WOM.bat | Text

[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]

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.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki rolls his eyes. ]

So an accomplice.

Perhaps we should also analyze the footage. If he is activating the mind control, then wouldn't he need to be in close range?

[qualityfriend]

[She looks at Loki, confused.]

Footage? You mean of my villain activities? Google "Flashstep", that's where I found it all. Try to keep your stomach down at Fantastic trying to be the voice of reason.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth also glances at Loki.]

You don't believe we could have been given advance command, or activated remotely?

I suppose it is worth looking into the footage regardless. Even if no accomplices were caught on camera, there may be some pattern to the targets. After all, no one but Fantastic was meant to arrive on scene. That requires some understanding of where other "heroes" are likely to be.

[dothelokimotion]

You could have. But it is not an easy thing to accomplish. And it would require further commands and inputs. Meaning either the Fixer met with you regularly or was close enough to broadcast them.

At any rate, the footage is a good place to start. If we compile all the new villain aliases together, a pattern is bound to emerge.

[qualityfriend]

I've been trying to line up my blackouts with Flashstep stuff, and there's still some missing time. Probably for prepping.

[She sucks in a breath.]

I've been- trying to give the impression that I left in a confluence, and that I didn't discover anything before disappearing. I- would be willing to be bait, though, if you have a foolproof plan to catch the Fixer in the act. And make sure I don't actually hurt anyone.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth hesitates. Her proposal could be strategically useful. However...

She's too young.]

...I don't think that will be necessary.

[dothelokimotion]

[ flatly. ]

We're not doing that.

[qualityfriend]

[Her face shows a mix of disappointment and relief.]

Probably for the best. I've never really been intentional bait for a supervillain.

[She fiddles with her phone, then shows it to them. It's showing a particular address.]

We found the stash in the building across the street. Trying to avoid directly googling it in case someone's watching for searched of that building.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth looks at the phone, making note of the address.]

We'll see what connections we can make.

You've been looking into this with someone else. I assume you feel safe with them?

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki merely eyes the address over sephiroth's shoulder but doesn't say anything at the moment. ]

[qualityfriend]

Yes. I'm working with heroes from my home city. Hard to find someone I'd feel safer with here.

[unkindled_madness]

[His brow furrows briefly. Her home city? She doesn't live in Central?]

...you mean from your world.

[dothelokimotion]

Are they aware of what's going on, then?

[qualityfriend]

Not exactly from my world, but a different version of it. Like- like Loki and the other Lokis. My city, Gotham, has a particular family of superheroes.

And yeah, they know everything I do, I bet. Probably more, since they'd want to keep the civilian out of trouble as much as possible. [And they're secretive and controlling...]

[unkindled_madness]

[A faint frown at "Loki and the other Lokis." His Loki is different and clearly much better than the other Lokis.]

Civilian... Then you're not among those who feel obligated to use their powers in service to others?

[dothelokimotion]

[ hmm. ]

So they're spying on you?

[qualityfriend]

I didn't have powers before I came here, I wasn't involved in superheroics at all. I'm still getting the hang of using my powers in non-risky settings, I don't really have any crisis training. So, I'm still a civilian, basically.

[She shoots Loki a Look.]

I asked them to watch me, in case the brainwashing takes over again.

[unkindled_madness]

And you can choose to remain as such.

[Loki has a valid point, though!]

But you still ought to be informed of things that directly concern you.

[dothelokimotion]

[ also weird that they haven't done more, but that's to be expected. ]

Do they know you're here?

[qualityfriend]

I'm trying to get more prepared, without jumping right in and biting off more than I can chew.

They are keeping me informed of things that involve me. But the rest, I'm on a need to know basis.

[She smiles]

Of course they know. How do you think I picked out this place? Someone's listening in right now, probably watching too.