Part 9:

Dinner was...a little awkward, honestly. I was constantly thanking whatever forces of the universe that I had Tattletale's power and Grue feeding me information. I was able to make it seem like I was much more familiar with Aisha than I was.

I also silently thanked her for playing along and acting shy. Everything I had learned about her from my two sources had screamed at me that she was anything but. She was, however, able to play the part fairly well.

Once we had eaten, and my dad agreed to let her stay with us while she 'worked past her issues at home', we excused ourselves to my room. I had barely closed the door before she began.

"So, now that your pop is all taken care of, care to explain why I shouldn't be freaking out about you?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but couldn't come up with anything. "I...can ask Grue stuff about you? Tell you things only he knows?"

"I...she's been kind of flighty the past few years. Not sure how much I could tell you that I haven't already." Grue said.

"Oh, like what? I mean, if what you say is true, he must have already shared a bunch. You showing up at mom's and dad's, all the other places you went, all that stuff you said downstairs."

I nodded. "True, he says there's not really much else he could tell me."

"And why were you looking for me? You didn't say that to yourself all day." Aisha asked, plopping down on my bed.

"He asked me to. He...he got into a bad situation..."

"Because of his job. Him being a villain ended up with him getting..."

"Killed? What a shock. Being a stupid criminal gets you on people's shit list." Sophia said.

"Shut up, Sophia." Grue, Tattletale, and I all said. Aisha looked concerned. "Don't worry, just one of my...partners mouthing off."

Her eyes narrowed. "How does that work? I mean, I can't see them, they don't seem to be able to do anything. How do you know you're not just nuts?"

"I...they tell me things. Things I couldn't know."

"Maybe you just get some of their memories. Maybe you're just a psycho."

I looked at the floor. "Maybe I am..."

Aisha let out a breath. "But...if what you say is true, then you...kind of...in a really fucked up and roundabout way, saved my brother."

My eyes shot up in surprise. "What?"

"Look, if you're telling the truth, which I can't be one hundred percent you are, then he was dead anyway. You kind of...preserved him. He would still be around, if you're telling the truth."

I nodded. "I...I am. I just don't know how I could really prove it."

We sat in silence for a moment. Finally, Aisha stood up. "Where is he?"

I pointed toward Grue, who was standing next to the doorway to my room. She walked over, stopping when I motioned for her to. She turned toward him.

"Brian...can you hear me?"

He sighed. "Yes, Aisha, I can." I relayed his message.

"You're an idiot. Look at what you went and did."

"I was trying to protect you. Make enough money to get you out of mom's..."

"Yeah, and you got yourself killed doing it. It's really fucking mom up. Like, more than she had been. And dad..."

"I know. He...he didn't seem great."

Silence loomed over the room again. "This is stupid."

"Shut up, Sophia." I groaned, casting her aside and bringing Mush out. My experiments throughout the day had revealed that he was one of the better choices. Alabaster wasn't awful, so far, but he was still an Empire cape.

Hookwolf and Victor were terrible. I had been called dozens of awful things in the short few minutes that I had each of them out.

They would be staying in timeout until I needed them.

"I was just trying to protect you." Was Grue's response, when he finally found the ability to speak again.

"Well, now look at how things have turned. Looks like I'm gonna need to keep an eye on you."

"What do you mean?" The question was equal parts Grue and myself.

"Well, I'm assuming you and your teammate aren't the only ones little miss reaper here has 'collected', right?"

"Um, no...there have been a few others."

"Were they on their death beds like Brian and...?"

"Tattletale."

"Like Brian and Tattletale?"

I hesitated, which she seemed to take as an answer. The grin she was wearing was almost as bad as Tattletale's, though there was also some trepidation there. She was nervous. She knew what I was capable of. What I could do with a touch.

"Thought so. Well, if you get your butt taken down, then Brian goes with you, right?"

"I...guess so." I said.

"Well then, looks like I'm gonna have to make sure you stay safe, so he stays safe."

She then shrugged. "Well, as safe as a ghost can be."

"Ask her what she means." Grue said. "How does she plan to keep you safe?"

"Aisha, how do you plan to..."

I blinked. Had I been talking to someone? I looked to Grue, Tattletale, and Mush. Grue and Mush seemed more confused than Tattletale and I.

"Something...just happened." Tattletale said.

I nodded. Something was off, I just had to...

I jumped as I felt hands grab my shoulders, and I was face to face with Aisha.

"That's how. I heard you talking about a costume earlier. You're gonna go out there, do the Cape thing..."

I nodded, slowly. Still trying to shake the disorientation of suddenly remembering her.

"Great, hero or villain?"

"Hero." I said.

"Really? With this power you're gonna...? Alright, whatever. I don't care, not my place to judge for that." Aisha said, letting go of me and backing away. "I guess that means I'll be going out with you. Acting as your back up. You could probably use some back up. At least, some that can actually do something."

"Tell her no." Grue said. "I don't want her in danger."

I opened my mouth, but hesitated. She...had a point. Having someone watching my back...it would be a good thing.

"Taylor." Grue said, sounding angrier. "Tell her no."

I sighed. He was right. "Aisha, no...you can't. It's too dangerous. People will be after me. The Empire, for one..."

"And I can make them forget about me if I'm ever in danger. Hell, I'm probably infinitely safer than you."

She was right. Her power was a neat absolute defense. There were probably blind spots, weaknesses, but it was strong.

The possibilities were already forming in my mind. Combining it with Tattletale's power would allow me to gather information at my leisure, and a lot more. I could get anywhere.

Add Shadow Stalker in, and...

I shook my head. A dangerous road to go down. "Your brother doesn't want you in danger..."

"I didn't want him in danger." Aisha said, sadness dripping out of her voice. "Look, I have powers. I'm gonna use them. One way or another. We can do it this way...us watching each other, backing each other up...or I can strike out on my own. Maybe become a vengeful vigilante. Go after the people who killed my brother."

"You would try to take down Lung? Alone? That's..." I stopped, considering that that was more or less my own plan.

I was also stopped by the look she shot me. I reached the conclusion at the same time as Tattletale, a few seconds before Grue.

"That's not really fair..." I said.

"Neither is telling me all of this then turning me away. But if we work together, maybe we can get the real killer. And keep each other alive."

I heard Grue sigh, and turned to see him fold his arms over his chest. "What do you think?" I asked. Aisha looked like she was about to respond, but realized I wasn't talking to her.

"I...I don't like it." Grue said. "But she's the kind of kid who would actually go out and try to do what she's saying. I don't like it at all, but I think having her here, where we can watch her is better."

"I agree. Plus, she can take some of the stress off of you. Be an extra set of eyes. Watch your back, all of that fun stuff." Tattletale said.

I nodded again, and turned to her. "Alright, you're in."

Aisha smiled, and then broke out into a laugh. Well, not really a laugh. More like...a cackle.

I didn't know people actually did that in real life.

"Great, so...I'll need a costume. And probably some weapons, since I don't have the power to kill people with my bare hands. Oh, and..."

I turned my attention to Grue as she continued rattling off items she would need. "This is going to be a bit of a headache, isn't it?"

"Probably..." he said.

I turned back to the girl. She looked more animated than she had since she first appeared. Tattletale's intuition was quick to fill me in.

She had never doubted me. Had assumed my...condition since she first saw me and overheard me.

She had been building up to this. To her pitch.

Both to act as a Cape and be close to what was left of her brother.

I felt myself smile. She was a bit devious, pretty cunning.

Hopefully, I wouldn't be leading her astray...