3208/M.A.S.K.

M.A.S.K.
Date of Scene:	14 October 2015
Location:	Paragon City <CoH>
Synopsis:	Icon has an offer for Tomoyo Daidouji.
Cast of Characters:	Tomoyo Daidouji, 769

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Dr. Vahzilok (769) has posed:
    'Icon has been remaking the look of many happy clients for many years. We are sure you will find our service is both extensive and yet affordable. We specialize in image make-overs using the latest in technology and materials to give our clients the best possible service. We take pride in our representatives who provide our clients with a wide variety of image choices ranging from the corporate sector to even servicing the amazing heroes of our fine city. Originally serving business, hi-tech, and advertising, Icon has grown from a leading image consulting firm, to a fully capable image make-over service now famous for serving the fine heroes who protect Paragon City from danger everyday. For more information on how we can reshape your own personal image, please consult one of our friendly representatives for assistance. Thank you for choosing icon image specialists.'

    That's the advertisement for this company. Seems kind of similar to what Tomoyo does, doesn't it? Though they seem to be centered on Paragon City, and mostly super heroes. The trip to the north end of Steel Canyon is better accomplished by monorail than walking in a city like this. But the super hero named Cortex, who has gone from a brutal WMAT match to having a psychic presence as large and powerful as the entire planet try to cram itself into his head, is just... Taking some time off. Sure, there's a Devouring Earth invasion, and sure there's crime happening all over the place. But his head is throbbing painfully, and he thinks that continuing to use his powers right not might risk long-term damage.

    So when he found out that Icon had invited Tomoyo Daidouji or a representative of her boutique to come by and discuss a special 'image project', he volunteered to be the one to escort her and make sure she isn't jumped by Hellions or Clockwork or something. He doesn't have to fight gods or martial artists, and if he really needs to engage in battle, some gangers on the street are less likely to strain him than a giant flaming totem monster.

    Whenever Tomoyo arrives in Paragon City through a Warp Gate (likely in Atlas Park, and then in turn to the north end of Steel Canyon by monorail), Cortex is there to greet her. Though in his civilian guise, as Cory Conley. The blonde-haired man is wearing an Icon(tm) jacket to make sure he stands out.

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
    If there's one thing Tomoyo can relate to, it's the need to take a break. After the whole 'Jack Slash' incident, the absolute relief she felt at coming through it all alive was overwhelming. As a result, she had dialled back her training, and was working to get back into a mundane routine. School and work was the only thing on her mind these days.

    But, such things must always come to an end, and the invitation from Icon was the full-stop on that sentence of her life. She was familiar with the company, of course. She's the David in a fashion industry of Goliaths, it won't do to be ignorant of her more powerful competitors. Collaboration means putting her name out there even more, and since Icon seemed a perfectly good company, she accepted.

    At the agreed time, she emerges from the warpgate. In stark contrast to Cory's casual appearance, Tomoyo looks like she literally means business. She's dressed in a lilac business suit, with a one-breasted jacket and knee-length pencil skirt, the buttoned shirt underneath the jacket is black, to match the tights. She wears a white tie, tucked neatly under the jacket, and her hair is pulled back into a sensible ponytail with a white ribbon. Her shoes are low wedge heels that match the suit, and slung over her shoulder is a white purse.

    Flanking her are her four bodyguards, two on each side. Still in their plainer-looking black suits with mirrored sunglasses. The younger girl spots Cory and his jacket and walks towards him, the four women regarding him coolly. They seem at ease, but the same kind of ease that Cory might see in other superheroes while in their civilian persona. The ease that is ready to break at a moment's notice so they can jump into action.

    Tomoyo though, she seems perfectly comfortable with the whole situation. "Are you Cortex?" she asks quietly, unsure if it supposed to be a secret. Won't do to let it slip, that would be a bad first impression.

Dr. Vahzilok (769) has posed:
    Cory spots Tomoyo relatively quickly upon her approach... And that of her bodyguards. "Oh! Uh, yes. But you can call me Cory right now. Cory Conley's the full name, but don't spread it around! Also, it looks like you didn't me to guard you after all, haha! I guess it was silly to think someone with a reputation for helping out heroes all over the Multiverse wouldn't have bodyguards!" He may be mixing up the reasons why Tomoyo is being protected, but the sentiment is still there! "Anyway, it's nice to meet you. And you, ma'am. And you. And you. And you." He smiles and waves to each of the ladies present. Then he turns a bit awkwardly and starts heading towards Icon. "Is this your first time to Paragon City? The Icon here in Steel Canyon is over this way, so I'll show you the way. Unless you have that covered too."

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
    Tomoyo smiles and bows her head to Cory as he introduces himself. "It's very nice to meet you Cory. You probably already know, but I'm Tomoyo Daidouji." Her bodyguards also bow to him in unison as he greets them while Tomoyo's smile takes a turn for the bashful. "Well, I don't know if I really help out... but we all appreciate the extra help. These ladies will be the first to tell you that looking out for me is a full-time job."

    Tomoyo giggles softly, hiding her mouth behind her hand, but the four older woman seem to glance at her in a way that suggests they don't find it particularly amusing. It only lasts for a moment though. "Oh, your guidance would be very much appreciated," she reassures Cory, clasping her hands together. "Please, lead the way."

    Should he do so, Tomoyo would follow him closely, with the four bodyguards sticking to her like glue. As they walk, she takes out a video camera from that purse and just... begins recording the things she sees. "So, Cory, if you don't mind... tell me about you. You were in the WMAT, right? How do you feel about how you did~?"

Dr. Vahzilok (769) has posed:
    "Yes! Nice to meet you, Tomoyo! Or would that be Daidouji? I'm not very clear on my international naming schemes, sadly. I've never even been outside Paragon City. So, sorry if that wasn't right." How conscientious of cultural customs! If he doesn't know how to follow them! He shrugs at the dismissal of importance, and says, "Are people happy with the outfits you make for them? If so, I'd definitely say that you help people. I'm glad you have such reliable guards either way though." Even if they kind of remind him of Crey operatives. All they're missing are the ear piece radios and the automatic weapons.

    He turns to lead the way with a smile when asked to. The group of six walk along towards the Silver Lake district. Presently, they're up on an elevated ridge in the north end of Steel Canyon, overlooking the 'canyon' itself below, which is composed of skyscrapers and buildings and roads, and so on. There's also a man-made lake surrounded by grass and boulders off to the side, down below the safety railing to their left.

    Cory answers, "Yeah, I'm still in it. Looks like I'm going to finals. Can you believe it? Me! I've learned a lot from this tournament, and from the opponents I've faced. Many times I wondered if I was even supposed to be here. If I was cut out for this kind of fighting. I don't exactly have a warrior background, you know. And the only fighting I'd done was fighting criminals. Bad guys, and stuff like that. Fighting other heroes, or at least people who aren't villains?" He quiets his voice a bit as some other civlians walking the sidewalks approach, despite the noise of the city maybe making it harder to hear. He slows his pace as well. "My unique skills may be non-lethal for the most part, but that doesn't necessarily make them pretty. And it's one thing to mess with a bad guy's head so he falls asleep against his will. After all, it stops him from hurting poeple without hurting him in turn. But most people would look at it very differently if it was being used on a hero, or a civilian. So I've been nervous about that."

    Then he smiles as he looks over his shoulder at Tomoyo. "But I think I've gotten over it. That last match really helped me to realize there's no difference. Hurting someone with your fists or hurting someone with your mind: what matters is the reason for it, and how far you go. If it's a tournament match, I'm there to fight a tournament, not have moral dillemas. And as long as I'm not trying to hurt someone permanently or putting too much power into an attack... That's okay, right? It's no different than if I were attacking a villain. It's not like I want villains to be permanently hurt either. So I just hold back."

    He faces forwards again. "I've learned a lot from this tournament," he repeats.

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
    "Tomoyo is fine. It's not 'Daidouji Boutique' after all~" There's a very good reason why it's not called that, but Tomoyo doesn't bring it up at this time. "Well, they do seem to like them. I just wish I could make them more... useful. There's only so much you can do with exotic materials, after all~ Oh well... maybe when I expand, I'll get in some special employees to help in that regard." Not 'if,' but 'when.' Someone's confident!

    As they walk along the ridge above the canyon, Tomoyo gets in a slow, sweeping shot of the city below, one hand placed to her cheek. "Oh, what an amazing place... Tomoeda is rather small and sleepy, but this really serves to highlight it." She moves a little closer to the edge and zooms in on buildings and lakes, one of her bodyguards subtly moving to make sure she won't go off the edge outside of her arm's reach.

    "Oh! Congratulations on your victories~ Maybe I'll get to commentate as you claim victory?" she says, lowering the camera so she can smile politely up at Cory. But, as he begins to talk on the ethics of his powers, she listens patiently and answers his question. "I think your powers are wonderful. I wish everyone could do them. Taking someone down in a non-permanent way... sometimes it's hard. Sometimes, no one can think of a way to do it."

    Her face falls for a moment, eyes downcast. "Permanent solutions become appealing in situations like that. 'Solving the problem' in a way that ensures it doesn't have to be dealt with again. But still making the effort to do what is right instead of what is easy... that's what makes a great hero." She smiles at Cory as he looks back at her.

Dr. Vahzilok (769) has posed:
    Cory smiles brightly. "That would be great! The commentators so far have been really enthusiastic (and maybe a little bit weird), but I haven't known any of them, I don't think. Someone I've actually met doing the commentating could provide me with even more enthusiasm!" He's still not a fighter primarily, after all, though now he has developed the ability to enjoy an intense battle. While he doesn't understand the reason why the subject of non-lethal prevention is important for Tomoyo he doesn't need to be a psychic to realize that it is.

    "There's always going to be people unhappy with how you handled something," he says after walking in silence for a little while. "Maybe even yourself. But if you don't handle it, or act hesitantly, it's possible that a whole lot more people will be unhappy. Someone might complain that I zap someone's mind to stop them from robbing a bank. But the people whose money wasn't stolen are happy because of what I did, and the people who complain would be concerned about something very different if the robbers had gone on to steal their money, or hurt someone. It's a lot easier to look back on something and see the faults than to appreciate how bad the alternative could have been."

    Cory slows even further as he sees a blue-skinned trying to steal some lady's purse in broad daylight ahead of them. A member of the mutant gang known as the Outcasts.

    "What is wrong with you!? I have nothing of value!" the lady yells.

    "I'm takin' this!" the Lead Shocker yells as he struggles with all his burly might to take a pink purse from someone at least a foot shorter than him.

    Civilians in Paragon City must work out quite a bit.

    Cory stops where he is, and looks at the attempted purse snatching, trying to figure out not only how to deal with this, but even if he should. His head is still hurting, and he's protecting Tomoyo. But this is kind of what he does. He sighs, and says, "Sorry, Tomoyo. I'm going to have to delay getting to Icon for a few moments."

    He prepares to 'change outfits' as he flexes his hands at his sides, crackling with pink psychic energy.

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
    Tomoyo smiles as Cory talks about his experiences with the commentators. "Well, I'll see if I can land that commentating spot~" Quite noncommittal, but she does have other obligations. She's a schoolgirl who runs a business, after all! But she remains silent as Cory talks. A pregnant pause fills the air as she considers his words.

    "But counterfactuals can be dangerous too, can't they?" She finally says to break the quiet. "You can use them to justify some terrible things. Or torture yourself over how things could have been better." She has her hand on her cheek again, her eyes looking out into the distance. "... I'm sorry. I'm not trying to say that you're wrong. I've just been... thinking about a lot of things lately."

    But suddenly, a mugging! Tomoyo covers her mouth in shock at such a naked display of aggression. Her stomach clenches, but her mind races. How to stop this?... As Cory starts to step forward, she says, "Wait. You should be conserving your strength for the WMAT!" Her thoughts continue to swim... he's distracted, so a sneak attack should be easy... wait, that's it!

    "Normal people have the means to put people to sleep too. Kiyomizu, would you mind showing us the 'hadaka jime?'" The translation effect might have that come across as 'rear naked choke' to Cory. Either way, one of the bodyguards, the one with long red hair gives a single nod, before breaking into a run.

    She comes up behind the mutant, her left arm snaking around his neck so that the crook of her elbow is right under his chin. Her right arm comes up against the other side of his head to clasp her hands together. And then she squeezes down on the neck, trying to cut the flow of blood to the brain to make the mutant pass out!

Dr. Vahzilok (769) has posed:
    Cory studied stuff like metahuman biology, genetics, metapower physics, and so on. So he isn't SUPER (har har) at philosophy. Without knowing Tomoyo's circumstances he neither feels qualified to argue with her assessment, nor does he necessarily find disagreement with it within him. There are many factors to consider. But if he lets himself get bogged down in too many of them... He can't do what people are depending on him to do.

    That's why he's prepared to take out this Lead Shocker...! But then Tomoyo urges him to wait. Cory hesitates and just goes, "Uh... Okay!" Then he observes as one of Tomoyo's body guards chokes out the Boss-level enemy. He technically has the power to generate an electrical field around his body that would be really bad for Kiyomizu to be hit with right now, but the plan works. He's so surprised and unsure of what's going on that as he lets go of the purse, causing the lady to fall on her butt, he is left struggling with his unseen attacker and not focusing on doing something practical like shocking her away!

    The element of surprise, combined with her stealth, and hand to hand skill, lets Kiyomizu take the bad guy down to the ground and knock him out!

    Cory whistles and grins. He's been working on his hand to hand himself, but... He's nowhere near able to do stuff like this! Miss Kiyomizu is clearly a martial arts expert like Shin Tokuyama! ...Well, maybe not JUST like him, because she didn't yell out her attack name, but the attack HAS a name, which is close enough! "Good work, Miss Kiyomizu!" Cory calls out as the lady gets up and thanks her rescuer before running off to find somewhere less dangerous to be!

    After everyone is back together again, Cory continues leading the way, though by this point, Icon should be visible ahead of them a short distance. There's time for a little bit more conversation, but soon enough they arrive. There's a couple of platforms on either side of the door with display costumes inside of glass tubes, illuminated from below. The windows on either side likewise have various costumes and accessories on display. And once they get inside, there's heroes and Icon employees around, ready to help out! And a man named Serge who runs the place jogging up to greet them in his stylish dark suit! "Welcome, welcome, Miss Daidouji! And you have brought some lovely lady friends with you! Are they also heroes? No matter, all are welcome! Thank you for responding to our invitation!"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
    Thankfully, a hold that cuts off blood to the brain does not actually have to held for very long to work! And this one is very expertly applied. Kiyomizu keeps a firm hold of the man, waiting for the moment he goes limp before releasing him and carefully lowering him to the ground onto his back. Such holds can be life-threatening if held for too long!

    Tomoyo applauds her guard's effort, a beaming smile on her face. "Very well done. Thank you." The red-headed bodyguard bows her head to her charge and Cory both before joining the other three, all of whom give Kiyomizu a little nod. She also bows to the mugging victim, saying, "You are welcome," in a quiet tone before she runs off.

    Tomoyo and her guards spend the rest of the walk in relative silence. The young girl is content to keep filming and hum a few notes now and again at a perfectly melodious pitch. But soon, they come up to the Icon offices. The camera goes back into the purse, replaced by a hand mirror that Tomoyo uses to make sure she looks okay. Her suit is fussed over, hems tugged and tie straightened. "Okay~" she says, mostly to herself.

    And in they go! Tomoyo peers around at all the wares on display and the hustle and bustle of a busy store. Right away, she's very impressed. And when Serge approaches in his dashing suit, she smiles at him, quietly thankful that she went the business look too. She bows, in the traditional Japanese manner. "Thank you for inviting me Mister Surge," she says. "These ladies are my bodyguards, but they were quite heroic earlier." She rises up, a soft smile gracing her face. "Now, how can I help you?"

Dr. Vahzilok (769) has posed:
    Cory moves off to the side, still paying attention, but also looking around at the costumnes. He just recently got his second 'Costume Slot' himself, which is how he can travel around in civilian garb but switch to heroic when he needs to without having to find somewhere to change. It's time now for BUSINESS, so he has no business being in it!

    Serge nods enthusiastically, seemingly full of energy with all his dramatic gestures and emphatic body language. "A young lady such as yourself deserves heroic protectors!" he declares with point at them with one hand, and then the other underneath it. "Paragon City is brightened by your presences! Ah, and thanks to Cory for taking up the role of local guide!"

    Cory looks up from where he's examining a red and gold costume in an alcove in the wall, illuminated from above. He smiles, waves, and moves on to the next.

    "Now then... With the resort town of Salamanca being reconnected to the Paragon Monorail, the local inhabitants are looking to throw a huge Halloween celebration! The heroes both of our world and the worlds beyond have been making a big splash over these past several months, and to pay homage to those who have worked to make the city a safer place, Icon wanted to design images (costumes and accessories) modelled after these champions." Serge creates a 'mask' over his eyes with two fingers on each side to illustrate what he means. "Children and adults and other heroes as well, can all have a bit of the champions of our fair city with them, with Icon providing the tailoring for such... But we have also heard much about 'Tomoyo's Boutique', and how you are already experienced with tailoring outfits to 'Elites' across the Multiverse."

    Serge holds his chin dramatically as he turns to the side. "Now, we may have been performing image services for heroes for many years... I've been doing so in Los Angeles for ten years before I transferred here! But there's still many customer needs that we may not be familiar with addressing. And you have a stylish touch that can not be ignored! So Icon wanted to collaborate with you to render these costume pieces. We can manufacture them in numbers enough to supply anyone who is interested, while retaining the skillful hand and imagination of both of our services! How about it?"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
    Tomoyo bows again to Cory as he drifts away to do some shopping, as do her bodyguards. "Thank you for your help~ And if I can't make it to your match, good luck!" And then her attention turns back to Serge. Her demeanour remains one of politeness and serenity, but she's already feeling better about this meeting. It's nice to meet others with passion for what they do, and Serge clearly has passion in spades.

    As he lays out his spiel, she thinks carefully on it all. Halloween is coming up, isn't it? She's gotten a lot of commissions on appropriate costumes, but it had kind of slipped her mind. A big party would be wonderful, especially for a town that is starting to open up...

    And then when Serge explains what they were aiming to do, with accessories based on heroes and multiversal Elites, it's like a light clicked on in the girl's eyes. "That's an amazing idea~ I was thinking of doing the-" She suddenly catches herself and starts again. "For some personal projects, I was considering something similar, outfits based on Union Elites. This sounds much the same, and I already love it~"

    And so the deal is presented. Her experience with Elites in conjunction with Icon's manufacturing capabilities. She thinks hard on the matter... for only one second. It's all she needs. "I would love to be a part of this. Thank you for the opportunity Mister Serge."