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SuperStarter
Hoping it's Siphon, for the record. I mean, with a name like that...
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- Bolt527
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And a little ElF may have given me some ideas for another twist in the tale...
(sorry for the little teasers... it just that some of us don’t have Circes-level talent and have to get readers with fun gimmicks instead!)
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- HikerAngel
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The method of achieving the high vote counts has been discovered. It is not bots, but it does represent the desires of an enterprising person who cared enough to go through the effort to influence the results. It's not democratic by number of people, but may be by effort.
Holy hell, really? I was just about convinced that this was actually some kind of story trick, because it fit so well with Amplifier and Siphon, an illusion of voter's choice, so to speak... guess I was way off.
But seriously, Serena's stats in this chapter alone have risen well in excess of 30.000, are we sure it's not bots? Who has time to click on anything 30.000 times?
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- Whatever
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Whatever wrote:
The method of achieving the high vote counts has been discovered. It is not bots, but it does represent the desires of an enterprising person who cared enough to go through the effort to influence the results. It's not democratic by number of people, but may be by effort.
Holy hell, really? I was just about convinced that this was actually some kind of story trick, because it fit so well with Amplifier and Siphon, an illusion of voter's choice, so to speak... guess I was way off.
But seriously, Serena's stats in this chapter alone have risen well in excess of 30.000, are we sure it's not bots? Who has time to click on anything 30.000 times?
Probably the same people that sent Hanna's stats into overdrive last week.
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- Woodclaw
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- Bolt527
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Wow! You're right!Furlough wrote: Speaking of Hannah's power spike, right now it's looking like in spite of Serena's massive numbers in the current poll, if they stay more or less at the same proportion that they have now they'd pretty much even out both girls' power levels when you consider the huge difference from the previous week and add in Hannah's current votes as well. I have no idea how many people are involved in the vote-rigging (of the fact that it's happening there is no doubt) but maybe that's what they're going for? I vote once for each girl/additional choice but for my preferences I'd say I'm team Serena, so a return to a more balanced approach between the two would be welcome as far as I'm concerned.
Just when I'm thinking of a story designed around Hannah being über-powerful compared to everyone else after this round of voting, I'm wrong again! Going to have to think of some new ideas to adapt to an equally powerful Hannah and Serena now. Should be fun! When the voting is all over and the story is just the story, I wonder how it will feel to the reader with all these unexpected events in the voting! I would think it would be very unpredictable, given that I as the writer am being perpetually surprised! Hmmm... maybe I should write a mystery this way. Good luck trying to predict that ending!
That's the only problem with writing the stories--it's difficult to read them as a real reader would, seeing them for the first time. That's why I love the feedback/interactivity! It helps me understand how things come across to the reader.
It also makes me enjoy the stories of others so much more too.
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- HikerAngel
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Bolt527 wrote: If the vote-rigging is not reflected in the story, it should be. Would be an excellent chess move on HAs part.
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- HikerAngel
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HANNAH | |||||
POWER | RND 1 | RND 2 | RND 3 | RND 4 | TOTAL |
Strength | 143 | 923 | 7776 | 39045 | 47887 |
Invulnerability | 143 | 480 | 7776 | 39045 | 47444 |
Speed | 36 | 101 | 4062 | 11817 | 16016 |
Flight | 36 | 29 | 4062 | 11817 | 15944 |
Laser Eyes | 25 | 11 | 3202 | 7841 | 11079 |
X-Ray Eyes | 25 | 15 | 3202 | 7841 | 11083 |
Superbreath | 25 | 20 | 3202 | 7841 | 11088 |
Telepathy | 54 | 24 | 2820 | 8745 | 11643 |
Telekinesis | 54 | 18 | 2820 | 8745 | 11637 |
Total | 541 | 1621 | 38922 | 142737 | 183821 |
SERENA | |||||
POWER | RND 1 | RND 2 | RND 3 | RND 4 | TOTAL |
Strength | 268 | 1523 | 1183 | 70825 | 73799 |
Invulnerability | 268 | 452 | 1183 | 70825 | 72728 |
Speed | 74 | 937 | 1008 | 20970 | 22989 |
Flight | 74 | 383 | 1008 | 20970 | 22435 |
Laser Eyes | 51 | 83 | 111 | 11038 | 11283 |
X-Ray Eyes | 51 | 82 | 111 | 11038 | 11282 |
Superbreath | 51 | 89 | 111 | 11038 | 11289 |
Telepathy | 162 | 481 | 80 | 21793 | 22516 |
Telekinesis | 162 | 374 | 80 | 21793 | 22409 |
Total | 1161 | 4404 | 4875 | 260290 | 270730 |
NAMES
HANNAH | |
Golden Goddess (WINNER!!!) | 133 |
Ultragirl | 31 |
Glory Girl | 5 |
Goddessy | 3 |
Apex | 25 |
Infinity | 32 |
Divinity | 25 |
Pinnacle | 11 |
Celestia | 72 |
SERENA | |
Dark Justice (WINNER!!!) | 77 |
Captain Wonder | 10 |
Shade | 59 |
Serpentine | 67 |
Avengeance | 5 |
Dark Avenger | 9 |
Titania | 25 |
Marvelette | 8 |
Agent S | 16 |
Lfan knows this group well. He told me, when he was helping me brainstorm names, that the first option would win for both. He was right! I'm kinda glad. It means I can use "Divinity" for another story I'm planning.
Anyway, part 5 is officially underway. I've got to figure out a way to deal with these insane power levels now...
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- HikerAngel
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- HikerAngel
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The earth rumbled with the power that blasted into Hannah and Serena with this round of voting. Something was wrong. The Xinth devices were never meant to become this powerful.
Hannah looked down at her arms, which shook as the golden glow enveloped them once more. Her muscles felt like they were about to explode, unbelievable strength pouring into them. She held her breath, fighting to remain conscious with the onslaught of energy.
As her body drank in the last drops of golden potency, Hannah’s knees wobbled, threatening to buckle completely. She went down to one knee. My God! How were the voters giving her this much raw power?! She balled her slender fingers into a fist, watching as golden power crackled like lightning, dancing across her radiant skin. She opened her fist and spread her fingertips. Power capable of pulverizing mountains dwelled within these delicate, manicured fingers. The idea was absurd, but she knew instinctively that it was true.
She heard a scream from Serena’s platform. A shockwave rolled across the stadium, flattening all of the people in the stands with its incredible concussive blast. What the…?
Hannah’s eyes swung around to Serena, who was floating above her platform, back bowed in ecstasy, head rolled back, lips parted, crying out into the sky. She looked as if she were alerting the heavens to her nascent ascendance. Hannah gasped as she saw Serena’s transformation. Her ebony hair thickened and lengthened as silver energy poured into the girl. Its raven color shone, reflecting the sun like a mirror. The gorgeous mass of dark, silken tresses poured like a waterfall all the way to the small of her back.
Serena’s finished her cry, and her head swayed before lolling to her magnificent chest. Hannah’s jaw dropped. It was stunning! No, it had been stunning before. Now, it was the living embodiment of perfect human beauty. Her eyes, though dazed, were effortlessly sensual, huge and shimmering green. Her scarlet lips were achingly well-formed, their look alone whispering a captivating melody without words or sound. Her face was exquisite, regal, the visage of an empress of worlds.
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- HikerAngel
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No tantrum, no need to show off, just pure awareness of the danger the situation poses with some very healthy self-confidence to back it up. Even shows understanding for Hannah later and aims to help instead of chastise her for her choices.
Basically, I'm saying I know who'd I trust in a live-or-die-situation, and it's not the person I thought I'd be presented as such in the beginning. Serena just gets shit done without posturing unless she wants to. Was prepared to like Hannah a lot more than her, got turned around completely. She's easily my favourite new character I've read about here for months.
No sarcasm, no irony- splendid job, HikerAngel. Seriously, kudos.
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- Whatever
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Given how the vote is turning out, let's hope she'll continue to have a meaningful role in the next chapters.Whatever wrote: I genuinely had to chuckle that Hannah, who we are reminded in this chapter was supposed to be the "good girl", spends most of it obsessing over Serena being more powerful than her (again)- while Serena is out cold for most of the issue and when she wakes up, doesn't fuss around and is immediately back on the job and after Siphon.
No tantrum, no need to show off, just pure awareness of the danger the situation poses with some very healthy self-confidence to back it up. Even shows understanding for Hannah later and aims to help instead of chastise her for her choices.
Basically, I'm saying I know who'd I trust in a live-or-die-situation, and it's not the person I thought I'd be presented as such in the beginning. Serena just gets shit done without posturing unless she wants to. Was prepared to like Hannah a lot more than her, got turned around completely. She's easily my favourite new character I've read about here for months.
No sarcasm, no irony- splendid job, HikerAngel. Seriously, kudos.
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- Revan
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That exploit is ruining the fun in all of this. Can't the vote be restarted with the new poll software? It's already there after all and would prevent what feels like the final vote from being dictated by one or a few individuals that manipulate the votes.
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- njae
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njae wrote: Wow, the bots are going crazy now...
That exploit is ruining the fun in all of this. Can't the vote be restarted with the new poll software? It's already there after all and would prevent what feels like the final vote from being dictated by one or a few individuals that manipulate the votes.
Yeah, it's bloody ridicoulous. Actually, why not set up a vote with the new software in this thread and see if it's working, then resetting if it's demanded?
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- Whatever
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- HikerAngel
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HikerAngel wrote: Yikes! It really is out of control now!
You know, it would be pretty funny if that energy (pardon) siphoned off Siphon turned out to be a trap, a side-effect of Siphon's own powers being amped. You know, as a fun way to twist the vote one last time for the benefit of the story with nought but a feasible in-universe explanation.
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- Whatever
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- HikerAngel
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- njae
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Though on that front, I assume this time it was a binary choice so it could be percentage-based rather than quantity-based? Will the sum of the two halves of the previous power levels just be distributed into two percentages with no net increase as per this vote, or will the massive bot numbers somehow inflate the redistributed power even further?
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- Furlough
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This one was from Hannah's POV. Next one will be Serena. It keeps working out where the POV follows the less powerful of the two.Furlough wrote: Not gonna lie, even though I think showing off the potential of the new power levels on Hannah was well done, I was massively disappointed by how badly Serena was sidelined despite her own massive boost. Out cold for most of it then gets drained pretty much immediately. And then there's the manipulative voting again, which looks to be skewing things just as badly...
Though on that front, I assume this time it was a binary choice so it could be percentage-based rather than quantity-based? Will the sum of the two halves of the previous power levels just be distributed into two percentages with no net increase as per this vote, or will the massive bot numbers somehow inflate the redistributed power even further?
There will be no net power gain with this vote. It is just to determine the percentage of stolen power that goes to each of them.
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- HikerAngel
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HANNAH | |||||||
POWER | RND 1 | RND 2 | RND 3 | RND 4 | TOTAL | Siphon | Remaining |
Strength | 143 | 923 | 7776 | 39045 | 47887 | -23944 | 23943 |
Invulnerability | 143 | 480 | 7776 | 39045 | 47444 | -23722 | 23722 |
Speed | 36 | 101 | 4062 | 11817 | 16016 | -8008 | 8008 |
Flight | 36 | 29 | 4062 | 11817 | 15944 | -7972 | 7972 |
Laser Eyes | 25 | 11 | 3202 | 7841 | 11079 | -5540 | 5539 |
X-Ray Eyes | 25 | 15 | 3202 | 7841 | 11083 | -5542 | 5541 |
Superbreath | 25 | 20 | 3202 | 7841 | 11088 | -5544 | 5544 |
Telepathy | 54 | 24 | 2820 | 8745 | 11643 | 0 | 11643 |
Telekinesis | 54 | 18 | 2820 | 8745 | 11637 | 0 | 11637 |
Total | 541 | 1621 | 38922 | 142737 | 183821 | -80272 | 103549 |
SERENA | |||||||
POWER | RND 1 | RND 2 | RND 3 | RND 4 | TOTAL | Siphon | Remaining |
Strength | 268 | 1523 | 1183 | 70825 | 73799 | -36900 | 36899 |
Invulnerability | 268 | 452 | 1183 | 70825 | 72728 | -36364 | 36364 |
Speed | 74 | 937 | 1008 | 20970 | 22989 | -11495 | 11494 |
Flight | 74 | 383 | 1008 | 20970 | 22435 | -11218 | 11217 |
Laser Eyes | 51 | 83 | 111 | 11038 | 11283 | -5642 | 5641 |
X-Ray Eyes | 51 | 82 | 111 | 11038 | 11282 | -5641 | 5641 |
Superbreath | 51 | 89 | 111 | 11038 | 11289 | -5645 | 5644 |
Telepathy | 162 | 481 | 80 | 21793 | 22516 | 0 | 22516 |
Telekinesis | 162 | 374 | 80 | 21793 | 22409 | 0 | 22409 |
Total | 1161 | 4404 | 4875 | 260290 | 270730 | -112905 | 157825 |
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- HikerAngel
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SIPHON | |
POWER | RND 5 |
Strength | 60844 |
Invulnerability | 60086 |
Speed | 19503 |
Flight | 19190 |
Laser Eyes | 11182 |
X-Ray Eyes | 11183 |
Superbreath | 11189 |
Telepathy | 0 |
Telekinesis | 0 |
Total | 193177 |
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- HikerAngel
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I understand she cannot drain mental powers from others but she should have some gift in that area right?
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- Revan
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Funny you should catch that! Maybe there is something more going on that has not yet been revealed... <<dun>> <<dun>> <<dun>>Revan wrote: Should Siphon be shown as having no mental abilities? If so how does it explain her resistance to telepathy and her snuffing out Amplifier?
I understand she cannot drain mental powers from others but she should have some gift in that area right?
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- HikerAngel
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