#wade this wouldn't be a problem if you didn't have water powers

[elwynten]

Chapter 41

With taking care of Raven and then Qrow arriving. It made a bit of a busy week for extracurricular activities.

I invited Team SSSN to spend the weekend at our place on Pern. I invited Penny along as well.

I had used the Echo Chamber to make a recording so I wouldn't have to answer the usual questions.

Sun wasn't any problem. He's an easy-go-lucky kind of person. And Neptune usually goes along with Sun. Sage and Scarlet are at odds with Sun so they were the ones that would have taken a little more time to get used to traveling to different universes, if I hadn't tweaked their opinion, that is.

Friday evening after supper I took Team SSSN and Penny to the Armory. I went through and found each new weapon and gave it to them.

I also went through and told them about their new abilities and powers, demonstrating what they could now do. It never gets old seeing the look on their faces when they use their abilities for the first time. The awe, wonder, surprise and realization of what they can now do.

Sun; Weapon: Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang (A staff that turns into a pair of gun-chucks) Unlimited Ammo (Each gun has different Dust bullets - Fire, Lightening, Ice, Earth), Bonding, Blink, Extended Range Sustenance, Body Enhancement R1 & R2 - includes Regeneration, Durability, and greater agility Soulbound (A small pocket deminsion), Poison Proof, Sustenance

Scarlet; Weapon; Hook and Darling (Sword and pistol with a grappling hook in the handle) unlimited ammo (Ice Dust) bonding, Air/Wind Control, Extended Range Sustenance, Body Enhancement R1 - includes Regeneration, Soulbound (A small pocket deminsion), Poison Proof, Sustenance

Sage; Weapon; Pilgrim (A large sword) Bonding, Cryokinesis, Extended Range Sustenance, Body Enhancement R1 - includes Regeneration, Durability and greater agility. Soulbound (A small pocket dimension), Poison Proof, Sustenance

Neptune; Weapon; Tri-Hard (Trident/rifle) Bonding, Pyrokinesis, Extended Range (Unlimited Ammo) Sustenance, Body Enhancement R1 & R2 - includes Regeneration, Durability and greater agility. Soulbound (A small pocket dimension), Poison Proof, Sustenance

Penny; Atomaton Weapon: Floating Array (Backpack) Runes: Bonding, Electricity Control, Extended Range Soulbound (A small pocket dimension), Poison Proof.

Name: Rhea Mythical (Winged Manticore/Eagle-clouded leopard/F) Spikes on tail club can be retracted. Size L2 Regeneration L2 Sustenance L2 Intelligence L2 Strength L1 Durability L1 Flight Teleportation L1 Shapeshifting L1 (Forms: Eagle, clouded leopard, Horse, Otter) Agility L1 Elemental Blast L1 (Fire)

I had decided to give Penny a Companion because General Ironwood was keeping her secluded. Even though I was planning on having her stay at Beacon Acadamy for the rest of her training. I also thought it would be nice for her to have a friend that was an automaton like herself.

I also went into Neptun's mind. I know he has an extreme fear of water. So, I took that fear away. I didn't totally get rid of his fear, I just reduced it to where he does not like water, or more like he does not like swimming. Being around water and wading in water does not bother him.

I called my Team in to help Team SSSN in learning how to use their new abilities. Then I left them to practice with their new abilities in the Sparring Room.

The next morning at Breakfast. "Sun, in a couple months, Blake will be going back to Menagerie, where she grew up. I need you to go with her because she will need your help while she's there." I told Sun.

Sun looked at me then to his team, then back at me. "I can do that." He replied.

"What about us?" Scarlet asked.

I grinned. "You get a break from Sun for a month or so." I told him.

Sun looked indignant, and Neptune started laughing. "He got you Sun, he got you." Neptune said, laughing.

"That means, I get a month away from you too, Neptune." Sun retorted.

Neptune laughed harder.

Sage and Scarlet just sat there watching the exchange between Sun and Neptune. It's not that Sage and Scarlet hate Sun, but they don't think he's a very good leader, and they would be correct. Sun likes doing his own thing, he runs off to help someone without saying anything to his Team about it. Sun does include his partner, Neptune, but not all the time.

So, with me asking Sun to help Blake, it put it out in the open and also it made it my doing and not Sun just running off to do his own thing.

"No, I mean why can't we go and help Blake too?" Scarlet asked.

"It would mean you, a human, going to Menagerie, an all-Faunus Island. You would stand out like a sore thumb." I told Scarlet.

"Oh, okay, I can see where that might be a problem." He replied.

"After you finish breakfast, you might want to change into your bathing suits and hit the beach or try out the Water Park." I suggested as I stood up from the table. "I'm going to see what Penny's up to." And I headed out of the Bakery.

It didn't take long to find Penny. She was in the Green House with Rhea, her Companion.

"Good morning, Penny." I said as I entered the Green House.

"Salutations. I don't understand how Rhea can talk to me telepathically, since I don't have a brain like human's and Faunus do." Penny stated. Rhea was sitting beside Penny looking up at her.

I grinned. "A brain is a brain. It doesn't matter if it's Brain cells or computer chips. Crystal, Robbie and Gina can all talk to their Companions telepathically, and all three are AI's and/or automatons." I informed her.

Penny had a shocked look on her face. "Your Teammate, Crystal is not a real girl?" She asked me.

I chuckled. "Crystal is very much a real girl. She's just not a human girl. She has emotions and feelings exactly like anyone else. She's just a robot or an automaton." I explained.

"You built Crystal, Robbie and Gina? Why did you build three?"

"I didn't build any of them. Robbie came to my house looking to be a roommate, Crystal and Gina were here at the house on Pern when I first arrived, along with most of the other girls."

"Where did they come from?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Don't know and I've never asked any of them where they came from. But then, they've never asked me about my life before we met. Although I talk about my past from time to time and I've heard some of the girls talking about their past from time to time also. I guess it's because since I've been on Pern, I've been more interested in building up my Hold. That's what they call where people live her on Pern, a Hold, and learning to be a Huntsman on Remnant, then learning about the girl's past." I told her.

Penny cocked her head to the side a little. "I believe I understand."

"And like Crystal, Gina and Robbie are real girls, you are a real girl. Your just not a human girl, but you're still a real girl. Plus, Rhea is an automaton as well. Change of subject… I was looking for you to see what you want to do. Team SSSN is going swimming, either at the beach or the Water Park. But if you're not up for that, we have the Library, the Craft Room, a lab and a recording studio. All of which you are welcome to use." I informed Penny.

Penny looked down at Rhea. "Rhea's an automaton like me?" She asked.

"I wouldn't say she's just like you because I don't know how either one of you were built or made. But your both robots or automatons." I told Penny.

"May I go swimming with the others?" Penny asked me as if the last part of our conversation hadn't happened.

"Yes, you can. You can do about anything you want to. Just stay close to the house."

"Oh, I don't have a bathing suit, though." Penny said frowning.

"I believe we can get you a bathing suit. Or you can shapeshift into an otter and swim that way." I told her.

Penny looked confused. "How can I do that?"

I chuckled. "Whatever Rhea can do, you can do. Rhea can shapeshift into an Eagle, Clouded Leopard, Horse, an Otter, and of course a winged Manticore." I told her.

"Rhea told me that, but I wasn't sure about it." Penny told me.

"Your Companion will not lie to you. It's kind of difficult to lie to someone when you can hear what they are thinking all the time." I chuckled.

Penny nodded her head in understanding. "This is all new and so strange." She admitted.

I laughed. "Yes, it is. It is new and strange to everyone that has received a Companion. It was really new and strange to me since I was the first one to receive a Companion." I told her.

"How do I shapeshift into an otter?"

"Just think about a sea otter and think about being a sea otter. That's how you morph into any of the animals. When you want to change back to human or in your case a robot, you think of being yourself again." I told her.

Penny looked down at Rhea. "I am sorry I did not believe you. It did not make since to me."

Rhea looked at Penny. "It is okay. As you said, this is all new and strange to you. It is new to me as well. We will learn together." Rhea told Penny.

"Taima and I will help you any time you have a question." I told them both.

"Thank you." Penny replied.

"Well, you otter go to the beach and have some fun." I said.

Penny gave me a confused look. Rhea shook her head. "That was bad." Rhea told me. A couple moments later Penny started laughing. I'm guessing Rhea explained it to Penny.

Rhea shifted to her otter form and looked up at Penny. "Let's go swimming." She said to Penny.

"We are going swimming." Penny told me and started for the back door.

I caught up to Penny just outside the back door. She was just standing there looking off into the distance. "Penny." I called her name.

She turned to look at me. "Yes?" She asked.

"You might want to wait until your almost to the water before you change into your otter form." I told her.

"Why?" Was her short question.

"It's a long walk on short legs like otters have. Although you might have fun running and playing in the sand." I told her.

Penny looked at me for a moment. Then she turned to the water, she turned back to me. "You are correct. It is a long way with short legs." She said, reached down and picked up Rhea. Then started walking towards the water. When she was fifty feet from the water, she put Rhea on the sand, she stood still for a moment, then shifted to her otter form. Penny and Rhea ran to the water.

A couple hours later everyone headed to the Cafe to take a break from swimming and get a snack.

"Well, you could watch some TV. We have lots of shows and movies you don't have on Remnant. Like Star Trek, Space Rangers, Full House, Fuller House, Emergency. As for movies there's Star Wars, Hatari, Quiet Man, Total Recall, Evalution, Princess Bride and many others." I suggested.

The rest of the weekend went as usual. Sunday evening, I opened a portal back to our dorm room so Team SSSN and Penny could go back. I closed the portal after they were all in our dorm room so we could finish our week on Pern.

[madefate]

There are plenty of voices in the back of Charlie's mind that want her to doubt herself - Adam's, growing increasingly more violent the more she pushed. Lute's, stringent and cruel. Sera's, remorseful but resolute. Angel's, once, terrified and angry. Carmilla's, wise and close guarded. - Lucifer's, kind but dismissive. Lilith's, gone. And once, Charlie's would have been there, too.

But that would be entirely discounting everyone who has brought her to this point - Rosie, Alastor, Vaggie, her family here. Even her father, miraculously and shockingly as it is. And hers. Charlie may still feel a little out of her depth with the denizens outside of Pentagram City, but she has just begun to learn what she's capable of, and she refuses to let that confidence shrink ever again.

So as she waits for Stolas' reply, Charlie waits with optimism. After all, he had insisted on any formalities - that was a good sign, right ? That he didn't feel compelled to put the kind of distance between that leads to rejection, right ?

When he summons his book - from looks alone, it reminds her of the Malleus Maleficarum that used to reside on her mother's shelf - and her curiosity is confirmed when she sees a few arcane runes on the pages he flips through. - And, no, she's not trying to be nosy, of course, because that would be rude ! And overstepping boundaries ! But something twists a little in her chest when she notes the ease with which Stolas commands his magic - a mix of awe and embarrassment and even a little longing as she remembers that same ease in her parents' practice. - The absence of her own skill.

Then Stolas looks back up at her and Charlie snaps to attention, finding her smile and tuning back into the situation at hand. ❝ - Do you really think that could work ? That would be ... ❞ She thinks of the barrier Alastor had erected for them - honestly, the only way it had managed to fall had been when Alastor had, a thought that sends a chill down her spine no matter the outcome.

Her enthusiasm flickers higher. ❝ We did use a shield in the last attack - I'm so sorry I don't know the details of the spell, but I can absolutely get that information for you if it would help ! If we can extend even pockets of protection to the rest of Pride - or even the other rings, it's something Heaven probably wouldn't be expecting. ❞

For the rest of it, Charlie has never heard of, what had he called it, solar power ? The living world is fascinating, a strange and distant thing Charlie has never touched before. She leans forward, nodding with the vigor of a particularly attentive student before turning a page on her easel to one filled with brainstorming notes - and, of course, some doodles from the staff at the edges. ( whoever drew fat nuggets is talented ! )

She quickly jots down resource management on a less marked side, making notes for food, water, power, climate - and then doodles a little moon swirling in magic with a question mark next to it and the word possibly !

❝ That would be wonderful ! And please, don't worry about the specifics just yet - I wouldn't dream of not giving you any time you're willing to give for research, and besides, I'm still drafting. You know what they say - first is worst, eight's okay! Honestly - ❞ She trails off for a moment, glancing at her ... somewhat chaotic plan pensively. ❝ I think the only problem I'm truly facing is prioritization. I'm hoping that we can keep tabs enough on Heaven to have a timeline for any ... activity ... ❞ Retaliation, Charlie thinks bitterly but absolutely does not say.

❝ But it's hard to say that defense is any more or less important than resource management and repair of Hell's infrastructure to focus on first. I'm hoping - ❞ she takes a breath, knowing she's wading into touchier waters, possibly overstepping her boundaries and throwing herself into parts of Hell that aren't her business. ❝ - I'm hoping, if I can find those willing to help, to delegate those repairs to those who oversee all the parts of Hell outside of Pentagram city. It would make more sense - who would know best what people need than the people who live there ? If they'd work with me - that's something I'd really love to help with. ❞

Stolas takes a look around the hotel as he follows the princess further into the building. It was clear that it had been newly renovated; everything was shiny and new, and he had to admit that it looked impressive. While he had nothing to compare it to, having not been here before, it felt welcoming, which was certainly a good atmosphere for a place that anticipated having guests.

He inclines his head at her request that he call her Charlie, offering her another soft smile. "Then I must insist that you call me Stolas," he replied. If they were going to be on a first-name basis, it really should extend both ways, especially considering the fact that she very much outranks him.

The drawing room she leads him to is its own sort of welcoming, the couches offering promise of comfort, the drapes and warm reds just the right shade to suggest both opulence and hominess, which is honestly impressive. But he wasn't here to discuss the decorations (at least he didn't think he was!).

As Charlie approaches the easel set up in the room, Stolas takes a seat in one of the nearby couches, placing his hat on his lap, his attention fully focused on Charlie. He had heard other opinions of her and the hotel itself, but despite all of that, he's come to this meeting with an open mind. After all, some of the best ideas had started out as nothing more than someone with a dream who had refused to give up, hadn't they?

He settles into the couch a bit more, less perched on the edge of it, and more actually relaxing into it as Charlie starts into her presentation. His attention is fixed on her words even as he scans over the diagram on her easel. The plan was to reform and redeem Hell's Sinners to reduce overpopulation and the exterminations, which was a lofty goal, he had to admit. But they had kept the Exterminators at bay, had kept them from turning their sights first to the rest of the Pride Ring, and then to the rest of Hell. That had to count for something. It showed that she was committed to this plan, to doing everything she could to help protect and uplift her people.

Stolas notices the way her voice cracked just a little as she mentioned 'minimal casualties,' and between that and the memorial they'd passed on the way in here, it's clear that she had lost someone in the fight. But before he can say anything, to try to offer her some form of comfort, she's forging ahead, putting the well-being of others before her own grief, something he admires and understands. It was easier to put others before yourself, after all.

And then she gets right down to it: she wants to improve Hell, and she wanted his advice about magic that might help with that, through providing additional defense or sustainability.

He takes a moment to think, mentally flipping through his grimoire and some of the other volumes of magic he has at home. There must be something he can do to help, surely; he just has to figure out exactly what.

"I'll need to go through my books for specifics, but I should be able to help," he says after a few moments. "There are certainly some protection spells that I can work. Though with something as complex as protecting the whole of Hell, I'll probably have to rewrite and rework something of my own," he muses, considering. With his connection to the stars, he should be able to draw on extra power during the full moons, which should help to fuel the protective wards.

He makes a gesture, as though opening a book, and it appears in his hands, allowing him to flip through the pages.

"Ah, yes," he says after a moment, looking up at Charlie once more. "The humans use solar power, but I believe I may have found a way to use lunar energy instead. If we're able to use and store it, that might help redirect other resources elsewhere, if needed."

Of course, both of these were preliminary thoughts; he could probably have something much more useful for her once he did some additional research.

[inkribbon796]

Egotober 2022 Day 5: Once the Bringer of Life . . .

Summary: Wade’s house seems cursed because things always seem to happen to his house.

A/N: A reminder that Bob’s superhero name is Gatling, and Wade’s the the Drowned Man (DM for short)

Prompt: Water

Characters: Wade, Bob, Mark, Joan

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

“You know buddy, even if it is a demon, it’s still pretty funny,” Bob smiled as he stood next to his old college friends. Wade was standing in-between him and Mark. All three of them were in their normal outfits and standing in front of Wade’s house.

Wade’s front door was knocked off its hinges and flat on the floor inside the house. There was lots of water damage.

And Wade was at his wit’s end.

Mark looked over at his old college friend. “And you’re certain it’s not just you, ‘cause you do have water powers?”

“No, it’s not me, I had Marvin help with it. I’m not in college anymore and soaking through beds and floorboards, Mr. It Took Me Five Days To Stop Floating.”

“I’m just ruling stuff out,” Mark shrugged. “And hey, if they’re no ghosts we can make a little money by posting it online and pretending.”

Wade just stared at him. “Bob, if I kill Mark do you think he’d haunt my house.”

“You’d never know a moment of rest,” Mark said before turning to the house. “Let’s go boys.”

“Joan’s not here yet, we should wait for them,” Bob said.

Mark rolled his eyes but he turned back to them. “Fine. They’re the expert.”

“Are you sure it’s a ghost?” Bob asked.

“What else could it be?” Wade demanded.

“I mean, my roof was leaking last week, so it could just be a weird Egoton thing,” Mark shrugged.

“It’s ghosts, obviously,” Wade said.

“The day it’s actually ghosts is the day I kiss Wilford full on the mouth,” Bob said.

“That binding?” Mark asked.

“Only if it’s recordable, repeated proof,” Bob said. “If I get that and it’s not some demon, I will let that fucker seranade the hell out of me. He can wine and dine me, and we’ll spend the whole night trying to get away from Dark because everyone knows he’s a jealous piece of shit.”

“I would force a ghost into this house just to see that,” Wade smiled at him.

“Hey, let’s start with one catastrophe at a time. The craziest thing I’ve got in my life right now is I’ve got a couple guys coming to get rid of my fridge next week, but you’re the one with the bad luck.” Bob smiled at Wade as he spoke.

Wade wasn’t so happy with that, but after a couple more minutes, Joan turned up.

All of them were out of costume and they investigated the house where Mark was dicking around and filming stuff on his phone. He was actively trying to sabotage their efforts and almost begging a ghost to show up.

But in the end nothing happened. No ghosts. No demons.

Which only seemed to make Wade even more frustrated and angry.

“Maybe it’s like Dark or Anti, did they find out where I live?” Wade said, trying to find some cause for how many things had gone wrong with his house.

“Maybe,” Mark said, reviewing some of his footage.

“See,” Joan rolled their eyes. “This is why I don’t do shit. You can’t get targeted by demons and supervillains if they don’t know you exist.”

“You up for meeting with him, we can all go and change and regroup?” Mark asked.

Joan looked at him for a bit. “Thanks, but hard pass.I’d rather Dark and the other villains not know what I sound like. It’s bad enough that Dee and Remus know who I am. Appreciate including me.”

“Anytime, anytime,” Mark said. “You do good work.”

“If you think there’s another ghost, call me, Gatling’s not the only one who wants to see a ghost,” Joan told them before they split up to suit up.

Joan went back to the base. Wade, Bob, and Mark showed back up close to Dark’s warehouses.

Wade was fretting the entire way over.

“Dude, if you’re worried so much about your house, go back to it,” Bob told him.

“I’m just going to find more water damage,” Wade said. “I’m trying to keep the place from flooding.

“Well, this shouldn’t be too hard.” Mark shrugged as he began strolling towards the gated entrance. “We just go in and ask.”

Before Mark could take a step inside, a bullet landed centimeters in front of his foot. He jumped back. “Shit, Chase is at work.”

Dark opened up a portal to face them. “Gentlemen, to what do I owe this visit?”

“You or Anti are haunting my house,” Wade said.

“Excuse you?” Dark said in confusion.

“You or Anti or something you sent is causing all of the pipes in my house to go beserk,” Wade accused.

Dark stared at him. “If I knew where you lived, I would have used it. Anti would have killed your family by now.”

The heroes all stared at him.

“Yeah,” Wade sighed. “Yeah, that sounds right.”

“Are you sure it’s not your hydrokinesis?” Dark asked.

“It’s not! Okay?” Wade said. “Why is that everyone’s first question?”

“Because you’re having plumbing problems while being the only hero on the team with a water-based superpower.”

Wade looked like he was about to walk over and punch Dark in the face as Bob was struggling not to just start cackling in laughter.

The heroes wound up leaving after a minor scuffle, just on principle of them being there and so close to Dark. Chase managed to shoot Bob’s barriers a couple of times before they retreated and headed back to the base. Wade quickly hurried back home to try and figure out what was wrong with his home since demons and ghosts were currently being ruled out.

Two weeks later Wade burst into the base where Mark and Wade were in the common room, having some coffee and he threw down a folder on the table in front of them. “See? It’s not me. The previous owners were shit at DIY!”

Mark and Bob just began laughing, which didn’t help Wade’s anger. But it helped exonerate him.

It turned out Wade’s powers or ghosts were not to blame for the problems going on in Wade’s house. But human error was indeed to blame after all.

[truckermelissa]

The problem with the Green Party (or any 3rd party for that matter) is they have no political base. Like none whatsoever, and as a consequence, try to put the cart in front of the horse. In the last election cycle, the Green Party won 15 elections, among them was a single mayor of a place called Marina in California, a single city council seat, and then a bunch of random local seats on school and water boards. NOT ONE STATE LEGISLATURE SEAT

NOT ONE GOVERNOR'S CHAIR

2022 November Election Results - www.gp.org Like you can't even get your neighbors to vote for you, what do you think you are going to accomplish on a national stage exactly? You build power at the local level, then the state level, then the federal level, then the President. So local government, state legislature, governor's chair, congressional seats, and then you have an honest shot at the presidency. Not before.

My overriding vote, my single issue above all else, is keeping these two fascists out of power. Everything, absolutely everything else, is secondary. To make myself abundantly clear, I would vote for an irradiated lobotomized shit-covered cockroach if it meant keeping these two out of power. Now, who has the best shot at doing that in 2024? Biden or some 3rd Party Candidate that basically no one outside of Leftist politics has heard of? That answer is as clear as an azure summer sky: Biden. The consequences of these purity politics that burned though the left in 2016 are now evident. Hillary for all her faults, if she were president, Roe v. Wade would still be law, LGBTQ protections would still be law, Miranda Rights would still be law, Lawrence v. Texas wouldn't be under threat nor would Obergefell v. Hodges, need I go on? A lot of you stared fascism in the face and you flinched. I didn't make that mistake in 2016, and I'll not make it in 2024. It's not fandom, it's not circus-clapping seals, it's not bravado, it's not demagoguery, it is simply an abacus of tactics. I've too much to lose. If you take issue with that, then that's your problem, not mine. When the Green Party can start snatching several hundred state legislature seats and some governorships, come talk to me, we can then have a serious conversation. Until then, I just see you flinching in the face of fascism that can be prevented by the simplest means in democratic societies.