Dammit!  The others were having fun fighting and she was stood around like a useless fanny!  Frankie looked around for somewhere she could change without doing it in front of everyone.  She didn't need her secret identity ruining before she even had a chance to start her career as a hero!

(Mark 1 XP, you Idealistic Idiot...)

Silver Streak gets hit instead of the guard, saving the guard, but feeling like a swarm of bees stung him all over (well, all over his back, anyway...)

(Silver Streak saves the guard, but takes 2 stress...)
This message was last updated by the GM at 15:04, Fri 24 Aug 2018.

All right, trying to hit an innocent person with something harmful like that for money? That does it. This guy was going down, he needed to be put in his place by one of the strongest beings in the world, a dragon.
"Team or not, I'm sure they will work with me to send you to prison. Shame on your time keeping that it will only take about 4 minutes and 30 seconds to kick your gear-end."

He turned his head to the known hero and the sneaky masked woman from the other day with the van. He knew that there was a kid (or fairly short woman) not present right now, but Scorch Scale hoped he could have all the superpower backing him up against these odd inventions. But to make the most of this situation, he had to go with initiative, which meant making the plan instead of just reacting.
"Right, I'm gonna light a fire under his butt. Silver Streak, if you can keep people away from the fire or even the building, that would be nice." He turns to the lady, "If you have any way of harming him, tell me when you intend to dive in and I'll make an opening. Everyone got it? Good."

Inspire the Team
21:02, Today: Scorch Scale rolled 4 using 2d6 ((3,1)).

He proceeded ahead by stepping forth and channeling flames into his throat from the furnace within. He was not paying any mind to if his plan was understood or not, as he had too much tunnel vision on making himself dominant over this buffoon who called him a mere criminal. The nerves of people these days, back in the heyday of Drocan, one could be expected to be worshiped, or at least respected for such obvious status of power.
He would just have to be made an example of, Scorch Scale concluded.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:19, Sat 25 Aug 2018.

(Scorch Scale, failing to inspire the team, marks 1 new XP...)

The Cogster is not impressed. "Heat and flames are not bad, but they will take time you don't have... And I mean you, specifically, dragon person, because you are disrupting my financial withdrawal!" (Indeed, the teller that The Cogster had initially ordered to fill up his bag with money has simply fled toward the back of the bank, overwhelmed by all these dangerous shenanigans...)

The Cogster adjusts his machine...

(15:24, Today: The Cogster rolled 11 using 2d6 ((5,6)).)

A blast of force ripples the air itself, starting from The Cogster's immediate area, and hitting Scorch Scale, knocking him back against the wall behind him...

(Scorch Scale takes 2 stress.)

Mochizuki sheathed her sai and began a blisteringly fast series of hand gestures as she sprinted directly back towards the well dressed robber. As she closed in she suddenly transformed into a cloud of black smoke that launched into the air.

If she timed this right she would reappear behind his wall of force and stick her boot straight through his precious little machine.

OOC: Using insubstantial as I approach his wall then 22:47, Today: Ultima-Usagi rolled 7 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,1.  It's clobberin time. +1 damage to his box and an additional +1 fromantic swords.

As Mochizuki approached The Cogster, he raised an eyebrow in barely-suppressed unimpressedness.

When she became insubstantial, however, he started screeching very quickly: "No! You-- what-- it can't-- the vibrations-- if you-- it won't--NO--!"

There was a sort of pulse of force and energy... glass cracked... Mochizuki was held, for a moment, aloft, by the energy... people screamed... The Cogster's machine went POP--

(The Cogster takes 2 stress.)

And then, someone else shrieked "--NO--!"

But it wasn't The Cogster.

And it wasn't Mochizuki.

It was a woman, standing in front of The Cogster. She had white hair and white clothes... "Blast!" she said. "Where... I'm... Wait, this is the bank... Who are you people?"

The Cogster, blackened and singed, started working on his machine. "I-- I can fix it... I... Um..."

There had been enough chaos in the past few seconds to keep any and all eyes away from her, so quickly she closed her eyes and strained.
Black threads exploded outwards and at once came back to wrap around her, they looked much neater this time, she had been spending all week practising after all!  No longer would she look like a mummy, instead it looked like a proper outfit, leaving just her arms and head (other than her eyes) bare.

The Silver Streak blinked and shook his head free of the cobwebs. This situation was quickly getting out of hand. There was that mysterious woman in black again - and now one in white? He gets to his feet and looks back and forth between the them "So now there's two. We'll get to the bottom of this in a moment, but first..." With a blur he zips over to clock the Cogster and hopefully have one less thing to worry about.

OOC : 22:04, Today: Silver Streak rolled 5 using 2d6-1 with rolls of 1,5.  It’s Clobberin’ Time. FAIL.

"Maybe if I recalibrate the--" says The Cogster.

BZORCH-- --A blast of force erupts from his machine and to his right... hitting Silver Streak, who's tossed backward. (Silver Streak takes 1 stress.)

"No, that's not it..." mutters The Cogster.

The woman in white looks around. "Okay, so here's The Gearmaster, but wearing grey instead of brown... and The Crimson Comet, but in silver... And there's The Black Mummy over there, except you've learned to make your wrappings into a little costume and mask, cute... and Green Dragon, except he looks red now instead of Green... She's done it. The Magus' spell and Gearmaster's machine exploding at the same time somehow sent me to another timeline or dimension or something. But... I don't see any version of The Magus here... Maybe this is good! An alternative timeline or whatever with no Magus means no one can stop me... right? Sure...!" she says, trying to convince herself...

"Ouch, I hope you're quite all right Silver Streak."" Scorch Scale called out to the remarked hero.

But fist there was this lady to talk to. "Green Dragon? He wasn't some poor Irish Drake was he? Bah! You're talking to the real deal here lady, it's Scorch Scale by the by." He introduced through bravado, bravado covering his mind trying to come up with the situation at hand.

So, hisenberg uncertainty principle is true - or at least on the right lines. There are other worlds or times where this lady came from and so far we don't have a version of this "Magus" character that is stopping her somehow in the other version of earth.
That seemed suspect, but Saul would not live down harming an innocent so violently. He had to find out first her innocence or guilt.

"So why did this "The Magus" character stop you? What did you intend to do that he opposed, Miss...?" He hoped to get a name he could work with, though it might be different in his own world compared to hers.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:50, Tue 28 Aug 2018.

"Sure, whatever..." said the woman.



"The name's Echo. And I was trying to rob this bank, just like you and ol' Gearmaster here."

"It's The Cogster actually..." muttered The Cogster.

"Whatever," Echo repeated. "The Magus is a she... and I'm delighted to find she apparently doesn't exist in this world? Her magic was about all that could stop me, in mine... Speaking of which, I guess I can get back to what I was doing..."

The woman called Echo walks right through the teller's counter (she does look just a little see-through, when the light's behind her...) and then starts taking twenty-dollar bills out of a drawer...

Damn, not one villain but two, and while the Cogster seemed like a pain, Frankie got a reeeeeal bad feeling about this Echo lass.

Wanting to take advantage of the distraction, Frankie ran into the fray and aimed a heavy kick at the Cogster's box.

00:44, Today: Patch-Work Powerhouse rolled 6 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 2,1. Hold Them Off.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:15, Thu 30 Aug 2018.

Just as Patch-Work Powerhouse ran and aimed a flying kick at The Cogster's machine, The Cogster apparently saw her coming out of the corner of his eye, because he simply moved the machine out the way, and Patch-Work Powerhouse flew past him into a pillar. (Patch-Work Powerhouse takes 1 stress... and 1 xp.)

"If I reverse the polarity then... no, it bypasses the main tube, but it's not enough to actually stabilize the transistor capacitor..." The Cogster mumbled...

So, this situation could be worse, but the margin between current and worst was getting smaller by the second. So this was definately two villains, and his companions are finding themselves compromised by their attempts at the Cogster.

This group that was being forged couldn't handle both problems if they had full reign to run amok. So Scorch Scale had to try stopping both of them. Separate Cogster from his equipment, and possibly use the flame to at least break this "Echo" lady. But with the people still about, some in terror and some in a curious fascination, Scorch Scale had his work cut out containing the flame as to not harm them or damage the structures that much.

"All that so called power, and you choose to take bills? How very small minded of you. But what can I expect from criminal mammals?" He sent with his remark a curtain of flames to try and keep the situation contained long enough that something could be devised.

Hold Them Off
21:05, Today: Scorch Scale rolled 13 using 2d6+2 ((5,6)).

--They can’t act as effectively (-1 Stun ongoing until your actions are countered)
--You take away useful items from them

So no stun for me and thanks to the Area of Effect Power - I can try doing this to both of them without collateral damage to allies.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:00, Fri 31 Aug 2018.

So... the "take useful items away from them" is to stop The Cogster from messing with his machine...? Or...?

Echo paused. "...What's your deal, Scorned Scaly Guy? What, you want me to clean out the safety deposit boxes instead? A nice idea, but then I'd have to find a fence, and I only just got to this universe or whatever it is, and don't really know my way around..." But she has a look on her face like she's finally starting to suspect that there's something off about Scorch Scale that she hasn't factored in...

Scorch Scale's flames, on the other hand, hit the front of The Cogster's machine, and there are two rapid small pops and a sizzling sound. "The transistors! No! Ugh this is pointless!" The Cogster takes the strap for his machine off from around his neck...

09:28, Today: The Cogster rolled 12 using 2d6 ((6,6)).

And throws it at Scorch Scale.

It hits Scorch Scale in the chest. (Scorch Scale takes 1 stress.)

It doesn't do much damage, but it does surprise Scorch Scale to the point that a path through the flames opens up... The Cogster runs for the exit...

"Whoah there, buddy," the Silver Streak snaps to attention when the Cogster makes a break for it. He may not know what the heck was going on with this new player, but he at least knew not to let the would-be robber get away.

With superhuman speed he races in front of the Cogster, cutting off his escape route. He pauses for a split second with arms crossed, letting the villain glimpse at his imposing frame (bad guys hate that) before grappling the Cogster, pinning the young man's arms behind his back. "Where do you think you're going?"

11:03, Today: Silver Streak rolled 10 using 2d6-1 with rolls of 6,5.  Hold them off. Choose 2:

--They can’t act as effectively (-1 Stun ongoing until your actions are countered)

--Give them a choice between backing off or be stunned

The Cogster struggles... but in vain. "...Well, you've got me, Mr. Streak," he says when he stops struggling. "But won't your friends need you to stop the strange lady robbing the place...?"

"Don't play that game with him Cogster. I got this!" Like I always do, he thought to himself.

Looking at the situation again, Scorch Scale remembered the moment where Echo looked peculiar in the light, that translucent quality she had... There was something to that, was that her or the accident that just occurred between both worlds?

It brought an idea into his head, so following his instincts, Scorch Scale quickly walked around to look at the money distracted Echo with a light source (this one a table lamp) behind her. He was hoping maybe he could see something else through her. Maybe Echo was still connected and he could see this other world through Echo? Learn who this Magus might be?
He had to try this before he fell onto Plan B.

Yes, Scorch Scale's tests prove to him that Echo is slightly translucent, like she's not all there, not exactly solid... whatever that may mean...

Great, the woman could move through objects?!  An idea began to form in Frankie's mind, if she wasn't going to be able to duff up the lass, then maybe she could at least make her attempts at robbery harder.

Charging towards the teller's counter Frankie jumped and scrambled over, then as she descended she slammed the drawer shut and laid a punch on it to seal it shut.

21:16, Today: Patch-Work Powerhouse rolled 9 using 2d6 with rolls of 6,3. Hold them off!

I take away a useful item (the cash drawer)

The Streak was impressed by the quick thinking of his allies, but something seemed off. This situation didn't feel right. He wasn't about to lose the Cogster, but maybe he could get through to the woman in white. Keeping the man pinned, he calls out to her. "Listen," he hesitates, searching for a name "Echo! It's clear you aren't from around here - why steal the money? What could you possibly need it for? Tell us and perhaps we can help you! It's not too late to turn this around!"

OOC : 22:24, Today: Silver Streak rolled 10 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,5.  Talk things out.

(Partial success...)

Echo sighs, and starts to just reach right through the countertop, not bothering to open the drawer at all! She really is intangible-- but only as much as she wants to be!






Silver Streak's words, though, give Echo pause.

"I... you... I... I get what you're saying... and I was about to say... because I'm, like, a villainess... I want money, and the ability to push back against the world... but... I guess I do get to start over, here, if I wanted to, don't I...? You people have nothing on me... Not yet... It's... an interesting idea... I still want money, and I'll never let anyone push me around again, but... maybe I could do things a little differently this time..."

(Echo takes 2 stress-- emotional stress!)

Scorch Scale realised a change in circumstances when he saw it, so he didn't want to be rash and make the first move to give her the excuse of being malicious.

The selective capacity of her intangibility was more worrying to him. For it meant timing might not be enough, there would have to be a weakness to exploit somewhere.

Using the lack of attention, he looked around for a light source with a long enough wire, or better yet portable. He needed to shine a really bright light onto her, that had to mean something. It might be her weakness thought the draconic hero.

Either way, he might need to engage in plan B sooner then he cared to.

Make an Insightful roll, Scorch Scale...