching "Sailor Moon" and "Evangelion".

re:  Usagi, "I wasn't much better when I started out.  I had
a penguin, a sword, and a strange outfit halfway between a
cheerleader uniform and a suit of armor.  And I was out on the
street trying to beat up Skulls and Hellions.  For a fifteen-
year-old who's just gotten a hero license, they were scary!
At least I didn't start to cry until I got home, though."

(---- BREAK HERE ------)
Tuesday, July 14, 8:24 PM EDT
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: Hi people
[The Legendary] Valles: Bob!
[The Legendary] Terrence Knight: Hey bossman
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: Um, no, not Bob. Raye here. I
thought I'd try playing the game and see what it's like, so Bob
set things up, gave me the body, and... well, here I am.
[The Legendary] Valles: ...
[The Legendary] Atlantea: Dare I ask what toon you're using?
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: Me, of course. 
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: I think it'd be a little creepy to
play anyone else.  At least the people I know.
[The Legendary] Valles: I don't know... I think you'd do a great
job on X-Ray Ted.
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: Oh god I can't believe you said
that.
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: That's just gross.
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: You haven't met him.  I *have*. 
He's just... ick.
Looney Toons mimes throwing up
....
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: Does anyone know if Adrienne made
it over?
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: She was kind of my best friend,
both in school and in the Legendary, and I could kinda use some
friend time right now. 
[The Legendary] Terrence Knight: Adrienne?
[The Legendary] Valles:  Space Mage.
[The Legendary] Terrence Knight:  ty
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: I mean, I've made friends with the
girl who lives across the street from Bob and Peggy, but it's not
the same.  I can't talk to her about hero stuff.  At least not
yet.
....
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: One good thing about this so far.
[The Legendary] Drenivian: What's that?
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: I finally know why Miranda seems to
hate my guts.
[The Legendary] Atlantea: Miranda?
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: Oh.  Sailor Null.  Miranda Prentice. 
I read her bio at the Handbook of the Virtue Universe just now.
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: It's kinda sad, actually.  Not just
because of the whole darkness-light thing and all the anger she's
carrying around, but because
[The Legendary] Sweno: Because?
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: It's really strange how so many
people in the Legendary think I'm this pure, innocent little girl.
But I'm not.  I'm not really the good girl everyone thinks I am. 
[The Legendary] Atlantea: How so?
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: I've changed a lot since Alistair
found me, but...  I lost my virginity when I was 12 -- because I
jumped the guy.  I was well on my way to being the school slut
by the time I got into AP Regional. 
[The Legendary] valles: ...
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: I smoked like crazy.  I took
advantage of my folks never being home to drink almost every
night.  I was already getting bored with pot and starting to look
for something stronger.
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: The first time Alistair came to me
and told me I was Evangelia, I was pretty sure someone had spiked
my weed with LSD or something. 
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: I was actually kind of disappointed
that he was real, because I thought I'd found some really primo
shit.
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: But the thing is, Miranda thinks
I'm some kind of saint because of my powers, and it makes her mad
and sad about her own.  But I'm *not* a saint.
[The Legendary] Looney Toons: If I can ever get back home, or
even just talk to the "real" me, I've got to do something about
that.
 
 
Eva discovers how fun it is to play herself on COH...

(---- BREAK HERE ------)

7/18:  Raye goes to the beach house. 

*I've only ever swum at the beach at Spanky's Boardwalk!  And
it doesn't even have real surf.*
 
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[ECSNorway]

I'm relatively certain that most people are smart enough not to let Misao babysit. On the other hand, it -is- a classic D-rank mission, and I'm sure she ended up doing it now and again.

"... and that's when the three bears found Goldilocks sleeping in Mama Bear's bed. They were about to wake her up to see who'd been so rude as to eat their food and mess up their beds when she threw a kunai at Papa Bear, pulled a replacement jutsu to swap with the chamberpot, and tossed a couple of explosive tags to act as flashbangs and cover her escape. Papa Bear chased after her, but the sleeping powder she'd sprinkled on his porridge slowed him down enough that she could make a clean getaway."

The chorus of "ooooooooh" from the two not-terribly-sleepy children was quite pleasing.

"And the moral of tonight's story, my terrible twosome, is to always make sure you've gotten rid of the previous occupants before you decide to start using an enemy base as your lair."

The two seven-year-olds (one blonde and wearing a Ghost Widow t-shirt, the other brunette and preferring Scorpion-themed attire) turned to look at each other and chorused, "Best. Babysitter. EVER."
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[Ebony]

The beginning of a bit that separated Aaron Blackstone from J. Random Kheldian:
"Ma'am," said the Kheldian to the City Representative, turning his fedora around in his hands before placing it back on his head, "I'd like to think that the city government knows what they're doing, but I just came back from the Row, and I have a concern that I need you to address."
"Certainly, Mr. Blackstone," said the smiling woman in the business suit. "What can we help you with?"
"I would like you to tell me that the government of this city has not, willingly and in full knowledge of the consequences, allowed the residences of the city's poor to be built on top of tectonically active zones," he said, leaning forward. Placing his hands on the woman's desk, he continued, his tone turning stern and more than a little angry, rising in volume as he went, "I would like you to confirm for me that this city is not allowing its poorer residents to be subjected to exposure to toxic fumes including but not limited to sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. I would like you to ASSURE me that the children of Kings Row are not in danger of being exposed to arsenic and other toxic metals found around open lava vents that has seeped into the groundwater and the pipes of their homes. I want you to PROMISE me that this city has not left the maintenance of the tectonic stability of its infrastructure to a collection of costumed amateurs that seem more interested in THROWING RAVES AND COSTUME CONTESTS UNDERNEATH THE STATUE OF ONE OF THIS CITY'S GREATEST GUARDIANS INSTEAD OF PROTECTING ITS CITIZENS!"
Leaning forward, Blackstone leaned forward, placing his hands on her desk, and trapped her gaze with his own. "Lie to me," he hissed, his fury emanating from him like the vaporous alien energy that shone from his eyes.
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

[Acyl]

Something I realised, rather belatedly - it was in my original notes, I just forgot to drop it in the earlier snippet. The one where Alec is enchanting Terrence's cereal? Obviously, besides cornflakes and cocoa puffs, there were lucky charms.

***

(Leon, in PPD Hardsuit - I intend to finish the bit where this was from, sometime, but this exchange from my notes probably won't make it in.):

Leon: "Damn, damn, DAMN, ow, ow, how the hell do you Sabres make this look EASY?"Priss: "Well Leon, that's what you get for going generic instead of a name brand."
Leon: "I'm a COP, not a power armor hero!" 
Priss: "C'mon, McNichol. Don't hold me responsible for your poor life choices. I bet your mom wanted you to go into a good well-paying field, be an Empathy or Sonic Defender. But noooo, you had to choose a career in law enforcement..."
Leon: "An empathy and wh---"
Priss: "Don't all parents want their kids to be doctors and lawyers?"
Leon: "I'm not having this conversation with you."
-- Acyl