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[unkindled_madness]

Display Name: userHrG*9haow^4hSji7
Deletion Time: 7 days to deletion
Notes: Posted to the Fantastic Sucks sub-board following the attack on Alliance HQ and Fantastic's announcement.

You may have seen Fantastic's announcement regarding the individual known as "The Fixer." I now believe it necessary to share some clarifications.

Parts of his statement are true. The Fixer has employed brainwashing which leaves his victims with gaps in their memories. They experience missing time during which they cannot account for their actions or location, and may have unexplained injuries.

Based on my experiences, the mental programming was put in place in October, but not activated until late April. I believe he may have taken advantage of the similar symptoms of the parasitic infections to disguise the effects. While he has been active in Central City and Sunset Falls, he appears to have been operating out of Excelsior.

Other affected individuals may be able to provide more information. Personally-identifying information is best shared in person.

It is possible to remove the Fixer's brainwashing. However, I don't believe my method would work for others.

Fantastic's claims that he is either investigating or seeking to apprehend the Fixer are... suspect. The Fixer is not working alone. He employed others in his initial assault, and he has something capable of temporarily nullifying powers, which seems rather significant for a lone individual with "no known powers."

Naturally I have no interest in bringing anything to the Alliance leadership.

Comments

[qualityfriend]

[After several minutes delay, she posts the location of a park in Central City.]

north entrance? when can u b there?

PM

[unkindled_madness]

We will meet you within the hour.

PM -> action

[qualityfriend]

ill b there

look 4 blue dress

[And less than an hour later, she's sitting on a bench near said entrance. Seemingly listening to music on earbuds while playing with her phone.]

Sephiroth > Loki > Dana?

[unkindled_madness]

[As suggested by his "we," Sephiroth arrives at the park in the company of Mayor Loki. The hour was to give them the time to sneak past quarantine.

He glances around, spotting the girl, and nods to Loki.]

I believe that's her.

[...she looks young. Is the Fixer using teenagers?]

[dothelokimotion]

[ ah. loki knows her, albeit vaguely. ]

All right. Let's play this by ear.

[qualityfriend]

[Dana looks up, frowns slightly at the two. She knows Loki on sight, as Mayor of Sunset Falls- and an Alliance member. But, from what he told her when they talked, one who was using them for his own ends. Still, she's wary.

[She scoots to one end of the bench, inviting them to sit down.]

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth assumes she is looking at two strange men and therefore her wariness is entirely justified.

He hesitates at the invitation, because he's not much of a sitter, but he takes a seat anyway.]

...my name is Sephiroth.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki notices the reaction but refrains from commenting on it. after a beat, he joins sephiroth. ]

We've met.

[qualityfriend]

[She nods]

I remember. Loki. You're not with the Alliance on this, right?

[unkindled_madness]

[He glances at Loki.]

We are acting independently. I myself am not affiliated with the guilds.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki merely shrugs. ]

I do whatever I feel like.

[qualityfriend]

Yes, you did give that impression. Well, if you don't mind, if anyone from the Alliance asks, you didn't see me, okay? I might not be a wanted supervillain terrorist anymore, but being Starfallen is still dangerous.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth nods. He actually... still doesn't know her name but he can ask Loki later.]

This conversation never took place.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki smiles, glancing at sephiroth as if to say see? ]

I am not interested in spreading any information.

[qualityfriend]

Spreading it outside of "let's do something about the Fixer and whoever else is involved" interested parties, you mean? Because by all means, you can share this with others trying to deal with him.

So, as you might've guessed, he got to me. At least, that's what I assume. I've been having blackouts, missing time, strange injuries, everything characteristic. I started carrying a tracker, and while it didn't place me at the scene of any crimes, it did lead me to a supervillain's stash. A villain with the same powers that I have, who only appears when I'm missing time.

[unkindled_madness]

[...what is that look for? He doesn't know.]

Someone else also mentioned villains. Do you know what you were doing, under that identity?

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki listens for now, observing. so that was what was happening. taking on supervillain roles in order to continue the alliance's narrative. the fixer wasn't simply a villain then. they were a manipulator. ]

And do you recall seeing anyone else?

[qualityfriend]

I don't recall anything. But once we found that, I looked up what the villain had been doing. Mostly attempted heists, but the latest was trying to blow up a building and hostages to protest Fantastic. Who was also the only hero who ever showed up to stop- her, and always in a timely and showy way.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth quietly pulls out his phone as they're talking to search for news about Fantastic on Certain Dates.]

He foiled her, publicly, and yet if you and she are the same, he never apprehended you.

[dothelokimotion]

Not yet. He may sell out the Fixer if the narrative suits him. Right now, it's all about public support in his favor. The clock will be ticking.

[qualityfriend]

He arrested her the last time, but I was still free less than an hour later, confused and more beaten up than usual.

'Course, he'd probably just claim ignorance and that I escaped on my own. There's even a tiny chance he is ignorant and dumber than a post. What we've been trying to do is find proof. Who was responsible for programming me, and who's letting him know about the villain activities. Sounds like you know the first one, who might also be the second, but do you have proof yet?

[unkindled_madness]

We have... certainty regarding the Fixer, but in terms of physical evidence, only leads at the moment.

[Loki found the name in his mind. That's not really something they can advertise.]

As for Fantastic, the evidence is circumstantial. He and the Fixer may both be tools in someone else's plans.

[He frowns, looking at his phone. A video of the villain "Shadow Flare," who has quite a similar build to Sephiroth, fighting Fantastic early in May.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki covers his mouth to disguise his laughter. albeit, poorly. ]

Shadow Flare?

[qualityfriend]

[She shoots Loki a look. Not the time for mocking names they didn't even choose, okay?]

Exactly. We need real proof.

We were going to look into who owned the place where we found the stash. Unfortunately, it's up for rent and has been for over a year, so the Fixer or whoever's helping him wasn't stupid enough to rent it in their own name. But he might have ties to the realty company to know which offices are always vacant. There's also whoever put the stuff there, who retrieves the costume for repairs, and who actually does the repairs. I might be the ones handling it during other blackout periods, but I'm pretty sure I can't repair it.

[unkindled_madness]

[The look Dana gives Loki privately earns her a few points with Sephiroth. He shoots Loki a similar one.]

Hm. That is certainly a viable lead. If he has come to such an arrangement, then we may all have such stashes on vacant properties owned by the same company.

[He touches his ear briefly; he must have removed the cuff when he changed into this... "costume."]

They may not know what they're involved in, but anyone actually managing the stashes would.