"Why, what's wrong?" Taylor asked.
"Someone stole my credit card and -" he said solemnly.
"Oh no! What a horrible thing to do! Who could have done such a thing?" Taylor interrupted. "Did you manage to deactivate it?"
"I did yeah," Danny continued, to Taylor's horror. She'd have to figure out a new way to replenish her cash reserves. Cinderhands had been completely useless, and his actions had gotten most of her summons killed in the bank attack. Not that they'd been good capes, just a bunch of useless one and two stars, but still, it was the thought of the thing.
"What's worse, it was stolen from inside the house," Danny continued.
Did he know? Was he on to her? How would she manage to spin the Gacha while grounded? What if there was some sort of time-limited event while she was stuck at home? Like a special teenage Armsmaster or something like that?
"Now that you say it, some of my pocket money has gone missing too," Taylor said. "I thought I'd just misplaced it."
"It has?" Danny asked, folding his hands in front of him in deep thought, the light of the kitchen lamp reflecting off his glasses. "I guess it's probably one of those new capes the PRT has been warning people about."
"New capes?" I asked.
"Yes. Apparently Lung got defeated, and people that were thought to be in the birdcage have been leaving a trail of bodies throughout the city."
"Sounds horrible. Anyway, if there's a thief around, did you manage to hide the rest of the money?" she asked.
"Yes," Danny replied. "It's safely hidden behind the old coal chute, why do you ask?"
"No reason," Taylor replied, walking past her old man, going up to her room for some sleep, she had a whole new day of Gacha spinning to do tomorrow.
"Kiddo, one last thing," her old man said.
"What is it daddo?" she asked.
"Be careful, I heard there's kidnappers out there, going so far as to abduct the Mayor's niece from her home."
"That sounds horrible!" Taylor replied. "I'll make sure to stay safe dad!"
Taylor dashed up the stairs, her mind racing through a new plan. Taking money from criminals had only delivered her a meagre amount, and sending Cinderhands to rob a bank had just been a complete failure. If only Scion would reduce the cost of a spin, that wouldn't be a problem, but it was just so expensive! Yet she had to! What if she missed out?
But bringing back kidnapped girls, that was something that could probably make her a lot of money. Hell, if this succeeded, she could have one of her summons kidnap someone, and then use another to bring them back and grab the reward money, a perfect scheme!
As she entered her bedroom, she opened the window and jumped down, sneaking into the basement while her father was distracted, and grabbing a wad of cash from behind the old coal chute where he said it'd be.
Her hideout, so to speak, was a squeaky-clean old warehouse with shining white bathroom tiles on the walls and floor. Cleaned by the bleach-like properties of Acidbath's breaker state, it was almost completely empty. In the corner, three dejected Chubsters, one of them in a clown costume, sat on the floor complaining that they were hungry. Stupid, because she sure as hell wasn't going to spend more money on food for the lazy fatties than she'd spend on summoning them in the first place.
"Hey boss, what's the new plan?" Acidbath asked from the one table in the large office room, where he'd been playing cards with the bruised Cinderhands.
"Someone kidnapped a little girl," Taylor replied. "We're gonna steal her from the kidnappers and cash in!"
"Sounds like a plan," Acidbath said. "Which I know from having kidnapped many a woman in my day."
"Y'know, I keep forgetting I mostly talk to supervillains these days," Taylor said.
"Chubster's a hero, but you ordered them to remain silent," Cinderhands said.
"Low-Star trash doesn't count. Anyway, we gotta figure out who kidnapped this girl."
"Probably a gang," Acidbath said. "Or a sex criminal, but I think this entire thing is supposed to stay mostly PG."
"Would be better that way," Cinderhands agreed."So, we need a plan, preferably one that doesn't get me killed."
"Meh," Taylor said. "I can miss you. I mean, three stars is only the top layer of low-star trash, and even Acidbath's expendable once I get a five star."
"Hey, that hurts!" Acidbath retorted.
"Don't cry me a river, that'd probably get someone killed," Taylor commanded. "Here's the plan. I just acquired some more cash, so I'm gonna split you guys up and send you against both Coil and the Empire at the same time after spinning the Gacha. Now, most of the ones coming out will be low-star trash like those Chubsters over there, and we don't have all that much room in here, so try to make sure all the shitsters go in first."
"Sounds like a plan," Acidbath said. "You think maybe you can summon some hot ladies for my team?"
"No promises," Taylor said. "Plus, now that you've told me, I'm pretty sure we won't get one anyway. Fucking desire sensors."
She took out her… found money, and got her lighter ready, burning the cash.
Chubster.
Another Chubster
Some useless soyboy nerd called Richter that, completely by accident, had somehow gotten four stars.
A special edition 'Young Dauntless' which was completely useless at a single star.
Another Chubster,
Lady Chubster in a Bikini
"Hey Acidbath, you a Chubstery Chaser now?" Cinderhands asked, elbowing his fellow villain in the side. Acidbath just scowled.
Taylor wasn't sure what to think. Sure, it was a Rule 63, and sure, even within that, it was a special costume.
But it was still a Chubster…
She continued on, racing through her father's savings. After all, what was the point of saving money if you didn't use it to spin the Gacha?
Uber, Uber,
Chubster, Barker, Chubster, Leet,
Chubser,
Some cape in a wedding dress described only as 'Bride Lily', which…
OHMYFUCKINGODITSA5STAR! Taylor yelled out, throwing her remaining cash into the air and showering in it as she looked at her last roll. A young girl of Asian descent wearing a ridiculously elaborate white dress. She had a bride's veil draped over her head, flowers woven into her hair, a bouquet of razor-sharp roses, and the cutest blushing cheeks she'd ever seen.
"ILOVEITILOVEITILOVEIT!" Taylor screamed, jumping at her newest acquisition and embracing her wildly.
Lily, shocked by the yelling, slowly looked around the room. "Where'd Sabah go?" she asked.