Tag: superpower

LORE24 ENTRY #51 – Supers Month #20 – Maria Tempest

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

Is it possible for a place to be more shady than the Edgewater Institute?  I’m not sure, but I’d wager that the Tempest Grand Academy is a strong contender for it.

And what about Maria Tempest, the owner and administrator of the TGA?  She’s just as beautiful as her sister Jennifer, and has just as forceful a personality, perhaps even more so.  She is not as icy as Jennifer in terms of temperament as I’ve determined, but she can be just as strict and unaccepting of nonsense.  I can absolutely attest to the fact that I get the same sense of awe that I felt with Jennifer during our official interview and tour of the TGA facilities.  That’s the second puff piece I’ve written about the Tempests this year…I’d better be careful, or someone’s going to accuse me of going soft on them.

I suppose I’ll start with Maria herself.  Publicly, she is a reputable businesswoman, well regarded in Sentinel City and beyond, who prefers a quieter and less intense occupation than, say, Jennifer or another of the sisters, Amelia.  She seems more playful than Jennifer, more willing to joke or openly tease, but has a no-nonsense attitude underlying it all.  I get the impression that she can be an absolutely strict disciplinarian when the situation calls for it, and that she’s no stranger to such matters.  She attends many of the same meetings as Jennifer regarding the Edgewater Institute’s business, and is listed as being on its board, though she tends not to be involved overmuch.  There does seem to be some amount of overlap regarding the clients of Edgewater and the TGA, so there is much more to the story that I’ve yet to uncover.  I feel like there may be a deeper bond between these two than the rest of their sisters, I just haven’t been able to confirm the nature of this bond.  Twins, perhaps, though available records aren’t conclusive.

In her personal life, Maria has recently started dating Misha Kyle, the owner and chief designer at Latex Leopard Limited, whom she met during a meeting at Edgewater.  The two seem happy, spending a lot of time together outside of work, though much of it is behind the closed doors and high fences at the administrator’s residence on the grounds of the TGA facility outside of Sentinel City proper.  Prior to her involvement with the Tempest family, Kyle’s record looks clean and innocent enough, though there was one blip a few weeks before she met the Tempest sisters involving a very poorly documented account of an assault, maybe even a kidnapping?  There were no legal records beyond this, and whoever the detectives were who handled the situation completely botched it…or were intentionally hiding something?  Perhaps a lead for another time.

Misha just happens to supply the uniforms for the Edgewater staff as well as some of the more intense restraints for the superpowered patients.  Is there more to this relationship than it seems?  I have no doubts in my mind about it.  Following the contract with Edgewater, 3L’s sales skyrocketed, and they immediately purchased and implemented expanded production facilities.  I would not be surprised if the Tempests were using 3L as a way to launder some of their secret funds; no proof yet, but that’s one of the many angles I’m looking at.  

But what of the TGA?  What exactly goes on there?  Officially, the Tempest Grand Academy is a private education facility catering to the wealthy, like a fancy finishing school from the old days, teaching people how to be proper lords and ladies and the like.  It would seem to be a bit of an anachronism in that regard, but as its public earnings reports indicate, in the five years since the facility opened, its profits have steadily risen.  As I suspected, that simply wasn’t the whole story.  Who would believe that many people would be interested in learning proper social graces these days, after all?

Speaking to known staff members led to little in the way of useful information; they had nothing negative to say about anything that went on there, and seemed well schooled in keeping secrets.  I discovered that the facility’s chief physician had previously came from Edgewater, but little else on that front.  I attempted my own information gathering at the facility, but the nature of the grounds make it very private.  Though it’s in the hills outside of Sentinel City, the woods have been cleared away a good distance from the high walls and even higher foliage inside them, and the whole area has been designated a no-fly zone for drones, so I couldn’t manage to get an aerial view.  I managed to get some long-range photos of some of the students, but couldn’t find anything substantial about them or their relations with the Tempest family.

Compelled to find the truth of the mater, I reached out to Maria Tempest directly.  I was honestly a little surprised that she accepted my request for an interview and a tour of the facility so readily; she even picked me up herself so that we could get to know one another on the drive to the school.  Again, like with Jennifer, Maria’s very presence is incredible to experience.  I could not help but be enthralled by the passion she showed for the school, of her dedication to the students to make them the best they could be.  But what was she making them into?  In spite of what I reported in my official piece, I’m not entirely sure myself.  The whole weekend I spent there went by in a blur, only my interview is really clear in my memory, as was the tour of the main school building.  I know there are other buildings there, dormitories, a riding stable, even kennels for keeping pets, some quite exotic, but the details are vague (though Maria’s cat, Sheba, stands out as most well-behaved and beautiful pet in my mind).  Of the students I encountered there, all seemed to be very well mannered and confident in themselves, each displaying at least the demeanor of a dominant, and in some cases, aggressive, business executive.  

So is the TGA just an elite business school then, training the next generation of elite, corporate executives?  Perhaps…and perhaps not.  It’s frustrating me to no end that I can’t seem to recall a lot of the details during my visit there, but every time I try to think over what happened, I get a sense of fond longing, almost a pleasant, peaceful nostalgia, like a dog curling up by a fireplace at the feet of its master, that kind of cozy feeling.  The more time I spend in the presence of the Tempests the more overwhelmed I seem to be by them.  It’s dangerous business; I should probably just stop trying to dig into their affairs, and yet, I’m compelled by my own need to find the truth, whatever the cost.  Anything for a scoop, after all!  

 

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #50 – Supers Month #19 – Jennifer Tempest

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

The investigation into the Edgewater Institute has taken a turn I could not have expected, and, for a moment there, I was certain I was finished as a reporter.  That’s not something I’d admit to anyone, of course, but when I got caught inside the high security wing and had to undergo an “evaluation”, I had my moments of doubt.  It was during my several interviews with Jennifer Tempest during my time inside that I grew suspicious of her motives.  The family name was enough, really, but having seen her methods firsthand, I can say with certainty that there is much more going on behind the scenes than anyone outside the Tempest family itself knows…and my sources within the SCPD and FBI can corroborate this statement.

Starting with the one I’m most familiar with, Jennifer Tempest is far more than just the administrator of the Edgewater Institute.  Oh, don’t get me wrong, her accomplishments as a medical professional are all there on paper, just as pretty as you please, with all the extra honors and accolades one could imagine.  By all accounts, she’s a genius, completely dedicated to healing fractured minds and rooting out the cause of antisocial, criminal behavior.  That’s the new thing these days, right?  Crime as a mental disorder?  Blame the system, not the criminal?  Read the piece I wrote about Jennifer and Edgewater, I’ll tell you all about it.

I’m not pleased to admit it, but yes, that was not my finest work, even though it was perhaps my finest infiltration.  Jennifer had me over a barrel, and it was either extol her virtues to the world, or disappear as a mental case under so much red tape, locked inside Edgewater for the rest of my life.  Oh, she didn’t come right out and say that, of course, but I can read between the lines just fine.  It is this reporter’s personal opinion that Jennifer Tempest is perhaps the most dangerous of the entire Tempest criminal organization.  She has a way about her that makes me shiver…just an intensity of personality that, while common amongst the rest of her family, is so much more…I don’t know what the exact words are to describe it.  Even knowing what I know, I can’t help but feel…awed in her presence, almost like I’m bowing to some queen or…maybe even a goddess.  it sounds silly when I say it like that, but I’ve had…thoughts about her that I can’t exactly explain since meeting her, vaguely remembered dreams of things best described as highly pornographic.  I don’t know why.  I’m rather ashamed of admitting it, even here, but I also want to state quite clearly, should someone have to dig into my records should I go missing, that I DO NOT have any sort of perverse intentions with Jennifer Tempest or any of her sisters.  I am not planning to off myself, either.

I will also admit that, perhaps, I have developed an obsession with not only with Jennifer Tempest, but the rest of her family, now that I’ve seen behind the public face of Edgewater.  As soon as I had the opportunity I began researching the lot of them, reached out to every contact I had within law enforcement.  Like any long-lived criminal family, the Tempests hail from Italy, though would seem to have a much longer lineage than I’ve been able to trace thus far.  Each would seem to have their own public image that they tout in Sentinel City, the rich, powerful, and highly influential kind, but there is much more going on behind that public façade.  

It’s a well known secret that there is more to the Edgewater Institute than the general public is aware of, two very different faces.  While they are undeniably a medical facility with a focus on mental health issues, there are absolutely other activities going on within its walls; there are too many whispers of clandestine kinky, sexual antics involving the rich and influential members of Sentinel City society to ignore.  I…must admit that I have little proof of this, but I am certain that I can find the proof of it given more time.  I would go so far as to call their methods of patient restraint extreme and perverse, having experienced the “maximum security” variety myself, but how exactly can I speak negatively of them when they are designed to contain some of the most dangerous criminals in the city?  The kind who can move faster than you can imagine or that can break through reinforced concrete with ease?  

But what about Jennifer Tempest herself, and her criminal nature?  She is nothing if not dedicated to her work, perhaps to the point of obsession.  She has acquired multiple top talents to her staff, and has secured funding for the facility through multiple public and private sources.   It is the private sources that I must uncover if I want to discover her dark secrets.  From what my FBI contact has divulged, those donations they have managed to trace come from wealthy, if shady, financial firms or wealthy individuals who honestly believe in the work she does.  That leaves a massive amount of funding off the books, though; I’ve seen the technology they have in there first hand, and that kind of hardware is not cheap; I’ve been inside a secret government facility or two that had less stringent security.  

Her personal life is rather…plain?  She spends an unusual amount of her time at the Edgewater facility, but when she isn’t there, she has a home in one of the gated communities in the nicer parts of town; most of the neighbors are rich business types or other doctors.  She sometimes drives herself, sometimes has one of her staff drive her around in a company vehicle.  She is romantically involved with one of her staff, though, the head of the IT department, Bobbi, and he is a common sight at her home.  I may be able to find an angle there, but information on him is just as difficult to track down as any of the Tempests; I can only assume that he’s deeply involved in their criminal operations, may even run the technology side of them; he has been confirmed doing work for some of Jennifer’s sisters outside of Edgewater, after all.  Definitely a person of interest.

Of the other Tempest sisters, Jennifer appears to be closest to Maria, who frequents her home and has even attended some of the meetings inside Edgewater for whatever reason, the meeting with one Misha Kyle that led to a special contract with her company for some special uniforms for the Edgewater staff, for example.  I suppose I can safely confirm a latex fetish for Jennifer Tempest, if the choice of standard uniform inside the facility is any indication.  Sure, she gave me some lines about the special composition of the material being more hygienic and easier to maintain, and resistant to certain villainous superpowers, but I have no doubts that it goes much deeper than that.  Granted, she looks absolutely stunning in skin-tight rubber, but I digress.

I feel like I’m failing to perform due diligence on this investigation so far.  I just have so little to show for the hours of surveillance, research, and off-the-record interviews with law enforcement I’ve done.  Normally I’d have much more to show for it, but like the latex uniforms she wears, Jennifer Tempest is, for all intents and purposes, squeaky clean.  Ugh, why did I write that?  Why can’t I get the image of her in that uniform out of my head right now?  Stress, it has to be; I need to get some sleep.  Maybe a look at one of the other sisters will prove more fruitful…

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #49 – Supers Month #18 – Momo-Chan

 

From the Personal Journal of Jennifer Tempest…

 

I don’t believe that in my entire history as a medical doctor have I felt so absolutely vexed as I have than with the woman known only as Momo-Chan.  She is a most unique case, with a most unique and troublesome ability given the nature of my facility.  She is a mystery as well, no background information to speak of; even Bobbi has been unable to locate any of her records within government databases after days spent diving into cyberspace.  She may as well not exist at all as far as a digital presence outside of the records held within Edgewater’s secure servers. 

During her stay at Edgewater, I personally handled her therapy sessions and she managed to avoid giving me any details about her past, and worryingly, resisted my natural charms, even when I impressed them so strongly upon her that I was certain she would notice my supernatural influence upon her.  Perhaps she did and simply said nothing about it?  A troubling thought in its own right.  All I managed to glean from her is that she once worked for the United States government as something of a spy and assassin, and was subjected to one of their many super-soldier programs, though in her case, it failed quite dramatically.  Following the procedure, though she came out of it possessing an amazing accelerated healing ability and resistance to both poisons and diseases, she was left completely dead to any sensation of pain not unlike a CIPA patient, though without the other medical issues most commonly associated with the condition.  Several very thorough procedures by Dr. Bayne and Dr. del Vecchio tested this condition in depth, and in some cases most gruesomely, though Momo-chan consented to all of it without apparent worry.

Perhaps this condition would have been beneficial for a spy to resist torture, but the procedure also left her with a crippling mental condition, namely a psychological need to feel latex upon her body.  Momo-chan cannot function without a full-body latex catsuit and a gas-mask to cover her face (though she is fine with having some area around her neck as well as her hair exposed, as long as the mask is in place).  Tests within Edgewater, when the latex was removed, provoked a response as though her very skin had been peeled off; removing the mask, she cries out for her face to be returned.  Given more than a few minutes in such a state, she becomes nearly catatonic until she is able to recover her ‘skin’ and her ‘face’.

Her mental state would be an absolutely fascinating study, and I have no doubt, that with enough time, I could have a breakthrough with her, but Momo-chan’s most troublesome ability is too much of a security risk for her to remain on an indefinite stay here.  Momo-chan, despite all attempts to the contrary, cannot be contained.  None of the restraints, secure cells, air-tight isolation rooms we have devised thus far have been able to keep her in place.  We’ve had multiple cameras trained on her, and I have sat within a few feet of her and watched her escape the most stringent restraints, and neither myself nor any of my staff, even Specialist Leopard or Bobbi, can figure out exactly how she does it.  She simple wiggles a bit, then the gear falls off, or if she’s in a secure cell, walks up to the door and slips through it, somehow.  It’s maddening!  How can she possibly do it?!  She doesn’t take an attitude about it, and hasn’t done anything to threaten the security of the facility or patients, only to “stretch her legs” or to get something to eat from the cafeteria before she returns to her cell, but the threat remains. 

I promised the girl that I would continue to treat her if she felt the need, and I stand by that, though she has, for now, vanished into the streets of Sentinel City.  I simply must discover a way to counter her ability to escape, and that will require many more trials, as I must delve into her psyche and find what it is that has led to her debilitating need for the feel of latex.  I have no qualms against latex attire in and of itself, of course; it is the main component of the standard uniform in Edgewater after all, but if I can simply give relief to her debilitation upon its removal, then I will have done my job to my satisfaction.  

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #48 – Supers Month #17 – Adrianna Bayne and Sierra Del Vecchio

 

From the Personal Journal of Jennifer Tempest…

 

It’s true, I do keep Bayne and del Vecchio around partially for my own amusement.  They are certainly qualified as medical doctors, of course, each with their own specialties, otherwise I never would have brought them here.  They spend so much time trying to backstab one another to gain my favor, how could I not be amused by them?  Thus far, neither has shown any particularly strong indications of superpower manifestation, though they have proven ingenious when it comes to scheming within Edgewater.  Even I didn’t think they would be bold enough to have Healslut heal Dollface without telling the girl, though if they thought they would slip that little detail past me and try to develop their own version of the villain’s mind control technology, they were sadly, and sorely, mistaken.  

I can’t be terribly mad, at them, though.  They simply moved my timeline forward somewhat, giving me the opportunity to delve into Dollface’s mind a bit earlier than planned.  But that is for another entry; what a fascinating psyche she has.

Dr. Bayne is the more scientific minded of the pair, having a specialty in virology and infectious diseases, hailing from some little city in the Midwest, named after some rodent or another; I can’t be bothered to remember which state it’s even in.  She has a fascination, bordering on obsession, with weaponized viruses, and some deep-seated fear of a coming zombie apocalypse, though she has yet to let these affect her work.  She has also developed an interest in the new drug sweeping through Sentinel City, Succu-Lust, and has provided a most useful breakdown of its effects and makeup, though her files indicate she may be trying to make her own version of it, for whatever reason.

Dr. del Vecchio has had a much broader range of experience given her time with Doctors Without Borders, hailing from the Boston area, her specialties lie in neurology and hematology.  She, however, retains what I will call a more spiritual nature, still clinging to vestiges of a belief in witchcraft of all things; not the classical kind, rather, the new age kind, though she too has a bit of an obsession,. She is more attached to the possibility of the existence of great cosmic beings that one could potentially worship to gain power.  I haven’t taken to spying on her outside of Edgewater, but I would not be surprised if she still practices certain rituals in her off time.  Perhaps, if she ever shows up again, I should consult with Claire on this to see if there is anything I should be concerned with.

The two work well together, when they’re not bickering, of course, though they do share certain sadistic qualities that make them quite good at performing various treatments and procedures with the patients, even if they may go a bit further than they should in some cases.  Notably their initial time spent with Misha Kyle has led to some sparks between them and her, though they are slowly coming to the realization that Specialist Leopard stands above them in the unofficial hierarchy here.  They seemed to enjoy their time with the mysterious and quite vexing Momo-chan as well; perhaps if that one shows back up here I’ll let them have another round of procedures with her to see if they can provoke a pain response in some other novel way.

The pair are also quite enjoyable when it comes time for punishments, and they have certainly earned more than their fair share of them.  I daresay that so far this year, they have spent close to half of their time in some form of disciplinary action or another, though such things to prove quite motivational to them, at least for a time.  Either way, the two are dedicated to trying to please me and earn my praise, and that’s good enough for now, as long as their antics don’t harm my patients.  Should either of them step out of line in such a way, I will see to it that they regret it.

 

 

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #47 – Supers Month #16 – Delia Emmerson

 

From the Personal Journal of Jennifer Tempest…

 

Well, after this little present to the family, none of my sisters should complain about me being selfish.  Who am I kidding?  Of course they will, we always do; we succubi are selfish by our very natures, are we not?  Sharing our toys isn’t something we tend to do, but I am not so absorbed by my personal desires that I cannot see when an acquisition would benefit the family more than myself.

Delia Emmerson is quite the catch.  I must admit, I was impressed by the lengths she went through to infiltrate Edgewater during her hunt for information about the fate of Dollface.  Quite impressed, really; she displayed a remarkable amount of initiative and guile for a human, even if she was ultimately unsuccessful in slipping back out.  Not that she had a chance, of course; I was fully aware of her intentions beforehand thanks to the loyal nurse who reported Delia to me, if not the methods she would employ to get inside.  She proved quite adept at assuming the nurse’s identity, and displayed an admirable talent for escape artistry, even managed to slip through some of the facility’s more secure areas confined to a straitjacket.

Star reporter for Channel 9 News, a precious media darling with a record of finding out what was meant to remain hidden, and getting herself into more than a few dangerous situations that she narrowly escaped.  Of course, I could have reported her to the police for trespassing, amongst other charges, but I felt that it was my duty to take her in as a patient and get to the bottom of what drives her to do what she does, without getting the law involved, if for no other reason than an interest in preventing her from further risky behaviors and potential harm that could result.  Sometimes I am simply too kind.

As expected, Miss Emmerson has proven to be quite receptive to the treatment plan I have established for her, not to mention being just as easily influenced by my succubus charms as any normal human.  I could have handled her therapy strictly by my charms alone, really, but the other methods were so much more entertaining.  She’s quite loyal and dedicated to the Tempest family now, whether she realizes it or not thanks to the triggering phrase I’ve installed into her brain.  Given the nature of the work many of my sisters do, having the city’s most influential and famous reporter in our pocket can only be seen as a boon.  Rachel has already enjoyed having some fun with Miss Emmerson, even allowed her to publish something of a story relating to their little playtime, though it read as more of something you’d see in the tabloids than her usual professional level journalism; not all pieces of work can be master level, can they?  After such a successful initiation into the machinations of the Tempests, though, I can only wonder which of my sisters will take up Miss Emmerson’s leash next.  Perhaps Julia (she does enjoy her manipulations of the local politicians, after all), or perhaps Amelia (she does run the most prestigious business in the family, and is never above a good puff piece spouting its virtues).

Amusingly enough, Delia has started keeping records on the Tempest family as well; Bobbi took a look at her personal files and keeps an eye on them for anything too spicy for the public, but so far Ms. Emmerson has only managed the barest of rumors and the official records.  Perhaps in time she’ll manage to discover more, assuming we allow her to do so, that is.  Still, perhaps it would be amusing to lead her along a bit, then pull the rug out from under her in a most humiliating way?  We’ll see.

 

 

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #46 – Supers Month #15 – Healslut

 

From the Personal Journal of Jennifer Tempest…

 

I may have displayed an uncommon generosity when I gifted Delia Emmerson to the family, but I am doing no such thing with Healslut.  She will remain quite firmly within my grasp, and I didn’t even have to employ my natural charms to do it.  The poor girl simply cannot help herself; she enjoys being a plaything, completely at my mercy, and the mercy of whatever being she serves that has granted her those amazing healing abilities.  I daresay that she is perhaps one of the most precious assets I could have obtained.

Ankara Ausar was a rather unimpressive medical student before she had the bad luck to fall within the sights of Dollface, who abducted her and turned her into one of her dolls for several weeks.  Ausar was freed by the heroine group when they took down Dollface, and, in spite of what was done to her, stabilized the villainess until medical personnel arrived on  scene; there is little doubt that the bullet in Dollface’s head would have killed her had the girl not followed her training.  Upon learning the details of her involvement, I took a personal interest in the girl.  She had missed several weeks of classes and was due to have to repeat the semester or work straight through the summer, but I stepped in and saw to it that she would have the chance to prove herself directly by working a special course within Edgewater.  I did not miss the fact that she was frequently late for classes following her time under Dollface’s control, and seemed to be struggling to keep up with her studies more than usual; not entirely unexpected given the traumatic events she had gone through, though, as I would learn, there was another reason for this behavior.

As I would also discover, Ausar suffers from a chronic condition:  she is prone to bouts of abduction.  She disappeared again before starting at Edgewater, and was gone several more weeks.  She had been inducted into a strange cult with some strict tenets regarding enforced chastity, though she managed to escape thanks to assistance from another who was brought in with her, and her own super powers.  Upon her return, it was not hard to miss that she was still wearing the very devices the cult had forced upon her, and seemed to be enjoying her suffering.  As I would discover during some of the therapy sessions I insisted upon, not only is Ausar rather susceptible to hypnosis, but she is also in fact the heroine known as Solaria. 

Making her initial outings following the capture of Dollface, Solaria proved to be a less-than-capable fighter, frequently bested by the lowest of thugs, and usually found herself restrained in some humiliating fashion; I think that her lack of combat ability is intentional, and a way for her to indulge in her barely concealed kinks.  Initially it also seemed that perhaps she had suffered a mental break, thinking that she had received her powers from a god of light (the virtues of which she preached openly to a loyal following of those she had healed), though following her reveal of her secret identity to me, this entity made itself known.  It does indeed exist, and we have entered into a deal regarding Ausar’s ongoing treatment that is mutually beneficial for both of us, and perhaps Ausar as well.

That established, I must say that I am very pleased with Ausar’s progress.  She is an amusing plaything to say the least, constantly lamenting her chaste state, but likewise reveling in her humiliation and restricted state; quite the lovely bundle of contradiction.  She has been practicing her healing powers and further honing them within Edgewater, proving capable of healing almost any injury and a variety of diseases while here.  With my aid, she has made remarkable progress in her studies, and has advanced to a full-fledged nurse within the special wing, taking on the name of Healslut while on duty, with further restrictions and more humiliating treatment as part of her daily routine; her uniform is without a doubt the most restrictive of any of my nursing staff.

I had been keeping her away from Dollface during the course of her duties; I did not know how Ausar would react to facing her again, even if her former abductor was in a coma.  However, thanks to Doctors Bayne and del Vecchio, Ausar unwittingly healed Dollface on their orders.  Ausar has not yet been made aware of this, and Dollface has subsequently been moved from the ICU and into the high security special ward.  This will need to be addressed eventually, but given the nature of Healslut’s daily duties and treatment, and her continued activities as Solaria, it will be some time before she need be told about such things.

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #45 – Supers Month #14 – Specialist Leopard

 

From the Personal Journal of Jennifer Tempest…

 

Ah, Specialist Leopard…what a delightful discovery.  I suppose my dear sister Gloria can be useful after all, when she’s not dallying with her boi-toy, anyway.  

Misha Kyle is the very epitome of a workaholic, going far above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to running her personal business, Latex Leopard Limited, perhaps to her own detriment, though myself and Maria are working on tempering this aspect of her nature; early indicators suggest our methods are having the desired effect.  I was certainly skeptical when Gloria suggested I look into her work; what need did I have of a fetishist making latex sex costumes, even if they were more advanced than the average catsuit?  In retrospect, I suppose my initial opinion was hasty and ill-informed; Misha has quickly become perhaps my most valuable team member here at Edgewater.  Without her, we would have only a fraction of the superpower-rated restraint systems we employ here to contain the most dangerous patients, after all.

After her initial demonstration, (what an interesting weekend that was), I immediately proposed a special contract for her, which she rather gratefully accepted.  Misha now works within Edgewater as ‘Specialist Leopard’ (she has no medical training to speak of perhaps aside from basic first aid, so I could not simply elevate her to the medical staff with such a title like I did Healslut, could I?), and she seems to enjoy the moniker, so it shall remain in effect.  If anything, being known as Specialist Leopard within Edgewater’s walls brings out some amusing quirks to Misha’s personality, namely displaying a more snarky attitude compared to her normally polite and professional demeanor.  This tends to come out most often when she sees other staff displaying a lack of respect to others when it is due, or if they are not properly focused on their tasks.  As expected, Doctors Bayne and del Vecchio are the most common recipients of Misha’s snark, given their own personality quirks and the amusing reception they gave Misha during the extended demonstration of her work.

As one of the rare individuals who possesses a resistance to succubus charms, Misha is even more valuable to myself, and the family, in general.  She is able to give her opinion on various matters without our subtle influences affecting her thoughts, and isn’t always trying to fall over herself to please us as most do.  This automatically places her above the rest of the staff, and this distinction has not gone unnoticed, much to Bayne and del Vecchio’s consternation.  Maria has become quite enamored with Misha as well, the pair hitting it off almost immediately during Misha’s first demonstration.  The fact that the pair have a special love of petplay further cemented their bond, and outside of her work here and at 3L, the two spend much of their time together; I do believe Maria is absolutely spoiling Misha when she’s in her pet persona, but as long as it doesn’t affect her work, then so be it.

I must admit that I am consistently impressed with Misha’s remarkable creativity and ability to adapt the designs of her latex clothing and restraints into something innovative and tailored to the needs of individual patients, even those who are not necessarily superpowered.  Though she seems not to be aware of her true nature, she does indeed possess a mystically enhanced creative spark; what was it Claire called her type?  Artificer?  The term seems a bit archaic these days, but there are certainly plenty other examples cropping up across Sentinel City and the world now, the most prominent currently being Mecha Musume.  From my observations, each of these ‘artificers’ possess a unique specialty.  Mecha Musume has her robotics and related technologies for example, and Misha has her latex creations, clothing, restraints, toys, etc.  

Further regarding artificers…though I have only observed Misha personally, I can make some suppositions as to their nature; Claire has been avoiding the family for some time now, so I have been unable to speak with her to confirm any of this, so the follow should be taken with some amount of skepticism.  Misha has demonstrated repeatedly to be able to envision methods of construction that would seem nigh impossible given what was previously established as possible in this world, and can make these new creations, or modify existing ones, in a fraction of the time one would expect.  She took one look at Miasma’s prototype containment suit that was developed in-house, for example, and had the improved version ready in less than a week, complete with the strength-enhancing modifications.  Though the reinforcing frame is of a decidedly technological nature, pure robotics, really, the fact that it was so closely interweaved with the latex creation seems to have brought such a thing into Misha’s wheelhouse.  She has admitted no special training in robotics and advanced technologies, and couldn’t exactly explain how her creation process in this regard worked; in her own words, “it just clicked.”

Within their ‘focus’, their chosen craft, I would surmise that artificers possess superhuman stamina, able to remain focused on the task at hand for extended periods without suffering ill effects of exhaustion, either physical or mental, and are able to work on them much faster than a normal person could (though I am not entirely familiar with the nature of Mecha Musume, Bobbi has clued me into some details as to the advancements of her armor and weaponry over time that would help support this theory; her own advancements should have taken months to develop, if not years, according to him).  As an example regarding Misha, I have specified new designs and modifications to existing systems and she has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to turn in exactly what I requested, overnight in many cases, while managing her company’s normal operations, and seems to suffering none of the ill effects one would expect of being severely overworked.  A normal person simply could not keep up with the stress, but she handles it almost effortlessly.

Even if my suppositions are correct, I feel I must still intervene on Misha’s behalf.  Even if she is possessed of superhuman ability, I would be remiss in my duties as a medical doctor if I permitted her to continue indulging the obsession with her work without proper breaks.  I believe that I will begin making plans for her to have a series of mandatory vacations, perhaps here inside of Edgewater or another location held by my family, for a period that shall not be less than one week at a time, more if I feel she has demonstrated a higher than normal amount of work during the preceding period.  If Maria has anything to say against the idea, then I have absolutely no qualms about having her join Misha in enjoying the same comforts and relaxation; we do have suites for couples, after all, as the recent incident with Nurse Winters and Catherine Ramos demonstrated.  It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve intervened on one another’s romantic affairs, and I am certain it will not be the last.  What are sisters for, after all, if not to keep one another in line?

 

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #44 – Supers Month #13 – Miasma

 

From the Personal Journal of Jennifer Tempest…

 

Truly a most unique case, Nurse Miasma, perhaps the most drastic physical change in a person I have witnessed to date following the Azure Cherry Blossom Front event that spread ‘superpowers’ to humanity.  Unlike many of my patients, I was actually there to witness her transformation as it occurred, and thankfully managed to save her life by having some early prototypes for superpowered containment online and ready for testing.  At the time of her initial entry into Edgewater, ‘Miasma’ was suffering from a severe case of dissociation, including amnesia, depersonalization, and dissociative identity disorder.  She still does not remember her name, nor am I able to find any clues as to her identity.  As she stated, she was ‘coming apart’, and it wasn’t long before she actually did, her body transforming into a living gas cloud in the middle of one of our sessions when she was at her most manic.  Her ability to keep herself in a cohesive form was severely limited at the time, so we had to contain her within an air-tight isolation cell and devise methods to communicate with her.

Through some rather novel methods, myself and Doctors Bayne and Del Vecchio were able to create an air tight pressure suit that Miasma could manipulate, mostly composed of special latex, that was fitted with a miniature version of the device we had developed for communication.  This allowed her mobility without fear of complete dissipation of her form and consciousness, and seemed to help bolster her sense of self to the point that she rather quickly learned to not only maintain her gaseous form more easily, but learned that she could manipulate her very essence, creating larger gas clouds and changing their makeup to create multiple effects, including emotion manipulation, incapacitation effects, and even physically destructive effects, such as a corrosive acid cloud.

As she progressed mentally, becoming more aware of herself, though still lacking memories of her past, I made the decision to give her purpose within Edgewater.  Nurse Miasma is something of a warden within our special wing, patrolling its halls to keep an eye on the various patients within, while she constantly emits a low-yield incapacitating gas that fills the airtight halls, ensuring that any escapees or other unauthorized persons are quickly captured.  She is even able to affect me and my sisters with her essence, thus the reason all other staff must wear proper gas masks inside the special wing when on duty.  Since Specialist Leopard came aboard with us, she has been able to enhance Miasma’s pressure suit, reinforcing the latex to be much less susceptible to damage while introducing a powered frame within to greatly enhance Miasma’s physical strength and resilience in the event of a superpowered escape attempt.

I will admit, though, that I am somewhat wary of Miasma.  Though we continue our therapy sessions multiple times each week, I keep her under constant surveillance and am on the lookout for any sudden changes in behavior.  Her mental state is becoming harder to keep track of, even for me; I dare say that she is becoming more alien by the day.  I’m not even certain my succubus charms even work on her anymore, though she still remains loyal thus far.  Should she decide to go rogue, however, there are methods in place that should deal with her powers, though I cannot say what effect they may have on her physically or mentally if the more extreme options must be implemented.  

 

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #43 – Supers Month #12 – Anita Winters

 

From the Personal Journal of Jennifer Tempest…

 

What can I say about Ms. Winters?  She has her uses, certainly, as limited as they are; everyone in a position such as myself has need of dumb muscle from time to time, and she certainly fills this niche.  I suppose I was fortunate enough to ensnare her into Edgewater’s web before she could get herself into real trouble after that floundering career as a MMA fighter.  I would hesitate to call her preferred fighting style a style, however; she could be compared to a rampaging rhino flying headlong at her target, absorbing punishment until she finally connects with a sufficiently strong blow or actually manages to land a submission hold.

For the record, Ms. Winters had been accused of massive steroid abuse following the event which gifted humanity with superpowers, due to the very noticeable increase in her muscle mass, though she insisted, and tests would prove, this was not the case.  Though she would be quite the challenging combatant in the women’s league, after a few bouts against one Catherine Ramos in particular, whose style was A) an actual fighting style, and B) was diametrically opposed to Ms. Winters’ “style” by actually using her brain and agility, Ms. Winters would seek ‘greater challenges’ by fighting in the men’s league.  She would prove herself quite a bit more capable here, quickly rising through the ranks and taking the top spot, even taking on the moniker of ‘Emasculator’ for her deeds.

This of course would lead to her further downfall, primarily because of Ms. Winters’ rather distasteful belief in the modern day, highly toxic version of feminism; the less said about that particular area the better.  Truly the cognitive dissonance on display with the modern world is staggering; were it possible, I would insist upon therapy and treatment for much of the current generation of humanity, but alas, I am but one humble succubus and there are much larger issues I must contend with.  She had her following that praised her, had the glory of defeating male after male in one on one combat, brutally so in many cases, but she still struggled with (and would rarely accept challenges from) female opponents, even her proclaimed nemesis, the aforementioned Ms. Ramos.  A curious trait, one which I certainly did not miss when I researched her following her arrest for assaulting several people, in public, in a fit of rage over a disagreement about the nature of her successes.  Making use of some of my family’s influence, I made certain that she was brought to Edgewater for a mental evaluation, not that it took an especially large push to have this done given her violent outbursts and obvious difficulties interacting with people.

During Ms. Winters’ initial observation period, I learned more of the nature of her powers, which I’m still not entirely sure she recognizes she even has; she is rather dense, to put it simply.  She possesses a most unique ability to actually emasculate men simply by virtue of being engaged in combat with them, physically weakening them in a nigh imperceptible manner over time.  The longer she faces them in combat, the weaker they become, though I have yet to find a single test subject that realized this until it is far too late for it to matter; they may as well have been children against Ms. Winters.  This ability was certainly useful, given the direction I am taking Edgewater, even if a higher ratio of superpowers seem to be possessed by females.  Perhaps it is simply that the men haven’t caught up yet; they are generally slower on the uptake in most matters, after all.

Ms. Winters is currently under my employ as a nurse in the special wing of Edgewater.  She is quite useful in restraining patients, especially the growing number of male patients, in particular the one known as Rampage, and now that I’ve been helping her overcome her less desirable attitudes and delusions, she has become mostly tolerable (though I find that her personal hygiene to still be insufficient; she does tend to work out far too much and either doesn’t realize or doesn’t care that she is not the only person in the vicinity).  She is still a blunt instrument, certainly, but a slightly more elegantly crafted one.  Like any good pet, however, she is capable of learning her place through proper incentives and punishments.  She is also quite useful in testing Specialist Leopard’s newest designs for high-security restraints, and I was personally quite amused by her behavior surrounding the illegal fight that occurred between her and Catherine Ramos in the hospital’s employee gym, as well as the subsequent time the pair spent together inside an isolation cell.  That cooled her fire for a time, though I am certain she’ll require further punishments going forward, and I am only too eager to oblige her.  Her continuing education and development shall be most amusing indeed.

 

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #42 – Supers Month #11 – The Edgewater Institute

 

From the Personal Journal of Jennifer Tempest…

 

There is nothing quite like being the ruler of one’s own domain, especially when said domain is filled with some many interesting people and deeply amusing playthings.  I do not strictly rule over Edgewater as a matter of my own pleasures, though that is certainly an aspect of it; no it is a labor of love, one for which I am uniquely suited.  Sentinel City has a very dangerous problem after all; all of those unhinged and mentally unwell superpowered individuals roaming around the city unchecked simply cannot be left to their own devices, can they?  There must be some kind of order, some kind of control mechanism in place to keep these types in check.  This city needed a place where those of unsound mind could be treated properly, and that could handle the unique requirements of containing the varied types of powers growing amongst the populace.  And if it must be done, why then should it not be me to oversee it?  Who else if not me?  They say that if you love your work, it’s not really work; for the most part, this has held true for me in this endeavor, though a few particular individuals have certainly tried my patience.

I have brought the Edgewater Institute into a new age these past few months; before the coming of superpowers, it was of course a most prestigious mental health institution, a place where minds could be healed and studied, a respected place.  Now it is so much more.  I have overseen its expansion into something on an entirely new scale, a facility that boasts the most advanced patient, or prisoner, as some are, restraint, containment, and monitoring systems not only in Sentinel City, but the entire country, perhaps the world.  I don’t take sole credit for this feat; how could I when I simply had the vision to dream, and the willpower to see it done?  No, Edgewater is built upon the backs of many, and it is through the many uniquely talented people I have working for me that this place continues to advance and surpass any challenges it has faced, that its patients are treated in the most appropriate manner as their unique situations require.

Are my methods unorthodox?  Well, of course they are, by humanity’s standards, anyway.  Humanity has always required special treatment, and it has yet to evolve beyond certain limitations inherent in their very genetics.  Having once been human myself, I can understand these limitations, and given my greater insights into their very basest of desires, I am certainly qualified to treat their many issues as I have laid out within the operational guidelines of Edgewater.  Like my own succubus nature, humans are sexually charged creatures, and indeed this must be understood.  They are also dangerous, short-sighted, and prone to acting on their baser desires.  Do I have a biased opinion on their nature?  Perhaps; my sisters and I have certainly survived our share of trials, many over the centuries, in fact.  And yet we have survived, even thrived amongst them, blending in and finding our particular niche among them.

This is perhaps why I am uniquely suited to control a facility such as Edgewater.  Though I certainly hold no love for certain groups and individuals, many of them associated with the blindly faithful religious types, I am absolutely dedicated to making certain that those I can are helped to the absolute fullest of my ability.  We share this world with the humans, and my kind are far fewer in number than they.  Though we are certainly more powerful, it is only recently that humanity has begun to receive powers that place them upon the same level, if not surpassing it.  So, its absolutely necessary for the continued stability of society that I do what I do.  As the Tempests have done for centuries, I too shall shape the world around me.  In this new age, I have chosen to do so using the most powerful of tools at my disposal.  In the end, regardless of whatever powers they may possess, I can see to it that whatever inherent mental instabilities they have are treated, by whatever means I deem necessary to obtain the most favorable outcome.  I will see these poor, unfortunate souls properly treated, and if they happen to become more loyal and obedient afterward, then I can hardly call that a negative outcome, can I?  What are humans if not pets and playthings to a Tempest, after all?