KnightDisciple

"That was one of the main reasons I started this life, really." Wait what? "I'd met Raven years before, but after a while, I did some digging, put some pieces together, figured out who she was, and went to her." What. "I knew she couldn't do it forever, and that someone had to do it. I figured, I had a bit of a leg up on some candidates. And this way, she didn't have to convince anyone to do it. Better the mantle be willing. As for your comments about being unpowered, not only did you undergo similar training to myself, your powers don't necessarily mean you enter every fight with an advantage. You risk bleeding the same as I do unless you fight a super-tough meta...at which point things are an even playing field again. I don't begrudge similar talk from Foreshadow, after all." He didn't want to confirm Midnight's possession of meta-powers, but Foreshadow's ESP was at least broadly known about.

Alek grunts. "Valid points, and a good perspective. It's a tight rope we walk, a thin line. But I suppose the world needs us just as it needs the ones who walk the clouds." He seems to relax a bit as he mulls the idea over. "I will admit that...admiration...is not something I've heard used much for the original Patriot, but my sources are likely somewhat biased." His mind flashed to Trevor Hunter's mention of the Hunter family's yearly Christmas gift sent in honor of the Patriot. Alek could appreciate the layered symbology. "I always knew fear was one of our primary weapons, I guess I just didn't realize how close we dance to the Line to maintain the edge of that weapon, until today."

Alek is quiet for several long moments, simply staring at the wooded road ahead and around them. He was taking the long way, triple-checking they weren't being followed back to the Rookery. Finally, he spoke, his voice decidedly less certain. "Do you think..." He stopped for a few moments, his jaw working itself. "Will they really be afraid I'll kill them?" It was a hideously vulnerable question in the context presented, and showed that Alek trusted Ashley quite a bit. Probably more than he ought to, some might say.

Alek is silent for several moments. "I'm not hurt. I've had way worse, and the armor took the impacts without issue. Might need to swap a couple of plates, but other than that the suit'll clean up. Wait, hang on." Seeing that they're rapidly leaving heavily-populated areas, Alek flips a couple of switches on his dash, and panels cover the glass of the driver compartment as holographic screens take their place. Safe from even the most powerful prying eyes, one hand presses a few spots on his cowl, causing it to unfold slightly and slip easily off of his head. It's set to one side on a purpose-built stand even as another holo-screen setup lets he and Ashley speak "face to face". Without the cowl, he seems...younger. And while most of his expression is stoic, his eyes shine with concern for his fellow vigilante. "I got in way more shots than you did. Are you okay? No irregular heartbeats, palpitations, anything? I didn't feel bones or teeth break but there were a couple of layers involved. I can tell if it's just-" He stops, his jaw clenching for a moment as his eyes focus on the road. They're somehow almost distant until he starts up again. "I almost lost myself, just for a moment. Because it felt like a contest of equals. Those are...more difficult to not lose myself in. Not most days, but some. Your low blow might have shoved that to the front. I'm sorry if I went too far, Ashley."

Raven III Old Boss: 7 IC Posts Try Harder: 4 IC Posts Total: 11 IC Posts Guide PP to Cobalt Templar

Raven's gauntlets cease their crackling, the electricity fading away as his grip shifts. Now, he's clearly focusing on keeping her immobile. Ashley is close enough, and well-versed enough in Subtle Cowl Facial Expressions, to know that Alek was picking up on her mood shift. One of his hands reached up toward her mask. "You took this too far, Watchdog. And the only thing finished here-" His hand gripped her helmet-mask and then tore it from her head, slowly at first (to avoid injury) and then rapidly, throwing it away once it was off, where it made a satisfying *clang* on the hangar floor. "-is you running around with that bloodthirsty attitude. I'm taking you in, and if you're lucky, maybe you won't end up behind bars." He hauled her to her feet, not quite wrenching her arms behind her and marching her around the side of the Unkindness, A foot tap pattern in just the right spot opened up an armored door, showing three cramped side-by-side seats. Raven stopped the two of them next to the entrance. "Either you sit down, or I make you sit down. Your choice."

"Unlikely." Watchdog was yanked to a standing position, just as she felt a slightly numbing tingle in her arm where Raven's hand gripped her. Right before she felt his other fist drive itself into her chin, and a surge of electricity washed over her from his gauntlets. This was probably why he'd asked about her having a heart condition. The blow had almost assuredly loosened her helmet, high technology or no! With a spinning flair (likely for the cameras), Raven pulled some sort of deft handwork, moving Watchdog around for a moment in a distinctly not-comfortable way, before she found one of his hands on her throat, and the other somewhat discretely on her belt. With a heave that seemed to take no effort from him, she went airborne for moments that might have seemed to stretch into an eternity... Before her back slammed onto the Unkindness, leaving her almost horizontal as the hand not gripping her throat slammed into her solar plexus. "Bad dog. Stay down."

Alright, let's see.... Roll to maintain Grapple: 36. Haha oh wow. Free Action: ACTIVATE THE TASER GAUNTLETS. Standard Action: Melee Attack: 22. She owes me a DC 24 Toughness and a DC 20 Fortitude (limited to Daze). BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE Surge: Extra Standard Action: Melee Attack: 30. DC 24 Toughness and a DC 20 Fortitude (limited to Daze).

Raven's head snapped to one side as Watchdog's blow struck him. For a moment that seemed to stretch an eternity, his head stayed there. It was a good hit, one that would have knocked out the average criminal, and probably some hardened soldiers. Raven was not such people. Slowly, he turned his head against Watchdog's fist, pushing it back and revealing that his mask had taken the blow. His expression had move from "calm and focused" to "focused and distinctly annoyed", which in cowl-speak came across as "really mad". Most of it was faked. Most of it. "I've heard of you. Watchdog? You're not a hero. You're just a cur, nipping at the heels of those trying to actually protect this city. You care more about looking tough than doing the right thing. Someone needs to bring you to heel." His right fist jabbed out in a strike that would hit her at the junction of her two collarbones. A bit higher, and the force he used could have collapsed her throat for a few precious seconds. Instead, it struck some of her thickest armor plating and still sent enough through that by all rights she should have been knocked back. If his left hand hadn't snapped out, quick as a cobra, and wrapped a sudden arm-lock around her right arm, the movements showing more than a few hints of Krav Maga with a couple touches of Aikido and just a pinch of Keysi Fighting Method. Unless she slipped out, Watchdog would be forced forward, her left arm painfully extended all the way, Raven still only using one hand, the side of his torso, and a bit of carefully-applied leverage from his leg to keep the hold going. "So sit, Watchdog."

Toughness Save: 13. Sigh. HP Reroll: 22 (12, but +10 from reroll). With the HP you gave me and the ones I've spent, I should be at 2 HP right now. Since she's right next to him...no need to move. Standard Action: Melee Attack: 20. Which looks to just barely hit! DC 24 Toughness Save. Since I have Improved Grab.....Grapple Attempt: 27.

Alek and Ashley hadn't practiced this fight or even talked through what was going to happen. They'd known it needed to be as real as possible, and improvising maneuvers on the fly was the only way to manage that. They'd tossed a few vague ideas out, though, things that might happen. And in talking with Miss Summers, he'd gotten the impression that "attack the gadget belt" was definitely something that had come up a few times. He'd rearranged his belt just a bit. It was subtle, the sort of thing most people wouldn't pick up on. Watchdog wasn't most people, and now Alek was wondering if this had really been the smartest thing. The armor plates on his back creaked dangerously after he struck the Unkindness, though the vehicle was fine, just rocking a bit in place on its suspension. He got to his feet, but under his mask he was blinking heavily, and he subtly stabilized himself against his car for just a moment. That had hurt. But then, he was no stranger to pain.

Okay so I've got 1 Bruise and, due to failing by 5-9, I'm Dazed for a round. So I can't do anything, it's your go again.

Toughness Save: 16. HP Reroll: 24. Um.

Raven had sent a couple of status messages to the Dawg's screens, subtle untraceable things that warned Watchdog of impending manuevers. Mainly the time he "herded" her with pulsed energy blasts from his car's weaponry, and then the final move that had side-swiped her into the crash that put them in this position. Talking things out or no, communication is key. But now they're past the need for words; their training under a common teacher would guide them the rest of the way. Now, the canopy of the Unkindness slid back, and Raven slowly stood, impassively observing the situation. Then he finally spoke, rolling his shoulders and neck as he did so. "You're not the Devil, little girl." He nimbly flipped out of the vehicle and dashed forward, a strong left hook that was dodged giving his right jab to the stomach an opening to hit, armored gauntlet striking armored torso. "You're practice."

So, he's going first! Hm. He's going to have this Gadget equipped but inactive when he climbs out: Electroshock Gauntlets Stun 10 (Extras: Linked [Martial Arts] Flaws: Daze) [10PP] (Electricity) So, for now he won't be doing Stun effect but he can flip it on quickly! Move Action: Dramatically exit car and close to melee. Standard Action: Melee Attack! 25 That looks to hit, so she'd need to make a DC 24 Toughness Save.

Raven's Init: 9.

"What matters is the truth." An ironic statement, all things considered, which Ashley could likely intuit well enough. "That, and justice. Waving those things around won't make you anything more than a criminal. Now, stand do-" Then she was yelling again, lights were in his face (he naturally shielded his eyes even if the sudden change did absolutely nothing to his vision), and tensed. He was already moving as the first pulses left her weapons, moving up through the air with pure muscle power, and then aided just a bit by his flaring cape as he landed in a crouch. His impassive face was lit by the dark orange and red flames of the Talon, casting it in a rather...unsettling...light. For about half a minute, he just stood there, watching the Dawg spin out and turn around. "Stubborn." Then, he smoothly pressed a button on one of his gauntlets. Those present began to hear a faint growl that grew quickly to a roar. They beheld a vehicle thus far only known in rumors and whispers, quarter-glimpsed blurry smartphone photos the closest thing to "proof" of its existence thus far. A vehicle well beyond anything previously fielded by the Raven. The Unkindness had arrived. And currently, it was speeding directly toward the back of the Raven. Just when it seemed like he'd be in real danger of it striking him, the huge...car?... squealed as its brakes applied and it began to drift-spin toward him. At the same moment, Raven once more left gravity behind for a few moments as he cleared the roof of his personal transport, his downward arc nicely coinciding with the driver's compartment opening up just long enough for the falling hero to land smooth in his seat. The canopy shut just as the car spun to a stop facing the direction the Dawg had gone. Then Raven gunned the engines, burned a bit of rubber, and raced off after Watchdog's own souped-up ride. The race was on!

A low whine became an almost-electric roar as an exotic, wide-wheeled bike rounded the corner. Cape flaring, the armored figure on it was like some figure carved from granite and shadows. While not the face and form Freedom City had formed and found fondness for, it was nevertheless unmistakable, If not the armor and vehicle, then the symbol on its chest, his chest, would tell the tale. The Raven had arrived. He pulled his bike up almost next to the vigilante as she moved toward the criminal. "Didn't do it. No evidence. He's just regular poison-pushing scum, not the child-killing poison-pushing scum. Back down, before you embarrass yourself, kid." They hadn't rehearsed that particular iteration of the lines but, well, improvisation, necessity, invention, etc.

CB, I literally don't know what to say beyond that I'm sorry, and for what it's worth to you, I'll pray for you. Take the time you need how you need.

"Yes, of course, I wasn't seriously suggesting you be my sidekick. Though...we need to strike a balance. If this vigilante sticks out too much as a 'rebel without a cause', people will ask questions when she just disappears. Too much attention would be bad for Jaycee, as well." He nodded sagely at the talk of giving Jaycee a normal experience. "For all the...uniqueness...the student body brings in, Claremont is refreshingly normal, warts and all. I found my time here valuable, I'm sure she will as well." He began pondering what he would tell Chris when they talked next. Preferably before Callie and Ashley showed up.

"Miss Summers didn't have to educate me on the sensation of an active electroshock weapon, Miss George. I asked my question for the purposes of staging our little fight. If the idea is to firstly attract attention and secondly establish you as dangerous and skilled, I intend to deploy tools I would not use on the average gang member." Alek's tone had become almost clinical for a few moments, before some of the tension that had flared in him left. "As for bringing Chris in, that's a sound idea. Another way to draw attention. And I'm certainly willing to do joint patrols on occasion, after things have...settled."

"You might be surprised." He shifted a bit, but kept his gaze on Ashley, nodding as she confirmed his theory. "Right, because you could have kept this hidden so well without my help? Has she explained how I got recruited? I figured out who she was, though I supposed I cheated a bit. The first time I met her is seared in my memory until the day I die, so it's not too hard to compare photographs to that." He sighed. "Jaycee Cahill deserves anonymity and protection. I'm all-in on this plan, Miss George, any snark aside. She didn't ask for this, didn't choose it. We did. It's up to us to help her. But I'll let you game out most of how the 'epic confrontation' goes down. Though, could you answer one question for me?" He unclasped his hands and set them on his knees as he leaned forward a bit, his face intent. "Do you have heart palpitations, arhythmia, or other cardiovascular conditions, or otherwise a physical condition that would react poorly to suddent electrical stimulation? Just for the record."

"Well, I suppose if the cover is blown, you can say honestly still that every measure possible will have been taken. Hm. So is it the middle daughter, or the youngest? Their eldest is past the age of attending, and I doubt Miss George would be trying to pass as a high-schooler in that scenario. Unless someone founded a Claremont College and didn't tell us alumni?" His face shows a small but genuine smile at that thought. And when he next speaks, there's even a slight twinkle of humor in his eyes. "I suppose you have your own costumed identity and outfit, Miss George? We can try resizing the Nevermore costume for you but it might chafe a touch. And I'm guessing we want to stage some sort of 'bringing to ground' incident, with just the right amount of information leaking to the press to confirm what happened but not break the aura of mystery around either of these vigilante individuals?"

Good catches! "WIP" bit removed. Typo fixed. I actually shifted his sword down, as it's over-pl for his effective PL 11 (it was a +11 damage while his attack is +13, should be +2 shifted at least for melee).

As a note this is meant to replace the sheet I have up right now for Nevermore. The PP spending isn't radically different, neither is the fluff, but it's enough all together I wanted a clean slate sheet. Please help me catch formatting issues as much as any mechanical issues.