BlueBattler

Well done, Mr. G.

I have to admit that I never really liked Malaise that much, but you did a great job of giving him personality and making me care about what he was trying to do.

Reconcilation would not preclude Pia from having played a role in Bella's death ... nor would she necessarily have told the villain(s) she sent to discover her brother's fate her role in the affair.

As for what Ghost Widow does to Pia after discovering the truth, I leave that up to the reader. As she has said before, the dead do not change: if she died loving Pia, would she be able to change that feeling no matter what she learned afterwards?

Or perhaps the desire for revenge she felt as she died will be stronger than any love she felt or feels for Pia ...

I don’t often do this.

I generally prefer to let the story speak for itself, but this one … well, this one requires a bit more from me.

Almost from my first story that I put in this forum I have been asked to present my take on Ghost Widow. It has taken me quite a while to do so, and I hope that those who have asked me in the past have found it worth the wait.

I found my hook for this story one day when I was browsing on Wikipedia. I don’t know how many other people do this, but sometimes when I have nothing better to do I hit “random article” and see what comes up.

When I did so, this entry came up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atropa_belladonna

The line that got me was: “the name ‘atropa bella donna’ is derived from an admonition in Italian and Greek meaning ‘do not betray a beautiful lady.’”

Ghost Widow’s name is Belladonna, I thought.

I recalled something about the modus operandi of Night Widows being infiltration and betrayal, and I remembered a major point in one of her patron arcs.

The plot bunnies began to multiply.

Belladonna’s last name was Italian, so it seemed possible to me that she had connections to The Family. She was said to rush impetuously into the building without backup—so I tried to give her a reason to do so.

Nocturne’s prior history as a musician came from the meaning of her name: “a musical composition inspired by or evocative of the night.” (Wikipedia again.) Her connection to the Red Widow was also my invention. Her rivalry with Belladonna came about because Bella was described as being a “rising star in the Night Widows” while Nocturne is said to the “deadliest Night Widow Arachnos has ever produced.”

I know that Belladonna’s relationship with Paolo is described as being like that of a sister, but notice who tells you that: Pia Marino. Was she correct in this, or did the Seer see only what she wished to believe?

I leave that decision to you.

As to why Pia would betray someone she called sister …

It could be because she was jealous of the closeness that Paolo and Bella shared. After all, she was Paolo’s blood sister, but Paolo did not stay at her side. He chose Belladonna over her—then, now, and always.

Perhaps the Seer wanted Bella dead so that she would not have to share her brother again. Maybe she felt that Paolo would never have a life of his own as long as Bella lived.

Or maybe she simply saw that Belladonna’s time to die had come, and that she was to be the instrument of her death.

As for what Ghost Widow will do to Pia now that she knows the truth … well, that I’m also going to leave for you to decide.

Thank you for reading the story and this explanation.

I hope you liked it. 8-)

And with that, the story is complete.

The rest of my story you probably know.

When Arachnos investigated, they discovered that my spirit still lingered on the mortal plane. When they tried to exorcise me, my poor Wretch came to my rescue, and the tale of our prowess so impressed Recluse that he bade the Mu to free me from the place of my death that I might enter his service. Ever since that day, I have served him … served Arachnos.

There is a geas upon me, you know. I exist so long as Arachnos exists. This gives Recluse power over me …as he fully intended.

This does not please me.

But that is a concern for another time.

There are three things that I desire: to live again, to find release for my Wretch, and to gain revenge against those who wronged me.

The first two have not yet been accomplished. I have been betrayed time and again by those who have promised to serve me. There is too much of Paolo within Wretch to allow him to leave me …

But revenge … oh yes, there is still hope of revenge.

Lord Recluse would not approve of this desire of mine—if only because it does not serve his ends. So Arachnos does not aid me in this …

That is why I turned to you, Destined One.

The old man that I had you bring to me—yes, you know who he is now.

He spent a fortune to evade me, dabbled in occult forces to delay me, but he had no way of knowing that I would send you after him. After nearly twenty years, I will finally see the face of my father once more …

I have already learned much from him. I know now why he was able to escape me time and again. I know now how he always seemed to be just one step ahead of me …

And I know that Nocturne is not the one who told him to expect me all those years ago…

It is fitting, in a way. My entire life was a story of one betrayal after another—why would I think that she would have been any different?

I have one more task for you, Destined One. One more chore for me and all our accounts will be settled.

Bring her to me, Destined One. Bring me the woman that betrayed me more than any other. Bring the one that I once called sister and would have died for.

Bring me my murderess that I might pass judgment upon her.

Bring me Pia Marino.

The dead do not change; this is why so many of us go mad.

Some of us are angry over the life that we left behind—a destiny left unfulfilled, a lost love, a dream denied.

The strong emotions that we felt as we died exist within us forever—and at a fever pitch that the living can never fully comprehend. Fear and hatred; love and lust. Despair. A refusal to submit to fate …

We are ruled by what we were.

I wanted two things as I died: I wanted to live with an all consuming passion, and I wanted Paolo to survive.

These two things shape me still.

I might have fallen into the madness and despair when I found myself still trapped on the mortal plane if not for Paolo. I could not give into the impotent fury and helpless rage of the dead when Paolo still breathed …

My poor Paolo …

If I had been the rational creature that you see now, I would have urged him to seek medical care. I would have sent him on his way to find help. If only to find out what happened, Arachnos would have restored him …

But I wanted Paolo at my side—I NEEDED him at my side. I could no more let him go than a mortal could gnaw off his own arm.

So I led him down … down beneath the ruined building that burned around us. I made him eat whatever he could catch. I made him drink the befouled water … I used abilities I did not fully understand and channeled mystical forces to fan the faint embers of life within him into a burning flame.

I saw him change. I saw him twist from the handsome man that had held my heart from the moment I met him into the misshapen Wretch that stands beside me to this day.

And not once did he complain or beg me for release.

My sweet Paolo …

I have done terrible things—things that can never be forgiven. I have lied. I have betrayed. I have killed. As a mortal woman, as a eternal spirit, I have sewn disaster and misery in my wake like few other creatures in history …

And yet the one thing—the only thing—that I truly regret is the life that I saved …

My Paolo …

If only we had not loved each other so, perhaps we both would be at peace now …

My Elec/Elec Scrapper just hit 35 today, and he's been feeling pretty powerful today. Even with just the base slot in it, Power Sink seems to be working really well.

This has me thinking about a power that I have previously ignored: Lightning Field.

I can see the applications for a Brute or Tank, but has anyone used it to much success as a Scrapper? If so, how?

It is a hard thing to remember your death the way a ghost does.

The human mind, mortal flesh, is fragile and susceptible to forgetfulness. You can easily forget so many things, even those that seem to be the most vivid of memories.

You have no idea how I envy the living their capacity to forget.

It pains me so to speak of this …

But I must.

Paolo led my support squad, of course. He knew why I had to get to the building. He knew that it was my father I had to kill. He would not let me face that task alone.

I did not want him to come. I argued with him. I pleaded.

But he insisted.

Why did I not wish him along? I do not know. I dreaded what I had to do, and I wished Paolo to be far far away from it …

But I could not stop him.

The meeting was being held at night. The proper thing to do would have been to secure the exits and then slowly make our way to the meeting room. Our force was not large, but neither was the building. We could have done that.

But I had no patience.

“Guard the exits!” I shouted. “Let no one escape alive!”

“Belladonna!” Paolo shouted at me.

But I did not stop. I could not stop.

I ran to my fate.

Normally, I would have killed everyone I came across as I made my way up the building, but that night I eluded them with all my skill and made my way past them. If I succeeded, I could come back for them and help Paolo deal with them …

Yet another mistake I made that night.

How different things could have been …

Finally, I came to the meeting. My father was leading it, surrounded by men. Some I knew, most I did not. He had not changed at all—he still looked like the master of every situation he faced.

And he had to die.

Mario, his oldest bodyguard, died first. When I had been a very little girl, he had given me the first piece of candy I had ever tasted …

I killed him as quickly and painlessly as I could.

The others cried out as Mario fell and reached for their weapons.

Beppe was the next. He was an arrogant young man who tried to kiss me when I was 13 years old.

I took the time to make his a little more painful.

They began firing wildly … and this actually put me at greater peril. A wild shot had just as much chance of hitting me as anyone else. I had to finish this quickly.

Claudio and Benito fell next. They had been nothing to me, and died as they had lived—violently.

Drago managed to actually wound me in the shoulder before he fell—and the pain caused me to shimmer into visibility.

I cast my eyes around to see who remained …

And my eyes met my father’s.

Father’s lips were curled back in a snarl, and he was reaching into his briefcase and I saw him pull out a grenade and pull the pin. He threw it at me and ducked under the table –

I tried to leap over the bodies of the men I had killed and those who were trying to kill me, but someone grabbed my ankle and I lost my balance—

And the blast smashed into my back.

“Paolo! Paolo!”

I shrieked his name fearfully like a terrified child.

“Paolo!” I tried to say more, tried to tell him what he meant to me, but I was choking on my own blood.

“Belladonna! I am coming!” Paolo’s voice roared through my comlink.

I heard gunfire below me.

I could smell smoke. The office was on fire. Already I could smell the stench of burning flesh—

Rough hands grabbed my mask and tore it off, threw me onto my back—

My eyes met my father’s.

“Belladonna.” He was carrying a case—the case that I had left here years ago. “I was told you would be here.”

“Father—“ I coughed on my own blood. I tried to rise, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t feel my arms, my legs—

“I am disappointed in you, Belladonna. You walked right into this.”

“Father—“

He drew his pistol. “You would have made a fine son, Belladonna.”

I spat at him. “Go to hell.”

“Eventually, I expect that I will.” He kissed my forehead. “But you’ll be there to greet me, my daughter. Goodbye, Belladonna.”

I could do nothing but glare at him as he placed the barrel against my head.

The world exploded.

Cool!

Now is there a very basic guide here that could tell me how to make a base that would do what I want?

I normally either join a friend's SG to earn prestiege for them or make one for myself that doesn't have a base.

However, I have one SG that I'm the sole survivor of-- the friends I made it with have long since left the game. I checked on one of my Alts that's in that SG and I seem to have over a million prestiege in it.

Also, since that toon has never left SG mode and she's now 47, I seem to have gotten a fair number of SG base enhancements earned ...

Here's my question:

Do I have enough prestiege to make a base now that could be maintained by one person?

The main thing that I'd like to have in a base would be the beacons. I would also like storage space, but I don't need the Autodoc or a huge base.

“Arachnos is pleased by your service, Agent Vetrano,” the Arbiter told me with a thin smile. “Your father is on Mercy Island today.”

“He is?” I was puzzled. My father had no interests there—indeed, very little Family had very little presence on Mercy.

“Yes,” Nocturne said in that rough voice that I had given her. There was the slightest trace of a smile on her lips. “There is a special Family meeting being held in the Neutral Territory of Mercy Island.”

“He was your latest assignment?”

“Yes. I must say that your father is a rather … vigorous man, Agent Vetrano,” and she gave a sensual smile.

I shrugged my shoulders. My father had often had a woman at his side throughout my childhood—none of them stayed long. I could see how a woman like Nocturne—with her ruined beauty—would have appealed to him. “The location?”

My blood ran cold when she handed me the slip of paper.

“Is something the matter, Agent Vetrano?” Nocturne asked innocently.

“No. Nothing.” I looked at the Arbiter. “I will attend to the matter tonight. Is there anything else?”

“No. I trust that you will handle the matter with your usual proficiency.”

I bowed my head. I turned to Nocturne. “Thank you for your insight, Agent Nocturne.”

“I live to serve Arachnos,” she replied with a slight bow.

“Don’t we all?” I replied as I walked away. Inside, though, my thoughts were racing—of all the buildings that Father could have chosen?

If Father found the records, then he would feel himself free to avenge my rebellion. If Arachnos found them, then I would face discipline for not revealing potentially valuable information about the Family.

Either way, my fate would not be pleasant.

I bit my lip in frustration. I did not know how she could have discovered the existence of my secret information cache, but somehow Nocturne must have done so. She had manipulated my father into coming to Mercy to arrange not his downfall, but mine.

No.

I would not permit this. I would complete my assignment for Arachnos. I would preserve my secret. And then …

And then I would turn my attention to Nocturne …

Thanks!

Looking back, it would have been much more appropriate that my death occurred the day before it actually did.

I recall April 2nd 1989 as being a pleasant day in the Rogue Isles. If I had known that it was the last day of my life I would have made more of an effort to enjoy it, but I had little time to appreciate it. Life had gotten rather complicated of late, and the last thing on my mind was to simply relax and enjoy myself.

I was a rising star in Arachnos, at last. I had a long way to go before I could hope to stand at the right hand of Lord Recluse himself, but I did not doubt that it was my ultimate destiny. I had earned quite the reputation …

As had Nocturne.

It does without saying that she did not like me. We had never fought since our first battle, but neither one of us would have been aggrieved to see the other fall. Our superiors had made sure to avoid putting us together for fear of losing a valuable asset, but we both knew that only one of us could hope to earn the reputation as being the deadliest Night Widow alive …

On the day of my death, I was summoned to speak with an Arbiter. Much to my surprise, Nocturne was also present.

I was not pleased.

“Our Lord Recluse has decided that a member of the Family needs to be dealt with,” the Arbiter said.

I said nothing. My background was well known, and I was the most logical choice for any termination related to the Family. This did not particularly disturb me as I had already slain several of their lieutenants.

“Normally this would be your task, Agent Vetrano, but given the nature of the target Nocturne has offered to take the assignment.”

I looked at her in surprise.

Nocturne managed to look contritely at me, but I could see the gleam in the one eye that I had left to her. “The target is well known to you.”

I looked at the photo on the desk. My heart was pounding so loudly that I thought it would burst from my chest, but I kept my face expressionless and my voice level. “I belong to Arachnos now. If this man’s death will serve the cause of Arachnos, then I will be glad to carry out the assignment. I will kill him.”

“You will kill your father?” the Arbiter asked me carefully.

“Yes,” I said, and my voice sounded distant to me, “I will kill my father.”

A few years back I remember there was a calender on the website that listed the birhtdays of characters like Statesman, Recluse, etc.

I haven't been able to find it.

Anyone got a link to it?

If I had been under the impression that my troubles were over once I joined Arachnos then I would have been sorely disappointed in my first few months of training.

The thing you must understand about being a Night Widow is that your whole career is built upon betrayal.

You befriend your target them, bewitch them. Teach them to trust you. Even to love you.

And then you destroy them.

Your comrades are no different.

I saw many girls who were promising candidates physically—who were beautiful, strong, dangerous fighters—wash out at the very beginning of their training because they dared to trust a teammate or a mentor. When they lived, they were paraded before the rest of us and made to relate the story of their failures so that the rest of us might learn from them. When they died, we were made to watch recordings of their deaths so that we might learn how we could have turned defeat into victory.

I learned much in those days.

It goes without saying that I did not trust any of my comrades. I had spent my entire life that way, so I did not experience the difficulties that so many of my fellow students did. No matter how earnest the entreaties of a teammate, no matter how encouraging the mentor, I did not let them into my heart and when the time came I did to them what they sought to do to me.

But I was careful not to show myself as having too much promise.

“The strong thrive. The weak perish.”

In Arachnos, having a promising subordinate is a two edged sword. On the one hand, they can help you achieve your goals and favorably impress your superiors. Used properly, they make your career soar.

On the other, if they are TOO promising, then they can destroy you. If they do not seek to replace you themselves—and the unambitious do not often last long in Arachnos—then your superiors may decide to have them replace you.

I was young and beautiful and talented, but there were many young women like me in Arachnos. I had no friends in high places as so many of them did—show too much promise, and I would have made myself a threat before I had the means to defend myself.

So I did just enough to advance my career at a pace that did not threaten my immediate superiors. I kept my eyes open, and I waited for the opportunities that I would need if I were going to become what I wished to be.

And yes, I had high ambitions.

Make no mistake. I was my father’s daughter, and an aspiration to power was as much a part of me as the color of my eyes or the curve of my hips. I intended to go far in Arachnos, and it would not do to be too reckless.

The only people I felt safe around—the only ones that I DID trust—were Pia and Paolo.

My Paolo had soon earned command of his own squadron of Wolf Spiders. He was a natural leader, and had easily gained the loyalty of his men. The only reason he had not immediately sought promotion out of the Wolf Spiders was that he wished to remain in Mercy that he could better keep an eye on Pia and myself.

As for Pia … she would never be particularly adept at combat. She was far from helpless, but she was not a remarkable fighter. She did not have her brother’s presence and would never have made a good field leader …

Even so, her place in Arachnos was assured.

Pia was a Seer. Her abilities were so much greater than those of the average Fortunata that only the other prodigy known as Kalinda was known to have a greater potential. And time would make her stronger still …

Yes there was peril, but I was content.

I was free of my father, and I had Pia and Paolo beside me. In time, I was sure, I would have a major leadership position in Arachnos as well …

There was but one thing that marred my happiness.

Paolo always insisted on leading the backup squadron that would come to my aid if I should need it, so I saw him often. But Pia …

Pia was not allowed to risk herself in the field. She spent all her time refining her abilities with her fellow Seers. We seldom saw her, and when we did …

When we did, our Pia was no longer the same girl she had been.

When she was allowed to spend time in our company, she would often say nothing to us. She would go where we wished, listen to our conversation, but sat silent as though speech had been lost to her. Her eyes … her eyes seemed to see only the future now.

We were losing her.

This caused Paolo great distress. How many times would he threaten to steal Pia away from Arachnos, to run away with her to Paragon City so that she might be restored to him …

But he did not go.

I would like to think that he knew it was folly to try … that such a valuable asset as Pia would never be allowed to leave Arachnos. I would like to believe that he knew that he could not hope to save her now …

I would like to think so, but I know that is a lie.

Death did not frighten my Paolo. He was bold and daring, and he had never met defeat in all his days. Only one thing kept him from going:

Me.

Paolo had promised the first night that we met that he would never leave me, and it was an oath that he could never break …

About a year ago I added a second account. I did it for a couple of reasons.

1. I had nearly filled up all my slots and I didn't have the heart to delete some toons that I had had for years even though I'd probably never play them.

2. I had some toons that I liked the concept of, but they didn't solo very well. And I tend to solo A LOT. (Not adverse to teaming but during the week I have a limited amount of time to play, and I don't want to spend that time building/finding a team.)

I don't join teams when I'm dual boxing-- unless it's my friends who know that I'm dual boxing. I have run two Task Forces while dual boxing-- I duoed Positron with a friend and just Friday I ran the Statesman TF while dual boxing.

I did not dual box Statesman TF by choice; I did it because we couldn't get a final teammate to run the darn thing. We pulled it off in 3 and half hours. (I would NEVER try a Masters while dual boxing as my secondary toon died a lot because I was concentrating on my primary toon.)

Hi, guys.

It's been a while since I busted out my Invul/SS tank, and I'm feeling the itch to try him on the Statesman TF.

I've done the Statesman TF on my 50 Stone/Stone Tank, so I know how hard Recluse can hit before the Damage Tower goes down.

My Invul/SS Tank has Tough, but no special IO sets to speak of.

Any recommendations on how to handle the Big R? I'm thinking that you'd pretty much have to lure him into chasing you rather than stand toe to toe ...

Pretty much 95 percent of all the fan fiction I've posted for this game hasn't involved any of my characters, but I have to admit that I probably haven't done any of it in one week.

I waited two days before I went to my father.

It was time enough for Father to realize that Antonio was gone. Time enough for him to search for him and grow anxious. It was not time enough for him to consider how he would dispose of the evidence against him.

Father was sitting alone in his office one day, staring at the books that he always showed his superiors. He had been sitting there for hours, just looking at them, when I walked into the room and closed the door behind me.

“Hello, Father.”

“I do not have time for you today, Belladonna. Leave me.” The customary authority in his voice was gone; exhaustion had made him weak.

“I do intend to leave you, Father.” He looked up at me at that. “I am going to join Arachnos, Father.”

“Don’t be absurd, child. You are mine.”

“No, Father. YOU ARE MINE.”

He stared at me for a moment, uncomprehending. “The boy. What did you do with the boy?”

“Antonio isn’t important any longer, Father. His work—your records—are what matters now. I have them.”

“You stupid girl—“

“Oh no, Father. I am far from stupid. I have used what you taught me—what you arranged to have taught me—to earn my freedom. If Antonio’s files should happen to go into the wrong hands, your life would not be worth anything … and it would take you an awfully long time to die.”

He glared at me, his hands curled into fists.

I wanted him to try to strike me. I wanted an excuse to show him that I was far more than he had imagined me to be—far more than he would ever HOPE to be. I wanted an excuse to hurt him—

“I just have to say the word, and you will die, Belladonna.”

“Perhaps, but you would not long outlive me. I have made arrangements for those files to be made public in the event of my untimely death. Kill me and you kill yourself.”

For a moment, he stared at me. “What do you want?”

“I do not covet your wealth, Father. I do not aspire to take your position—we both know that the Family would never allow a woman to lead. I wish to make my own path. The strong thrive, Father. I am strong. There is only one place for me—Arachnos.”

He did not want to give me my way. He had made plans to use me, and he was loathe to give them up—and even if he had no such schemes, he would have been reluctant to allow anyone to balk him in this way. For a long time, he said nothing and just looked at me.

I did my best to remain calm.

If Father had been any other member of the Family, I do not think that this would have worked. He would have killed me for my insolence regardless of the personal cost to himself. Absolute authority tends to breed recklessness…

But Father was no ordinary man of the Family …

What, you ask? Is that pride in my voice? I suppose there might be.

I did not love my Father. I could not. He had spent my entire life making sure that I could never love him—

But he was an extraordinary man, and all that I have become happened because he was the man that he was.

How can I not admire him?

“If I ever find those records, you will pay for this, Belladonna.”

“I know, Father. You won’t find them.”

He laughed softly. “That may be true, but I will not stop looking.”

“Of course.”

“Very well then, my daughter. You have my permission to join your precious Arachnos. I will not oppose you in this.”

“Thank you, Father.” Why did I feel a rush of pleasure at the fact that he said “my daughter”? I did my best to crush that part of myself down again …

“And Belladonna?”

“Yes, Father?”

He reached over and embraced me. “I am proud of you, my daughter. Only a true child of mine could accomplish this thing.”

And for the first and only time in my life, I felt safe and treasured in the arms of my father …

I wonder what it'd cost to do online advertising like on Newsrama and other comic-related websites?