The Glitch V: Taste of Fear (Episode 1)

[Charon]

Matt looked back at Jack and sighed. "Great. Him. Should've figured. Why does he want us to go after it? He's got goons he can send out there."

[LadyTevar]

Someone had to say it....

"... maybe he thinks it's you..." The legends of the Beserker were nothing but destruction and killing, although Thog and Leandra had tried to speak more of the Heroic Matt they'd known before. Either way, it was better to have it out in the open.

[Agent Fisher]

"No. No way." He said, still remembering the man from the old days.

Jack shrugged. "Maybe he's nostalgic for the old days when you, me, and the other heroes would kick down the door and save the day? Or maybe he wants us all together so he can kill us in one go. Either way, sounds fun."

[Charon]

Matt looked at LizBet and shook his head. "Method's all wrong. If the Berserker was loose in town everyone would know it and there wouldn't be any question about it. Anyone as smart as the Shadow Don would know that."

He turned back to Jack. "If it's the second, he'll find that I'm not one to die easily." He smiled, glancing to Gregory and Lizbet after he finishes his drink. "Seems I've forgotten to introduce myself. I'm Matthew Hiemler. Greg and..." He looked to LizBet.

[LadyTevar]

LizBet sighed. Time to drag it out, if they were going to be doing this right. "Elizabeth Hope Thogschylde Leandaughter, First Child of Ascent," LizBet rolled her eyes as she paused in the recital. "There's a few more titles from the Mushroom Kingdom, from Hyrule, and others, but I try to just go by LizBet here in OldTown."

For one thing, the titles meant Politics and Counsel meetings and discussions. Her father, having taught politics in the Real World, thrived on it. LizBet wanted less talking and more action.

[Charon]

Matt blinked. "LizBet?" Frowning, Matt shook his head. "Your father, I assume." Continuing to shake his head, Matt muttered to himself.

"Damn you Thog and your nefarious scheme to destroy the English language." He glanced back up. "At least tell me that kids aren't still talking in Thog-speak because they think it's cool."

[LadyTevar]

"No... one of my playmates couldn't say Elizabeth, and it stuck," Lizbet answered defensively. "Thog-speak is so 8-bit. However, the phrase 'Smart Like Rock' is still a favorite."

[Charon]

Matt didn't look particularly convinced that her father didn't have something to do with it. "I'll take what small miracles I can get..."

Matt looked around. "So, are we on a timeline here or do we have some time?"

[Agent Fisher]

Jack activated his omni-tool, looking at the adress and punching it into a search engine. "The Don wants us to make another stop, some Private Investigator, but I don't think there's a real hurry." He said.

[Charon]

Matt laughed. "Now that's the oddest thing you've said. Maybe you've gotten soft, or adventuring has. Way I remember it we didn't have time to catch our breaths before we were in our next mess." He started back up the stairs. "Gimme a few minutes to tidy things up then."

[Agent Fisher]

Jack laughed. "Well, there's cops now, no real need for us to off at breakneck speeds like the old days. And I'm not soft!" He called out up the stairs then shook his head, smiling as he looked at the others. "Alright, soon as he's down, we move out."

[LadyTevar]

LizBet looked down at Uncle Jack's stomach, which wasn't the quite the washboard abs that her father's was. More of a washtub. The look said it all without any words.

[Agent Fisher]

Jack caught the look. "Hey! I can still run and fight pretty well. I mean, I may not be going six miles every day, but it's not that bad, right?" He asked, looking down at his stomach.

[LadyTevar]

One eyebrow raised, in perfect mimicry of her mother's 'oh, yes, right' look, before she looked up to where Matt vanished. "The Don must be taking this seriously if he's calling out the Heroes of Old

[Agent Fisher]

Jack's concern vanished from his face, the time for joking around over. "Yeah, well, I'll get worried if he calls your parents back in and all the old gang." He said, referring to the non-ascended heroes who had fought alongside them. "Course, if he can somehow manage to get Samus to come back, then we're in really big trouble." He said softly.

[LadyTevar]

" .. I miss her too," Lizbet replied, looking away.

[frigidmagi]

They moved out, Poe in the lead since he was the only one who knew the way. Jeremy and Malkarmar followed close behind. They were gonna try to find the Alchemist and work from there.

[Charon]

Matt got up the stairs and collapsed into his couch, his hands over his face.

He stayed like that for several minutes. Not moving, taking only deep and steady breaths. It's gonna happen all over again. The war, the death. The blood. Almost thought I'd gotten away from all of it. But I guess you never can. He leaned back in the chair and stared at his ceiling for a few more minutes before he got to his feet. Nothing for it now. People are depending on me not to fuck up. Time to try and be a hero again, for what that's worth.

Matt strolled back down the stairs, not having touched anything upstairs. He quietly walked over to the armor that stood against one wall and started to get it on by himself.

"So what are things like at the palace, Liz?"

[LadyTevar]

LIke all teenagers, LizBet's lip twitched at the thought of her 'home life'. "Dad is trying to get the Horde's current leader to the table to discuss a trade matter. Auntie Peach is trying to help, but so far it's not happening." She tried to make her voice indifferent, but the tone was clear -- the Palace bored her.

"Mom's ..." a pause, longer than Lizbet really wanted it, as she tried to think of a way to say Leandra was having another bad period and hiding from everyone but her husband. "... Mom's not doing so good," she finished, her left hand rubbing her right arm unconsciously. Matt and Jack would not have to guess what was wrong. They had gone to rescue Leandra, way back when.

[rhoenix]

Standing with the others, Seth preferred to watch for now, since most appeared to know one another. He had only heard stories here and there about the Berserker, along with other names and titles that floated around; Seth had listened regardless, but never gave the stories much credence.

Even so, it appeared that some were haunted by their pasts - or the pasts of others far too often. After noticing that he'd drifted off in thought while the others had introduced themselves, Seth brought himself back to the present, feeling a bit awkward. "Sorry I didn't speak up before. I am Seth Gabriel, and I've been called a Grey Mage - pleased to meet you."

[Charon]

Matt found politics perhaps slightly less interesting than Al, though that wasn't saying much. It didn't take him long to figure out that Liz didn't share her father's love of it. At the mention of Leandra, Matt froze for a second, before he continued.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

[LadyTevar]

LizBet gave a shrug, the jumped at the chance to change the subject. "A grey mage?" she asked Seth, turning to face him. "So the buff I felt *was* yours. What spells do you call?"

[Agent Fisher]

Jack felt his face pull into a sad expression. He remember Leandra as the bright happy redheaded cleric, for however brief a time he knew her before she had been taken.

"Yeah, same here." He said softly, suddenly regretting not staying in touch with Thog and Leandra like he used to.

[Charon]

Matt looked over at Seth and smiled as he finished clipping the somewhat futuristic breastplate to his body. "Pleasure to meet you Seth, though I wish the circumstances were better."

[SirNitram]

Mal was following the other two a little behind them, so he could calmly open the remaining envelope to find out what it was. Perhaps it was paranoia, but names like the 'Shadow Don' floated about a nameless benefactor hiring him, they inspired such paranoia.