Chapter 1 - Cadenza
January 7th, 2011
"Taylor, hun?" a soft voice came from across the room.
I turned my head to look at my current roommate, Mrs. Sanchez. She was an elderly woman, who was admitted to the hospital I was staying at after she got knocked over by some asshole Merchant who had snatched her purse. She might have a hip fracture or something like that.
"Yeah, Mrs. S?" I replied.
"Will you sing for me again?" She asked. I smiled and nodded shyly. Ever since I woke up in the hospital, I've felt a strange compulsion to sing and write music. I never even liked music that much before… before the locker, and I was a pretty lousy singer. I still had fond memories of Mom and Dad groaning in despair whenever I used to belt carols during Christmastime. Yet when I woke up, it was almost all I could think about. I also discovered I had perfect pitch now. I wonder if I had somehow become a cape after the locker, but the thought was almost ludicrous. I don't think carrying a tune counts as a superpower. Maybe I was just going insane, and my singing was just as bad as it's always been.
I started singly gently, and gradually let all my emotions and heart filter into the notes. It felt incredibly cathartic to let the music inside me out.
"Thanks sweetie," Mrs. Sanchez said. "I swear your voice is like magic. I hardly feel any pain anymore."
I smiled and mumbled a quick you're welcome before settling back into my bed. Suddenly I felt something stir within me. I gasped as I felt… something light up. It felt like there were tiny motes of something, like a galaxy of tiny stars, that were begging to be grasped. I reached out mentally for one within reach. I somehow understood clearly what it could grant me – minor telekinesis of small objects. I felt a wave of euphoria wash over me. All the different stars I felt were powers. I was a cape! A real one! With real powers! I reached out for another mote. Huh, this one would let me talk to animals. Not sure how useful that would be. There has to be better ones then that. I released it and reached out again. The next one I grasped was a healing ability! It would let me heal physical wounds with a single touch. I knew healing powers were incredibly rare and valued. Panacea was the only healer in town that I knew of, and people treated her like a saint. I started giggling uncontrollably. I was going to be a hero!
"Err, you alright there Taylor?" Mrs. Sanchez asked.
What came out of me next could only be described as a half-snort, half-cough. "Yeah Mrs. S. Uhhh, singing just makes me happy," I mumbled out, blushing furiously. I can't believe I forgot that I wasn't alone in the room. I wasn't going to let my current embarrassment dampen my spirit though. I was going to be a hero.
January 28th, 2011
Powers were weird. That much seems obvious just looking at some of the capes that were active in Brockton Bay. One of the local wards, Aegis, could apparently breathe through his toes or something like that. If that wasn't weird enough, one of the villains in town had orange skin and a tail. Apparently he had fan girls throwing themselves at him too.
My powers… they were changing me somehow. I was always shy, and without Emma around I probably would have been a really lonely child. For the past year and the half I had retreated further into my shell, so much so that any interaction with other people had felt awkward and stilted. Now though, social interactions and words just came easily to me, and when I was interacting with people, I felt more charismatic than I had any right to be. I still felt awkward and nervous on the inside, but it was like I could fake being a normal person really well now. Another weird side effect of my power I guess, along with the compulsion to sing and perform.
Right after I got out of the hospital, I had asked Dad if I could take self-defense lessons. I could tell he was hesitant, and before I could stop myself, I sniffled and let loose a few fake tears, and told him how I just wanted something to make me feel safe again. Dad caved immediately after that. I threw up afterwards. I had manipulated my Dad in a way that reminded me of Emma or Madison. I don't think it was a master power or anything like that. I just felt like I had an instinctive understanding of how to persuade people, how to act, and how to draw people to my cause.
It worried me a bit, but I was trying not to let it bother me too much. I had more important things to worry about. I'd been out of the hospital for less than two weeks, and I had been testing my power and putting together an exercise and training regimen. I had started jogging, as well as yoga and calisthenics for flexibility and strength. In addition to my healing ability and the minor telekinesis ability (which I was calling ghost hand now… due to the ghosty hand that appeared when I used it), I had gained three new ones since leaving the hospital. The first let me create small illusions of sight or sound. The second one was another healing ability that healed diseases instead of physical wounds.
The last new power I gained could create a wave of thunder in front of me that knocked back and shocked everything in my path. I didn't think it was too much stronger than a taser, but I was hesitant to test it. It's not like I could test it on my Dad, in case it was more lethal than I believed. I thought about finding some small animals to test it on, but I'm pretty sure that's how serial killers get started. It was also loud as hell. The first and only time I had used it so far, it had summoned cop cars into my neighborhood to investigate a reported gunshot.
The ghost hand and minor illusion powers I could use indefinitely, but the powers with bigger effects left me drained a bit after each usage, and I could only use them a limited number of times before I'd had to take a break and recharge a bit. I could feel that there hundreds of more motes waiting for me; I just had to get stronger to reach them.
I ended up telling Dad about my healing power after we got home from the hospital. A part of me wanted to keep my new powers to myself, but I knew that if I was ever going to start healing at hospitals, I wouldn't be able to keep it from him. Still, I didn't tell him about my other powers. Dad half-heartedly brought up the idea of joining the wards, but after Winslow I just didn't want to be around anymore teen drama for a while. Dad was so relieved when he thought that all I would be doing was healing, but I knew it wouldn't be enough for me.
I know what you're thinking: if you could be a healer, why the hell would you risk your life trying to fight crime? Being just a healer seemed… too reactive to me. Brockton Bay was my home, and for as long as I can remember its greatest claim to be fame has been its super villain density. Ever since the collapse of the shipping industry, Brockton Bay had grown more and more desolate. More people than ever were turning to crime.
It wasn't enough for me to just be the next Panacea. I wanted to be Glory Girl too. Was that selfish or stupid of me? I know it would destroy Dad if I ever got myself killed doing something stupid, but I couldn't give it up. With each new power I acquired, I also gained an urge to use and test them. If I ever gained more than a few dozen powers, I don't think I could restrict myself to using the same two or three over and over again without going crazy.
I kept most of my powers from him, but Dad did find out about the ghost hand though. I had been using it for everything from washing my back in the shower to changing channels on the TV when I couldn't find the remote. It freaked him out a bit, but he was happy to think that I was 'only' a healer.
We still weren't talking much, and it seemed he had thrown himself even more into his work and our lawsuit against the school. Dad had wanted to accept the quick settlement from Winslow to pay for the medical bills at first, but he changed his mind after the police dropped their investigation. Plus I could probably earn some decent money with my healing ability.
I could tell Dad wasn't happy about the idea of me earning money, but I think his desire to make the school pay won out. I could tell he was still bottling a lot of anger inside over what had happened. The police had promised they would do everything they could, but they had quickly dropped the investigation after only a few days. One of the detectives that spoke with us clearly wasn't happy about it, and insinuated that they were getting pressured from above. The unpopular daughter of a dockworker vs. two rich girls and the school track star? The situation was all too believable. The unfairness of it all made me want to scream. All we had left was the civil suit.
Dad pulled me out of Winslow shortly after I got out of the hospital. I think he worried about my safety, especially with the lawsuit going on. I was supposed to start homeschooling through this online system that was starting to get popular, and maybe try to transfer to Arcadia or somewhere else for the next school year. It was another expense I was sure we couldn't afford, and made me despise the trio and Winslow even more.
I had wanted to stay at Winslow at first, as the thought of letting the three bitches drive me away infuriated me. However, I was kind of scared that I might spontaneously burst out into song during the middle of a class or something. That thought quickly squashed my desire to return to Winslow. Plus it would give me more time to focus on getting my hero career started.
We didn't have a computer at home, so I was currently at the library, browsing PHO under the alias Songbird. I still wasn't sure if that was the name I wanted to use, but I was having trouble coming up with anything better. I thought about Troubadour, but it sounded too silly. I liked the name Minstrel, but it was already taken by a rogue in the south. I had been to the library almost every day since I've gotten out of the hospital to research the cape scene.
I was what the forum goers would call a "grab-bag trump," like Eidolon. I had always liked Alexandria the best growing up, but I guess I could settle for being a mini-Eidolon. I didn't have anything nearly as strong as what he could do, but I hope that eventually I'll start unlocking more powerful abilities.
My current mission was simple: get paid. With the looming medical bills from my stay at the hospital and the added expenses of online homeschooling, I was going to need some money. Luckily Dad had managed to find a personal injury lawyer who was willing to work on contingency, so we didn't have to worry about paying for that.
Brockton Bay had a few notable rogues, and I was trying to contact a local thinker, Insight. He or she was an information broker, and specialized in either connecting parties together or exchanging information for money or favors. Some people online have speculated that Insight was just some regular cape nut, and not actually a real cape. The consensus was that his or her service was solid though. I was having a bit of trouble composing my private message to him/her. Apparently my newfound charisma worked better in person. After fiddling with the message for way longer than I'd like to admit, I finally hit send.
From: Songbird
To: Insight
Subject: new parahuman seeking connection
Hello Insight. I am currently using the alias Songbird, and I am a recently triggered parahuman with a healing ability. Although I fully intend to be a hero, I need some quick cash to take care of some emergency expenditures, and I was hoping you could help me get set up. I'd like to offer you a future healing for yourself or for you to sell in return. Thank you! -Songbird
I went back to browsing PHO, and hoped that Insight would respond before I had to leave the library. Huh, apparently the hottest scandal on the Brockton Bay pages was that Laserdream was spotted kissing a girl at a college party at Brockton U. I'm ashamed to say I opened the link with more than a little bit of curiosity, and was promptly disappointed. The picture in the link was a grainy, low light photo featuring a blond girl whose face wasn't even clearly visible. The thread already had dozens of posts insisting that the girl was or wasn't Laserdream. Ugh, with the crime rate and all the villains in town, you'd think people would worry about more important things. Barely 10 minutes passed before I got a reply from Insight.
From: Insight
To: Songbird
Subject: re: new parahuman seeking connection
Hey there newbie :). Healer huh? That's a valuable power, assuming you're telling the truth. You'd be amazed at how many fake messages I get, but I got a good feeling about you. I can definitely help you, and I think you're going to need a lot more help than just one connection. How about this, for five future heals, I'll mentor you for a few months, and show you the ropes and all the unwritten rules. Sound good? –Insight
P.S. – first free bit of advice: don't use the name Songbird. People won't take you seriously.
I frowned a bit at Insight's message. I decided very quickly that she was a girl. And what was wrong with Songbird? I wasn't in love with it, but I thought it sounded pretty good. It definitely fit the theme of my power at least, though I guess there was no way she could know that. I didn't how much one heal was worth, but I assumed it had to be pretty valuable considering how expensive regular medical care was at hospitals. As far as I knew, Panacea didn't charge anything for her healing, but she had rich parents. I was trying pretty hard not to hold that against her. Or maybe she was making a boatload of money on the side while volunteering at the hospital. Hmmm, that's actually a pretty good idea. I could volunteer to heal kids at the hospitals while charging rich people for my healing. Five heals seemed like a lot, but I didn't have a lot of options right now. I quickly composed a reply.
From: Songbird
To: Insight
Subject: re: new parahuman seeking connection
Let's start with the first connection. If it's good, I'd be happy to take you up on your offer. Also, what's wrong with Songbird? What would you suggest. –Undecided
Insight's reply came quickly.
From: Insight
To: Songbird
Subject: re: new parahuman seeking connection
Perfect :) I have a feeling this is going to be start of a fabulous friendship. I'll contact you soon with more details. And as far as the name goes? I'd go with Nightingale.
February 17th, 2011
Insight had set up a meeting with an attorney, Quinn Calle, for me. I looked him up and found that he mostly did parahuman criminal defense, but Insight assured me that he was the man to see.
I was currently standing in front of the mirror on my closet door, trying to figure out what to wear. I had only been exercising hard for a couple of weeks, but I could swear that my complexion and physique was already noticeably better. Maybe whatever was altering my mind and personality was also slowly making physical changes? I had noticed that my sense of balance seemed way better, and that I moved with a sense of grace that I didn't have before when I was just an awkward gangly teenager. If it was another quirk of my power, I certainly wasn't complaining.
I was 5'6", which was definitely tall for my age, and I hoped that I'd appear older with more formal wear. I decided on a pair of black slacks with a pair of my mom's pumps, and a simple white blouse for my top. I pulled one of my baggy hoodies over my outfit, which I would take off before I walked into Calle's office. I also brought a simple domino mask in my bag to complete the transition, and headed out for my meeting. Luckily my healing power had worked on my eyes, and I now had 20/20 vision. The image of me trying to wear my old glasses over a mask was enough to send me into a fit of giggles. I told Dad I'd be at the library today to do my online classes, and I had to clamp down at the guilt I felt at how easily lying came to me now. Stupid powers.
Calle's office building was in the nice part of downtown, near the bay. If you never left that area, you could convince yourself that Brockton Bay was a nice city, instead of the city most famous for having the highest ratio of parahuman villains to regular citizens in the United States. After changing out of my hoodie and putting on my domino mask, I walked into Calle's building and was directed into his office.
"Ah, you must be Miss Nightingale!" The man inside the office got up as soon as I entered. "Quinn Calle, at your service."
Despite how nervous I felt on the inside, I gave him a confident smile and shook his hand firmly "Pleasure to meet you, Mr Calle," I replied. "I'm Nightingale."
Calle was immaculately dressed in a three piece charcoal suit, and his entire appearance from his styled black hair to his blindingly white teeth screamed perfection. The only flaw in his appearance was an ugly scar that ran from one of side of his nose and up his cheekbone.
"Don't be alarmed now, but I'm going to pull out a knife." He said. Wait, what? I suddenly felt very alarmed. He chuckled a bit, presumably at the look on my face. "Don't worry, I simply need to see your power in action before we go any farther. I know Insight vouched for you, but I'd like to see for myself."
Calle drew the knife across his palm, drawing a line of blood, and then looked at me expectantly. I reached out and took his wrist, and with a small tug of my tower, immediately closed his wound.
"Marvelous!" Calle exclaimed, "Your power extends to diseases as well? Including all forms of cancer?"
"Yes," I replied confidently… well, hopefully it works like that. "It should work on most kinds of diseases. Is that all?"
"We'll set up some more testing later on, but I've seen enough to want to take you on as a client, Miss Nightingale." Calle responded.
"I was under the impression that you were primarily a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Calle?" I asked him.
"Ah well, that's mostly what gets the media attention," he responded easily, while flashing me another pearly smile. "My firm specializes in parahuman law in general, and we actually do a lot of brand and image consulting for parahumans, as well as a wide variety of financial and other services. Estate planning might not get as much media coverage as criminal trials, but I assure you capes need it as much as any regular person." Well that kind of took a morbid turn. He must have noticed the look on my face (why on earth did I choose a tiny domino mask?), and quickly added, "For example, you'd be amazed at how many people try to illegally profit off of a cape's likeness or name. Trust me, parahumans need legal services well beyond just the criminal matters."
We spent the next hour hashing out the details of what I was looking for and what he could help me with. The main thing he could provide me with were his ability to find wealthy clients, both within Brockton Bay and outside, and the layer of privacy he could provide.
Being in the same city as Panacea would actually help me find clients. Apparently people all over the world travelled to Brockton Bay just for the chance of getting healed by Panacea (Calle called it 'medical tourism'). Her demand was so high that there would often be waiting lists if your condition wasn't really critical. Calle also suggested going having any potential clients sign non-disclosure agreements before I healed them. The general public probably wouldn't take too kindly at the thought of a teenage hero charging $50,000 to $100,000 for healing, and I didn't want to be thought of as a rogue. I asked him if he did the same thing for Panacea, and he assured me that even if he did, he wouldn't tell me. Most of my clients would probably be patients who were far enough down on Panacea's waitlist that paying Calle and me a year's worth of an average American's salary would still be cheaper than months of conventional medical care.
After agreeing to hire Calle as my lawyer and signing a boatload of documents, I unmasked and officially introduced myself as Taylor Hebert. After all, if you can't trust your lawyer, who could you trust?
After signing the documents, Calle informed me that he was now my brand and image consultant as well, and scheduled a meeting later in the week so that we could go over my image. Perhaps I shouldn't have trusted him so quickly.
By the time I got home, I was brimming with energy. More motes of power had become available to me. I sat down in the kitchen and started making a sandwich while I examined the new powers available to me. Hmm, one would cause my victims to fall into uncontrollable fits of laughter, of which there is no escape from. That sounds… way too evil. What else was there? Ooh, a power that turns me invisible? That could be really useful. I really wanted something that would let me fly, since my dreams of soaring with Alexandria were not quite forgotten yet. The closest thing I found so far was a power that let me fall from great heights without hurting myself too badly. Ughh, that's not good enough. I heard the front door as Dad entered the house.
"Hey Taylor, I'm ho- GAH!" He squealed in a decidedly un-masculine way. "Can't you make sandwiches normally?"
"Hm?" I looked up in confusion. My ghost hand was currently assembling a small egg salad sandwich while I was sitting ten feet away. "Want me to make you one too Dad?"
"Errr, no that's alright sweetie. I'll just wait for dinner." He said as he slowly edged away. "I'm going to go get changed now."
I wonder what's bothering him. I turned my focus back inwards and onto the available motes of power. I found one that could cause people to fall asleep. It probably wouldn't work on any capes that were above baseline human for toughness, but it still seemed like a useful power. At the very least, I could probably use it on myself when I had trouble sleeping. I grabbed that one and absorbed it, as well as the invisibility power. I still didn't feel prepared to go out on patrol or fight crime, but I was itching to test out my new powers. I sighed, knowing I probably wouldn't have a chance while Dad was home. I used my ghost hand to bring my sandwich over and started feeding myself while I daydreamed about taking down the Empire 88 with Alexandria.
February 21st, 2011
Insight: Hey Songbird, howd the meeting go ;)?
I stared at the message. Why was she using Songbird now? Was she just trying to annoy me? I had just made a new PHO account with my new name.
Nightingale: Good, I hired him. Why are you using Songbird now? I thought you didn't like it.
Insight: Ehh, it grew on me ;)
I felt my eyebrows twitch as I read Insight's latest message. I half-wished I had taken that evil laughing power just so I could use it on her if I ever met her in person. We had been messaging back and forth for a few weeks now, and she had given me a lot of helpful background on the Brockton Bay cape scene as well as the unwritten rules that I hadn't found just browsing PHO. I had a meeting with Calle in a few days, and I wanted to go over some things with Insight.
Insight: Awww, dont ignore me. I'm just playing with you. Lemme use my psychic powers on you right now: you're wondering if we're going to meet irl.
Nightingale: Are we?
Insight: Prolly not. I havent made it this long by not being a paranoid weirdo.
Nightingale: As far as I'm aware, you've only been active for six months.
Insight: Pshh, thats still 6 months longer than u, newbie.
Ugh, her grammar and spelling had also gotten worse over the past few weeks as our messages became less formal. I wonder if she was doing that on purpose too. I'm beginning to suspect that her thinker power was actually 'how to be as irritating as possible,' rather than the psychic mind reading that she liked to claim.
Insight: How are the martial arts classes going?
I felt a surge of panic rise within me. How could she possibly know I was learning self-defense? Was she actually psychic? Has she been spying on me? I had hoped that dad would sign me up for Krav Maga or something badass like that, though I guess that was wishful thinking. Instead I was taking Intro to Self-Defense for Women. It was actually pretty useful, especially since I was a total beginner. Most of the advice and techniques taught in the class centered on attacking the opponent's groin area.
Nightingale: How did you know I was taking classes?
Insight: You just told me ;) Something like 80% of new capes who want to be heroes sign up for some type of martial arts right after triggering. I totally got you though ^_^ What are you learning?
I flushed in embarrassment. There was no such thing as psychic capes. It was like the only thing parahuman scholars actually agreed on.
Nightingale: I'm not telling you.
Insight: Awww, don't be like that. Ur cute when you blush.
Before I could control myself, my head snapped up as I quickly scanned the library. My heart was pounding much too loudly for my liking.
Insight: HA! You totally looked, didn't you.
I logged out of PHO and switched browser tabs back to the lesson I was supposed to be working on. Stupid Insight. I sighed. I hadn't even gotten around to asking her the questions I wanted to ask. As irritating as she could be, it was actually kind of nice to have someone talk to, even if it was only online. It was almost as if we were friends. I sighed again. I don't think I realized until now how lonely the past year and a half has been. I debated logging back into PHO and continuing my conversation with Insight, and ultimate decided against it. I could almost feel the smugness emanating from the computer screen at the thought of her reaction to me logging back in. There's always tomorrow.
After a few relatively easy hours, I was able to get all my work done for the day and I was ready to head home. Without the terrible trio sabotaging me and making my life a stressful mess, learning was surprisingly easy.
Taking the bus home wasn't too bad. For the most part, none of the gangs ever bothered any of the riders. One of the rules from Marquis' era that people still respected. Maybe I could get a dirt bike or a Vespa when I started making money, though I don't think Dad would be too happy about that.
When I got home, I still had a little bit of alone time before Dad returned. Perfect time for some power testing. I pulled out a bag of catnip that I had bought recently from our pantry and headed out to the backyard.
One of our neighbors was a… well… she was a cat lady. I'm not sure how many cats she actually owned, but one of them, a fat Persian cat called Mrs. Fluffypaws, was constantly invading our backyard. I started waving a few sprigs of catnip around while calling her name. "Come out come out wherever you are Mrs. Fluffypaws! I have some recreational drugs for you."
After a few minutes of waiting, the stupid cat actually showed up and started meowing at me. I led her inside where nobody else could see what we were doing. I wonder if this is what being a Merchant drug pusher felt like.
Once back inside, I reached out and started scratching her ear. "Thanks for volunteering to be my test subject, Mrs. Fluffypaws."
No, I wasn't going to test my thunder power on her. I had already tested my invisibility power on myself several times, and I had a gut feeling that it would work on others as well. With a quick tug of my power, Mrs. Fluffypaws abruptly winked out of sight. The invisibility was perfect! I couldn't see even a trace of her. I whooped a little and did a quick rendition of my 'I'm Awesome' dance. I reached down to gra- huh… I don't think I thought this through.
"Mrs. Fluffypaws?" I whispered. "Where are you? Make some noise please."
The stupid cat ignored my request. Well, based on my previous tests, it should wear off in about an hour. Nothing I could do about it now. Might as well get dinner started. I started walking towards the kitchen and promptly tripped over an invisible cat and landed hard on the floor. Ouch. That was definitely going to leave some bruising. This was not my proudest moment as a hero. Stupid cat. I briefly reconsidered testing my thunder blasting power on Mrs. Fluffypaws before healing my bruises. The cat had screeched and ran off into a different section of my house after I tripped over it. Hopefully she can let herself out.
I wandered into the kitchen and started preparing dinner. I wasn't going to make anything too fancy, just a simple stir fry of chicken breast and mixed veggie. Dad wasn't much of a cook, and I had slowly picked up the slack over the last few years.
Dad still wasn't home by the time I finished cooking. I called his office to see if he was still there, but there was no answer. After waiting a bit, I ate alone and packed away some leftovers for Dad when he got home. He'd been working late pretty often lately, but he'd usually call to let me know when he wouldn't be back for dinner. I knew he was stressed out about something, but he always insisted everything was fine whenever I talked to him. I probably could've squeezed something more out of him with my 'persuasion' skills, but it felt wrong to use that on my dad.
I tried not to worry too much as I turned on the TV in the living room and went through my calisthenics and yoga exercises. At almost 10 PM, Dad called me to say he was going to be home late and that I shouldn't wait up for him. I sighed. It's not like I could be angry with him, considering how many secrets I was keeping from him. I just hoped we weren't drifting apart again.
February 22nd, 2011
Dad must have left for work early today, because he was already out of the house by the time I woke up. He had cooked me some eggs and left it on the kitchen table though, which was nice of him. I just ate cereal most mornings. I can't shake the feeling that he was avoiding me for some reason. No that's ridiculous. Dad wouldn't do that to me. I can't let my insecurities affect my relationship with him.
After breakfast, I was on my way to the library again to do my schoolwork and check my messages. After settling into my preferred corner in the library, I logged into my PHO account and checked my messages.
Insight: Awww, I'm just playing with you. Come back :(
Insight: Hellooo. I know you have questions for me.
Insight: T^T
Ha! Take that. I typed out a message and sent it before switching focus to my lessons.
Nightingale: Hey Insight. So I should be getting some cash soon (hopefully). What kind of laptop should I be getting, and what do I need to worry about in terms of security? And how much should I expect to spend?
I should be focused on my schoolwork, but I can't resist checking PHO's Brockton Bay news section first.
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Topic:...Just to clarify (Laserdream here)
In: Boards ►Brockton Bay news
Laserdream (Original Poster) (Verified Cape)(New Wave)
Posted OnFeb 3rd 2011:
Just to be clear, that picture floating around the internet of the blonde girl kissing another girl IS NOT ME. Ffs, you can't even see the girl's face in that pic. I have nothing against homosexuality, and I absolutely support a person's right to love whichever gender they want. However, and I'm sorry to disappoint all the ladies out there, I'm straight.
(Showing page 1 of 9)
►XxVoid_CowboyxX(Wiki Warrior)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
noooooooooooooooo
►SpecificProtagonist(CapeGroupie)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Awwww, this makes me really sad :(
►Packrat
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Wtf, I saw you at that party two weeks ago Laserdream. You were totally kissing that girl. Lame that you're trying to deny it now that it's gotten a bit of media attention.
►GstringGirl
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
I don't believe that Laserdream would lie about something like this!
►Insight(Verified Cape)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
This thread is great. I know thetrue story, and I'll sell it to any media publication (or rich weirdo) for $20,000.
►SpecificProtagonist(Cape Groupie)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Oh? So there's hope?
►Laserdream(Original Poster) (Verified Cape) (New Wave)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
This is ridiculous. I'm not going to respond to this thread anymore. My statement is out there. Believe it or not, I don't care anymore.
►BadSamurai
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Laserdream I don't believe you. That totally looks like you in the picture.
►JLawson(Verified Journalist)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Insight, check your PM.
End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 7, 8, 9
Wow, there are already nine pages on this? This thread is a great example of why publicly unmasking is a bad idea. I guess some people really enjoyed the fame. Laserdream seems pretty laid back, but Glory Girl seems to really love the spotlight based on all her media appearances that I've seen. I was saved from diving deeper into the thread when I received a new private message.
Insight: Pshh, you were mean to me yesterday.
Insight: You can get a decent laptop for around $1,500. DragonTech sells some good ones. I'd just get a Dragonbook Pro. An unsecured sim card for internet access will run you $50-$100 a week, but you should get a good encrypted one. Calle can order all this for you through his office. It'll cost about $2,000 upfront for the sim card and about $500 a month for encrypted internet access (you can prepay for a year). It won't be 100% foolproof, but it should be good enough. I'll set you up with all the encryption software you'll need after you get it.
I almost choked at the price tag that Insight was quoting. $3,500 upfront, and then $500 a month afterwards? That was definitely more money than I've ever spent on anything in my life. It shouldn't be an issue though if Calle came through for me. Dad worked himself to the bones to keep the two of us fed and housed. At the rates that Calle was estimating, in a single healing session, I could earn as much as Dad did in an entire year, even after Calle's cut. The unfairness of it all was a bitter pill to swallow. I honestly don't know how Dad would feel about all this. Would he be happy for me? Would he even be willing to take money from me, or would it hurt his pride too much for me to even offer? Maybe it was a moot point. It wasn't like I could go on a shopping spree without attracting the wrong kind of attention. Big orders would have to be done through Calle's office.
Insight: Hey, I know it's a lot, but you should be set on money pretty soon right? Make sure you get a couple burner phones as well, and swap them out every few months.
Nightingale: Yeah, it should be fine. I won't have to resort to selling tabloid stories, at the very least.
Insight: Ohhoho, someone's feeling cheeky today. You still need to tell me what kind of martial arts you're learning.
It felt good to joke around with Insight. She was fun to talk to when she wasn't being annoying. Should I tell her? She'd probably make fun of me, but it never felt malicious when she teased me.
Nightingale: It's not a big deal. I'm not learning any martial arts. I am taking a women's self defense class though.
Insight: OMG you're a girl?! Pics please
Wow, Insight went almost 10 minutes without being annoying. A new record.
Nightingale: Weren't able to figure that out, huh? What kind of thinker are you.
Insight: Ehh you never know. I know you think I'm a young woman, but I could be a 40 year old man using the texting habits of a teenage girl specifically to get you to lower your guard around me.
What? Well there was a terrifying thought. The idea that my… sorta internet friend could be a gross old dude who liked to trick teenage girls online? Ugh. Disturbing. I was stirred from my ruminations when Quinn Calle sent me a message.
QCalle: Hello Miss Nightingale. I just wanted to let you know to keep check ing your messages throughout the next few days. There's a chance our meeting later this week needs to be cancelled and pushed back to a later date.
Huh, I wonder what that was about.
Nightingale: Sure Mr. Calle, is everything alright?
QCalle: Nothing you need to worry about Miss Nightingale. Something unavoidable may come up. That's all. Have a good day!
I frowned as I read Calle's message. I could tell he was keeping something from me. I had so many questions. What unavoidable delay? When could I finally make my debut? Was Insight a gross old guy? Was Mrs. Fluffypaws still inside my house?
I was already going out of my mind with boredom. With each new power I acquired, I was getting more and more anxious to use them. I know none of my abilities are that powerful, but I was already versatile and I was only getting stronger. If I didn't find an outlet for my powers soon, I was going to go crazy.
Insight: Hello? I'm not a 40 year old man. Stop ignoring me.
February 26th, 2011
I am an idiot. No I'm not, I'm a hero. I slid my window open and silently jumped out into the darkness. With a quick use of my ghost hand, I closed and locked the window from the inside. This would be an incredibly useful skill for breaking and entering if I wasn't a hero.
I wasn't really ready for this, I can admit, but I was dying to go out there and start making a difference. When Calle mentioned more testing before I was ready to heal, he apparently meant involving Panacea and the PRT to make sure I wasn't spreading cape cancer when I healed. We were supposed to meet this past week, but then the Simurgh attacked Cranberra (which apparently is in Australia). Due to the time difference, I slept right through the attack. It was beyond frustrating. I wonder how many capes died that I could've saved with my healing.
Panacea was still in Australia dealing with the aftermath, and I wanted to volunteer my services too. Calle assured me that they wouldn't let an untested healer use their power on capes though, especially after a Simurgh attacked. I don't think I've ever felt more useless in my life.
Thus, sneaking out my window to go on a patrol. It's been over a month since I gained my powers, and the need to do anythingfinally won out over prudence.
Not having to deal with Emma and Sophia for so many weeks had done wonders for me mentally, and with my recent changes, I didn't hate what I saw when I looked in the mirror for the first time in a long while. I still didn't consider myself beautiful or anything, but… I was getting there? Maybe? Even Dad had said I was getting prettier every day. Then again, maybe that's something all dads are obligated to say.
We still didn't talk much. I could tell he was still stressed, and he wouldn't say where he was earlier in the week when he didn't come home except he had work to do. I hated being pushed to talk about things when I didn't want to, so I didn't pry any more.
Still, my confidence was at an all-time high, and I was ready to go kick some ass. I wasn't sure what exactly caused me to gain new powers, but I suspected that the more active I was in using them, the faster they would unlock.
No healing meant I didn't have any money yet, and none of the equipment I wanted. Dad had given me some pepper spray and a rape whistle when I started jogging in the mornings. The pepper spray would be useful, but I don't think the whistle would do much in a city where villains like Hookwolf and Oni Lee roamed around.
With the pepper spray and my six weeks of self-defense training, I was clearly ready to start a fight with a gang. Or at the very least, I could turn invisible and run away.
I didn't even have a costume yet. I was wearing my darkest jeans, a pair of hiking boots, and a dark grey hoodie with the hood up and my domino mask. I probably looked more like a gang member than a hero. It would probably be a better idea to do this patrol invisible. With a small tug of power, I winked out of sight. It immediately occurred to me that I probably should have done that before jumping out the window. Note to self: don't get hit by a car while invisible.
I decided to steer clear of Empire or Lung's territory, and stick to the docks area near my house where I knew the Merchants were active. I wonder if every new cape in Brockton Bay starts out the same way. I got powers now! Time to go kick a crackhead in the face! It was almost enough to make me feel sorry for the Merchants.
I wandered around near the docks for an hour without seeing anything interesting before I spotted a girl being followed by two shady looking guys. She was an African-American girl and looked around my age, or maybe a bit younger, and she was bobbing her head to music from her headphones while completely oblivious to her surroundings. I shook my head incredulously. The two guys following her looked emaciated and had sunken, gaunt faces that showed the telltale signs of drug addiction, and the clothes they wore were dirty and disheveled. Looks like I found some Merchants.
Why the hell would a teenage girl be wandering around this crappy neighborhood in the middle of the night? It took me a few seconds to notice the hypocrisy of that thought.
I started following them a bit closer while still invisible. Maybe they'll leave her alone. I shouldn't judge them just because they look like crack addicts. Oh wait, they're grabbing her and dragging her into the alley. Yup, they're Merchants.
I immediately ran in after her. Think Taylor! I need a plan. I couldn't use my thunder blast power without hitting the girl also. The sleep power? No, I haven't practiced with it enough, and I don't think I have great control over it. It might just cause the girl to fall asleep while completely ignoring the two Merchants. That would be a disaster. An illusion maybe? I could replicate the sounds of a police siren or something. If it didn't work though, I'd have given up the element of surprise for nothing.
Better to just strike hard and fast. I could take them. The pepper spray and physical attacks would have to do. Remember your training Taylor: go for the groin. The invisibility would wear off as soon as I attacked, so I'd only have one shot at this. I readied my ghost hand and used it to float the pepper spray over to the merchants.
"Hey!" I yelled at them.
As they turned to face me, I blasted the Merchant farther away from me in the face with the pepper spray. He started screaming and clawing at his face. I charged the other guy, and before he could react, I slammed my knee into his junk as hard as I could. I admit I felt a little bad about it as he let out a high pitched squeal. I quickly followed up with a palm strike to his nose. Less chance of breaking a finger or wrist than a closed fist, according to my instructor. The thug collapsed to the ground with a piteous moan. I'm pretty sure I broke his nose.
Wow, I did it. That wasn't too hard. I turned to face the other Merchant just in time for him to knock me over as he sprinted by. He took off running and was gone before my wits returned to me. Ooph, that really knocked the wind out of me. I sat up gingerly.
Huh, my body felt oddly warm, and wet. I looked down. GAH! There was a switchblade sticking out of my stomach! Huh, why didn't it hurt? Oh wait, there's the pain. A LOT OF IT. I had to stifle a scream as the pain kicked in. Blood was starting to pool out at an alarming rate. Don't panic Taylor, you can heal this. I was almost hyperventilating as I readied my healing power and used it on myself. I looked down. The knife was still in my stomach. Why did I think that would work. I grabbed the knife, and before I could give it anymore thought I yanked it out. The pain was excruciating and made me want to track down Emma and pepper spray her in the face. I quickly pulled on the healing power again and sighed as the pain started to fade away.
"Hey, are you OK?" The girl asked, hovering over me with a concerned look on her face. "Should I call for an ambulance or something?"
"I'm fine." I croaked out. "Fast healing. The wound's already closed." Shakily, I got up to my feet. The front of my hoodie was now covered in blood. The other merchant was just lying on the ground now, crying as blood streamed out of his nose. He didn't look like he'd be getting up anytime soon.
"Wow, you're kinda bad at this, huh?" The girl asked. The nerve of this girl! Right after I took a knife to the stomach for her. She actually looked a little familiar. I wonder if she's a student at Winslow.
I glared at her without responding.
"Uhh, thanks for saving me I guess. I'm Aisha." She held out her hand for me shake. I ignored it.
"What the hell are you doing out at this time of the night? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" I glared at her some more. Take that, silly teenage girl.
She looked pretty abashed. "I had to get out of the house for a while." She muttered. "My mom… she… look, she's a dick alright?"
I sighed. Yelling at this girl wasn't going to make me feel better. "Alright, can you get home OK? You want to call the cops or something?"
"I don't have a cell phone," She replied. "Do you?"
"… no." I replied sullenly.
"So… this your first night out or something? "Aisha asked. "What's your name."
Should I give her my name? This night has been a disaster so far. I refuse to let this be my debut. "… I'm not giving you my name."
Aisha rolled her eyes. "Not your real name. Your cape name."
"Look, I haven't made my real debut yet, so I'm not going to give you my cape name either. I'm not even supposed to be out right now." This girl was giving me a headache.
"Huh? Does that mean you're a new Ward? What am I supposed to call you then? What's your power? I saw that creepy looking green hand thingy. Is that it?"
What? My ghost hand is awesome, not creepy. I returned to glaring at her. "Look, you need to head home. It's dangerous out here."
"OK sure!" She smiled brightly. "We can keep chatting while you walk me home. You were actually pretty badass right up until that douche stuck a knife into you. Can I keep the knife?"
What the hell. "I'm not going to walk you home. And no, I'm keeping the knife." I'm pretty sure pulling it out of my stomach entitled me to keep it.
She gasped. "The big strong hero is going to make this defenseless maiden walk home all alone in the middle of the night? How could you."
As annoying as she was, I guess she had a point. "Look, I can temporarily turn you invisible, and you can use that to get home safely, OK?"
"YOU CAN DO WHAT?" She squealed. I think one of my eardrums burst. "That. Is. Awesome! Can you imagine the pranks we can pull with that?"
I don't think I could glare any harder at her, but I refuse to stop trying. "My powers aren't for pranking!"
"C'mon, what's your phone number? Or PHO username?" Aisha kept badgering me. "Don't be afraid to live a little. I won't tell the rest of the Wards. Hello? Say Something?"
I sighed, and with a tug of my power I turned her invisible and then used it on myself. It was time to run away.
"Hey! Not cool!" She yelled out at me. "What kind of a person just disappears during the middle of a conversation! RUDE!"
Huh, Aisha's invisibility wore off as soon as I used it on myself. I need to test the limits of my powers more carefully. I sighed and released the invisibility effect from myself. "I guess I'll walk you home then."
She smiled brightly at me. "OK, I guess I can forgive you then. C'mon, it's not that far away."
I briefly debated calling an ambulance for the Merchant who was still lying on the ground crying, but he'd probably be OK.
We started walking towards Aisha's house. She turned to look at me and smirked. "You know," she started, "I should introduce you to my bro. The two of you would get along great."
Was she trying to set me up on date? I didn't like the way she was smirking. "No thanks," I replied. "What school do you guys go to? Winslow?"
"Nah, I'm in the 8th grade. I'll probably go there this fall. My bro does some kind of online thing." She responded.
This girl was only a middle-schooler? She already had much larger breasts than I did. How annoying.
By the time I walked Aisha home and re-entered my room, it was nearly 3:00 AM and I was exhausted. My front torso was covered in dried blood now, and I couldn't shower without waking up Dad. I stripped out of my bloody hoodie and shirt, and stuffed them into the back of my closet. There was a glass of water on my desk, and after drinking a few gulps, I dumped the rest onto a clean shirt and used it to wipe the blood off of my stomach. Two shirts and a hoodie ruined in one night, as well as a near death experience.
I wriggled out of my pants and crawled into bed without bothering to change into my pajamas. Being a hero was exhausting. Tonight… could have gone better. One of those guys could've had a gun, or he could've stabbed me in the heart or eye instead of my stomach. I could heal myself, but I wasn't a real brute. All the healing powers in the world wouldn't help me if I'm dead. I knew going out so underprepared was foolish, and I did it anyways. I could've died tonight.
I got lucky tonight. No more going out before I was fully prepared. Once I had some money coming in, I could use it to commission a proper costume that was bullet and knife proof. I could only hope that my new resolve would outlast my impatience.
Still, as bad as tonight could have gone, I had managed to save Aisha. The fact that she could give Insight a run for her money on the Annoy-O-Scale doesn't change the fact that I was officially a hero now. I smiled as I felt a familiar stirring within my core. Another mote was available.
February 27th, 2011
"Taylor, wake up."
I ignored the voice and snuggled deeper into my blanket.
"Are you feeling OK sweetie? It's already almost noon." The voice continued. I felt something shake me a little.
I ignored the voice and snuggled deeper into my blanket. Now something was tugging at my blanket. No! Go away.
"What the… are you naked under there, Taylor?" Wait what?
"GET OUT!" I shrieked. Dad bolted from my room, faster than I've seen him move in a very long time, in what I assumed was abject terror.
I looked toward my closet. I must have been too exhausted last night after sneaking in to change into my pajamas or properly clean myself, based on how gross I felt. Thank god Dad didn't see the bloodstained clothes that I had shoved in there.
I grabbed some clean clothes and headed towards the shower. Whatever Dad wanted, he could wait another half hour. I unlocked more powers last night, but was too tired to make a decision. As I showered, I turned my focus inwards and examined what was available: I could pick one from the pool of weaker powers that didn't tire me out to use, and one 'regular' power.
I examined the minor powers first. There was one that would let imbue malice into my voice and cause pain in my enemies by viciously mocking them. I shuddered as I examined it. After a year and a half of what Emma, Sophia, and Madison put me through, could I really use the on someone else? Sure, the gang members and villains in my city probably deserved it, but I didn't want to be like the trio at all. I was better than them. None of the others seemed as useful in a fight, but one caught my attention. It didn't seem really useful; it was basically a small collection of tricks, such as minor sensory effects, small illusions, lighting or putting out small fires, cleaning or soiling objects. Mom would call it something like 'prestidigitation.' She was one of those English professors that really let you know she was one; always quoting literature or using obscure but fun words. I felt myself tearing up a little bit as I thought of mom. Prestidigitation. I liked it. If nothing else, it meant I would never have to do laundry again.
I decided to hold off choosing my other power for now. I finished showering and returned to my bedroom. Time to test out my new trick. I pulled the bloody clothes out of my closet and focused on them. "Abra-cadabra," I whispered with a wave of my hands. I felt the words pull on my power as they left my mouth. Huh, that was weird. With a quick shimmer, the blood and dirt on my bloody hoodie vanished. It looked completely clean, although it still had a small whole where the knife had gone through. What a convenient way to destroy DNA evidence.
I decided not to keep Dad waiting any longer and headed downstairs. He was sitting at our kitchen table, looking uncomfortable while pretending to read the Sunday paper. There was a plate of eggs with bacon already out for me. I sat down and started eating. "G'morning, dad," I mumbled around a mouthful of bacon.
"So…" He started. We stared at each other awkwardly for a minute. "Is this a new… thing… with you?"
"What? No dad. I was just…" too exhausted to change into my pajamas after sneaking out in the middle of the fight to pick a fight with gang members? "I was just… trying something new." I finished feebly.
We stared at each other awkwardly some more. He cleared his throat. "Right… so… Taylor, I met with lawyers from the school district this week." Dad started talking. I guess we're moving on. Thank god. "They made a settlement offer."
I stopped chewing my bacon. Is this what Dad has been stressed about? I hadn't really been paying attention to what was happening with our lawsuit against the school and my three tormenters since I gave my deposition. "OK? Was the offer good?"
"Yeah I guess. A fairly large monetary payoff. More than we expected actually," Dad said. "And they agreed to fast-track your transfer to Arcadia."
"Alright? That's good news, isn't it?" I guess it was, even if it meant I had to start going to a real school again. Being on my own was bliss compared to Winslow, but it could get lonely. The only people I talked to besides my Dad were Insight and Calle. One of them was my lawyer, and the other… I didn't really know if Insight thought me of as a friend or just a client. I hoped it was the former. Arcadia had to be better. Everyone knew they had a zero tolerance policy on bullying. I could get a fresh start there, and a really good education.
"Yeah. They want us to sign an NDA on everything also, and agree to drop the suit against the rest of the defendants and not bring any action related to this against any other parties in the future." Dad continued. The school was still trying to protect the three bitches? I guess that makes sense. They just want it to go away, and not deal with any bad PR in the future either.
"So the three of them just get away with it? No punishment or anything?" I asked.
Dad shrugged. Did I still care about the trio? If I was honest, then yeah I still did. They made my life hell for over a year. I lost my best friend. They could've killed me with that locker stunt. Of course it bothered me that they were going to get away with everything. But I didn't want it to. I wanted to move on. I wanted to be a better person than them. I didn't want them to still affect me so much, all these weeks later.
"You should accept it then Dad," I said. "I don't care about them anymore. I just want to move on."
Dad smiled at me. "That's good to hear Taylor. I'm happy for you."
"Has this been stressing you out lately? Is that where you were earlier this week when you didn't come home?" I asked.
Dad frowned. He shook his head a little and sighed. I waited a minute but it didn't seem like he was going to share anymore.
"Dad," I said softly. I reached forward and grasped his hand. I looked straight into his eyes and smiled gently. "You can talk to me you know." Oh god, was I doing it again.
Dad sighed again. "No… I met with Alan."
Guilt hit me like a punch in the gut. I hadn't really considered what my thing with Emma must have been doing to Dad and Alan. They were best friends since childhood, as close as Emma and I used to be. Did I destroy a lifelong friendship? If I had just kept Dad out of it… "I'm sorry Dad. It's all my fau-"
"No Taylor," Dad interrupted me. "Alan acting like a complete asshat is not in any conceivable way your fault. It's just… I don't understand how he could act like this all of a sudden. I thought he was always raising his girls right, and then this… I don't know what happened to them."
I wonder if Dad would stick up for me like Emma's dad did for her if I ever went completely psycho too. I'd like to think so. "You didn't get into a brawl or anything like that with him, did you?"
Dad grinned sheepishly but didn't deny anything. "What, you worried about your old man? I could take that prissy Ivy-league milksop any day of the week."
I groaned. Dad thought of himself as a real tough guy. It felt good to have an honest conversation with him. It made me want to open up too. Sneaking around these past few weeks, keeping secrets from my Dad when he's supported me so much… it made me feel sick. "Dad, I have something to tell you. I… I have other powers besides just healing."
He went very still. A strange look crossed his face. "Alright. Like what?"
"Lots of stuff. I can turn invisible. I can make people fall asleep. Illusions. I can create small thunder blasts. And I'm still gaining new powers too!"
He took a deep breath. "How long have you known about these other powers?"
I shrugged. "A while now."
He didn't look too satisfied with that answer. "This… doesn't change anything though, right?" He asked hopefully. I knew exactly what he meant.
"Dad… you can't ask me not to use my other powers." How could I convince him? "You know, there's been all these studies about what happens to capes who don-"
"So what?" He interrupted, looking a little bit irritated. "I'm supposed to be OK with whatever you want to do? I don't get a say in it?"
A hundred right things to say rushed through my mind, but none of it felt like it was ME. The problem with just me was that I didn't know how to respond to him.
"Taylor, please tell me you haven't already done something incredibly stupid like sneak out in the middle of the night to look for crime." Uh oh. Dad looked pretty angry now.
I really wished he hadn't asked that. Why did I think this was a good idea? I could lie. It would be so easy to lie. I just sat there silently instead.
Dad abruptly stood up. "I can't deal with this right now." He said, and started heading towards the front door.
What the hell. "You're just leaving? Where are you going?" I asked.
"Out. We'll talk about this later Taylor!" He yelled back at me as he stepped through the front door and slammed it shut.
Un-fucking-believable. I wasn't going to stay around the house and mope all day. I was going to be a hero, even if it pissed Dad off.
I went up to my room and grabbed all the cash I had along with a backpack. I hadn't bought or acquired any gear yet (except the small knife I pulled out of my stomach), opting instead to wait until I could start making real money healing. After debating with myself for a second, I stuck the switchblade into my jeans pocket. I had a decent amount of allowance money saved up, since I didn't have a social life and I wasn't one of those girls who bought a lot of makeup or clothes. It wasn't much, but I could get started on some essentials today.
I left the house and hopped onto a bus. My first stop was a large sporting goods and hunting store downtown. It's amazing what you can buy in a store like this. Hunting rifles for one. I knew my dad kept one underneath his bed, but I wasn't going to go near something like that. I did buy a collapsible baton with a sheath, a few more canisters of pepper spray, some heavy duty zip ties, and a small flashlight/stun gun combo device. All together, it was only around $100, which was a bit less than I expected.
I briefly considered getting a machete before deciding against it. Chopping someone's hand off was a quick way to get me labeled as a villain, and it would also be really gross. I stared longingly at the compound bows and crossbows they had on display for a minute. I think Shadow Stalker used a hunting crossbow when she first started out as an independent hero to great effect. Probably too great of an effect actually, if the rumors of her being press-ganged into the Wards were true. Insight had mentioned that Shadow Stalker was a real psycho, but as long as she was only busting up gang members and villains, I didn't really care. As cool as they looked, I couldn't buy one. The price tags on those things were beyond my reach for now. Plus, they were really dangerous. I didn't want to accidentally kill someone with an arrow.
The cashier eyed me funnily as I paid him in cash for the various weapons I picked out, but I didn't pay him any mind. My next stop was a small electronics store nearby. I had one more item on my shopping list: a prepaid cell phone. I felt… conflicted about getting one. If I was going to be out in the field, not having a cell phone to call the police or the PRT was just stupid. Even so, with the way that Mom... Dad wouldn't be happy about it either, but he doesn't have to know about this. I paid for a small, brick shaped phone. It didn't have a touch screen or any fancy gizmos on it,
I wasn't ready to head home yet, so I stopped by the library to check my PHO messages, and saw that I had new messages from Quinn Calle and Insight. I opened up Calle's message first.
QCalle: Hello Miss Nightingale! Good news, we can reschedule your power testing for this upcoming Wednesday, on March 2nd. If that works for you, just send back a quick confirmation and plan on meeting at my office at 9:00am on Wednesday so we can head out together.
Finally, some good news. I sent back a quick reply to confirm and moved onto Insight's message.
Insight: Hey, I'm sending this to all my contacts. A new parahuman was spotted in the Docks district last night, and was seen getting into a fight with some Merchants. If you have info on the new parahuman, contact me and we can work out payment.
What the hell? How did what happened last night get out so fast? I checked the Brockton Bay news section and groaned at the newest topic I saw.
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Topic: To the hero with the creepy third hand...
In: Boards ► Brockton Bay news
Imp (Original Poster)
Posted On Feb 27th 2011:
Thanks for saving me last night from the Merchants! I owe you one! PM me sometime!
(Showing page 1 of 3)
►Saskatchew
Replied On Feb 27th 2011:
Wut? Is this post a joke? Is there really a new cape in BB with 3 arms?
►Xylophone
Replied On Feb 27th 2011:
Ewww, that's really gross. As if there werent enough weirdos in BB already.
►Chilldrizzle
Replied On Feb 27th 2011:
PandaForce
If it is a new cape, it's probably a Case 53. They can't control what they look like. Don't be such a [censored].
►Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)
Replied On Feb 27th 2011:
I wonder if this new case53 cape will join Faultline's crew. That's where most of the ones in BB end it.
►Feychick
Replied On Feb 27th 2011:
How do we even if it's cape? We don't know powers this guy has, or even if he has any. What if he's just some mutant that was born with 3 arms. That's a real thing right? I read an article online about this guy who devoured his twin in utero, and when he was born, there were like bits of the dead twin sticking out of it.
►Ekul
Replied On Feb 27th 2011:
Feychick
... o_o wtf man
►Overwatch
Replied On Feb 27th 2011:
To the new hero: if you're reading this, PM me. I have information and a proposition for you.
►Qwop
Replied On Feb 27th 2011:
Feychick
I dont even know how to respond to that.
OP - If you're being serious about the new parahuman, at least share some more details. Was it a him or a her? What powers did you witness? General physical description?
►Feychick
Replied On Feb 27th 2011:
What? It's a real thing. I read about it online!
End of Page. 1, 2, 3
I was going to kill Aisha if I ever saw her again. At least she didn't give out any more details about me. Hopefully, nobody will ever connect me to this embarrassing post. Who was Overwatch? I had seen the name floating around online a few times, but there were any real details about it. Something to ask Calle or Insight about I guess. I sent off a quick reply to Insight, feigning ignorance, and decided to head home. I still didn't know what I was going to do about Dad… but being hero? It was the only thing I had right now.