-Of Pranks and Finals by Morpheus

Morpheus
Whitman Cottage, Wednesday morning, Dec 12th, 2007

Okay, someone messed with the mirrors or did something so their reflections show facial hair that just isn't there. Melissa has no idea who is doing the prank, the prank Imp has planned is something else. All her school outfits were replaced with clown outfits, and Melissa thinks it could only be Trixie behind this. Good grief, she certainly learned how to be overdramatic from Imp.

Domoviye
Wednesday morning, Dec 12th, 2007

Wakanda doesn't like fighting for an audience, I hope she does well in her combat final. Downplay herself, what should her true ratings on her MID be? She is facing Gambler, oh boy, I hope everyone makes it out of this in one piece including the arena.

“Probability manglers aren't normal warpers. Most warpers are ranked by the dimensions they can affect. Manglers tap dance on dimensions, and the lowest rating they get is a two. With a two, things are going to be interesting. At three, things are going to suck. Anything above four, which is Gamblers rating, well, that's when you say, 'fuck my life'.”

They sound like a headache for the powers rating guys to figure out their exact rating as well.

Ooo, functional and fashionable costume. And those weapons, I would be very careful in dealing with her. That is a different kind of crash and use of the zombies than in the other combat finals we have seen. Yikes, her precognition just saved her from being hit by acid from the sounds of it. Doing all this with her eyes closed and relying on her precog ability to guide her, Wakanda is a badass.

What the! Tell Wakanda to kill the wizard, but Gambler to capture and call for transport so he can end the spell, this just got more complicated. The Capes need to realize you can be a hero even with the most minor of powers or even no powers at all with the right training, gear, and determination. Good costume, and glad to see her probability manipulation already proving an asset.

Welp, the ANTs are programmed to be like real henchmen, doing something stupid like firing blindly when surrounded by compatriots just to try and hit the hero. *eyes bug out* Wakanda isn't afraid to kill to protect herself, at least these are ANTs. Oof, her power making sure she will win, I have to wonder if that is confidence in her power or accuracy to how her power works.

Her precog power led her into a room with zombies and the future went wild so she couldn't see it with her power, crud. Forced to rely on her training, Wakanda fights off the zombies, did the instructors know something like this could happen?

Gambler, leaving Wakanda when she is screaming in fear, you made assumptions of what is happening and could have helped her out. Seesh, her probability warping is brutal, henchmen pile up from one tripping. Tries to intimidate the one she leaves conscious into giving her information on the boss, but gets grabbed from behind and slammed into a wall. Luck turns some and Gambler falls to the ground but rolls to avoid getting stomped by Wakanda. Good lord! Wakanda fought for her life in that room, both her weapons are gone now. Gambler, when your luck already starts to turn drawing a hand is a bad idea.

Wakanda escapes a zombie's grip and destroys it, but bullets, grenades, and zombie acid spit are forcing her to fight for her life. Gambler tries to deal with the henchmen and zombies with her stun gun and gun but only avoids injuries due to her luck power. Wakanda, in this situation taking down Gambler is the last thing you should be concerned about. Taking down zombies and henchmen, Wakanda makes sure they stay down and she still goes after Gambler. Until a massive zombie charges through the wall, relying on her precog power again she runs for it.

Gambler runs as well having lost both her weapons, her remaining holdouts worthless against the giant zombie. Down the stairs and the giant zombie just jumps down to land right behind her, eep.

There wasn't much in the room, just a bunch of mystical looking junk and drawings that dominated half the space, and a door behind the zombie.

If this isn't the wizard's hiding spot or very near it I will be surprised. Pushing all that bad luck at the giant zombie, I hope this works in a way that doesn't also mean bad luck for Gambler.

Wakanda is lost, but her precognition is working again. And it bites her in the butt again! Lead into danger as a different giant zombie is running towards her. Pants the zombie to cause it to fall over, she uses him as a springboard to get away once again and her precognition starts working again, why does her precognition keep failing her though?

Whoa! Jumps off the top of the stairs and turns her jump into a flying kick to take out the first giant zombie with a brutal blow to the head, epic. A second giant zombie shows up, and precog powers let Wakanda know she can defeat it, but then chaos once more, I want to know what is going on with that power.

Oh no, all that bad luck Gambler was going to focus on the first giant zombie going towards Wakanda and the second giant zombie now.

As the mystical mumbo-jumbo stuff flared to life and hissed behind her, Gambler ran through the only door in the room.

Oh crap, this just got a whole lot worse. Yup, I knew it, right in the next room is the wizard and due to her luck, Gambler narrowly avoids a magic trap. I hope she can knock him out and not kill him.

Ugh, Wakanda, this is one of the few times I would ask a telepath to remove or at least edit my memories, no one needs a memory of something like that. Thanksgiving in Detriot, what happened there? Gambler! I know you want to win, but screwing over Wakanda like this isn't a very heroic thing to do. Caught by the giant zombie and now the runes and magical items explode, when Gambler unleashes bad luck she really goes big.

Ouch, what a way to be saved from the magical grip of the wizard. Wakanda unconscious or dead and that is your first thought, not very heroic, Gambler. Necromancer is dead beneath the giant zombie, it was all for naught, Gambler. Okay, she checked on Gambler and is glad she is alive, misjudged her reaction earlier.

Then she groaned and said in English, “I hate luck manglers.”

Lying down, Gambler nodded. “No argument here. Now shut up until the healers get here.”

Gambler has some of the most extreme forms of luck mangling we've ever seen, I would hate to have that power myself.

Morpheus
Wednesday afternoon, Dec 12th, 2007

Gwen Wylann sits with her friends watching the combat finals matches. Collin missed Fixx's match, aww. What new weapon did he make and should we be concerned?

“It was quite impressive,” Porcelain agreed. “Most devisor would not be able to create a new weapon in such a short period of time, especially with materials that are generally considered…inferior.”

From just stuff in a hardware store, that is impressive, no need for modesty, Fixx.

Dana and Jinx talk about how funny Breakdown's match was.

At Collin’s questioning look, Dana explained, “Breakdown started disassembling one of the ANTS to figure out how it worked…and got so distracted by that…she forgot she was in the middle of her final.”

“She got overrun by the zombies,” Jinx added with another laugh. “It was funny…because she didn’t even notice them coming…”

Oh boy, she got reamed by Gunny for sure about situational awareness.

Cauldron in a combat final and surrounded by a group of zombies, uh oh. An ice version of napalm! Cauldron is a lot more dangerous than she appears with her holdouts on hand. Magic potions, boy, she is skilled to make a potion like that. A potion to give herself low-level speed powers, this girl has got to be a fan of D&D and superhero comics.

Oh, so those pranks earlier were Trixie. Imp is trying to commission someone to make plaid paint for her prank on Melissa. Aww, the match is over and we don't know who won. Porcelain vs. Gravmax, I think Porcelain might have to reveal some of her hidden abilities if Gravmax goes too far. Hangs around Porcelain's roommate and she isn't concerned, if she unleashes even a fraction of her true abilities in this match I almost pity Gravmax.

Different setting, is it the same zombie scenario or have they mixed it up a little again? She can do that to her shell, okay, even without the abilities she probably keeps secret from the power testers she is scary. Yeah, this is the tip of the iceberg of how dangerous Porcelain really is that everyone is seeing right now.

Heh, everyone including her friends thought she was harmless. Fixx knows, he was there and saw her fight with her brother.

Gravmax crushes the zombies with his gravity powers and taunts them, what an ego to need to taunt unintelligent foes that are already defeated. Decapitated zombie heads flying at him, I love how Porcelain is dealing with him. Nope, she isn't crazy, but she sure hit a nerve with those attacks. Bwahaha, never assume appearances or even MIDs are fully accurate, some students know how to conceal their full capabilities.

Standing just outside his range, Porcelain knows the perfect way to taunt him without saying a word. An inky black tentacle, ooo, is Porcelain going to show her full capabilities in this match? It's only been a week and a half since the incident where Porcelain ambushed Gravmax and did that to him, dang, felt like a lot longer. Yup, tore off porcelain covering her mass of black tentacles and Gravmax realizes who she is.

She reveals her true self, her porcelain-like shell shattered and just the black figure beneath left behind, I knew she would do this sooner or later, but this is just perfect. Crud, the form she took when she fought her brother, Gravmax will never go near her after this. Sword aimed at his chest and Gravmax pees himself while begging for his life.

“Normally, I would not demonstrate my capabilities so openly,” Porcelain said. “However, my primary reason for restraint has ended and there are those I wish to impress today, much to your misfortune.”

She was the worst possible opponent for him. Leaves him with his hands and feet bound as she walks off to deal with more zombies, no one will believe she is helpless after this.

Dana, Collin, and Gwen are all in shock, had no idea that Porcelain could do any of that. But they noticed Fixx wasn't surprised at all.

Fixx shrugged, looking self-conscious. “Only for a week or two…” Then he quickly added, “Porcelain made me promise not to tell anyone.”

“We can’t begrudge you for that then,” Collin said with a quick glance to Gwen.

A promise to a friend, as long as it doesn't put them or someone else's life in danger, is a promise you keep. Porcelain is back, but with no clothing, the cracks in her usual white porcelain shell are more obvious. Wariness, concern, and fear are all appropriate reactions for the rest of the students to Porcelain now.

Isabelle is a huge badass, but with her true abilities seen she is probably going to have to do powers testing again.

“We all have our secrets,” Gwen assured her.

“Not me,” Dana added with a grin and a look of mock innocence. “I’m an open book.”

Jinx snorted at that. “Yeah, let’s go with that…”

Hehe, Dana is a goof even right now. Now they have a training team, they just need a name for it.

Morpheus
Wednesday afternoon, Dec 12th, 2007

Bwahaha, that self-narration by Monkeywrench. Orc waves a greeting and Razorback runs by...wearing an Elvis costume, I don't think I want to know why. Monkeywrench is going after Bekka Carlton aka Slingshot for what she did to Balderdash, uh oh. Okay, Bekka deserves it for treating Balderdash in that way.

Lewis Braekowski aka Switchblade, Bekka's friend and another bully to Balderdash. Doug Kelly aka Broadsword, why is he hanging with those jerks? Oh, Doug, you just had to make such a joke at Monkeywrench's expense, now you are including in the "testing" of his invention. A super soaker water gun and it shoots that, ewww.

Though them bringing out dangerous powers to attack before he even does anything, they have earned this. POO launcher and he gets everyone except Doug who used his sword as a shield, and banana peel grenades to make a slippery getaway, Monkeywrench is a fun devisor when you aren't his target.

Bekka complains, Lewis makes a vow about getting his hands on Monkeywrench, and Doug makes an immature joke. And it is just chocolate pudding, harmless, Bekka overreacted for nothing.

An entire canister of compressed pudding, a good devise. Ooo, yes, use banana flavor next time. Blackbox and RIpple standing by the main door to Twain, Mister Filbert wants to see him, oh boy. Who spread all these banana peels on the floor of Twain? Mr. Filbert doesn't even listen as Monkeywrench says he didn't do it, just gives him a broom and garbage bag, telling him to clean up the mess.

Domoviye
Combat Finals Announcer, Wednesday afternoon, Dec 12th, 2007

Sunny makes strong vines easily capable of dealing with the zombies.

B's smile could practically be heard in her voice. “So we'll get to see who’s stronger, plants or zombies.”

Wait a minute, this is a year and a half before the first game got released! Does B know something Tink doesn't? B is left to comment alone as Tink tries to think of a good name for such a game, good grief.

Morpheus
Wednesday afternoon, Dec 12th, 2007

What the! What is blocking most of the light from Louis' tank? Rubber ducks, it is rubber ducks.

There were hundreds of them, enough to cover nearly the entire surface.

Just how big in physical dimensions is his tank? Okay, the use of the devil ducks in the mix, has to be Imp behind this. How did she do this, or will we ever get to find out? This is a mystery, time for Detective Geintz to get on the case.

Oh god, she did it using the power gem she took from that creepy pretend hero who kept brainwashing kids into being his sidekicks for him.

It could mask the user from psychics, hiding them from telepaths and the like…at least for a short time

A very good reason to keep the power gem, an ace in the hole not just for pranks.

“It was totally worth it,” Imp assured herself while slipping the power gem back into her pocket. “I just hope that this little prank quacks Fubar up as much as it does me.”

And Mrs. Carson thought being a teacher would make Imp less likely to pull pranks, hah.

Morpheus
Wednesday afternoon, Dec 12th, 2007

Trixie, what are you going to do next? She wants to see the pranks, wait, does that mean she isn't the one who pranked Melissa? Get Jade back, uh oh. Oh brother, did Melissa put itching powder in Trixie's school uniform, it sure seems that way. That girl asks what is going on, gets a reasonable response, yet backs away from Trixie like she is crazy. This is Whateley, she should know even the pranks go overboard.

Back in her dorm room, a small package is on her bed. A note "To Trixie, From Mischief" and a flea collar, Trixie knows what is wrong now. Did Melissa and Trixie both read the same book about dramatic responses?

Domoviye
Hawthorne Cottage, Wednesday evening, Dec 12th, 2007

Who is singing that song in FUBAR's basement? Ah, Tink is, she and Interest have detention in Hawthorne so are cleaning out the rubbery duckies from Louis' tank. Where did Tink learn that song? Louis thanks Interest for helping clean up even though it is part of her detention. TInk has been singing that song for an hour! They need a devisor to make a Tink-sized muzzle that she can't just rip off or apart.

Domoviye
Crystal Hall, Thursday morning, Dec 13th, 2007

Jane sits to eat breakfast with her friends, suddenly screams from a student ring out. A girl with a long, thick beard, a dozen or so students with brand new facial hair, is this linked to what happened in the Whitman showers? Aella believes someone spiked the food, Cooper asks Smile if they want to borrow his razor, at least in fairy form she doesn't have facial hair.

Crud, it hit Jane too, but she has a good sense of humor about it. Incognito hit too, this is getting ridiculous.

“Not really my style, but hey, I finally have a reason to use my new razor. This will be a good test for it. And I may keep the mustache.”

Not limited to girls, is there any link to the mirror prank in Whitman? If Jane says the mustache is that bad, listen!

Domoviye
Thursday morning, Dec 13th, 2007

Incognito's turn in the arena, Jane is right, you don't need any more time in Doyle, Shaun, or they will give you a frequent visitor's badge. A secret plan, secret weapons, what have you cooked up, Shaun? Oh no, not Thud. Shaun makes a deal with Thud, a jacket like that for a bully is a bad idea. Why do I get the feeling that Shaun patting him on the back and handshake with both hands is part of his secret plan?

Back to get the cure and get it to the pickup point. *blinks* Okay, he just proved his codename is accurate, that is a cartoon-level disguise kit.

“What?” he asked. “Thud isn't going to be looking for me.”

Gunny just shook his head.

I like Shaun, not a 'macho' guy afraid to look like a female if it fits his plans.

Thud, thinking like that will get you an F and tank your mark in BMA. Yikes, I knew that pat on the back and handshake earlier were not Shaun being friendly, that is some potent chemicals to knock Thud out.

Shaun got the sleeping gas from Alchemical and Thud is still asleep, dang, I bet the military would love some of that stuff. He swiped Gunny's wallet, Shaun is really good with his hands. One of Trixie's stink bombs you hand lying around, Thud is going to need help getting that stink out anytime soon.

“You get a B. Good plan, but in a real situation you wouldn't get a chance to plant the gas on him. Now get out of here,” Gunny said, checking his pockets to make sure nothing else was missing.

Yeah, with Shaun I would check my pockets too, that kid is incorrigible.

Morpheus
Thursday late morning, Dec 13th, 2007

Dr. Raul Tenant says the students have nearly identical powers, but Conrad Filbert knows which one he would bet on. Raul Tenant is off-duty, this is a rare sight. Aegis and Iron, if Aegis hasn't learned to stop being so reckless then I would bet on Iron. $100 on Iron to win, and Imp says she will take him up on that action. Imp bets on her own pupil and son, let's hope the lessons with her have done some good. Imp's reaction, she knows something Conrad doesn't.

Chris Matthews has a mask, but not a real costume to go with it, this is why that class is essential for students who wish to be heroes. Yikes, I would hate to be the one dropped into a jungle with the zombies for their combat final. Aww, he wants his parents to be proud of him.

This is weird. A clean city, cleaner than the real world, with no zombies, but people. Oh no, don't tell me they have a scenario where they have to locate the source of the zombie plague and stop it before it can start. Oh crap, an older man in a white lab coat crying out in pain, this is patient zero!

He has already bitten a woman, and bit or scratched others, this is bad. When the woman gets up and starts rabidly attacking Chris realizes the zombie apocalypse is starting now. Crap, it has spread way too fast already for Chris to contain it on his own. Chris defends a woman and draws attention to himself, and the infected charge him.

No sign of the woman he saved after he fights off four attackers, Chris remembers he needs to find the cure. Smart move, Chris, avoid unnecessary fights and get to the goal so you can end this. Chris finds an armored truck, the same symbol as on patient Zero's lab coat, and a woman who explains what happened. Engineered plague and she has the cure, but he needs to get it to the drop-off point which is a helicopter.

Chris, these may be ANTs but they function similarly to NPCs in video games, a limited number of things they can say based on their programmed role in the scenario. Ugh, Iron would show up right now, sucker punk Chris, and demand he hand over the cure. Iron attacks again, thinking he can just overpower Chris to get the cure.

She always told him that even if he thought that he could take a hit, he shouldn’t unless he had no better choice.

A lesson more than a few brick and paragon type superheroes in various media need to learn. Nice throw, Chris has learned from Imp and in BMA. Aww, he wants to make Imp proud, if he finds out who she is to him...

Good, treat this like the real thing, unlike Iron who is acting like a grade is more important than people's lives if this were a real incident. Finally! The lesson of fighting smarter, not harder got through to Chris. Nice shift of the PK field for a powerful punch, Chris. Ack! That close to being fully surrounded and overwhelmed all because Iron wants to be the one to deliver the cure for his grade.

*eyes bug out* PK blade and he cuts right through a telephone pole, Chris has learned to use the versatile nature of his PK field to great effect. And he has learned to focus on the goal instead of just winning a fight. Chris hands in the cure, and it is all over. I'm so proud of him for using what he has learned.

Ouch, why was the debriefing so exhausting, Chris didn't do anything wrong and kept focused on the goal. Mr. Filbert, it is your fault for labeling a student without knowing of any recent growth or development on their part. You made the bet, you should be angry at yourself for looking down on a student, not at the student.

Imp is right, an amazing job, I've seen older students get distracted from the point of the test, losing focus, and yet you kept focused the whole time, used what you learned, and proved to everyone you aren't the same as at the start of the school year.

“I’m certain that your mother is very proud of you,” she said, her expression becoming even stranger for a brief second before she abruptly switched back to a broad grin.

Got me tearing up here, what was taken from Imp and Chris, she would have been a great mother to him and is trying to be now.

Amethyst and Domoviye
Thursday afternoon, Dec 13th, 2007

Aww, Tink loves Mutt and he lets her ride on his back. Fetch is her friend, but she loves the cute dog. The size of a truck, don't get on Fetch or Mutt's bad side ever. ElectroCute is his opponent and Tink doesn't know how to cheer for now.

“You might not cheer for your friend because his opponent is a fluffy cat?”

“Look at her! She's so fluffy and cute! I just want to give her a big hug and never let go!”

After the match is over...run and hide, ElectroCute, or you will get the Abominable Snowman's overly affectionate attention style from Tink!

Fetch is glad he can't hear what Tink is saying about him, heh. Aww, I see why Tink thinks Mutt is so cute, he is just an adorable and loyal friend. Good thing Fetch has some protection, going straight toward the zombies to find the McGuffin is risky.

Felicia is wearing a hoodie, jeans, gauntlets, a small backpack, and a mask, I wonder why she thinks this will make her stand out in the combat finals. And yeah, the masks seem silly for some of the students for reasons like this. She begs to do the combat final and is doing it for extra credit, entrance music, but not allowed, oh no, she is a wrestling fan, isn't she.

Goodies from Xia aka Gestalt, flash bomb and pair of smoke bombs on timers, a flashy entrance, good grief. Switching into a leotard while under the cover of smoke, is not smart, some students probably have senses or even gadgets/devises that can see through that. Doesn't even have the legs on when her claw gets stuck and the smoke is gone, eep. Full-body blush beneath her fur, at least you have the fur to cover you or it would be worse.

"Taffy is going to be super-impressed when you swoop in, save people and find that package first."

Who is Taffy? I can't remember anyone by that name from previous stories

Felicia let out a gasp before wailing, “Oh noes! I've lost my marbles!”

Loses her ball bearings and she says this, no one is going to forget this match, but not for the reasons that Felicia hopes. Electromagnetic railgun with ball bearings, but she was only able to fire off one to take out one zombie. Good idea, bad time to test it in the field.

Bwahaha, zombies falling over because of the spilled ball bearings, she is making this seem like a comedy horror.

Huh, and Taffy said this was nothing like pro wrestling.”

I knew she was a fan. Super soaker to make targets vulnerable to her electrical attack, dang, now I wonder if other electricity-wielding students will think to use that in the future.

Mutt picks up Felicia's scent and Fetch tells him to play with the kitty, at least Mutt is ectoplasm. Ack! If I saw Mutt at that size coming at me I would scream "Don't jump on me!".

“Holy catnip! That is one huuuuge puppy!”

She has some of the best funny lines in this whole story. Barking and licking, play wrestling, and getting Felicia to forget what she was doing. Dang, Fetch's plan to distract Felicia was perfect.

“Doesn't she know she's being marked?” he asked the air.

No, she just knows she is having fun playing with someone who can handle her strength and size.

Aww, Mutt let Felicia subdue him and she is giving him belly rubs.

"Who's a good, big, stupid dog? You are! Yes you are!"

So sweet. The groan of a zombie reminds her of the combat final. A big electric charge from playtime, so playing with Mutt is going to help her out in more ways than one. I almost pity the ANTs having to deal with her right now. Bwahaha, tossing a zombie and getting Mutt to fetch it, this combat final is too much fun. Love her calling Mutt Clifford since she doesn't know his real name.

Took out all the zombies after 5 minutes.

Felicia was feeling pretty pleased with herself as she sat atop the giant dog, gave him a good kick in the sides and called out, "Ride 'em doggy, away!"

He is too loyal to Fetch to obey that order. Fetch wins and Mutt runs straight off towards him with a regretful Felicia clinging to his back.

Fetch is tired after all that running, he needs to work on his endurance more. Felicia with a plastic garbage can and looks green even with the fur, Mutt's wild ride isn't for the weak of stomach. Fetch gets an A, it is a good thing this is just a bonus mark for Felicia. No, Fetch, most combat finals aren't like that. Yours was fairly tame by Whateley standards.

Morpheus
Thursday afternoon, Dec 13th, 2007[/qoute] Trixie, all that giggling is going to ruin your prank. No, you didn't, what did you put in the POO launcher, Trixie? Rick rolled by the intercom! Even with all that prep Trixie's revenge prank on Jade fails due to a metallic foil umbrella that Jade produces, no marshmallow foam hits Jade.

Darn it, Trixie almost had her. Marshmallow fluff and sprinkles, that POO launcher is versatile in the substances it can fire.

“Not too bad an idea,” Jade commented as she critiqued the failed prank. “A bit derivative though and not as creative as you could be.” Then she shook her head in mock disappointment. “And your follow through really needs work.”

Constructive criticism is always helpful if you listen to it, Trixie. Seeing her later, uh oh, please say Trixie didn't just start a prank war with Jade.

Domoviye
Combat Finals Announcer, Thursday afternoon, Dec 13th, 2007

Tentacles, a wizard, tentacles not supposed to go there, oh boy, this student is getting a big lecture after this combat final.

"I have. One of Mouser's comic books I'm not supposed to read had that spell in it. It was really icky.”

Tink, I hope B tells Mouser if and when she meets her about this. Oh god, Tink has been reading Mouser's hentai.

“Uh... I don't think we're supposed to be showing this to teenagers. I'm out. I don't want to have angry parents coming after me,” B said.

Yup, Mrs. Carson, Gunny, and several other members of the staff are going to chew out that student so badly his ears will be burning for months.

Domoviye
Thursday late afternoon, Dec 13th, 2007

Oh now, you aren't pranking Imp, that is a bad idea, Tink.

The paper had, 'Brooding Reservations' in big black letters at the top, and below it in smaller handwriting were names like Batman, Champion, Goliath, Moon Knight, Daredevil and more, with Imp mixed in the middle.

Okay, never mind, Imp will get a laugh out of this. Except you poured the glue out to trap her there!

It would look dry, but when pressure was put on it, or a bit of heat from skin, it would become really sticky and actually dry super fast.

Boy, Incognito could sell that to Hollywood for use on those in roles that need prosthetics to fit the character. Tink, you may never tell anyone you did it, but I doubt Imp won't eventually figure it out.

Fiddlerfox
Melville Cottage, Thursday late evening, Dec 13th, 2007

A fox sneaking about campus, this is Whateley, I would be suspicious. Catherine, married to a superspy of course she knows how to pick locks, it is a good skill to have at Whateley.

"A fair point. I am glad that you decided we couldn't let all the pranking go unanswered. We are, after all, of the blood of foxes." Siona sounded smug as she spoke.

Oh boy, just how far is this prank war going to spread?

She also took out a pair of disposable plastic gloves and put them on before handling a book of Dickinson poems and six cans of Surströmming.

Oh lord, not that stuff. A Scandinavian Cuisine class, I know the school is multicultural, but allowing Surströmming on campus where some students who have superhuman senses of smell is asking for a riot. Boy, Catherine's past gives her knowledge of how to steal small amounts of shipments and not get caught.

Shifting the blame to Dickinson, oh boy, the prank war is going to get a lot worse after this. Her job as part of the Dream Team sure gives her a lot of leeway to wander at night.

This room was none other than the room which housed Melville's forced air vent system for heating and cooling.

Catherine, no! I don't like most of Melville either, but this is going to get out of hand with a prank on this scale. Oh good, that dorm is going to need to be aired out or have magic used on it to remove the stink or all the girls will need temporary quarters elsewhere.

Domoviye
Wednesday morning, Dec 12th, 2007

Wakanda doesn't like fighting for an audience, I hope she does well in her combat final. Downplay herself, what should her true ratings on her MID be? She is facing Gambler, oh boy, I hope everyone makes it out of this in one piece including the arena.

“Probability manglers aren't normal warpers. Most warpers are ranked by the dimensions they can affect. Manglers tap dance on dimensions, and the lowest rating they get is a two. With a two, things are going to be interesting. At three, things are going to suck. Anything above four, which is Gamblers rating, well, that's when you say, 'fuck my life'.”

They sound like a headache for the powers rating guys to figure out their exact rating as well.

Wakanda didn't lie on the MID, she just didn't go into detail. So listing things like BMA instead of the several martial arts and weapons she does know how to use. Precognition, but not her fighting trance style, things like that. Someone looks at her MID they'll probably think she's more a danger to their privacy and can defend herself, instead of someone who could break every bone in their body with her eyes closed.
And yeah, I figure that testers would hate Probability manglers because how do you measure it? Probability can affect... everything, but listing it all as 7 would make no sense.
So I kept it vague and more along what a teen would say.

Ooo, functional and fashionable costume. And those weapons, I would be very careful in dealing with her. That is a different kind of crash and use of the zombies than in the other combat finals we have seen.
...
What the! Tell Wakanda to kill the wizard, but Gambler to capture and call for transport so he can end the spell, this just got more complicated.

Glad you like the costume, I put a lot of thought into it, checking out Haitian fashion and a few other things. Wakanda doesn't fit me as the type to want a superhero/villain look, but she's not too shy about showing off a little. So a Haitian outfit that would help her feel connected to her home, look pretty, provide protection, and provide places to hide weapons and her feet.
And this crash is to challenge Wakanda and Gambler. With their powers, they each have a pretty strong advantage over other students. Wakanda might not be able to take down a brick, but she could dodge and simply avoid most of them, and out fight or maneuver most others as long as she stays in her trance. As long as Gambler can keep her power under control, which she can with the help of her cards, even bricks will hate fighting her because of all the things that could go wrong. So the instructors had to make sure they wouldn't team up, and just throw a lot of stuff at them.

*eyes bug out* Wakanda isn't afraid to kill to protect herself, at least these are ANTs. Oof, her power making sure she will win, I have to wonder if that is confidence in her power or accuracy to how her power works.

Her precog power led her into a room with zombies and the future went wild so she couldn't see it with her power, crud. Forced to rely on her training, Wakanda fights off the zombies, did the instructors know something like this could happen?

Wakanda is willing to kill ANTs and non-humans. How far she's willing to hurt a human, we'll have to wait and see.
And the instructors knew things would get violent. They couldn't predict exactly how Gambler's powers would work, so they made sure the ANT's were set to NOT do lethal hits or bite hard enough to actually tear flesh. Bruises and scratches only. But accidents can happen.
And Gambler focused her power solely on Wakanda at that moment, and her probability mangling is a little stronger than Wakanda's precog. That made her go into the wrong room. Usually it would just mess up the future with too many possibilities to properly tell what should happen next.

Gambler, leaving Wakanda when she is screaming in fear, you made assumptions of what is happening and could have helped her out.
...
Good lord! Wakanda fought for her life in that room, both her weapons are gone now. Gambler, when your luck already starts to turn drawing a hand is a bad idea.

It's a Crash, it'll be rough, but Gambler knew Wakanda wouldn't die, probably.
And yeah, Wakanda took out the zombies, but it wasn't easy, so she wasn't exactly happy with the freshman. And Gambler uses the cards to help her control her power. There's always the chance of getting a bad hand, especially when she can't use her gambling skills to cheat and give herself good luck, but without the cards, as mentioned a bit later, it's like controlling a wild stallion, not the easiest task in the world.

Wakanda is lost, but her precognition is working again. And it bites her in the butt again! Lead into danger as a different giant zombie is running towards her. Pants the zombie to cause it to fall over, she uses him as a springboard to get away once again and her precognition starts working again, why does her precognition keep failing her though?

And Gambler's power strikes again.
The bad luck for the big zombie attacking Gambler, means Wakanda is going to come along and crush it's skull. Not exactly the ideal outcome for Gambler, but she doesn't exactly get a say in how her power works. Often it's a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Thanksgiving in Detriot, what happened there? Gambler! I know you want to win, but screwing over Wakanda like this isn't a very heroic thing to do. Caught by the giant zombie and now the runes and magical items explode, when Gambler unleashes bad luck she really goes big.

Ouch, what a way to be saved from the magical grip of the wizard. Wakanda unconscious or dead and that is your first thought, not very heroic, Gambler. Necromancer is dead beneath the giant zombie, it was all for naught, Gambler. Okay, she checked on Gambler and is glad she is alive, misjudged her reaction earlier.
...
Gambler has some of the most extreme forms of luck mangling we've ever seen, I would hate to have that power myself.

Detroit is going to be a fun story for Wakanda, Interest and their friends.
Lets just say it gets bloody.
ANd Gambler is looking to win. She knows Wakanda is her opponent and she needs to go all out, so she'll go all out just like Wakanda.
After the explosion, Gambler is a little concussed, she can be forgiven for being happy that she doesn't have to fight the martial arts precog who can kill giant robot zombies with a single kick. But she will do what she can to make sure no one who is flesh and blood dies.
With luck manglers, some of them are subtle, some aren't. Clover of the Three Little Witches tends to be subtle with practically zero control. Jinx seems to be showy with decent control, she made one man who was coming after her get hit by a car, breaking his ankles, and it seems to work a lot in the background, but we haven't seen it in action too often. And Kismet apparently gives herself a mix of good and bad luck that doesn't seem too extreme but happens frequently.
Gambler is ranked pretty high because she can control her powers with help. As long as she has her cards and is able to do some sleight of hand, she can give herself good luck almost on demand. Of course when she lets it go wild, things get pretty nuts.

Sunny makes strong vines easily capable of dealing with the zombies.

B's smile could practically be heard in her voice. “So we'll get to see who’s stronger, plants or zombies.”

Wait a minute, this is a year and a half before the first game got released! Does B know something Tink doesn't? B is left to comment alone as Tink tries to think of a good name for such a game, good grief.

This one was fun.
I actually had two versions of this written because I was writing these over several months and misplaced the first announcement.
So I went with the one I liked more.
And B doesn't know anything, she was just making a small joke, and Tink ran with it.

Who is singing that song in FUBAR's basement? Ah, Tink is, she and Interest have detention in Hawthorne so are cleaning out the rubbery duckies from Louis' tank. Where did Tink learn that song? Louis thanks Interest for helping clean up even though it is part of her detention. TInk has been singing that song for an hour! They need a devisor to make a Tink-sized muzzle that she can't just rip off or apart.

Morph had this scene thought out for a long time.
Since I was always planning on having Tink on permanent detention I had some ideas of having Tink cleaning up the mess.
But having her singing 18 Tons was a last minute decisions. I was listening to the song and my muse it me over the head with this scene, and it was too good to ignore.

Jane sits to eat breakfast with her friends, suddenly screams from a student ring out. A girl with a long, thick beard, a dozen or so students with brand new facial hair, is this linked to what happened in the Whitman showers? Aella believes someone spiked the food, Cooper asks Smile if they want to borrow his razor, at least in fairy form she doesn't have facial hair.

Crud, it hit Jane too, but she has a good sense of humor about it. Incognito hit too, this is getting ridiculous.

“Not really my style, but hey, I finally have a reason to use my new razor. This will be a good test for it. And I may keep the mustache.”

Not limited to girls, is there any link to the mirror prank in Whitman? If Jane says the mustache is that bad, listen!

I realized kind of late that I wanted Jane to have something funny happen to her. It had to be before her disastrous combat final, and since she isn't exactly a big name student, it needed to be random.
There was talk of facial hair and other things, and I had the perfect scene for Jane.

Why do I get the feeling that Shaun patting him on the back and handshake with both hands is part of his secret plan?
Back to get the cure and get it to the pickup point. *blinks* Okay, he just proved his codename is accurate, that is a cartoon-level disguise kit.

“What?” he asked. “Thud isn't going to be looking for me.”
Gunny just shook his head.

I like Shaun, not a 'macho' guy afraid to look like a female if it fits his plans.

Good guess.
And yeah, Shaun realizes he'll never be a big macho guy, but he's very confident in his masculinity and self image, so a bit of cross dressing doesn't bother him if it gets the job done. He would have gotten along well with Mille before his father became an assassin for hire.

Thud, thinking like that will get you an F and tank your mark in BMA. Yikes, I knew that pat on the back and handshake earlier were not Shaun being friendly, that is some potent chemicals to knock Thud out.

Shaun got the sleeping gas from Alchemical and Thud is still asleep, dang, I bet the military would love some of that stuff. He swiped Gunny's wallet, Shaun is really good with his hands. One of Trixie's stink bombs you hand lying around, Thud is going to need help getting that stink out anytime soon.

“You get a B. Good plan, but in a real situation you wouldn't get a chance to plant the gas on him. Now get out of here,” Gunny said, checking his pockets to make sure nothing else was missing.

Yeah, with Shaun I would check my pockets too, that kid is incorrigible.

This scene was developed after reading several stories by Morph were people said "Trixie makes the best stink bombs," I wanted to have one of my characters say it. With Shaun and his pick pocketing skills he learned from his mother it made sense for him to get the opportunity. ANd it was a good way to show his cleverness and kind of ruthless tactics.

Amethyst and Domoviye
Thursday afternoon, Dec 13th, 2007

Aww, Tink loves Mutt and he lets her ride on his back. Fetch is her friend, but she loves the cute dog. The size of a truck, don't get on Fetch or Mutt's bad side ever. ElectroCute is his opponent and Tink doesn't know how to cheer for now.

“You might not cheer for your friend because his opponent is a fluffy cat?”

“Look at her! She's so fluffy and cute! I just want to give her a big hug and never let go!”

After the match is over...run and hide, ElectroCute, or you will get the Abominable Snowman's overly affectionate attention style from Tink!

This was fun to write with Amethyst.
The ideas just kept coming, and having Mutt let this avoid being too serious or out of character silly.
I wrote Fetch's short parts, passed them over to Amethyst and let her do her amazingly funny thing, then I got to write the ending. It worked out great.

Domoviye
Combat Finals Announcer, Thursday afternoon, Dec 13th, 2007

Tentacles, a wizard, tentacles not supposed to go there, oh boy, this student is getting a big lecture after this combat final.

"I have. One of Mouser's comic books I'm not supposed to read had that spell in it. It was really icky.”

Tink, I hope B tells Mouser if and when she meets her about this. Oh god, Tink has been reading Mouser's hentai.

“Uh... I don't think we're supposed to be showing this to teenagers. I'm out. I don't want to have angry parents coming after me,” B said.

Yup, Mrs. Carson, Gunny, and several other members of the staff are going to chew out that student so badly his ears will be burning for months.

I may write this combat final up later. I have a plan for a one shot involving Blue and his Pervert Squad. It involves a boob enlarger, clothing disintegrator, a better class of pervert worthy of Whateley, and some old and new characters.

[/QUOTE]

Domoviye
Thursday late afternoon, Dec 13th, 2007

Oh now, you aren't pranking Imp, that is a bad idea, Tink.

The paper had, 'Brooding Reservations' in big black letters at the top, and below it in smaller handwriting were names like Batman, Champion, Goliath, Moon Knight, Daredevil and more, with Imp mixed in the middle.

Okay, never mind, Imp will get a laugh out of this. Except you poured the glue out to trap her there!

It would look dry, but when pressure was put on it, or a bit of heat from skin, it would become really sticky and actually dry super fast.

Boy, Incognito could sell that to Hollywood for use on those in roles that need prosthetics to fit the character. Tink, you may never tell anyone you did it, but I doubt Imp won't eventually figure it out. [/QUOTE]
I thought this was funny and it fits Tink's pranking, focused on one person and not too nasty.
ANd yeah Incognito will be able to make a pretty penny from his gadgets.