#arc: daybreak

[pandorias-box]

I suppose this is the first time some of these Poipole within the hive have ever seen a camera considering most of them are still hatchlings. Either way, they are as inquisitive as when Hyperion was one. And equally as energetic.

Thankfully, they did not spray me or my comms device with their “gunk” as I expected them to.

[Photo ID: About four to five Poipole in a single frame, each of them with expressions of varying degrees of curiosity. One of them is extremely close to the camera and nearly takes up the whole picture. Its bioluminescent blue mouth is open widely in surprise.]

[goldensunset]

the indecision between ‘i love this character and i want them to be happy/i want to see more of them’ and ‘it would be most narratively compelling/intriguing if they died or otherwise were (mysteriously) never seen or heard from again’

[spindle-girl]

Daybreak 1.1

Let's get started

It was a second chance for humanity as a whole, and they’d gone and screwed it up from the start by coloring the city gold, of all colors. ... All put together, the light that bounced off of the city and reached skyward gave the clouds linings that were gold, not silver.

i wonder how much of this hate for gold is because of Scion's attacks or Khepri's portals. probably both. i do like the gold lining, seems like a fun visual.

Plaques were recessed into three of the four faces – the fourth had come free and fallen after the collision. Each plaque bore an etching of a face, a name, a date of birth, a date of death, a message. ... They were part of an initiative by an independent cape, a hero turned rogue, helping out.

with all the anti-cape stuff that's popped up so far and knowing it continues later on, i'm surprised projects like this aren't talked about more. a genuine moment where a cape is doing something nice with their powers. maybe this guy is an outlier or the other stuff the capes get up to weights more than it--which is fair since even the apartment stuff in Ashley's prologue is enough to get pissed off at--but with how much hate the Advance Guard gets in this section it seems forgotten that the whole reason the crowd is getting angry is over something a cape provided being destroyed by an accident anyone can do.

The crowd, too, seemed to realize that the situation had mostly de-escalated.

sigh

The summer heat was holding out through the start of September, making things just a little more uncomfortable, tempers a little shorter.

Ah! an estimated date. i want to try and keep track of all these to work out a proper Ward timeline since the one on the wiki is lacking.

We’d called him the second cape after Scion, but he might well have been the first, after all.

hello Vikare, congrats on getting mentioned in the first chapter instead of the first interlude. moving up in the world. if there's ever a parahumans 3 you might get a pov chapter. really tempted fate naming yourself after Icarus.

“Work,” I said.  “They wouldn’t fire me, especially if I explained.  I’d get in trouble, maybe, but I wouldn’t mind much.  Job is… a seven out of ten fit.”

i'm down right jealous rn. 7/10 seems great for a job

As in most things having to do with law or bureaucracy, it took longer than it should have, for a relatively simple process.  I hurried to the high school once they were done with me, and I arrived rather late.

Victoria is going from one bureaucracy to another lol

We had grass and fields, yes, but it was coarse and the ground beneath wasn’t usually landscaped. The area was large with large trees left untouched in the corners, chain link fence separating the field from the roads on two sides, the grade school formed the third boundary to the west, and the high school formed the fourth boundary to the north. The ground was uneven, more hilly than flat, and there were still large stones here and there, and a seemingly out of place play structure for the grade schoolers.

nothing much to note here, just that the paragraph made me remember some good memories.

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: If you stop by? I set up tarps by house. Make sure they still there & no water getting through? Lost cause maybe ~P.5 ... My destination wasn’t in the high school, but was across the street. It was an open building with a partial second floor. ... My office was the closest thing I had to a home, in this world. ... I’d rigged up tarps to keep the water off that corner of the house, but some of that moisture had been coming up from below.

okay. this is just sad. literally calls her office her house

I opened a notebook and began searching through it. I found the name before the internet succeeded in connecting.

this is about Victoria finding the cape who was building the pillars. i have no idea why there was a whole arc of the Undersiders sneaking into the PRT to steal their database. it seems like New Wave had access to it all if she can find random capes in her collection. should have just walked in and grabbed it while they were out heroing.

From: Deferent.I@Mail Subject: Re: Damaged Pillar I already heard.  Advance Guard were on the scene and let me know.  Will have it fixed tomorrow.  Thanks.

this just makes it seem like Deferent has access to much faster internet than Victoria does if they can check their emails and respond relatively quickly while going out and building as many pillars as described earlier. dunno, it's out of place with the descriptions from Victoria booting up her computer and the glowworm chapters. maybe he got better tech to be able to respond to stuff quicker?

She spent a lot of time palling around with a biotinker called Blasto. She kept going back to him to pair up. Might have been boyfriend-girlfriend, even. That ended when the Slaughterhouse Nine passed through Boston. We don’t know what happened to Blasto, but we can guess it wasn’t good.

rip Blasto. Defiant didn't care enough to note what happened to you

“She did her time,” I said.  “She made a mistake, she paid for it as much as she was able.  We don’t have enough good jails and so she’s free, and it looks like she’s trying to do good.  That’s pretty decent, really.  She’s not the enemy here.”

this will be interesting for later. i am surprised in general that Fume Hood is getting brought in this early. i vaguely know what happens to her so I guess it makes sense she gets some focus early on

End thoughts:

i'm like the story so far. while Victoria is obviously weary of there being a coming conflict between capes and non-capes, i think there are a few lines hinting at her feelings of separation from them. namely how she doesn't like the pillars, which seem to be for the civilians. tbf, it could be her not wanting reminders of Gold Morning or a reminder of the Leviathan fight where after there was a similar memorial that a quarter of her family was on. i could understand that.

nothing wrong with the story, but i really don't like the patrol group or Gilpatrick. reminds me of the rotc guys at college

[nonokoko13]

"Short on credits" "Need a job soon" "A drama queen" "Max slacker"...

Tag yourself I'm all of them

[marshroom580]

Actually will never be over saitama holding genos dead core like it's the most precious important thing in the world

[wildvetch]

Fingernails.  Fingernail.  I pulled my hand back, and undid the bandage.  I looked at the fingernail with the black of gathered blood beneath it. I gripped the railing with the one hand that had been partially degloved.  The hand with the fingernail that wasn’t supposed to be there, that marked a violation I had no clue about. Digging my fingernails into the wood of the railing-top, I pressed down until pain stabbed its way across my hand, transformed in shape and intensity, redoubling, as I pressed down more and more, with the nail that wasn’t supposed to be there. Until the nail cracked, broke, and tore at the bed.  I continued pressing down until the last of the nail gave, and my first knuckle scraped against ice-crusted wood, raw nail bed scraping against the flat of the wood, singing with pain. There wasn’t any exhilaration in it.  No relief in the dopamine hit.  It hurt in the fucking worst way, to the point tears came to my eyes. But I didn’t have that sign, that mark, that wrongness. My entire body trembled.  Blood dripped from fingertip to white snow. I floated up onto the railing, and I moved far enough away that all was clear. Thank you for helping me back there, I thought.  I activated the Wretch. The snow blew around me, gathering on the Wretch’s surface.  Tracing outlines, forming a shape. I could hear my mom talking to Crystal with a raised voice inside, muffled by the intervening door. The Wretch didn’t grasp, writhe, or swing blindly.  The faces it wore weren’t contorted or angry. I lifted my hand, and it moved nearby limbs.  I turned my hand over, and it mimed me. My hand trembled.  The Wretch’s invisible hand was as steady as a rock. Time to face the day, I thought.  At least you’re with me. It’s going to be a rough one.

it's really hard not to be fully on alert anytime we see anyone starting to really align w/ their shard--esp. after the whole last arc--but there's definitely a part of me cheering and yelling like fuck yeah, vicky/waste besties for life, name a more iconic duo

[pokeymonhearts]

[evilkitten3]

someone's been liking a lot of my old posts relating to my attempts to rewrite fairy tail.... which, and this may astound you, is not actually a cancelled project in spite of the fact that it's been nearly a decade since i first started trying to figure it out

[everyonehappy]

Natsu's reaction

vs.

Lucy's reaction

meanwhile Happy has already done a reckon

[asteriuszenith]

I need people to brainrot over the trails games with

[phantomguild]

Event References

Decided to trim it down to 4 characters (mostly because my back hurts too much to do Minerva's atm).

Intro post will be arriving soon.

[pandorias-box]

A Guest, Uninvited

//art credit: Ayumi Odashida (Pokémon TCG)

(TW: injury)

The last time she was in the heart of Ultra Hive was when she was transformed into one during the eve of an eclipse. And the last time she tried to find her way without any guidance, she was promptly attacked due to infringing on the territory of a hive. Hopefully, things would be different considering there were those of her kind living among the bestial inhabitants of the planet, right?

She stayed on her guard with Hyperion trailing behind her, trying to discern if anybody or anything was on the hunt for her. Pandoria was still wearing her URS uniform long since after she had arrived to the other world. It was a means of protecting herself from the overexposure of Ultra Radiation, but it also signaled to others who knew of the organization her allegiances. A target on her back notifying to anybody that she was loyal to them. But this mission wasn’t assigned to her on their accord, and that would further complicate things if she were to plead her case in front of a hive-clan that weren’t usually collaborative with them.

The chirrs and buzzes of strange creatures echoed around them, the crunching of foliage quieting their footsteps as they started to approach an area of the forest that was brighter than usual. Not because of bioluminescence, but because there was a sign of civilization nearby. Flames. Thankfully, they appeared to be controlled or else the land they walked would be set ablaze and their mission would have to be put on pause for their own survival.

But walking into the township of a hive-clan wasn’t going to be so easy, now wasn’t it? As soon as Pandoria and Hyperion approached the source of the faintly glowing fire, she heard an all-too familiar screech cry above her. From the overgrowth, people started to surround them both with intricate blades in hand. Their clothing was akin to that of armor, but definitely not the armor URS members were used to considering it was made up of both metal and natural materials for extra adornments. Of course there were going to be sentries around the territory. The last time they were here, something similar happened.

From above, the person on dragonback lept off their mount and landed in front of her with a circular bladed weapon in hand, having it aimed towards her neck. Pandoria grit her teeth realizing she was surrounded, and put her arms up indicating to the guards that she was no threat. Of course, they weren’t buying it since the stark white Recon Squad uniform was still on her body.

“URS, for what reason have you treaded upon our territory?” The rider said with a stern voice. They had long hair and eyes the color of crimson, a color that was somewhat rare among her kind. It also reinforced the animosity and disdain the stranger harbored towards her.

“I mean you no harm. I have come here on behalf of someone who lives among your hive. In fact, she is my mo-“

“Do you really think we are going to fall for such excuses? How convenient is it that a member of the Recon Squad has family here? We see through your lies. And you have the gall to show your hiveless Naganadel to us. You don’t have the authority to be here, so go back to one of your research stations elsewhere.” The sentry snapped back at her. They seemed to inch closer to her with the chakram still firmly grasped in their hand. The other guards closed in on her as well.

“Yes, Hyperion was reared in one of our Rookeries, but that does not mean I have no right to try to explain myself as to what I am doing here. If you would allow me to explain what I am doing here, then perhaps we can come to a rational agreement regarding my permission to enter Akrei territory.” Pandoria responded, trying to remain as calm as possible even with a dozen people surrounding her. The lead sentry scoffed.

“What makes you so certain we’re Akrei? What if we’re Infernalis or Luctuosa? You might have studied the names of the hive-clans, but what gives you the right to walk in here and say that you’re one of us?” They continued to try and instigate a fight, but Pandoria held back. She didn’t want to squander this mission before it even begun.

Suddenly, one of the guards reared back with a somewhat horrified look on their face. Pandoria’s heart sunk because she had an inkling as to what they saw. Her horns. Her talons. Her scales.

“Y-you! This intruder dons the scales of our brood-brothers and sisters! Why should we permit the likes of you to enter?! You are nothing more than a murderer! A kinslayer if you truly are a descendant of a hive-clan! How dare you mock us!” They shouted, reaching for her arm. She reeled back and hissed as they tightened their grip on it. They had the intent to kill her right then and there all because of a misunderstanding she had no idea how to convey. Of course these people had never seen a hybrid before. She was the only one of her kind she knew of, after all.

After their attempts of trying to yank off the scales from her, the guards realized that they were a part of her. Something that they had never considered. The sentry that had grasped her tightly loosened their grip. Hyperion let out a low growl of discontent, conveying their quiet fury.

“What in the worlds…are you?” They stammered, horrified. The others shifted their expressions from that of disdain to immediate fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of something that was not supposed to exist.

But Pandoria remained calm. She knew that these people wouldn’t be able to understand her circumstances no matter how much she would try to explain. Yet, there was one person among the hive that did.

“What is going on here?!” A new voice cried out. It was coming from the entrance of the hive, so it wasn’t the group of guards that surrounded her. A figure tried to push themselves through the crowd, but was held back. The lead sentry lowered their weapon in order to discern who this interlocutor was.

“You do not have the authority to interfere with our interrogation with this stranger! Please return to the hive and stay out of this for your own safety.”

“This person is no stranger. She is of the hive but raised in the City; she is of my blood. She is…”

That voice. She knew that voice. It was one she hadn’t heard since she was going to leave for the Recon Squad. Pandoria went silent and motionless. Not out of fear, but…

“Mother?” She said softly. The guards murmured among themselves before lowering their weapons hesitantly upon confirmation that she was no mere outsider. The woman made her way to Pandoria and started to embrace her. She was…crying. In that moment, she had no idea what to do. But in return, she embraced the woman. The one who called her here. Altana Ishige-Chloris.

“Now this…is certainly not how I expected our reunion to unfold, isn’t it?”

[keykidpilipili]

The X chi saga's handling of Agrabah story updates is All or Nothing

Browser X [chi]: Nearly 3 years of no update on Abu

Unchained/Union X: So much Agrabah people get sick of it

[spindle-girl]

Daybreak 1.7

Let's see how this not-quite Vikare moment works out

Nobody Kingdom Come had affected remembered much of anything.  It was as though they’d fallen asleep – they remembered losing awareness, some reported briefly coming to in the middle of things as the building had shook or they had been knocked around, and they hadn’t really processed or understood much of those glimmers.

well that's a nice preventative measure against being a low-tier Khepri in terms of trauma

I was painfully conscious of the sweat, grime and blood, yet I couldn’t bring myself to go wash up because that would require attention to it. Paradoxical, I was well aware.

heeeyyy. there's that classic wildbow protag acknowledgment of denial

“You know I can’t keep you on the staff,” he said.

i was going to mock this by saying that the prt did so well without having any parahumans on board, but then i remembered lol. having parahumans work with the non-parahumans publicly would be better, since i don't think the whole separate organizations would work even if it actually happened for once. trying to keep it hidden is obvi a bad idea, but so is a complete and total wall between the two

“Can-” I started.  I cleared my throat.  “Can I get back to you on that?  I’ve- I guess I’ve got a family thing I should go to.”

getting fired really must be getting to her if she's using family as an excuse to leave

With the path I’d taken, I reached the backyard first.  The driveway was wider than it was long, crushed gravel, with room for multiple vehicles, and a fence stretched from the house at one corner to the garage at the other.  My mom had invited neighbors, so it was a thing, even if things had reached a more relaxed point.

ok, so i know i already went through the worm epilogues which is why i don't have too much of an issue with ward continuing that, but having suburbs like this really is wild. so far it's been a giant school, which i get for the purpose of giving kids a roof for the day, shoddy apartments, which seems like a decent way to handle the amount of people they got, and general skyscrapers, which was a thing from Rachel's epilogue. i guess suburbs aren't that crazy compared to that, but it seems like such a waste i can't imagine people actually spending time building them. the skyscrapers could be a waste too, but depending on their purpose you could at least argue they can hold a lot of people

i dunno, this whole description followed up by Mark on the lawn chairs gave me whiplash that i haven't gotten so far

“You’re hurt,” she said, touching my arm, where the road rash was. “Scuffed up.” “Did you get the other guy?” she asked.  She reached out and touched my hair, fixing it by moving strands to one side.

the instant touching and fixing. uhg

“You’re fucking it up, mother,” I said.  “You’re fucking- you’re fucking- did dad play along with this?” “I told him everyone was coming.  You, your sister, Crystal, Uncle Mike.  He was surprised, but… pleasantly surprised.”

hey Danny, congrats on not tripping over the other guy. i still don't like you, but i fully understand why you get ranked above Mark now

“In the interest of putting my demons to rest,” I said.  “I’m going to keep my distance.  Don’t call, because I can’t trust a thing you say.  I’ll figure out what I’ll do about Dad later.” “Don’t,” she said.  “Nothing gets better if you close off communication.” There were things I wanted to say to that. It wasn’t worth it.

nah, fuck him and don't come back. oh fuck i just remembered she's staying with her dad. does she move in with Ashley this soon? please say yes, for both Victoria's sake and for the fun it would bring

I reached out toward the window, a foot away from touching it.  I turned on my forcefield. A pause. Then a handprint on the window, in the condensation.  Then another.

this is the scene that led to wildbow deciding on Victoria, right? hello Fragile, can't wait for your interlude

End notes:

Gilpatrick is at least kind to Victoria. still don't like his child militia, no matter how much he tries to thin the group, it's just the Wards 2.0 with all the suck that comes with it and i don't believe that two-year gun rule is going to last more than a month. good to give Victoria a space to stay though

Carol and Mark suck. i wonder when we'll see Amy proper for the first time

oh, yeah, Fume Hood. she's resting up at the hospital. tbh, even knowing she's going to be around for a while i didn't get the sense that this was a Vikare moment. shooting capes has always been seen as a possible strategy. not necessarily smart or very effective, but possible. Vikare's death always seemed more like a accident with people thinking he'd be fine no matter what. maybe it was everything else surrounding it? villain turning hero, divides between civilians and capes, that make it a situation on par with the end of the golden-age

[thedragonagelesbian]

on march 20th adelaide gets to experience like every single consequence ever its going to be a TIME

[rinnysmuses]

This fucking game is MAKING ME CRY]