internet, meet [insert title of glam's webseries]

[mxglam]

To Glam's continued delight, more kissing sessions happen on the following days (when they're feeling like a boy). They haven't met her parents as her official boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever yet, and don't mind it too much.

News about Purity's escape surprises exactly no one, but the Protectorate's reputation suffers a blow because of the attack; after all, the heroes were beaten on their home turf. The PHO forums are abuzz, though rumors of Glam's death at the hands of Hookwolf (probably started by same) prove largely unfounded.

And Glam really should get to their webisodes and start building a steadier rep. And that's (one of the reasons) why they're in Lorica's workshop a few days later.

"So what should I do? I haven't posted anything since Purity, should probably make this more of a habit."

Comments

[thinkering]

Bots do their best not to hit Dauntless, and to remind him that the marbles are literally just marbles on the floor that could maybe trip him but not do anything more complicated than that.

A bot updates Velocity on the situation when he lands.

When a Glam-copy shoulderbot drops from the network another one heads for its last known location.

[mrdauntless]

Dauntless acknowledges the advice, and between his superspeed, his Arclance, and the sheer number of bots harassing them, he manages to get close enough to Boost and Warp to hit them with it. With its current power level, it has about twice its physical reach, and a few hits are enough to tase the two of them out of the fight.

Rewind reaches Miss Militia and sends her, then herself, back to the rooftop outside.

Between his escape attempts, Butcher lands near his two underlings, burning them with his explosion, before disappearing away again. Dauntless is far enough away that he can use his shield to protect himself from the blast.

The Lorica-bot who went after the shoulderbot that disappeared is consumed by fire just before Flamethrower appears from where Armsmaster had, and surveys the scene.

[thinkering]

"Glam, fireproof my copy bots!"

[mxglam]

They do, then look at the spot where Flamethrower's come from-

[mrdauntless]

"Get back!" Dauntless calls and erects a forcefield between the heroes and her. The Glam-copy is trapped outside, and a second later, all they see is fire.

And then the fire's gone. The copy-bots were fireproofed, and they caught the way Flamethrower used one hand to block the heroes' vision, trap Butcher, and slice his throat with a concentrated laser, then grabbing the money and teleporting away.

[thinkering]

"Flamethrower's the new Butcher. Got the money."

[mxglam]

The Glam copy is restored to pristine condition and says, "Grand. But at least we got them," gesturing at the unconscious thugs and burnt parahumans.

[acanofworms]

Armsmaster looks around and nods. "And all civilians were rescued, none harmed. This is a first when dealing with the Teeth." He taps the part of his helmet where his ear would be twice, and says into the comm, "Rewind, can you come here and heal them before we take them in?"

[thinkering]

Bots stand ready at pre-injury locations of the captured to tranquilize them immediately.

[acanofworms]

She arrives and starts fixing the villains up. Boost is the only one who only really got knocked out by the fire and needs the tranquilizers.

Armsmaster calls a PRT van to foam the parahumans and transport all of them.

[thinkering]

In go Lorica and surviving real bots.

[mrdauntless]

They take everyone in, return to HQ, and debrief. From the footage and Dauntless and Miss Militia's descriptions, it appears Butcher IX had an unidentified power of causing mindless rage on people nearby. Dauntless describes it as "being unable to really think about anything other than hurting, causing harm, destroying."

[thinkering]

"Probably won't work on me, definitely doesn't work on bots, Armsmaster's thing seems to fend it off..."

[acanofworms]

"Yes, though apparently it wasn't enough to fend off whatever it was that Warp actually does. Explain?"

[thinkering]

So Lorica's bot shows footage of the marbles. Sitting on people. "I'm afraid I don't have both perspectives, here, me and bots both just see what's actually there."

[acanofworms]

"It looked like there was metal... stuff, all around," Rewind says. "Holding them and stuff."

Armsmaster nods. "The powers on record for him had him as being able to warp objects he can perceive on the battlefield."

[thinkering]

"Well, he can't, but it's possible he thinks he can - or did before I told everybody - not everyone's self-immune."

[acanofworms]

Armsmaster nods, and starts standing up. "In any case, congratulations." And he starts leaving.

[mrdauntless]

Dauntless realizes that's all Armsmaster is going to say, so he goes with, "Yes, it was very good, we apprehended two parahumans and stripped the Teeth of much of their strength. You all did amazing!"

[thinkering]

"Thank you, Dauntless."

[mrdauntless]

Armsmaster nods at Dauntless' words and leaves. "Especially you," he tells Rewind, "we wouldn't have been anywhere near as successful without your skill."

"Thanks! And Lorica arranged for me to go out with paramedics to help, too."

"Oh, that's a great idea!" he says, beaming at Lorica.

[thinkering]

"Thanks," says Lorica. "I was just in the middle of working out some of the logistics when the alert came in."

[mrdauntless]

"Oh, so Piggot was okay with it? Awesome," says Rewind.

"Now, I don't know about you but I'm starting to feel today's bruises, and I have patrolling later, so I'm gonna go rest a bit before that," Dauntless pipes in.

"Bye!"

[thinkering]

"I just want to reiterate what Dauntless said. You are - in the card game and not the ratings sense - and enormous trump card and we're really lucky to have you."

[peterxy]

She grins widely. "Thank you!"