System Supervillain, Book 6 Prologue (Patreon)

Prologue – Trade Chat

(Capes & Cowls Forum, General Chat)

Message of the Day: Remember, Capes & Cowls is ‘neutral ground’. Keep it civil, and if you try to track someone through our site, it will not end well for you.

Speedy, AngelEyes, Victory, HotStuff, Jester, Aegis, Stars, Emerald, Snowflake, MagicGurl, RedHot, Scholar, Turbo, DontYouWantMeBaby, KoolAidMan, SliceNDice, Destroyer, Inquisitor, Chummer, TheWhiteHat, LuckyDice, GrimDark, DarkAngel, Chiller, Sparky, MultiMe, Stepford, Dollmaker, Mindtaker, MrRoboto, TitaniumTits, Lolth, InfoGirl, ScoopGirl, HolyBlessing, and DonJuan are in the chat.

AngelEyes: So, yeah, just as things are starting to get back to normal, the System Admin went and changed things up again!

Emerald: Why you complaining? It means extra points for most people.

AngelEyes: Because I was just getting used to everything, and then it goes and changes again!

KoolAidMan: Could be worse. Could have come back and found that something was undercharging, and deleted points.

MrRoboto: Don’t even joke like that. One audit rearranging my points was bad enough.

Victory: Infuriatingly enough, the changes only gave me one point, not enough to do anything with.

MultiMe: Already had all those skills at higher levels, right?

Victory: Indeed. Annoying as hell.

Turbo: Well, it could be worse. I tried to use the points to pick up some of that ‘Mental Defense’ power. Turns out that since it wasn’t part of my original powerset as a speedster, I either needed to do training or get some item to hold the power, it couldn’t just give it to me.

Mindtaker: Well, you could have also accepted some sort of transformative power that would have given you Mental Defense as part of its changes.

InfoGirl: There are powers like that?

Dollmaker: Oh, yes. I infuse it into my dolls so that no one can take them away from me.

Turbo: That… wasn’t really what I had in mind.

DarkAngel: I’m just wondering why these changes keep popping up, seemingly at random.

Lolth: Do you have any idea how complex a ‘program’ the System is? Some bugs are never going to be found until things go live.

TheWhiteHat: As much as it pains me to agree with her, she’s right. Especially with an unplanned launch like this? It is likely that things are getting patched as they come to the awareness of the System Administrator(s). But we still have no idea who or how many there are.

Chummer: Probably a small team, at best, considering the message that we all got when the System launched. That implied it found one Admin. That Admin would have had to elevate other ‘users’ personally, most likely, and I don’t know about you guys, but I would be VERY choosy about who I bumped up to share that kind of power with.

Stepford: Yes, sadly they didn’t decide to ask me to join. I can only imagine the fun that could be had if they had.

Mindtaker: By the way, Stepford, how has the System adjusted your powers? Are your brides still functioning correctly?

Stepford: Oh, yes. The straight mind control aspects are weaker, now, but the more in depth parts of the change are now ‘hard-coded’ into the bride’s Status as Disadvantages.

Dollmaker: Ah, an elegant way of dealing with it. Impressive.

Stepford: What about you, Dollmaker? Your dolls still behaving?

Dollmaker: Yes. I won’t go into the specifics, though, since I like having the element of surprise.

DonJuan: Changing the subject a bit, I think Bloodmoon is here in the US. New York, specifically.

TitaniumTits: Why would you say that?

DonJuan: I saw someone matching her description heading into the New York branch of the Tailors. But she had a whole group with her.

TitaniumTits: Do you have pictures?

DonJuan: No, I don’t go filiming everything around me. That’s a good way to get in trouble. Especially when the Guild is involved. They are protective of their neutrality clauses.

Chiller: The New York Tailors branch was convenient for getting to the Physicians.

MultiMe: Is she sick? Something go wrong with her transformation?

Chiller: Morning sickness. Along with a few others.

MultiMe: Wait, really? How many?

Chiller: Thirteen that I’ll admit to, so far. I may have been a bit reckless in the last couple months, since the System came online. Though part of it is adjusting to the changes in my abilities.

Dollmaker: Admit to? Why not the full number?

Chiller: Because some ladies don’t want their names associated with mine, whether for religious, social, or familial reasons, and I have no reason to disrespect their wishes when they haven’t caused me any trouble.

Victory: So, it is as we thought. You have some item that grants you powers, but it also affects you.

Chiller: I mean, I haven’t exactly made it a secret that I grab items I think might be helpful, and incorporate them into my kit. Don’t know why you’re thinking that’s some big discovery.

Scholar: It also means that it may be harder to depower him completely, since most power dampeners, post-System, only work on certain types of abilities.

Victory: Even before the System, universal dampeners were rare.

Chiller: Which is why I made sure to have a variety of options at my disposal.

DonJuan: Hey, Icy, you mind settling a bet for me? Which girls did you knock up?

Chiller: I’ll admit to Bloodmoon, my maid, and the Tokyo Rangers, minus the new Green one. I’ll let you guess on the others, unless they want to announce themselves.

Stepford: Minus the Green one? Didn’t want to complete the set after killing the last Green ranger?

Chiller: The current Green Tokyo Ranger is eight. Even I have lines that I do not cross.

Stepford: Ah, yes, I can see that.

SliceNDice: There’s a reason why people who do things to children have to be kept in solitary in prison. Even murderers and the scum of the earth have families.

ScoopGirl: So, is that why you took out the Dark Cabal just recently?

Chiller: Yes. Since their activities would inconvenience my girls once they were further along in their terms, I decided to pay them a visit, and encourage them to take a year’s vacation.

ScoopGirl: I take it they said no?

Chiller: Sadly, they proved most hostile to the idea, requiring me to make them take a much longer leave of absence. The only one of their leaders that actually impressed me will be back in ten years. The other two? Well, I doubt you’ll be hearing from them again.

Scholar: But I thought that they couldn’t be killed, not permanently.

Chiller: Those two are not, technically, dead. But they can’t really be classed as ‘alive’, either. One is hidden in a place where it is doubtful they’ll ever be found. The other is currently serving as a table in my living room.

HotStuff: There were rumors that you could turn people into solid ice. Did you?

Chiller: Yes. And, before anyone asks, no, I don’t know whether they are in stasis, are aware of their surroundings, or just trapped in an endless hell of sensory deprivation. No one I’ve used that ability on has been allowed to recover and report on it.

MrRoboto: And you were doing stuff like this even before the System?

Chiller: On occasion. I reserve it as a punishment for people who have protections against death, or who have especially angered me.

HotStuff: So, how are things going to work, with some of your… partners being heroes?

Chiller: The ones who wish to remain heroes can do so. Those who wish to become villains can do so. Those who wish to just retire to a quiet life can do so.

TitaniumTits: Uh-huh. Why don’t I believe you?

Chiller: Because you have clockwork where your heart should be? Or maybe you’re just upset that I’ve never shown you as much affection as I have the other women on your team. Afraid you don’t measure up?

TitaniumTits: WHY YOU!

Sparky: Oh, she hates when people do that.