Candi McArthur (Cataclysmic Gerosha)

''The following is about the Earth-G7 version of Ciem. For earlier versions, see Ciem (disambiguation).''

Candice Marie McArthur (neé Flippo-Levens) / Ciem is a superheroine in the series Sodality as well as the Origins and Fallout stories Ciem: Inferno and Sniperbadger: Fall of the Critter Resistance.

She is a founding member of the Sodality of Gerosha. Candi is one of several incarnations of Ciem throughout the Gerosha multiverse, this one in particular being part of the continuity known as Cataclysmic Gerosha. In spite training from early on to be a hero; frequent misunderstandings by, and other issues with, law enforcement, have led to her also having an extensive criminal record - which haunts her throughout her life.

She is most closely modeled after her Comprehensive Gerosha counterpart. A variation of her is found in the Gerosha Gaming Universe, where she returns for Sodality: Battle for Metheel and Centipede + 49. Cataclysmic Candi is part of a group of freedom fighters that have escaped tyranny in Ameristan, later defending the nation of Toklisana from the notorious Hebbleskin Gang and later, the Society of the Icy Finger.

In Battle for Metheel, she gains an upperhand over the Hebbleskins by teaming up with the Sodality to overthrow the unsympathetic King Morzhuk of Metheel, thus also ending the Phaelon-Metheel War.

During the Vindication timeline, the Kirby Act leads to her being sentenced to 8 months in prison - along with several of her friends - simply for being part of the Sodality. The sentence is later expanded to include five years of her alternating between incarceration and house arrest, given her inability to stay out of harm's way. In Centipede + 49, she and a team of reconnaissance troops clear the path for Ameristan to be overthrown. This results in the United States rebuilding itself as a nation.

Her teammates consist of reinterpretations of Jack "the Jackrabbit" Mercreek, Jeral "Botan the Plant-Man" Cormier, her boyfriend / eventual husband Donte "Emeraldon" McArthur, Dolly "the Earwig" Malestrom, Laurie Pegol, and a few more that come and go. She begins the series trying to escape from Ameristan along with Dolly, Donte, her godfather Imaki Izuki, and a small band of other exiles. It is her godfather that produces the equipment that allows her to become Ciem officially later on.

In addition to being rendered in various software, this version of Candi has also been portrayed by DeviantArt models such as Nanda Soebagio and Lee Loo La.

She is, furthermore, copied by the Percolation Wave into the Marvel Gaming Fanfic Universe.

Powers
In keeping with the standard power set for most incarnations, this version of Candi has centuition and accelerated healing. She also has enhanced speed, strength, agility, constriction, and body flexibility (although, she still has trouble being as flexible as a professional contortionist.) She weighs 122 pounds, but can push or lift nearly half a ton out of her way if she needs to. At 5'4", she's not very tall. She has a BMI of about 20.6, making her most similar in BMI to Marvel's Black Widow in spite being three inches shorter .&dagger;  She can jump a full story at a time if she needs to, but is outclassed by Jackrabbit's ability to jump 2-1/2 stories in one bound and Meerkat's ability to jump tall skyscrapers.

Her greatest skill comes in the form of the execution of maneuvers involving her centilegs, which are short stingers that protrude from her upper wrists, shoulders, hips, thighs, and lower calves. They contain a venom that is comparable to bee or hornet venom, which can incapacitate someone. Enough stings can cause temporary paralysis, making it easier for her to subdue adversaries. Her centuition works similar to spider sense, in that it lets her sense danger coming and evade it. She can also stalk fleeing adversaries for a short time even after they've left her field of sight, with an almost "psychic radar" ability to know where they are. She dodges bullets after hearing a "phantom scream" sensation that lets her know exactly which direction a bullet is coming from. She can heal quickly from most bullet wounds, just in case one does manage to hit her anyway.

She also possesses the ability to view another individual's romantic history based on an aura she can sense around the eyes, with darker auras indicating more sexual history. (Virgins have no aura.) Because of this, Jack is unable to lie to her about his colorful past. Finally, her abilities include an enhanced metabolism. While she gets plenty of exercise, she is able to keep her weight regulated more easily than most. This comes in handy during pregnancy, as she'd likely gain a lot of weight otherwise.

Accessories
Courtesy of Imaki, Candi has a variety of tools in her Ciem arsenal as well. She is protected from disease not only by an enhanced immune system, but also from her "dart shooters." These wrist-bound items have miniature darts, up to 500 each in a large pack, which marinate in a solution of her venom. They fire like pressurized staples from a staple gun, and allow her to sting her enemies without having to touch them directly. Mid-range fire also gives her the ability to retain her stealth longer.

Zeran wardrobes are quantum storage packages that enable her to store and change clothes quickly. They are modeled after the Zeran technology that was first developed by the Marlquaanite Lord Zeras in the second century AD. Zeran teleporters allow her to move from one place to another quickly, though her small-size models are very short-range. She can transport about two football fields tops in distance, though usually teleports shorter distances to preserve battery life. Combined with roof-hopping, she uses Zeran teleporters to get around town when nobody is able to fly her across.

This helps her out tremendously with getting out of tight spots. In spite the fact that centipedes in nature can climb walls all the time with little difficulty, she cannot do any of her own wall-crawling without additional equipment. Some variants of her mask also allow for a switch that activates night vision in her eyepieces, letting her see the world around her better at night.

She also possesses Remotach pills, a substance developed by a scientist with help from the Phaelites. Imaki made sure to supply Candi with plenty of these, in the event of capture. With Remotach, she is able to reattach severed limbs - including her own head - while remote-controlling her severed body parts. Remotach also helps prevent excessive blood loss.

One of the only times she ever had to use it to reattach her own head, however, was during a training run. She'd been trained in various tactics of how to swerve and to save herself in the event of capture. She was trained on how to avoid death by ax and death by guillotine, but fake weapons were used in both. One day, when being asked to sample Remotach for the first time, she was tricked into taking Bezeetol as well. The bezeetol drug dampened her centuition, leaving her unable to anticipate incoming danger to the same degree as before. From there, the trainer switched out the fake blade with a real one. Candi was able to put herself back together, but was dizzy and angry at having been tricked. However, the trainer made his point clear to her that she should keep some Remotach handy at all times. Imaki helps keep her and her other friends supplied, right up until his death.

Ironically, the when she was captured in Ameristan and could have most used these pills, she didn't have any. Only an electrical blackout on the death camp's power grid saved her life - and Dolly's - when she was able to escape the beheading chambers amidst near-total darkness. Alongside her, Dolly was being placed on the block; and the two got to witness dozens of other young women being slaughtered before them. She made sure after that to always have Remotach handy. Not only do Ameristani Jihadists want her dead; but Duke Arfaas himself has vowed to collect her head for a trophy. This is because of Candi's mother Shalia, who frustrated a lot of the plans that Arfaas' predecessors had for Gerosha.

Weaknesses
Consistent with Comprehensive Candi, she has a lot of the same powers and weaknesses. Her equipment is also similar. One major difference is that she's not under the Curse of Honeybee Samuel in the same literal, supernatural sense as previous incarnations. She and Donte have a little more self-control in this version than previous versions, allowing them to resist their temptations to go too far on dates better than they previously did. She isn't as clingy this time as in previous incarnations, making his tolerance of her personality quirks more understandable.

Like Classic Candi, Cataclysmic Candi is susceptible to the substance known as bezeetol. However, it is a drug in this version. The drug is manufactured specifically to dampen the powers of Phexos and render them dizzy and confused. It is short-lived in its effects, acting as a sort of sedative. Like with every version since Despair Candi, Cataclysmic Candi is particularly susceptible to her powers being dampened if she gets pregnant. This becomes a source of internal conflict for her, as she looks forward to having children. Due to how most birth control pills work, this means that she cannot be on birth control either.

Since the Marlquaan is indirectly responsible for how Phexos are able to get their abilities, she is also susceptible to being trapped in MPF fields. However, Emwaults are more directly tied to the Marlquaan. This means that her boyfriend is even more susceptible to imprisonment. Any Marlquaanite she meets, however, is going to have a direct bond, and be the most susceptible. This means that her non-Phexo and non-Marlquaanite friends are essential teammates in reducing her likelihood of capture.

Early life
See also: Sadasheeva Cherupara, Alexis Hood, Marissa Hood, Shalia Flippo, Dwayne Lloyd, Stan Flippo

Candi's double-maternal great-grandparents include the Indo-Persian explorer Sadasheeva Cherupara from India and Alexis Hood from Indiana. Through them, her grandmother Marissa Hood was born. Marissa, having survived being raped by Dwayne Lloyd, became pregnant with Candi's mother Shalia Flippo. Another ancestor of hers was Sam Wrikon, who was sometimes known as "Honeybee Samuel" given that he was executed with bees. On her paternal side, she had grandparents Steve McNolan and Alison Ligash. Alison fled Steve following abuse, and married the Phaelite Society ally and treasure hunter Tobey Flippo. Candi's father Stan Flippo was the result of Alison's pregnancy from Steve, and Tobey happily adopted Stan as his son. When the Phaelites needed a favor and the newlywed Flippos were being hunted by the Hebbleskin Gang, a deal was struck. Some of Stan's DNA was used in an experiment on the Phaelite scientist Insila Murtillo, resulting in her conceiving a son who would grow up to be known as Darius Philippine, the director of SCALLOP. Meanwhile, Stan was infused with a stone centipede's DNA as part of the Centhuen Prototype program. The result was that at least one of his future children would inherit the Centhuen Prototype program. While the program's code lay dormant in all the Flippo children born to Stan and Shalia, only Candi's code activated.

Candi was born as one of three fraternal triplets to Stan and Shalia Flippo on September 9th, 1999. She was the only Filippo child to receive the Centhuen Prototype mutation via Stan. Her two non-mutant sisters, Miriam and Marina, would develop other talents. Candi had lived for much of her early life going back and forth between being exposed to various environmental factors and being sheltered from them. She was aware early on of her mutation, and her implied calling in life; but has always had mixed feelings about it. Her powers did not fully manifest in this version until the age of 12.

While she was trained from early on how to engage in superheroics by her godfather Imaki, her parents and older siblings advised against her going on real missions while still a small child. She was content to behave as a ordinary child for much of that early life, and even enjoyed being involved in the same church as her family. Her world was turned inwards in October of 2006, when her parents were run off the road by Hebbleskin Gang associates. Her older sister Erin gained custody of her sisters Miriam and Marina. Candi herself was put in joint custody between Erin and Imaki.

Erin got in with a bizarre crowd at college, leading her to become very strict about her younger sisters' dating habits. A chemical imbalance started forming in her brain, leading to the gradual deterioration of her mental health. Since Reily was busy with his wife Ashlee and son Kirby touring the world as celebrity chefs, he felt little connection to his biological sisters. While he initially was the one who would have gained custody in the event of a tragedy, he reneged on that promise after Stan and Shalia's deaths. The fact that they were technically young enough to be his daughters made meetings even more awkward, leading to him generally ignoring all his sisters. His luxurious lifestyle also conflicted with the family model of living beneath one's means, resulting in him being ostracized by Erin. Given that Erin was unable to provide the emotional support and stability that Candi needed, she often looked up to her Japanese inventor and Phaelite-friendly godfather as a surrogate father.

Middle school
Candi spent much of her middle school life as an ordinary student, though she did have some issues with a few of her classmates. Candi's fifth grade teacher agreed with the sixth grade teacher concerning curriculum content. However, Candi's school was one of many schools to try out Common Core - with disastrous results. The new teachers were not only hard on Candi for her traditional views, but were actually encouraging the corruption of youth they were charged with. Angry parents' concerns over their children going from caring about their future and how to support themselves to caring only about sex fell on deaf ears. When one father threatened to pull his daughter out because the school refused to protect her from being bullied by lesbians; he was thrown in jail and accused of threatening the lesbians that were threatening his daughter for real.

Candi found that the more politically-correct the school's subculture became, the more hostile the school's environment became for all students - not just her. She began dating a certain Don Mendoza in sixth grade, in spite of Erin's wishes to the contrary. She thought she could cheer him up when he began having doubts about the goodwill of God, following the fact that his mother was sick and dying and his father was missing. However, the Hebbleskins also found him and got to him. Finding them willing to give him more than just promises to hold onto, he turned on Candi. One day after basketball tryouts, Candi was in the showers at school. Don decided to lie in wait. When he saw that she was alone, he seized the opportunity and attacked her. The attack led to rape; but Candi's full centipede powers manifested during the attack. She was able to throw him off of her and fight back, leading to him fleeing the scene. Candi realized that the faculty would not work in her favor, given her religious views. She also realized that she'd blow her cover - and that of her sisters - if she made too big a fuss. During the attack, Don confessed to his allegiance to Duke Arfaas. When Candi fought him off, he swore to find her again. He vowed that when he did, he'd be stronger. Until then, he vowed to find a way to haunt her nightmares. Much of Candi's desire thereafter to consummate with Donte stemmed from a desire to erase Don's legacy in her mind.

That same year, Miriam started being harassed by classmates. Marina was drugged and raped by a boy named Fred, and Candi used her centipede powers and a cheap costume to exact some revenge. Fred never figured out who it was that came from the shadows, beat him savagely, and temporarily paralyzed him. Candi and Marina kept it between the two of them. When Imaki eventually found out; he warned Candi about the dangers of personal revenge. He did not, however, lecture her about the need to let the police handle it. This is because he knew that the police would grow inquisitive - which would only trigger an alert with the Hebbleskins and endanger the whole town.

Candi's first experiments with Remotach pills also occurred when she was 12 years old. The experience during a test run gone wrong of being decapitated and re-attached convinced her that the Hebbleskins needed to be wiped out. The cruelty of their method of execution of female prisoners had no place in the 21st century.

High school
Candi's high school years were marked by a repeat of middle school, with the exception that Don didn't return right away. Candi and Miriam became more adept at defending themselves, and more careful not to draw attention to themselves in the first place.

Marina, however, had more issues. Following what Fred did to her, rumors began to fly about her. Men began flattering her, in order to see what they could get out of her. She found that she enjoyed sex a little too much, and soon racked up 15 consensual partners in her quest to be appreciated. Realizing her antics with men were getting her nowhere, she became withdrawn. However, one boy named Matt Baret did not abandon her. He actually thought about pursuing a relationship with her the right way - by appealing to Erin and Candi. While Candi approved of Matt right away, Erin rejected Matt instantaneously and even threatened him. When Candi protested Erin's inappropriate hostility, Erin threatened to have all three of her sisters kicked out of the house.

As Erin's temperament began to vary from day to day between sweet and violent, the other girls began to suspect there was something not right in her head. One harsh comment too many sent Miriam and Marina into straight-out rebellion, with Candi becoming caught in the middle and trying to bring all sides together. Imaki intervened, and offered to have primary custody of Candi until a time when Candi was truly prepared to strike out on her own. He discovered that Erin's condition was dramatically worsening between intense outbursts of anger and intense moments of terror. However, any talk of Marina's past sexual exploits seemed to be a trigger for Erin's unstable mood swings. Medicating Erin proved a hit-and-miss game. Erin didn't want to admit she had a problem.

Alas, the damage had already been done. Marina and Matt conceived a child in secret, then ran away to get married. News of what happened eventually made its way back to Erin, which caused her melodramatic mood swings to worsen even more. Candi considered moving in with Imaki permanently, especially since she needed to complete her training. In spite Candi begging her not to, Miriam moved in with her boyfriend Phil Couric's family. Rumors flew quickly about Marina's exploits, while Candi and Miriam started being accused of a few of them around school. Efforts by the girls to defend their reputations proved fruitless. However, they did all they could to avoid bad crowds. Candi nearly found herself in a few fights, as mobs began attempts to sexually assault her. She confided in Imaki that it frustrated her to no end that she could not alert police to what was going on, as the other students at Gerosha High were taking things completely beyond normal.

Candi began to envy Miriam. While she could not approve of Miriam's lifestyle arrangements, she did feel that Miriam had found an otherwise-godly man who was suitable husband material. Candi wondered where her Prince Charming was - or if he even existed. She often obsessed over it, looking for any sign that her only experience with love and dating would not be the horror and treachery she endured under Don Mendoza. At the age of 16, Candi and a boyfriend named Daniel Loffin got together in the hopes of achieving exactly that.

Inferno
Main article: Ciem: Inferno Still bearing the trauma in October of 2015 of her being raped by Don the Psycho years earlier, Candi found refuge in Danny at school. His parents were about to move to Oregon, but Danny tried to argue that they should stay in Gerosha. Candi's desire to replace her trauma under Don with a positive memory led to compromise. Daniel, lacking Candi's faith, had no motive to keep the relationship from turning sexual. Candi warned Danny that she was not allowed to date, but he pressured her into coming over to his house to study on the 15th. The Pyro Panther gang was causing a lot of trouble in Gerosha at that time, and Candi was trying out a new suit for Imaki that would, without her knowing it, become the foundation for every Ciem suit Imaki would make for her afterward.

After they finished studying, Candi and Danny tried watching TV. However, Candi's unresolved psychological issues and Danny's opportunist ambition got the best of the two of them, and they took advantage of being alone in the house and began having sex. No sooner did they start getting dressed again, however, did the Pyro Panthers attack the house and start launching bazookas at it. Roger, Danny's older brother, catches Candi and Danny getting dressed. He chastises them about their behavior, before running out the back door with them. The Loffin brothers flee to a motel, discovering that there's a state of emergency declared and a new curfew in place that leads to police being issued an APB for all teens seen on the street.

Candi initially followed the boys, but got distracted by the desire to put on her proto-Ciem suit (not yet called Ciem, as Donte would give it that name years later.) She planned on battling the Pyro Panthers. However, three different cop cars all saw her and converged on her before she could finish unloading her Zeran wardrobe. Candi was accused of having a bomb, and of starting the Loffins' house on fire. She insisted it was a Zeran wardrobe, not a bomb. She then remembered she was not supposed to talk about Zeran wardrobes with local law enforcement, and surrendered to avoid any further conflict.

She was able to figure out that following her arrest, she most likely would get sent to prison for leaking the existence of Zeran wardrobes to local law. She spent two days in the Gerosha City Jail, putting up with being annoyed by car thief Phoebe Gadsbury, and was later arraigned on the arson charge. Since so many other teens were being rounded up, she worked out a deal with Judge Richard Deckinson to be housed at Madison Juvenile Correctional for a week before her trial. It was there that she befriended Nancy Hizra and Cassidy Yarn. With Erin and Imaki both out of town, Candi has to rely on Miriam and Danny for outside contact. However, Candi's being in jail causes Miriam to panic as Lava Tigre and the Pyro Panthers start abducting women in town - as opposed to merely starting fires. With help from her Critter Resistance Network friends, Miriam is able to find a way to hack into the inner comms system used by the Purge-Flare. She learns that Chris is extremely paranoid, especially since law enforcement have mistaken him for Extirpon. Miriam goes to pay Chris a visit to assure him that she's on his side. He kidnaps her and Danny to make sure they don't betray him. However, Miriam eventually seduces him, and he allows her to work with him. He does warn her not to fall too in love with him, as he would inevitably have to abandon her at some point. Miriam acknowledges this, then helps Chris pull off a string of burglaries to get the supplies he'll need to defeat Lava Tigre.

Meanwhile, Candi discovers that the Madison guard Lonny Factor is a covert Hebbleskin spy who has been abusing inmate Amirah Rose - a Marlquaanite inmate with a bad temper and pyrokinetic abilities. In spite Amirah and her gang initially attempting to bully Candi and Candi finding creative ways to humiliate them right back, the two girls become friends in order to save the entire facility. Factor's secret is exposed and he tries killing everyone, but he forgets that Amirah is a Marlquaanite rather than a Phexo. Amirah uses Factor's attempt to decapitate Candi as the perfect distraction, and then musters up a fireball to finish Factor off. Candi persuades Amirah to apply for transfer to SCALLOP Juvenile Containment, where they can more adequately help her with her psychological problems. Amirah, grateful to be rid of Factor with Candi's help, agrees to be sent to Houston.

Candi is then sent back to court, where she is easily acquitted of the arson charges and is sent home - with a warning that she has another court date in a month concerning the leaks. Candi promises to show up. She returns home to Miriam in time to learn what's happening with the Purge-Flare, and then heads out to stop Lava Tigre on her own. However, she gets distracted by the need to rescue some cops - and some abducted women and children - from Frank Morvel and the Pyro Panthers. Purge-Flare ultimately finishes the fight and kills Lava Tigre while Candi finishes her rescue mission. One officer briefly catches Candi with her mask off, and confronts her about her being a costumed hero. She promises him that she's due in court in November anyway, and he can tell the judge about her then.

With the city saved, Candi returns home. She reports what she can to Erin and Imaki, who are grateful to see her alive and in one piece. Danny confesses his feelings for Candi to Erin, accepting her criticism and admitting that he is aware that he has to end his relationship with her. Miriam allows the Purge-Flare to escape, unaware that 10-year-old Randy Mintzel has been spying on her relationship with Chris the entire time. Candi is sent back to court in November of 2015, and confesses to angering Darius by leaking the existence of Zeran wardrobes to Gerosha PD. She is sentenced to spend her winter, spring, Easter, and summer breaks from school in Madison Correctional, instructed to surrender just days after school gets out in December at Gerosha High. It is worked out so she can return to school when it resumes, but her winter break will be spent behind bars. She will also be under a terms of house arrest while attending school, and will spend her entire summer in prison.

Randy reports what he saw, and word reaches media ears that a local teen was aiding an Extirpon look-alike. Erin considers letting Candi take the blame, but Miriam insists that Chris was her responsibility. Miriam writes up a confession letter after contacting the Critter Resistance to inform them that Sniperbadger needs to go offline for a time to protect their secrets. She leaves out of her confession letter anything that would identify her as Sniperbadger, or indict her friends, confessing only to her involvement with Chris. Candi and Miriam head down to the station together to turn themselves in, and Miriam is informed that she could qualify for a 2-week special. However, she would not be housed in the same place as Candi.

Candi and Miriam are both informed by SCALLOP agent Randy Lapborn that their names have been added to the SDCPM, which both girls accept even though they are unhappy about it. Miriam congratulates Randy in court on doing his part to save Gerosha, even if it means he ratted her out.

Sniperbadger: Fall of the Critter Resistance
DeathDachshund of the Critter Resistance Network seizes the opportunity to launch a mutiny against those in the CRN that are loyal to Tamperwolf. The coup is short-lived, as most of the CRN defects to DeathDachshund and leaves him panicking. The new CRN is quickly indoctrinated into DeathDachshund's anarchistic agenda, and they begin using their hacking abilities to wreak havoc on numerous US government and pro-family organizations. Knowing that Candi and Miriam are both Phexos, Tamperwolf turns himself in to SCALLOP and asks that they negotiate to get Miriam out of the Warrick County Jail long enough to fight back. They work out a plan so she doesn't have to tell the world she's Sniperbadger, but can still operate. As more evidence comes forward about Miriam's involvement with Chris, Darius decides to pursue Miriam on additional charges that could lead to Miriam spending up to 2 years at SCALLOP Juvenile. However, she is offered a chance to defeat the CRN as Sniperbadger in exchange for being sent home before the next school year, allowing her to re-enroll at Gerosha High so she can get her diploma and not have to get a GED elsewhere.

Candi, meanwhile, is informed that Darius has requested Candi to be sent to serve even more time at Madison. Her spring break and summer break would be spent in prison as well, and she was required to be under house arrest when attending school during regular school days. Deckinson caves, and Candi accepts the additional punishment. She starts working on different creative ideas to keep the other prisoners entertained and out of trouble, as much as staff will allow her to get away with. However, her powers begin to glitch and she suspects she may be pregnant after all. A trip to the nurse confirms this, and Candi fears what she will do to raise the child. However, she has a miscarriage a week later. Tests confirm the child would have been female, and Candi names her Angie. The loss devastates her, but she takes pains to make certain Erin doesn't find out. She begins longing for another man with which to start a family, so she can be a better mother. She becomes more reclusive and less confident, but has the support of other inmates that fully understand the gravity of her loss.

Imaki Izuki relays the news about Miriam to Candi and Erin. In the fall, when school resumes and Candi is no longer required to be in prison, she is sent home and placed back under house arrest until the end of December of 2016. Candi responds to learning of what happened to Miriam by declining offers to try out centipede outfits in public battle with menaces, though she continues to train in other ways. Imaki respects Candi's desire to lay low, given both her trauma at having been sent to prison and her trauma at knowing that Miriam was at SJCC.

2017
A full year after her incarceration began, Candi decides to wear the centipede outfit routinely again while fighting crime. While also putting up with the usual stresses of high school life, she additionally tries to find spiritual peace. She also wants to help Miriam and Marina re-integrate into Gerosha society, as both have been away for a while for various reasons - Miriam in prison and Marina on tour with her band.

Candi also resumes helping her sisters pursue boys without Erin knowing. It is during this time, as Marina is feeling particularly broken inside, that she meets Matt. Miriam likewise meets Phil Couric around this time, and is forever changed by the experience of knowing him. He may not be as dangerous as Chris nor as smart as Tamperwolf, but his genuine kindness and willingness to put himself on the line for Miriam captivates her heart. His interest in everything about her, likewise, has that effect. This causes Candi to envy Miriam, wishing for a similar "prince" in her own life but being unwilling to steal from her sister.

America falls apart
Candi's chance to start over finally came in the August of 2018. Unfortunately, things seemed worse than ever for her. Announcements came over the news very loudly and clearly. The Hebbleskin Gang had taken over parts of the northwestern United States. Since Washington was bankrupt and the country was well over the fiscal cliff, military budgets had been cut to the point of being powerless to stop the northwest from falling under these horrible villains' control. They formed the nation of Netheel, naming it after the planet Metheel. Rumors spread that resistance to Duke Arfaas was being crushed by his creations, along with help from a wanted fugitive known only as "Don the Psycho." Acting quickly, another large section of the country was soon taken over by China and made into "Chimerica." This was so China could secure its investments in American debt after there was no America. A piece consisting of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and a few other states broke off to become "Toklisana." Not to be outdone, the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS put their own agents in charge of the fourth part, redubbing it "Ameristan."

At first, Halal Affadidah's Jihadist regime promised that all Americans who registered as Toklisanans in the nick of time would be allowed safe passage into Toklisana and out of Ameristan. Thousands registered to leave Ameristan, but a few hundred realized that the promise was disingenuous. If the promise were sincere, then there wouldn't be a waiting list for who could depart. Matthew Baret saw writing on the wall, and liquidated what few assets were left of his family's car dealership, Baret Auto Sales. He moved his wife Marina and son Andy to Toklisana in dead-of-night, smuggling them in because he knew that he would not be allowed to leave. Imaki was considering pulling Candi out of school; but Candi warned that too many trying to leave ahead of schedule would backfire. Imaki reluctantly heeded her warning. He instead started forming a resistance faction; one that would work towards an exodus effort should the regime change its mind. However, he started hearing reports that those who were critical of the regime before it took control, especially during the Obama years, were being disappeared slowly and gradually. The new regime was already breaking its promise!

Meeting Donte
While Candi was with Imaki in Evansville at a special meeting for Phexos and their mentors, the Hebbleskins launched a raid. A fight soon broke out at the convention center, and Candi was nearly dealt a serious blow by a mantis-themed monstrosity. She was spared, however, by a young man who flew in and fought the monster head-on. Just as he was about to be trapped in an MPF, Candi fought off its wielder, giving her rescuer a chance to save himself. Things continued to get out of hand. He turned out to have a mentor: Rev. Tyler Kilmington. Alas, Kilmington got into the line of fire right as the man who had suddenly caught Candi's eye had been rescued from what would have been his doom. The minister was shot down by a Meethlite holding a revolver. That young man soon found himself fleeing the scene with the help of Candi and Imaki.

The new regime showed up with tanks, and made quick work of most of those who were still there. The conference was supposed to be about finding one's peace via healthy relationship with God; but ended instead in a bloodbath of war. The Hebbleskins wanted to seize the opportunity to wipe out Phexos; and a convention center event dedicated to them provided a perfect target for Duke Arfaas' army to gain some experience. As the young man made it back to Candi and Imaki's hotel, he revealed himself to be Evansville's defender: Emeraldon. He was otherwise known as Donte McArthur. Five years older than Candi, his life was in shambles - much like hers. With Kilmington gone, Donte was now completely without a family. The new regime closed down the sports store where he worked, leaving him with no job. Imaki promised to take him in; although he stated that he'd have to use his network of underground shelters to make sure Candi and Donte weren't technically cohabiting. He knew, however, that the similarities between the two in almost every area of life meant a strong likelihood of the two becoming romantically interested.

It was around this time that Imaki let his real plans be known to Candi: that she was to partake in "Project: Ciempiés." Donte, in a joke, suggested shortening the name to "Ciem," and Candi revealed that she like the idea. All her training was about to add up to something: a superhero identity. Her cheap costume was to be replaced with a real set of suits. She was also going to have to protect Toklisana from her college campus - assuming they could ever escape Ameristan in time for her to make it to college.

Over time, romantic interest did bloom between Candi and Donte. In spite knowing Erin wouldn't approve, Candi and Donte decided to begin dating. Candi confessed to being raped by Don the Psycho, and how she was never the same afterward. Donte confessed that when his power first manifested, he couldn't resist the urge to take revenge on the men who murdered his father. He may not have killed them per se; but he left them wishing they were dead. When they saw how religious each other could be as well, that made each other even more appealing. One evening in late October at Gerosha High, during a football game, Candi and Donte decided to make their relationship official. The two decided to sneak off as the game was ending, and flew to Candi's house to get to know each other better.

However, the two of them, left alone together for too long, succumbed to the urge to consummate their relationship. Erin being out of town provided them further opportunity. They felt guilty about taking advantage of the situation, and resolved to be more careful about self-control and focus on other and more important aspects of their relationship. Rumors began to fly about her almost immediately, as the other students grew highly suspicious of Candi suddenly showing interest in Donte. She tried to keep Donte's age a secret, fearing her classmates would accuse him of being an ephebophile. Only to Erin and Imaki did she deny the activities of that particular evening, however, admitting openly to her peers at school that something happened. She decided there was no point denying it to them, because they would be too cynical to believe her denials even if her denials had been the truth.

Rise of the prison state
When America first implodes, SCALLOP personnel still trapped in are given permission to leave Ameristan for Toklisana by the early Affadidah regime on two conditions: that they regulate and report on the presence and health stats of all Phexos in the country and that they do not offer any aid or assistance to Phexos in leaving the country. This means that they are to issue dates when known Phexos are to go to an established clinic for a health exam. Candi didn't know about the meeting, since Erin threw away the notice after getting it in the mail before Candi even had a chance to read it.

Since Candi missed her appointment, she'd technically broken the law. She called Imaki to alert him to details, and Donte to inform him that they were both in trouble. After being hauled away by SCALLOP agent Marion Wevenil, Candi was sentenced to two weeks in a SCALLOP clinic jail, and her physical exam was performed as a condition of release.

Donte decides to share some time visiting her, feeling that he is partially responsible for her predicament. Erin's extended stay in therapy meant she didn't know Candi was in jail. SCALLOP officials collected Candi's homework in the mean time. They provided an alibi that some undisclosed other crime was the reason for Candi to be absent. During the exam, agents discovered that Candi was recently sexually active. She and Donte confessed to the agents, and requested that their mentors not be notified about those details. Donte is let off with a warning for intermingling in that way with a high school student. Candi is told that in exchange for secrecy, her misdemeanor and sentence would go on her permanent record. She agrees to the terms, in spite finding the law to be absurd.

While Candi and Donte's interest in each other was but puppy love at first, it quickly blossomed into true love as they began to go on missions and face trials together - and attended underground church services. Candi's graduation from Gerosha High was fairly uneventful; but the day after proved to be a day of infamy. The regime had officially gone back on its word. Worse, it decided to form a pact with the Hebbleskin Gang to keep Toklisanans from being able to use the western borders with Netheel and Toklisana as a passageway to freedom. Using Meethlite technology, a large force shield, called "The Wall," was erected to keep most Toklisanans permanently trapped behind enemy lines. A campaign of "cleansing" began in Ameristan, and all non-Muslim "kafirs" were subject to random arrests. Death camps began popping up, and it was only a few months after Candi's graduation that Gerosha had been reduced to a war zone. There was little reason for anyone to trust anyone. Imaki's resistance pockets started arming themselves, as the regime cracked down mercilessly. Miriam and Phil found themselves in a tight spot when the Hebbleskin Gang deduced where Miriam was hiding, with the aid of their own hacker: Melvin Markus. Phil's parents were killed, and the young couple found themselves on the run. Alas, only Miriam made it to safety. Phil was killed by the Hebbleskins. Her last text to Candi was that she would not be seen for a while. She'd contact Candi again when she was able. Candi found herself even more alone. Imaki and Donte, and the greater cause, were all she had left in life. She hoped to work with the two men to let Phil's dying dream come true: a breach in the Wall assuring that most (if not all) remaining Toklisanans could make it to a new and better life.

Freedom fighter


Much of the first season of Sodality centers around Candi and her friends as they seek to prepare their associates for the Exodus Agenda. Without Miriam's help, they have to create another, similar breach in "the Wall." Part of the struggle centers around the need to find a new hacker smart enough to figure out the firewall, so the force shield can be taken down. Candi, Donte, and Imaki must also do all they can to keep their ham radio network from being dismantled - and their fellow Toklisanans from being captured.

Part of the unholy, temporary alliance between Duke Arfaas and Ameristani dictator Halal Affadidah involves the latter adopting the Hebbleskins' mantra of Decolarent eam, eviscerate eum. Female Phexos' heads were to be delivered to Duke Arfaas as trophies, especially if they are directly connected to the Flippo family. This proclamation by the regime results in Candi's missions becoming increasingly dangerous. Imaki eventually has to supply her with Remotach pills, in the event of capture. She does get captured at one point, when she has none on her. She is shot with a Bezeetol dart, and is quickly tranquilized and apprehended. Her capture occurs in some rubble, while she was on her way to examine the home of a certain Jeraime Malestrom. The resistance believed that Jeraime was working on a "Project: Musaran," and that he might be able to assist in breaching the Wall. Candi soon finds herself on the chopping block, with a feisty girl named Dolly on the block next to hers. Just as the executioners raise their axes, there is a power failure. It is revealed to have been the result of Donte interfering with the power grid to disable as many death camps as possible, in an effort to get prisoners out. He does not catch on that Candi and Dolly are inside, nor does he know how many women immediately in front of Candi and Dolly have already died. Even so, the girls use the opportunity as a chance to escape. The Bezeetol wears off, and Candi's centuition kicks back in.

They fight off as much security as possible, then flee into the endless fields of rubble and scrap metal. Dolly reveals to Candi that Jeraime was her husband - though the legality of the court in which they wed would be contested by Toklisanan authorities. The Hebbleskins had intercepted Project: Musaran; and were planning to implement it with their AI backvisor program. Jeraime had been kidnapped to become their personal guinea pig for the project. However, the Hebbleskins didn't deem Dolly worthy of being part of their cause. Therefore, they left her for Ameristani executioners to dispose of. The girls make their way back to Jeraime's house, collecting as many valuable items as were hidden from regime view. They also find some clothes to wear, then reunite with Imaki and Donte. The reunion is briefly postponed when Imaki and Donte's initial base of operations is exposed. The regime levels it, while the duo retreat to another hidden base.

A chicken monster named Jawknee arrives, courtesy of the Hebbleskin Gang. She quickly sets to work, spreading murder and mayhem for Ameristani and Toklisanan alike. The girls put up a good fight against her control of all birds; but are soon exhausted. As the regime closes in on all three women, Donte arrives in his Emeraldon suit. He flies the girls to safety, being careful to keep the three of them from being detected. The regime suffers some blows; but Jawknee eventually escapes into the night. Candi is eventually reunited with Donte, while Dolly and a few others try to track down Imaki to get the group back together. Candi and Donte settle in for the night in one of Imaki's bunkers, trying not to succumb to temptation from being alone together as they did while Candi was in high school. They find it a difficult task to remain chaste, as they long for each other's company. Candi asks Donte how soon before they can marry, and Donte assures her that he'll make wedding arrangements once they're both in Toklisana safely. They elope unofficially that evening with vows and using whatever they can find to simulate rings, realizing that no legal authorities will acknowledge them and that they'd have to remarry in Toklisana to make it legal anyway. They discover an assault on several prisoners being lined up and executed dangerously close to their bunker's secret entrance the following morning. After a quick battle, they free the prisoners and begin looking for the rest of their own group.

A majority of the rest of the first season of Sodality is about Candi, Dolly, Donte, and Imaki plotting with the Exodus Agenda to flee Ameristan. Meanwhile, Jack Mercreek begins a manhunt for Don the Psycho. It's revealed that Don is now part of a Hebbleskin Gang infiltration somewhere in Toklisana near the border with Mexico. Random rapes and murders tied to Don have been happening around Houston, and the young Apache has vowed to catch the monster. Jack is dubbed "the Jackrabbit" because of his ability to hop 2-1/2 stories in a single bound, and run long distances without growing tired. While Jack plays cat-and-mouse with Don in Toklisana and Candi fights alongside her friends for survival and escape from the brutal prison state that surrounds her in Ameristan, Miriam and her new boyfriend Steve battle alongside Black Rat's team in the Chinese MSS to keep Melvin Markus and the Hebbleskin Gang from threatening Chinese interests in Hong Kong and Alaska. As well, Candi discovers that Dolly has her own vendetta against Don Mendoza: he's the man who killed her father, Gordon Weiss.

Exodus
The big day finally arrives, and a replacement hacker is found. However, he is unable to maintain the grid for long. When a reinforcement tries to override the hack, Sniperbadger arrives and prolongs the override for a full 72 hours. The breach is taken advantage of, and a brief region along the border between the three countries referred to as "the overpass" becomes filled with fleeing Toklisanans. A defeated Netheeli guard warns the travelers that any Phexos caught during the Exodus will be hauled away to be executed publicly when Duke Arfaas destroys Houston. He immediately takes a cyanide pill before anyone can get anything else out of him.

The Hebbleskins immediately send in troops and fighter jets to terminate the fleeing Toklisanans, while Ameristani troops race in after to crush anyone who would have the nerve to defy the dictator. Imaki is killed, and Donte is trapped in an MPF. Word quickly spreads to Arfaas that the one called Emeraldon is in custody, and the order is given to take him to the base in Toklisana where Arfaas plans to store prisoners for the awaited day of Houston's destruction. Candi, only slightly hopeful that Donte can still be rescued, crosses the border to safety feeling very distraught. Dolly attempts to comfort her, but has a heart full of longing for revenge. Imaki's warnings to Candi about harboring vengeful thoughts fall on deaf ears with Dolly. Her husband was being experimented on. Candi's true love was being kept in suspended animation only to be killed when most convenient. Candi began to fear that nothing would ever completely distract Dolly from her desire to fight back.

Encounter with Navyrope
Per Imaki's promise, reinforcements await the arriving Toklisanans at the border. However, the border patrol agent Bret Georgan who handles Candi and Dolly's cases is revealed to be corrupt. He pretends to place them under arrest and confiscates their papers. The girls take Remotach as they suspect a trap. However, Bret senses what they are up to and injects Candi with Bezeetol. He takes them a short while later to an otherwise vacated station, unaware that Navyrope has been tracking him for some time and bugging that location. He has the girls stripped and strapped into some industrial-grade guillotines. He does some quick research on them, revealing that he knows Candi is a Flippo and that he'd get a good price selling her head to Duke Arfaas. He is oblivious to the Remotach, and decapitates both girls. Navyrope fights Bret as Candi reattaches her head and puts Dolly back together, with Candi and Navyrope's combined efforts killing Bret in battle. After they collect the girls' clothes and documents, Navyrope takes them to Oklahoma City in his van - to continue their journey through other means as they make their way without him to Houston. Candi and Dolly enroll at the University of Houston, and decide to at least get their general education requirements finished. Candi changes her last name to "Levens" on advice from Imaki. She decides that the last name of Flippo is no longer safe. Dolly runs into trouble enrolling, having a hard time explaining that she is married. The school lets her get a dorm, but insists she enroll under her maiden name of Weiss. The Toklisanan government does not acknowledge Ameristani elopement weddings - like Candi's to Donte or Dolly's to Jeraime - as valid marriage; so she'd have to marry Jeraime all over again to be truly considered a married woman. In spite this, she insists on referring to herself as Dolly Malestrom around her peers. She vows that she will get her husband back; one way or another. No sooner do the girls enroll, than Imaki's other warnings to them become clear. Toklisana is under constant attack.

Battling La Scarabachonda
Julia "La Scarabachonda" (trans: "Horny Beetle") Milagro, a dangerous Mexican drug smuggler, arrives in Houston and turns with her henchmen to stealing artifacts from a history museum after a clash with local gangs ruins their chances of profiting off their drugs entirely. This, in addition to an encounter with Wayne the Vampire, prove Candi's first major experiences with bringing her Ciem persona into action in Houston. Law enforcement places a hefty reward for anyone who can locate Ms. Milagro so that she can be processed, tried, and deported to a Mexican prison. One of the artifacts stolen by Scarabachonda is Centipede Charlie's WWII helmet, much to the annoyance of Darius Philippine. Candi soon finds herself mistaken by officer Lonny Grivolt for Scarabachonda. This turns out to be due to a poor photograph featured on the news that made Candi and Julia's faces look very similar.

Candi is quickly arrested, and detained for some time. Her requests to call SCALLOP headquarters are promptly ignored. She offers to show her ID to prove who she is, and Lonny declines to view it. The police refuse to release her at first, even after live news footage shows Scarabachonda with a new costume going on a killing spree at a local school. However, a Mexican official with a better photograph approaches Candi and verifies that she and Julia are not the same girl. Candi accesses her hidden Zeran wardrobe hairpin to get to her Zeran teleporter after hearing a commotion outside the police station. She is able to teleport out of the way when several jail cells are blown open and a massive jailbreak ensues. She even manages to save a judge from an incoming RPG. Confused, he decides to order her set free. He scolds the officers about being too lazy to check for ID.

Candi wastes little time after getting free putting her Ciem suit and gear to the test, when it is revealed that Scarabachonda's goons have even taken the National Guard by surprise. She manages to isolate Scarabachonda; the former relying on her powers, equipment, and training; while the latter relies on heavy weaponry and brute force. Scarabachonda's defeat becomes one of the first public sightings of Ciem in Toklisana, allowing a legend to be born. She escapes with Zeran teleporters after announcing her name and dropping off a crushed-ribbed Scarabachonda at the hands of law enforcement. Finding an empty apartment a few blocks down, Candi changes out of her Ciem suit and escapes into the general public.

Superhero career
Candi finally decides the time is right to make being Ciem a part-time job. Candi and Dolly become a team, though Dolly reveals that Jeraime also made a "Project: Earwig" that might be either in Hebbleskin or SCALLOP hands. The armor was designed for someone of Dolly's build to wield. Wilbur Brocklyn introduced himself to the girls, and convinces them to join his church. They decide they are the beginnings of what will be a "Sodality," though they feel that they need more members than just Ciem and Dolly on the support staff. The girls' battle against Wayne the Vampire, while over in a single evening, leads to Dolly saving the life of Celia Winehart. Celia, in turn, agrees to man the radio for Dolly so that Dolly can join Ciem in battle. Candi is at first reluctant to let Dolly get too close to the action without some kind of armor; but Dolly proves a valuable field asset anyway.

Don the Psycho then arrives on campus, eager to draw out Ciem and suspicious of who might be under the mask. He attempts the life of a pianist named Laurie Pegol, who is in the same forensics program as Candi. Dolly and Celia, having become good friends, welcome Laurie into their fold as another member of support staff. The chase for Don results in Jackrabbit and Ciem coming into disagreement about who wants to take down Don more. However, they team up and chase him away from a bar. He reveals himself to be Jack Mercreek, who was involved with Wilbur but lost touch after his girlfriend Miranda Kanla was abducted. As Don kills Jack's remaining support staff, he finds himself joining the Sodality. Jack and Candi find themselves with an awkward sexual tension, but resolve to remain faithful to their respective initial partners.

Candi grows cautious about letting Dolly in the field with her after Rockpapsci makes an attempt on the latter's life. However, Dolly is undeterred. Jack, Candi, and Dolly soon discover a thief and saboteur affiliated with the Hebbleskins has made his way to Houston from Arkansas - Cupric. Cupric has previously terrorized Louisiana as well, but the Frenetis chased him out. They follow him to Texas, eventually joining up with the Sodality. But before they can bring him in to SCALLOP for questioning, they are interrupted by the arrival of Jeral "Botan the Plant-Man" Cormier. It takes the Sodality some effort to convince Jeral not to kill Cupric after giving Jeral the information he sought on the whereabouts of a Phaletori base. Jeral all the same complies; but states that he wishes to save his wife before having further business with the Sodality. When Jack wishes to persuade Jeral otherwise, Candi insists Jeral's wishes be honored.

The girls' worst fears are confirmed when it's revealed that Jeraime has in fact become Musaran - as predicted. Jeral manages to rescue Emily, but then discovers that the Phaletori are creating a True Centhuen army. And he discovers Judge Terry Beliah is aiding them. He and Emily decide to join Jack in Amarillo to inform him of the news, while Jack does recon on Musaran for SCALLOP. Candi is called on a trip to Mexico to deal with Lobe, and manages to save the life of Michelle Winston. Michelle, who was part of a previous church that Wilbur preached at, is grateful to meet Candi. The two of them team up to save whatever villagers they can in a Mexican village after Affadidah's men detonate a nuclear bomb. They get some help from Angelo "Cocklebur" Abrami, a Marlquaanite visiting Mexico from Italy. However, Lobe escapes to Toklisana. The girls follow him there, and Candi helps Michelle get back to her house. Michelle reveals her plans to move to Oklahoma. Candi, meanwhile, trains Michelle in how to be Ciem in case a time comes that Candi herself is unable to fulfill the role.

Candi arrives back on the campus of University of Houston, but finds herself in trouble again almost immediately. Lonny Grivolt spots her and her class doing a field surveying exercise, when Candi finds a joint in the grass. Lonny accuses Candi of being the one to have it, seizing an opportunity to harass her and then arrest her in front of her classmates. However, the case is later dismissed when there is no evidence to definitively tie Candi to any crime. Around that time, Arfaas calls both Musaran and Kimiyato "Milp" Hiriyama to Houston. Jack finds himself dealing with Don the Psycho and Lobe in Amarillo. Botan returns and helps the Sodality finish off Don once and for all. However, he and Jack stay behind to deal with Lobe. The girls get called on by Darius to aid in the safe transfer of the Earwig armor from one SCALLOP base in Houston to another. However, Dolly raises objections that the armor technically belongs to the Malestrom family estate and would be safer there than out in the open where the Hebbleskins could easily get to it. Lex Philippine begins to suspect that his father may be corrupt, as well as his father's right-hand man, agent Jim Oisdaat. Ciem finds herself outnumbered battling all the Hebbleskin troops that come to seize the armor, with SCALLOP personnel also overwhelmed. Dolly protects the armor by violating protocol and putting it on. However, she doesn't fully activate the UI - which was rumored to be psychotic and might reveal unpleasant secrets to her. As the Earwig, Dolly is easily able to decimate the Hebbleskin onslaught. However, this puts her in further conflict with Darius and Jim. She returns the armor to them, grudgingly. They retaliate by having all four of the Sodality girls charged with conspiracy to steal the armor. Candi is arrested at a bakery alongside Dolly, and drugged by Lonny with Bezeetol so she won't be tempted to escape. Jim personally arrests Laurie and Celia, neither of them knowing what's going on. Candi, Laurie, and Celia are later acquitted in a show trial in which Dolly is convicted. Dolly was to be sent to the SCALLOP jail system again, while the others were to be set free. Darius had planned to hand Dolly over to Arfaas so she, the true "liPo" of prophecy rather than Candi, could be executed as a form of appeasement. Arfaas decided he wanted Candi too, so as to eliminate any possibility of misinterpretation. He had his forces infiltrate the SCALLOP headquarters disguised as SCALLOP agents and being killing off real agents with the help of Musaran.

Hebbleskin affiliates Anders and Carlos, disguised as SCALLOP, intercept Candi and attempt to chop her head off. She proves resourceful, and escapes from them in time to change into her Ciem suit and collect her belongings. Carlos, beaten savagely, is left to his fate. Anders meets up with another Hebbleskin infiltrator and with Musaran. They've captured Laurie, Celia, and a genuine SCALLOP agent named Shaniqua Tamery. Ciem interrupts matters right as Shaniqua is about to be beheaded. The fight soon turns to the streets as Ciem battles Musaran. She attempts to lure him to a power substation and short out his armor; but his attack is called off by a Hebbleskin operative who orders him into a car to regroup. The fight results in a truck and the inside of a bar both being badly damaged by all the fighting. Meanwhile, Shaniqua executes Anders with an uzi and frees Laurie and Celia. Another SCALLOP agent named Chad intervenes and takes Laurie back to campus to radio Jack and Jeral about what's happening. Jack and Jeral finish off Lobe, then race back to Houston. Shaniqua and Celia, meanwhile, team up with other SCALLOP agents to send the Hebbleskins on the retreat. The Toklisanan National Guard arrives to assist SCALLOP in forcing the Hebbleskins' retreat.

Darius moves Dolly to the Houston City Jail for her protection, as retaliation for Arfaas not honoring his end of their bargain to not attack a SCALLOP base while Darius was handing Dolly over in exchange for secrecy about the Earwig armor AI's dirty secrets regarding Darius' past. Arfaas then orders Milp to assassinate Darius for not honoring his end of the bargain to hand Dolly over. Candi is forced to move out of her dorm temporarily and into a SCALLOP jail, in spite being acquitted, due to her refusal to keep quiet about Oisdaat having raped Celia. She cooperates, on condition that Lonny Grivolt be fired and not allowed to harass her ever again. She receives periodic visits from Michelle and the Sodality. She is allowed to attend classes, but must report back to jail after them. She is issues a sentence of a grand cumulative total of 2 years, with the opportunity to have her sentence commuted at points out to a total of five years.

Meerkat and Mukade arrive in Houston, and soon find information regarding where Miranda is being held. They relay the info to Jackrabbit. However, none of them are able to thwart the arrival of Milp nor her assassination of Darius. Lex seizes the opportunity afforded by his father's death to gain control of SCALLOP. He immediately has Dolly's trial declared a mistrial, and has her acquitted. He reverses Darius' decision, and works with Dolly to remove the Earwig armor's psychotic AI. He also has Candi placed on probation, keeping the sentence intact in case she ever needs protective custody. He sets to work repairing Sodality-SCALLOP relations as much as he sees being necessary. Candi and her friends seize the opportunity to get the jump on Milp before she can claim any more lives.

Rescuing Donte
Seeing a chance to intercept a ship containing the MPF field devices that had both Donte and Miranda aboard, Candi and Jack rush into action without the rest of their teammates, as the rest of them are either in class or else helping Michelle get settled in her new home town. However, their plan fails and the ship they were after explodes. They didn't realize that at the last minute, the Hebbleskins switched Donte and Miranda's cages to a different vessel - the one that got away from them. They searched through the wreckage of the fallen vessel, but found no evidence of any life aboard. Both were overcome with grief, believing their loved ones were dead.

An evening later, when they were once again alone, Jack and Candi sought comfort in each other's arms. However, a hug from Candi turned into a kiss from Jack. Candi was hesitant at first, but her pain clouded her judgment. The two began making out, and Jack soon motioned her for a sexual encounter. She protested letting him have exactly what he wanted, saying she wanted to know for sure what Donte's fate was before she let any other man have complete access to her. Even so, she was immediately filled with regret that the two were even touching inappropriately. The following morning, an intercepted message confirmed that Donte and Miranda were still alive. Candi informed Jack that she was going to save Donte when the time was right, and was going to end her affair with Jack. Jack responded that he agreed they should pretend like the whole thing never happened.

The Phaletori strikes again, sending True Centhuens forbidden by the new Toklisanan government after Austin. However, the other Sodalists' efforts to take the Phaletori down get sidelined when the Hebbleskin Gang starts launching a full-scale assault on Houston to destroy it. They don't care if they themselves claim it for Netheel, or if it is overrun by Chimerica or Ameristan. They simply want the country gone, to crush all hopes of its citizens. A few other Phexos are reported dead, and the killings are blamed on a "tall, brown assassin with a limited vocabulary." Dolly immediately suspects that Jeraime, having become Musaran, is responsible. Candi and Dolly smuggle themselves aboard one of Arfaas' doomsday ships, and Candi uses Remotach pills in case she has to fake her own death at the hands of an execution team. She is able to seize an opportunity to get the jump on them instead, sparing herself from the trouble of having to reattach her own head. This allows her to hide behind the headless bodies of women who were not so fortunate, sneak into the levels between floors undetected, and cause as much mayhem on the vessel as possible - even smuggling Dolly aboard to wreak even more havoc. She pulls a pin out of her hair that doubles as a Zeran wardrobe, and switches into a Ciem costume. She uses the chaos to deflect Musaran's attention. While she battles Musaran, Dolly manages to free Donte in the nick of time.

However, the girls' antics aboard the ship also lead to the release Jordan "the Sapphire King" Reddlwick - Donte's old friend-turned-sometime-rival. The Sapphire King teams up with Ciem, the Earwig, and a temporarily weakened Emeraldon to take down the ship while Botan and Jackrabbit continue to deal with the street situation with Meerkat and Mukade's help. Jack is able to rescue Miranda. After Ciem defeats Musaran using the substation strategy successfully and with Arfaas' invasion plans ruined, the now-stronger Sodality regroups to focus on what their next set of objectives should be in order to win the war that created their team.

Moving to Waco
Candi and Donte immediately resume their relationship, but an inability to keep their hands off each other compels them to consider getting married right away. Candi eventually tells her teammates that she would soon be going on maternity leave. Not long after the wedding, the McArthurs and Sodality find themselves fighting both the Phaletori and an especially dangerous rogue Meethex-1 named Captain Aardwulf. Netheel as a nation implodes, with Chimerica taking over most of it. Talk of war embroils, as Chimerica grows friendly with Toklisana and Ameristan wants both remaining nations destroyed. The Sodality and Miriam's MSS agent friends are able to defeat Capp Aard, as well as get rid of a dangerous device he stole dubbed the "Ming-Yo." Its sister device, the Ming-Cho, is destroyed by way of three civilians not related to the team. Candi and Donte attend Miriam and Steve's wedding in Alaska, and soon return to Toklisana.

Candi becomes less directly involved in the team's operations, as she begins to focus more on school and married life. Donte begins looking for a job, since he knows he and Candi can't live off her inheritance forever. Around the time that Candi finishes her general education requirements, she decides to move to Waco. The University of Houston doesn't have the CSI school program she wants; so she transfers. Most of her credits transfer with her. A mission in bringing down some Phaletori operatives nearly fails when her powers begin glitching. Botan gets her to safety, and agrees that the time has come for the team to acknowledge her pregnancy and let her leave. The others assure Candi that unless the situation is absolutely dire, she will not be expected to engage in further team operations. With her help, they have grown strong enough on their own to not need her. Candi promises to keep in touch, in case a "dire situation" does unfold.

During the Cap Aard mission, Candi calls on Michelle Winston to fill in for her as Ciem. Michelle's personal fighting style, however, prompts her to make modifications to her version of the Ciem outfit until she becomes Feruga, a different heroine entirely. Feruga departs after the mission is done, and goes off to start her own sodality.

Protective custody
While her friends are busy with Capp Aard, Candi finds herself a hostage while her local bank is being robbed by men connected to a the Toklisanan Texas senator Rick Gobar, who was once friends with Darius. Gobar had since become an ally of Terry Beliah, switching sides in the Phaelite-Meethlite war happening below the surface of matters. Seizing an opportunity in order to protect her unborn child, Candi grabs a gun away from one of the robbers and tosses it aside. She tricks another into shooting the first, then uses her Zeran teleporter to take out two more goons. One of the goons loses his mask, allowing Candi to see his face. She escapes up a flight of stairs and teleports out of the building. She makes her way to a campus library, hiding on the second story.

Stephanie Barrin is there, looking for an obscure book. She helps Candi stay out of view, stating that she suspects Gerald Milewing - Gobar's secretary - to have a motive for the robbery. Candi's description of the unmasked man further convinces Stephanie that it's Milewing. However, the Navyrope Foundation discovers via wireless interception of Milewing's call to Gobar that Gobar already suspects Candi to be the pregnant girl that beat up Milewing's men. Milewing and a few snipers are issued orders to "aim for the belly first," so as to torment Candi by killing her unborn child first. Gobar claims he will contact Beliah about having police issue an APB and an arrest warrant for Candi. The Navyrope Foundation immediately sends its capture feed to SCALLOP headquarters, resulting in Lex alerting Brian Mizgel to the feed. A sniper meanwhile takes aim at the girls. Candi moves out of the way right before the shot is fired, and the shattered window glass convinces both girls to run.

Brian heads for Waco by car as fast as he can get there, calling Candi on the phone to alert her that Lex plans to have her taken in to protective custody. A SWAT team shoots the phone out of Candi's hand right as the girls teleport to safety. Stephanie calls Brian back, informing him that he'll have to take her into custody as well and that she'll attempt to get herself and Candi to a safe area first. Brian informs tells them he'll send Marion and her team to find the cell phone remains as evidence of Gobar's attempted murder of Candi and Stephanie. However, Brian claims that Stephanie doesn't have sufficient SDCPM history to be under SCALLOP jurisdiction.

The girls manage to make it to Stephanie's car, but another SWAT van shows up. This team ignores Stephanie when Candi makes a run for a nearby set of trees. She uses her Zeran teleporter to climb a tree, hiding in the hopes the SWAT won't look up. Stephanie uses the distraction to activate the Strawberry in her trunk. She then utilizes the Strawberry to take out the entire SWAT team right as they're about to shoot Candi. When the SWAT members prove too heavily-armed, Stephanie has Candi teleport out of the trees. She self-destructs her Strawberry unit and takes out the team that way. The girls take off in Stephanie's car. Brian calls them back, and Stephanie confesses to self-destructing Strawberry to save Candi's life; and Brian informs her that this warrants her obtaining SCALLOP jurisdiction. Candi would need to spend two weeks to a month in custody to keep herself safe while her name was cleared and a case against Gobar was built. Stephanie, however, would need to wait for the black box from her Strawberry to be recovered in order to be cleared of potential murder charges. This would require her to be out of jail the next day, but back within SCALLOP custody until the black box could be found. Candi asks Brian to inform Donte of the situation.

The girls finally lose the SWAT teams after ditching Stephanie's car at a grocery store parking lot and walking to the Waco Wonder Wash Laundromat a block away. Brian gets a state trooper friend of his, Eddie Covington, to meet up with him and the girls at the laundromat. Candi and Stephanie surrender without incident. Donte calls Candi on Stephanie's phone to verify Brian's story, and tells her he'll visit her as soon as possible. He promises that he will see to it, should the opportunity come, to aid SCALLOP's case against Senator Gobar. He requests that she, in the mean time, get comfortable, assuring her that he loves her.

Losing Ann Marie
Candi and Stephanie are taking to a cell in a SCALLOP-run facility in Houston other than the one that the Hebbleskins raided, in order for the girls to feel comfortable they won't see a repeat of history. They are then forced to share their cell with Phexos Tom Branston and Ann Marie Benarko. Tom, a Leaper, was caught growing industrial hemp and making ropes out of it to be used as stage props. His hemp was confiscated, and he was charged with marijuana distribution - in spite a complete lack of evidence of any THC extraction. The city noticed he was a leaper, and placed him under SCALLOP's jurisdiction. Ann Marie was an imperfect attempt at a Centhuen Prototype, gaining neither centilegs nor a healing factor. Her husband had abandoned her after poisoning her food and getting her addicted to heroin. Her Phexo status also made her fall under SCALLOP's jurisdiction.

She went into a convulsion from withdrawal, revealing herself to be really sick on top of everything else. The other prisoners attempted to call for help, with Candi and Tom working together to perform CPR when Ann Marie stops breathing. Stephanie attempts to fix the emergency call button, envisioning an AI installation that Lambrelli Labs is working on that could be sold to SCALLOP and installed specifically to address the problems the broken call button brought attention to.

Ultimately, Candi and Tom are unable to save Ann Marie's life. Lex arrives too late with paramedics in tow. He has Stephanie temporarily released from SCALLOP jail custody; and Stephanie promises to talk to Ron about selling AI security to SCALLOP so there are no further Ann Marie-type incidents. Donte takes a break from the battle front to visit Candi, and comforts her about what happened to Ann Marie. Tom is given his own cell, and is promised that an attorney will be found for him. Candi remains in jail for three weeks, sometimes alone and sometimes with Stephanie for company. Gobar is finally exposed and impeached, allowing Candi to safely return home. However, she was informed that she'd be monitored in her activities for the remaining five years due to pressure from the authorities for SCALLOP to start enforcing restrictions on Phexos it has on record. Candi agrees to house arrest, even though she realizes that she'd be unable to honor all the restrictions and would at times be forced to return to jail.

New life and career
Candi and Donte eventually give birth to their son Frank. They play a minimal role in helping their friends out when Judge Beliah tries to have all Phexos and Marlquaanites outlawed. Otherwise, Candi and Donte start fading from view. Even so, Jeraime and Dolly remain best friends with Candi and Donte. Miriam and Steve arrive with their children Marie and Trina from time to time to visit both the McArthurs and Malestroms. Jeral and Emily being talking about starting their own Cormier clan. With Candi and Donte partially out of the picture, the others scramble to rescue as many other heroes as they can to resist Beliah's influence. This leads to the team gaining allies in the form of Navyrope, Pilltar, Extirpon, the Gray Champion, and more. Duke Arfaas is declared dead, bringing assurance to Candi that the #1 reason for Ciem to be around is gone.

Vindication
Main article: Sodality: Vindication While enrolled for a CSI training school in Waco in 2026, Candi's home comes under attack from the Icy Finger - which knew about her because of Jim Oisdaat. She, Donte, and Frank are interned in SCALLOP's prison-industrial complexes after this; partially for their own protection and partially because of pressure by the state to have them detained and interviewed while a repeal of the Beliah Amendments to the Kirby Act are considered. Originally sentenced to several months - the duration of the overview process - she is released to a sponsor home on parole after a month. The SCALLOP Juvenile Containment Center was raided by the Icy Finger, and several children died. This led to the state being convinced that SCALLOP could no longer protect its experiments and other prisoners effectively, resulting in a state takeover of SCALLOP's prison system. All SCALLOP detainment was outsourced to the Toklisanan federal government, and to city districts - which were determined to do a better job than SCALLOP at protecting prisoners.

Candi's charges weren't sticking, so she was put back on parole/probation in relation to her breaking of the bank robber's arm several years prior. She was on a S'Poling system for an additional five years. On six different occasions, her double life as Ciem required her to violate terms by skipping classes or walking just outside of city limits or being late for counseling meetings in order to save lives. This resulted in a two-day or two-week incarceration at a local jail each time, along with her having to alternate between 3 months under house arrest and 3 months in prison for the duration of her 5-year sentence.

As Candi enters partial retirement from being Ciem, she starts taking on a new career as a crime scene analyst. She becomes more of a CSI and less of a superhero after graduating. Donte finds work in construction - with help from SCALLOP. The two focus between their jobs on raising Frank. Their happily ever after was achieved; though they had to fight the world around them for every bit of it. She and Donte eventually have twins John and Dana. At this point, they are able to find work for Lambrelli Labs. Donte becomes a full time worker, and Candi part time.

Sodality: Battle for Metheel
Main article: Sodality: Battle for Metheel

In Sodality: Battle for Metheel, she and Donte are called in by SCALLOP to aid Mukade and Meerkat in defending Louisiana from a Meethlite invasion. They manage to help insofar as to discover the invasion was a ruse. Candi later finds herself on Metheel aiding in a revolution to overthrow King Morzhuk and end the Phaelon-Metheel War. Her one major complaint was that she had to find a babysitter for Frank, since Laurie Pegol moved on in life and SCALLOP agents don't like being asked to play babysitter. Candi was considering getting Michelle to fill in, but Michelle was busy in Italy with Cocklebur on an unrelated mission.

Her inability to give SCALLOP a point-for-point account of every building she visited - a term of her probation - led to her being tethered once she returned to Waco. The tether allowed SCALLOP officials to call her and receive an explanation when she veered off of predictable paths, leading to more clearances and fewer returns to SCALLOP jail. While raising Frank and pursuing her career goals outside of superhero work, Candi did her best to honor the terms of parole she was under. She was finally declared a free woman after her five years were up following the Vindication timeline events. SCALLOP lawyers made certain her violations only got her "2-week specials" at worst, so she wouldn't have to be returned to prison regarding things over which she had no control.

Centipede + 49
Main article: The Gerosha Chronicles: Centipede + 49

In the Gerosha Gaming Universe (Earth-G7.2,) Candi does more than just end the Phaelon-Metheel War. This variant of post-Sodality series continuity explores how Toklisana rebuilds the United States following the death of Halal Affadidah. When most of the current Sodality of Gerosha is sent to different parts of Chimerica to deal with the latest Phaletori-related incidents, Lex Philippine at SCALLOP decides to recruit a team of 49 enhanced soldiers that have Centuition (but are otherwise not Centhuen Prototypes) to perform covert missions to undermine and overthrow the Muslim Brotherhood. From there, the Toklisanan army can sweep in and take over the northeastern territory. To pull off such a scheme, and save more Americans from being slaughtered by the regime, Lex reasons that Gray Champion Next should aid the soldiers. However, he ends up being captured. No sooner does Candi McArthur get off the phone with Donte, who is in Alaska at the time, then the supermarket she is shopping at is attacked by a desperate Ameristani raid. She puts up a fight, but is knocked out by falling debris. SCALLOP agents arrive and take care of the mess.

Candi is taken back to the lab, and injected with large amounts of Darius Philippine's old age-reversal formula. She awakes to find herself reverted to what she was physiologically at the age of 19. Candi begrudgingly accepts Lex's offer to resume her role as the original Ciem, even while her daughter Dana is the new Ciem battling Phaletori monsters in Chimerica. As Ciem, she joins the 49 soldiers in their missions. Gameplay becomes divided between sections where players play as Ciem in third-person sandbox mode, and sections where players control the regular soldiers with the game in first-person shooter mode. Candi goes on to rescue the new Gray Champion, who returns the favor by helping her and the remaining soldiers claim what remains of Washington. The Toklisanan army catches up soon afterward, and declares victory. Candi gradually fades under the formula back to her regular 50s physiology, then returns home to retirement. Dana resumes being the only Ciem around.

Personality
Similar to other versions of the character, this Candi is cautious, reserved, and beta-dominant. She is a little cocky and snarky in Ciem: Inferno, having learned bad habits from Miriam. However, her compassion for Amirah humbles her significantly. Like with Comprehensive Candi, this one can be viscous if cornered and cruel if her friends and family are harmed. However, she prefers stealth and subduing her enemies to the more ruthless tactics of Dolly and her Earwig suit. Candi is a hopeless romantic, and dreams of a family with Donte quite often. She is very protective of her sisters, and feels frustrated when they end up in situations where she can do nothing for them. Cataclysmic Candi is more determined to see a job through to the end than her predecessors. She is also more determined and faithful to Donte. This is aided by the fact that Denny Levens doesn't exist in the same capacity in this version as in previous ones, thereby removing her #1 most effective distraction.

Her hypersexual disorder in previous versions is toned down this time. She and Donte only slip up with each other a few times before their wedding, as opposed to the constant issues they had in previous versions. In spite her impulse control issues and attraction to Jack, she only slips up and makes out with him while they touch inappropriately one time. She ends the affair the following morning, overcome with remorse. This is a slight difference from her previous incarnation, who was sleeping with Jack almost as many times as with Donte at one point. She is also somewhat clingy, but is not as obnoxious about it as in other versions. This Candi is more pragmatic, and can maintain her focus longer. She keeps to her small circle of friends, much like the other incarnations, not socializing much beyond that circle. She has self-confidence issues like the others, but is more composed overall in spite of them. She takes her godfather's advice very seriously, especially since he is one of the few father figures she has left when Stan is murdered. She is determined that, with Donte's help, her children will have a more stable environment to grow in than what she had.

Candi is also very bothered by her criminal record, yet she feels that there is little she can do about it; since the incidents leading to her being accused of more and more offenses are usually beyond her control. In spite this, she rarely ever resists arrest, and relies on her SCALLOP friends to find her suitable lawyers to either get her out of legal trouble or reduce her sentences to the bare minimum. She values her family perhaps more than any other member of the Sodality, which is a feat given that most of them are very family-centered.

Personal character
After the elections in 2012, the Dozerfleet founder deemed a second Obama term as likely to destroy the US. The Ciem novel trilogy in Comprehensive Gerosha was deemed unlikely to happen in such a world, so Candi's entire timeline history was scrapped. Vigilante Centipede and its two planned sequel novels were relegated to the Canceled projects bin. It was decided that a new series would have to be pursued, one which re-imagined almost all the Gerosha characters whose lives are relevant to the years 2018 and beyond in an alternate history cautionary tale. Watchmen undertones would be inevitable. The template for Cataclysmic Candi was Comprehensive Candi, but a lot of the themes from that version were either toned down significantly or removed entirely. A lot of this was for practical reasons, as Comprehensive Candi's emphasis on her personal life often overshadowed the plot rather than serving it.

Another justification for simplifying components of Candi's life and personality came from the fact that a lot of time had passed since 90 Has No Secant was written. Working that old narrative into the new one would have produced numerous complications with continuity, so it was decided to make the Meshalutian Trilogy no longer canon. Without the Curse of Honeybee Samuel, Candi's struggles with self-control no longer had as much of a supernatural foundation. Therefore, her romantic life becomes a subplot in the series; rather than taking center stage like it did in previous versions. Her commitment to Donte is stronger, and she is more angered than in previous incarnations that anything should come between them.

Inspirations behind character and teammates
While still something of a main character for the first three seasons of Sodality, Candi is able to fade away from center stage by the fourth. She and her teammates are also dealt with like an ensemble. Therefore, other characters' backstories and personalities have a chance to be as relevant to the plot as her own. Candi was seen, in the Watchmen parallel, as being an analog of Spider-Girl. One major difference is that she's a centipede-themed character, worked to fit this specific narrative. This is viewed as being similar to how Rorschach was inspired by The Question and Mr. A.

Likewise, her teammate Jeral Cormier is most similar to the Ultimate Marvel version of Samuel Smithers. Donte's Emeraldon identity was likewise revised for this continuity. He is shorter, ages slower, and has a Peter Pan-style method of flight as opposed to his jet-like flight in previous versions. His appearance is modeled after that of Marvel's Meteor Man, though some have stated he looks a little like a Green Lantern. The Earwig suit is a typical powered armor, with the only downside being that the AI inside it that is supposed to enhance the wearer's knowledge of how to fight is a little psychotic. Dolly's struggle at first is figuring out how to operate the suit with the AI turned off, as it is even more bloodthirsty than she is. Her suit's bloodlust is inspired by O'Malley from Red vs. Blue. Her reckless demeanor without the AI makes her more similar to Tex from that same series. Jackrabbit's ability to leap and run is most similar to the original power set of Toad from X-Men, before that character gained a prehensile tongue.

Visuals
In keeping with a push to make the Gerosha universe look more and more lifelike, Dozerfleet sought out a means to gain visuals for as many characters as possible that were as life-like as possible. The first major success in this was in the reinterpretation of Stung Hornet. Cataclysmic Ciem came next. While the Ciem suit itself has been realistically interpreted with MakeHuman 3D, a variation made with The Sims 3 is used to distinguish the look for this version from its similar design for Comprehensive Gerosha.

Candi's out-of-suit appearance in Sims 3 is almost a direct port of the Sim model used for Comprehensive Candi. For purposes of the image on the wiki above, a model was needed. The model and image originally supplied were modified from an original print by British/Indonesian modeling photographer Ardhana Galih Wicaksono, better known on DeviantArt as the artist Maleica. Success with Maleica inspired use of similar images, using his models, to interpret Miriam and Marina. Indonesian model Nanda Soebagio provided the general likeness template for the Flippo triplets, though other models that Ardhana knows have been used. On July 21st of 2013, model/photographer Denise "Xoxbabii-Nisee" at DeviantArt agreed to be featured as Candi or Miriam, if any of her photos proved adequate for those purposes. Implicitly, that also included Marina.

On Sunday, February 8th of 2015, DeviantArt model Lee Loo La agreed to let some of her images be modified. She is now considered to be the official face of all three of the Flippo triplets.

3D imaging
In keeping with much of the other concept art for Sodality, stereoscopic versions of images were implemented to show Candi's world off in ways that had not been attempted at Dozerfleet before. Other than a few one-off images, almost nothing in Stationery Voyagers had bothered with stepping into the challenge of 3D imaging. None of the previous versions of any Gerosha-related media had attempted stereoscopy either. Much of the push to making use of three dimensions for Sodality visuals, including Candi's concept artwork, were inspired by the success of making Blood Over Water 3D and a 3D music video of "Obama Ain't Got the Touch." Further encouragement came from leaked YouTube videos about the utilization of 3D in the pre-production process of Peter Jackson's version of The Hobbit.

Solo adventures
On July 29th of 2013, a proposal was made on the Dozerfleet founder's DeviantArt journal which allowed for a contest among DeviantArt users to propose an additional novel/film/video game pitch for Ciem. This would allow the character outside of Centipede + 49 to once again feature in a solo performance without her Sodality teammates. This is the first time in the history of Dozerfleet Comics that a major character's potential expanded media was officially crowdsourced. The idea was later reworked as a possible entry for an Earwig story.

In October of 2015, Candi got Ciem: Inferno as a solo adventure pre-Sodality timeline, to show what she was capable of outside of the Sodality and to bridge the gap a little between Sodality and The Battle for Gerosha. However, Miriam's antics had a tendency to steal the spotlight, leading to a follow-up titled Sniperbadger: Fall of the Critter Resitance as a sequel to showcase Miriam's life as Sniperbadger and give Miriam a pre-Sodaity adventure.