yui

accepted. you'll have to hold off for a round or two before getting your first post in, but i'll let you know when that time comes

The envoy was in. The thief was in. The nomad was in. The vandal was in. By the sounds of it, possibly discounting Íroas, who was permitted to be in on this info anyway as the President's temporary bodyguard, it seemed everybody was interested in joining the team! That was a far better result than Austin could have hoped for. "Well then, since it seems you're all willing to join... to be honest, I was sure at least somebody would say no. In fact, realistically, I expected none of you to sign up. If you'll all follow me, we can introduce you to the rest of the team." "Uhh, sir?" a woman's voice called through a walkie-talkie on the desk. "...one moment, please." Austin picked up the device. "Lewis here. What is it?" "We, uhh, had a bit of a break-in down here. But--" "What!?" "Everything's fine, sir, don't worry!" "And the prisoners?" "All in their cells. Agent Nightmare is still under sedation. Everything's a-okay, sir!" "And our intruder?" "Gone. He showed up, talked with Agent Friend for a bit, then left. We couldn't really do much about it at the time, sir. Aside from a bit of hair in Tom's mouth, it's like our guy was never here." "I see. Don't lose that hair; I'll have someone look at it so we can try to track down the suspect. Lewis out." With a long, exasperated sigh, Austin set the device down. "You'd be surprised how hard it is to find decent guards these days. But that's not our job in the team I'm putting you in. If you'd follow me." With that, Austin led the newly-officially-unofficial team members out of Lobby 2A, taking careful note of the turns he was making within Air Force Zero. Those with a particularly sharp sense of direction would notice that at some points, he seemed to make turns that were completely unnecessary or looped the group back around to points they were already in, though he did so with full confidence in where he was going and the path he was taking to get there. "The team doesn't have an official name, because there's no documentation about us. It's a bit of an extra security measure, to ensure that we leave no paper trail. Shortly after MIRROR first started taking international action, Ja... ahem, Mr. Roosevelt told me to assemble a small team to track them down, learn everything we could about them, then wipe them out. Easier said than done. Their leader's a slippery bitch, and quite frankly, we think that she may have been onto us the entire time and let us gather intel. Except for anything pertaining to her. And I don't want to charge in against an unknown foe, especially if my hunch is right, so for the time being, we'll be seeing about gathering further intel. But first, you should get to know your new teammates." JUNE 11TH, 2030, 2:24 P.M. LOCATION: AIR FORCE ZERO, MEETING ROOM As opposed to the two lobbies on the second floor, the first floor of the air fortress had a larger, singular room, clearly meant more for official meetings than for taking a coffee break, based on the more expensive-looking furniture and the numerous American flags hanging along the walls. Inside, a small gathering of five people sat around the table, sharing what was ultimately just glorified small talk among each other. As the important and astonishingly boring topic of one's favorite kind of cheese came up, the door opened, and in stepped Austin Lewis, in the company of five new faces. "Alright team, we've got new members. I want each of you to introduce yourselves one at a time, name and area of expertise, to help our new faces get familiar." "I'm John West, an engineer," the singular man of the team said first as he raised his hand. In the other hand was a cigarette that had just recently been put out, which he set down in the table's suspiciously clean-looking ashtray. "Officially, I'm actually a civil engineer - or, was I guess, before joining up here - but to be honest I know more about weapons than infrastructure. If you need something built or fixed, I'm your guy." "The meeting room is a no-smoking area, John." "Is it?" "Yes." "I'll keep that in mind." "Dayna Miller, nousology specialist and the woman who runs our analytics," said a red-haired woman. She gave each of the new arrivals a look over that was too long to be called short, but too short to be called anything else. She seemed rather unimpressed by most of them, until her gaze moved to Íroas, at which point her immediate shock was apparent on her face. "That's impossible..." "Something wrong?" "...it's nothing. I'm completely useless in a fight, so unless you need me to look at something, don't bother me. Especially not for poker night." "Definitely don't bring her, she cheats!" a girl a couple seats down from Dayna shouted. Prior to this accusation, she and the girl next to her seemed to be discussing something quietly between the two of them. "Doesn't even try to hide it!" "Yes, yes, we're all aware. Sorry for her little outburst. We're May & Fay Schneider. May is our combat expert, and until about a week ago, I've been spying on MIRROR from the inside." "May's intel is why we hired you and Magpie," Austin commented, leaning toward Íroas. "I don't fully understand her powers, but since they're twins, they have a telepathic link in addition to their own separate powers. Very useful for a spy." "Very useful indeed! Thank you, sir." "And I'm Abby. Abby Collins." The last and shortest team member gave the new arrivals a casual wave. "I can do some mechanical fixing up too, but I'm actually here as the team doctor. I can't perform any surgeries, but I can fix you up if you get ripped to shreds out there. Try to avoid that, though." "And that's our team. You've joined just in time to get to see the world, in fact. Now that our job at the centennial is wrapped up, we're being deployed to Novaroma. The Triumvirate's also in on our little operation - they were even kind enough to send the twins our way, in fact - and a few days ago, a letter arrived saying they have some intel we'd be interested in. Hope none of you are prone to seasickness." Austin stopped himself for a moment, with the clear expression of suddenly remembering something. "Ah, right, as for the envoy in the room." Austin turned and gave Stalag a nod. "I'll escort you to meet with the President myself. Once your talk with him has wrapped up, we can start heading east to catch our boat."

What's the oldest gaming console you remember playing on? (Not necessarily the first console you used, if for example you stumbled into an NES way after its era or something)

red. bowser canonically has red hair, it better suits the "final boss villainess" look, and it matches her fire breath.

That's a difficult question to answer, but right now I'm in a "Princess Chain Chomp" mood.

i liked the bowsette one, that was funny

Is there a food you tell people you like when they're cooking it/you're eating it but you actually don't like it?

How would you do the trolley problem?

“We need to make sure that, if we are to try and… Commandeer a burrow for ourselves, we choose one that will not easily flood. Water is want to pool and flood, after all.” "You have a point..." Abby reluctantly muttered, arms crossed. "Forgot it does that for a sec." Well, that plan was risky at best, then. Pick a bad burrow and you'd have to choose between drowning and electrocution, neither of which Abby was exactly eager to try for herself. And that was assuming whatever creature was inside felt up to sharing, otherwise mauling was also on the table. Not a moment she was proud of in the slightest, suggesting that. And she certainly wasn't about to risk it all for both herself and everyone else just on her own idea nobody else agreed to, either. Fortunately, it seemed someone else had a much wiser plan in mind. "Oh, uh. Uh uh uh." Sabrina stammered, clearly trying to figure out a word of some kind. "Shoot, uh....Lightning rod!" Now that was a good idea! If the lightning was the only real threat - assuming the Exalted could handle a bit of rain, which Abby had every confidence they could if death itself could only hold them for a moment - a lightning rod was just the ticket out of this predicament that didn't involve potentially drowning! Good ideas like that deserved following up, and so follow Abby did, off to the spire Sabrina had been so suddenly inspired by. The weather was picking up, making Abby thankful for the first time since dying that she died when she did. Being out in this in her normal clothes sounded miserable. It seemed Sabrina wasn't the only one with such an idea, either. In the increasingly-hard-to-see-in-surroundings, Abby - once she caught up - could make out some figures. She wasn't sure what their intentions were, but they weren't attacking anyone yet, so hopefully they weren't hostile. Marshall asked if they were friend or foe, but another, bigger question was in Abby's head. Once Abby had gotten herself situated and regained her bearings, not really one to take off like she had to in order to keep up, she pointed at the tarp behind the mystery figures. "Also, what's in there?"

avatar fads

what if i bumped the AMA thread and reminded people these exist and caused a tiny resurgence of AMA activity haha just kidding unless...

"Excellent. This way, please." Four words that Sita had heard before, but this time it felt different in some intangible, inaudible way. As she and Tsurumi, among other guests to the big shindig of the day, were escorted into Air Force Zero, Sita couldn't help but admire the interior of the place. It was still a fortress, and there was no mistaking that, but despite the fact, it was remarkably well decorated. It looked how she imagined the inside of the White House that sat atop the airship must have looked, complete with the occasional sign pointing people in the right direction. How considerate! As much as Sita wanted to break off from the group and explore other parts of the airship, she knew that doing so would probably get her sent back the way she came at best, and if the guards were having a bad day, shot at worst. No thanks. Eventually, she and the others were brought to a room simply labeled "Lobby 2B", and she did in fact see Lobby 2A down the hall from there before stepping inside. The room was definitely a lobby, though the man waiting for them didn't seem like he was here for a coffee break. No, he was a man on business, and business is precisely what he was talking. Asking questions about the attack, giving what information he could in exchange, and effectively recruiting civilians to join some anti-terrorist team. Sita was no expert, but wasn't that last one legally as well as morally questionable? At least Mr. Lewis acknowledged as much himself. Not that this would stop her, of course. "I'd like to join this team of yours," Sita said, raising up a hand. Perhaps that was why she was at this festival in particular? To find her way here, and join with this team? She didn't like fighting, but she could certainly hold her own, and it looked like most of the people in here weren't as combat-savvy. "Appreciated. Do you have any extra insights on the attack, as well?" "I sure don't! I was focused on trying to get people away from the action." "Wise move. Welcome to the team." "Am I allowed to ask what you know about the team more in-depth?" "Not in civilian company. Once we've got a team assembled, I'll talk to all of you as a unit and share what I know." "Got it." This was kind of exciting, despite the danger of it all, or perhaps because of it. It was like she was a real-life superhero, almost! Would she get a cool hero name? Something like... Stellagirl! No, that wasn't quite it. Well, even if she didn't get one, this would certainly be a series of events that she wouldn't want to forget or miss out on.

Replaced the npcs spoiler in the OP with this google doc. Because it's easier that way.

While the chaos of the attack had sprung up in short order, President Roosevelt watched calmly as both his chosen bounty hunters, and brave volunteers from within the crowd, put down the threat just as quickly. Owing to the latter, the threat was dealt with much faster than he had intended, in fact! Not the least of these contributing factors was Íroas, who had caught the stage as it was falling down around him, threw its roof behind the two remaining assailants, and then used one to knock down the other. It was relieving to see that his money was well spent. In the half-collapse of the stage, his tie had come loose and uneven. Re-straightening and re-tightening it as the civilians on the stage began to scatter to safety, he stepped up to the edge of the stage, staring down at the remaining two terrorists. The President took a deep breath, then bellowed a command that could have been heard all the way to Chicago. "STAND DOWN!" The sheer force of his voice shook the stage beneath him, and created a forward shockwave that sent the remaining attackers hurtling away from him, crashing into the very roof they had attempted to bring down around him, knocking them out on impact. Seemingly awaiting the booming voice of the President, not long after his sonic attack, the front hatch of Air Force Zero opened once more, and from inside it poured several men in suits, armed with guns and handcuffs, making their way around the festival grounds to capture the assailants. The two in front of the stage, the one who had gone around the side of Air Force Zero were arrested in short order. The one who had "escorted" onlookers to "safety" had her shed of choice broken into, before she too was arrested. The one isolated from the rest of the chaos, atop a platform, took some time to catch... The remaining conversation between Sai and MIRROR agent "Nightmare" Once she was let down from the platform, however, she too was immediately arrested, with the additional procedure of sedating her in particular. Additionally, some civilian guests who remained - including those who had been caught by one of the assailant's thorns - were rounded up for questioning. A nomad who walked where the stars led her. A thief who took what he believed was his. An envoy whose people were born of The Crisis. And, one visitor who received additional questioning. A graffiti artist who had defaced government property. She in particular - and her new friend, the nomad - was met with a trio of suited men, one of whom held out for her a photograph. Of the tag she had spray-painted onto Air Force Zero's hull. "Ma'am, this has been the single highest-security event in the United States this year," he said. "You didn't think we wouldn't notice a tag artist who targeted something as significant as this airship, right?" "Oh yeah, I heard about that! Do you know where he went?" "We're looking at her. Orders were to not detain anyone who wasn't actively disturbing the peace until after the attack that's just concluded. It's concluded. And here we are." "Wait, wait, hold on," Sita interjected. "It's just a bit of spray paint, surely she should just get off with a warning the first time, right?" "That's what we're giving her. We're not here to arrest the girl, don't worry about that. However, as you two are witnesses to what just happened, we're also under orders to ask you a few questions about everything you just saw, and we're giving that warning while we're at it. We're gathering everyone up into groups to do the questioning more efficiently, if you'd come with me." "Actually, it was liquid acrylic. Or at least that's what it looked like. From pictures. Taken from afar." Despite already being told she wasn't being arrested, Tsurumi's eyes were darting back and forth, trying to find the best direction to escape to. "Fascinating. This will be a lot easier for all of us if you come along with us. We just need to know if anyone has any extra insights on the attack that just happened; graffiti is hardly a concern of ours right now." "Of course! I'm nothing if not cooperative with authorities!" "Excellent. This way, please." While the other two kept their feet at the ready and their eyes on Tsurumi, the man with the photograph turned, and started back toward Air Force Zero. "Let's get it over with," Sita shrugged, giving Tsurumi a light tap with her elbow. "And look at that, they hardly care about some graffiti! Did you really do that, though?" "You really think I could do something like that? I'm heartbroken!" Tsurumi returned the elbow-tap with a grin. "Well, whoever did it, I like their style. Er, their eye for art, I mean. People shouldn't go around spray-painting government property." JUNE 11TH, 2030, 2:17 P.M. LOCATION: AIR FORCE ZERO, LOBBY 2B One nomad, one phantom thief, one graffiti artist, one Meteor-Kin envoy, one bounty hunter to oversee the process, and one government official who was tasked with the questioning. A total of seven people in the room, the same as in nearby Lobby 2A. The man in the suit looked over a small stack of papers set down on a table in the room, then set them aside, looking over the civilians who'd been rounded up. "Right, since that seems to be all of you." The man cleared his throat. Based on the look on his face, he wasn't used to this type of work, and would have preferred being out there in the heat of the action. "I'm Austin Lewis, the Secretary of Defense. Some of you may be in shock or not realize what happened about fifteen minutes ago, but a group of psychic terrorists belonging to an organization called MIRROR just made an attempt to assassinate President Jack Roosevelt. They failed, thanks to the bounty hunters he hired, but I hear at least one of you civilians also helped in disarming the threat levvied against us. If so, I'd like to personally thank any responsible parties for their contributions." He took a tense sigh. "Look, I need to be honest with all of you. I'm shit at work that involves talking to people, but I wanted any witnesses rounded up for extra questioning. If any of you have any insights about the attackers, or perhaps recognized one of them, I encourage you to come forward with that information. I'd also like to invite any volunteers to join a small squad we're assembling, to try and track down and wipe out the organization behind this attack. You will be generously compensated for this, all the more so since what I'm doing goes against every recruitment protocol we've got." "That's all the cards on the table. Information, volunteers, questions, give me whatever you've got." Then, he paused for a moment, seeming to suddenly remember something. He turned his attention straight to Stalag. "Oh, as for you, the President said he'd like to speak with you in person after we're done here, in your capacity as an Aztec envoy. Seems you'll have quite the story to tell once you return home." DATE/TIME UNKNOWN LOCATION: ??? In an otherwise-silent room with no windows, the only sounds one could hear were the occasional turning of a page, the sound of a woman's breathing, and only when both of those weren't audible, the incredibly muffled sound of a vast, open ocean's waves. The room was lined with bookshelves, and otherwise held nothing more than a door, a desk - more of an elongated podium, really - and a chair behind it. As the woman turned the page, she reached into her pocket, pulling out a bookmark, and tucked it into the book. As she did so, the door opened. "Hm. You're early. What a pleasant surprise. And how was Russia?" "Cold," a man answered, stepping into the room in the company of a young woman. "And the Prime Minister?" "Alive, with some injuries to remind him of this day," the woman answered. "And we made sure to let Aki do the hurting. Just as you ordered, my lady." "Wonderful. Then our next course of action..." She paused, setting down her book. Her brassy yellow iris began to glow and spin in place, as her other eye seemingly stared off into a vast emptiness. Suddenly, it stopped, and a surprised expression was on her face. "This isn't right." "Hm? What ever do you mean?" "President Jack Roosevelt is still alive. He will personally come for us, following the lead of a traitor from within our ranks." "That's impossible! You said yourself that Anya would rip him to shreds!" "Her exact words were "Washed away in a tidal wave of panic, her powers will turn the President into a mangled corpse in the middle of his address," dear brother. But that doesn't change the truth of the matter. If she's foreseen his arrival, he certainly isn't dead. Which means something changed. Our supposed mole is to blame for that, no doubt. Does this affect your grand vision in any way?" "...not yet. If she and her group have failed, then our first priority is..."

Nerd