Titanfall 29

Emily cackled. Jessica eyed her warily. She snorted "I got rid of half of these. Now they are the JDFs problem. More of them are bound to get comfortable and decide taking a shot at the Simurgh is a good idea.

"Meanwhile, there is every chance Behemoth will show up somewhere and start fixing things, that will further reduce this mess to a third, then we can work on normal. Or the new normal. The investigators are busy as they can be turning over every rock the Travelers passed near, much less over. We are going to set records on that investigation and embarrass the fuck out of Chicago and Madison. The ones still alive from Madison anyway.

"The Swiss have decided the Simurgh fixing everything in the country remotely is a good start on reparations from her. Little Zizzy has been sandbagging, hard.

"State can worry about all these others demands. We can concentrate on what is going on on the ground here."

Jessica nodded "And this report of volcanic activity at Newfoundland and Kyushu?"

"Behemoth helping but not sticking his head up out of the core? Works for me. A week and the islands are back someone estimated. That's with him not going to fast and displacing the water into tidal waves. Japan is happy as they gain two Kyushu's worth of land back. Leviathan already having started a Kyushu sized addition to the main island.

"The precious metal, rare earth, or gemstone rods growing out of people's property, or right in front of them, weighing enough to pay off the VSL, the US VSL, nine point eight million dollars, on each individual to their next of kin won't even crash the economies supposedly as the actual substance is varied and somewhat regional. Plus mining was nearly nonexistent because of Behemoths previous activities destabilizing whole tectonic plates. The former owner of that smelter got enough of all the metal ores and minerals he used to use to put the place back in operation. If he had electricity for the carbon arc furnaces. Supposedly he is working on it. It will put that whole region back on its feet. Not that New York City was suffering too much but the region was having trouble, especially that industrial part of Jersey. Won't make up for losing his whole family but what else could they do? Apparently even they can't raise the dead."

"And this report Eidolon is allegedly responsible for the Endbringers? When Costa Brown ask BT to apprehend him?" Jessica asked.

Emily made a warding gesture "Shhh. He is allegedly already apprehended and that investigation is above our echelon of maintenance. And pay grade.

"I bet it is more than alleged though as a vast silence has descended about it."

"Cover up? That would be a horrible idea." Jessica blinked.

"Not so much cover up as 'no comment about a current investigation' someone very high in the food chain is dotting all the I's and crossing all the t's. If he really didn't know his power was doing it, I have no ideas, and I am the parahuman cynic remember. It's just too horrible to imagine. Some pretty stupid laws are bound to come out of it and we made to enforce them though. It might be time to retire if it looks like the elected idiots are going to start a civil war with the parahumans. And that's before the fourth Endbringer decides to not play nice anymore."

"Taylor or BT?"

"Is there a difference? I mean haven't they pretty much become one. Try to hurt her, with some stupid ill thought out law and he will go mazer and plasma bomb, try to hurt him and she will go orbital bombardment. Or call for thousands of Titans. Six of one half a dozen of another really. Either way normal humans lose and lose big." Emily shrugged.

Jessica looked at the instructions she had been given "Is that why you said to let this bus through?"

"Cheerleaders. Dancers, whatever, a lot of their team is already there, nothing bad is happening, they have some kind of competition coming up. It's their whole life right now. If they can pull it off and nothing bad happens it's another step toward normal."

Jessica nodded "Little Zizzy as you called her is down to nine feet tall, what you are going to do when they put her on the team?"

Emily laughed "You are relieved Commander. Go get some rack time. Good question though. Above our paygrade. I'll send a runner to wake you up."

Titanfall

Danny looked at Missy "I'll sleep when we have gotten there and the PRT hasn't thrown us all in jail."

Missy waved him off "They are fine. We called them."

Danny nodded "And some flunky not saying no equals it's all good so two busses and the phone roster activated and we are all driving to Killington High School to use their gym."

Missy nodded "And the panel truck for the sound gear. The support folks to set that up. Oh and the practice had to be open to the public. Apparently they only have one giant shelter, in an old granite mine, and it's like right next door. I guess people are bored because normal procedure has the PRT blanking communications to the area except theirs. Plus all the capes are standing around with nothing to do."

"Jamming. It's called jamming."

Henni nodded to the front windshield "Well, we will know in a minute. PRT checkpoint."

There was a moment at the checkpoint where the trooper looked at the door, turned sideways and came up the stairs followed by her battle buddy after he dropped his plate carrier. It was a beauty and the beast pairing. She was tiny, he was enormous, and he nearly didn't fit without the gear. "Morning folks. Need to see photo ID, student IDs will do. Your other members are moving to the gym now, the ones on the list you sent us and the Simurgh. That means you will have to wear these armbands as well."

She turned to her partner who had been handed a cardboard box and took one and held it up. She then ran through how to turn it on register it. "Once the Simurgh leaves and the event is over, Dragon will send a signal and it will come unfastened. Then you just drop it in the mail."

Song blinked "So we are Endbringer fighters?"

"Wave seven. You get the tax credit and everything." The trooper nodded.

The parents on the bus were hesitating right up until then. The tax credit was relief from all taxes for the year. City, county, state, and federal, including sales tax. Businesses were sent list and you were given a number. In their case the number would start with the letter K and the numeral seven, then be followed by numbers indicating the order they activated the armbands in until the wave was declared full. The next wave would be K eight.

There were other benefits as well, reduced tuition at Vermont state universities, and any they had reciprocal agreements with, so New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, and Maine for one, massively reduced, nearly free really, for them and their children. In their children's case too. This was probably worth getting woken up by your child at four o'clock in the morning.

Plus they had stopped by Dunkin. Hadn't those people been surprised when their store got cleaned out. Good thing most businesses were closed as the Endbringer attack was still going on. Got to love immigrants working for that dollar and never closing ever. The wives loved the tea too. Those folks could mash a cuppa as they called it. Coffee was a bit meh but still Dunkin. Good hot black Box o' Joe, none of that fru fru latte crap from Morbucks.

Titanfall

Song stood at the door to the women's locker room and looked at the mirror varnished floor. A sprung floor that hadn't been there yesterday allegedly. It was enormous! The things they could do here! She turned and looked at Operator, Taylor, no question now. She had pulled off her helmet in the women's locker room, and blushed to her roots. Song had too. She had been in her fantasy lovers hands hundreds of times by now, she had… oh my gods! Melissa smirked at her "And your mom is right there." She pointed Mrs. Kim out maliciously "Front row center."

Song looked at her mom, then back at Melissa "You are a bitch. But you are my bitch. I'll make sure you get a chance at the piece too, not just the matinee piece. Thanks!" Melissa wanted to glare at her rival but instead smiled hugely. Then squawked when Song hugged her.

They peaked out the door at the Clark Bots helping set up, being ushers, and standing around as security, with the comically enormous rifles slung across their fronts. The crowd was amazingly calm.

Missy passed the two girls and stepped up to a podium that had been set up "OK. This is the first time we have done a practice with the general public" She paused "And national press as spectators. So let me introduce the team." Missy read off the names and positions in the troop starting with the freshman, the freshman principle dancer last and Song pecked Melissa on the cheek and swatted her on the butt sending her out of the locker room. Melissa managed not to rub her butt cheek and give a nice curtsy. Song hit hard!

Missy moved through the sophomores and then "Joining us today, Ziz!" Ziz trotted out and curtsied. She was about seven feet tall and built proportionately like Taylor. In other words like a female MMA fighter, with boobs. She was also in a leotard and point shoes. There was a vast silence and then Danny started clapping. The capacity crowd clapped and stomped their feet in the bleachers like a rowdy basketball crowed on a Friday night. They appreciated Ziz taking out the threat of the Travelers. Operator and Her crew containing the whole thing as well.

Titanfall

The networks had managed to come up with some sleepy looking dance coaches, it was seven o'clock in the morning after all, and were preempting everything. In NBCs case they had Prima Ballerina Assolutas Anneli Alhanko, who was in New York for some teaching at Juilliard. Along with Jeff Edwards the ballet director of Juilliard and Linda Kent the director of Julliard's modern dance program.

The anchor looked at the dance people as the dancers went through warm ups. Anneli scoffed "Dance is hard work, you must warm up. This is standard. The Prima is correct to warm up the principles and corps de ballet."

Jeff nodded "I'll be interested to see this little match girl piece. I've seen the video that was posted to PHO. It's a powerful piece. I understand they have expanded it but not shown it in total yet, holding it in reserve for the national competitions I think."

The anchor hoisted a brow "They have an Endbringer on the team?"

"Reportedly a person who was mastered? I think we shouldn't let our prejudices run away with us. This Ziz has been nothing but helpful if you can separate the nuggets of truth from the gibberish that the PHO has become. Speaking of which why are they a more up to date source than the news agencies? I mean we had to learn about volcanic activity in Japan and Canada from the PHO?" Linda Kent returned with some heat.

"Shhh they are going to start a warmup piece." Anneli hissed at the others. The dancers were all in a square on half the court, including the wards, and the music came up, Rihanna's We found love. The audience, live, and watching at home over breakfast, watched as the dance people were intently silent and focused. The cameras focused on their faces in a spilt screen of the dancers.

After the music died and Taylor did her split to standing move helping Amy who had stayed with her move for move and Anneli wiped at her eyes "I have read of and seen news of this Brockton Bay hell. Now I can imagine it. It's all there in that dance, the fighting, and constant, never stopping, struggle. Yet love. This piece. I will ask if I can do this. I don't know if I can though, the principles of the piece are Hebert and Dallon and they love, so, so much. I'm not sure I love that much."

They all paused as 'Love the way you lie' came up and Ziz danced in front of the stoic Armsmaster. At the end, Ziz on the ground at Armsmaster's feet, all the dance commentators on all the networks drew in a breath. The three on NBC leapt from their seats clapping and shouting Brava! Jeff Edwards nodded "These people are the force in modern dance, Ziz used Armsmaster as a stand in for who we all know held her prisoner for the last nine years."

Linda nodded "And he played his part perfectly, staying perfectly still, when we know he can dance in that armor as we saw on the video yesterday. I pity whoever they are going against at Nationals."

Jeff nodded "And we haven't even seen the celebrated piece, this is the warm up still."

The anchor chimed in "A bit cart before the horse really, they have states in three days."

Anneli laughed brightly "And what judge in their right mind has not already given them the win. They could have those clumsy Ward boys in their farcical mask do all their routines and they have still already won. Really, who in the nation could be this good at this level? Truth, most of the professional companies in the US do not dance like this. Not technically perfect, but the emotion, you can feel it over the video even. To be there is a privilege. To see it is a privilege. To be there? Ah, what I wouldn't give."

Jeff motioned to the monitor they were watching "This is the lineup for the little match girl piece. That's the freshman principle dancer. This will be the matinee version. The music came in and the three looked at each other and sat forward "The main show piece. Kim injured?" Jeff breathed.

She wasn't but had been a sweetheart. Melissa would be even more grateful when the invitation to Julliard arrived in three weeks. Along with most of the company sophomore and above, and several of the freshmen. She would start in their summer sessions but never leave Operators Company, as it came to be known. The dance people waxed lyrical. After the anchors had to go to commercial to let them put themselves back together from being in tears. Even more so when Song did her version of the piece. Taylor was praised lavishly as well, disbelief that she had been dancing less than a month was freely expressed. The gym had exploded and the stomping would have brought down any other bleachers, ones not rebuilt by Ziz.

Anneli noted the obvious love Song had for Taylor but said nothing. The other dance people as well. It probably helped the piece, as that love was not returned the same way. There was love there, but not romantic love.

All of this really didn't matter to the people of Killington, the townspeople. That gym with its sprung hardwood floor would be the holy of holies for dance companies and never used by the school for any other activity again. Even after six months of investigation by the PRT cleared it. The school itself becoming a powerhouse known to give Arcadia a run for their money in dance and gymnastics competitions in the face of that was not unexpected really. Even after what came in the next week. If they were a dancer and could get there, they wanted to dance on that floor.

Melissa and Song both, Along with Johnson, brought some needed relief with the matinee piece, after they had both done the significant parts of the main piece with Taylor. There wasn't a dry eye in the house, even amongst the villains. Rune handed Shadow Stalker a tissue and smiled at her gently while using the one she had gripped in her left hand.

The cheer routines raised the mood again. Especially Ziz with the JV squad and the JV captain climbing her like a tree after the standing ovation they got. Songs flight through the rafters, thrown by Taylor and Caught by Ziz, drew oohs and aws as did the other flyers.

Other team captains and coaches were torn, despair on one hand at having to compete against this team, joy on the other as their sport was catapulted into the stratosphere.

Titanfall

Meredith looked at the video monitor showing the situation room. The president eyed her chagrinned. She shrugged "Embrace the suck Mr President."

"You were never a Marine Chief Director, Sentiment noted however."

Titanfall

Back in the gym, at the end of a two hour practice Missy stepped up to the podium "OK gang, you guys have been great, this is the end though. This is our new signature piece, we are after all from the Bay."

Amy sighed "Oh no."

The Clark Bot DJ worked his equipment and the sound came up when all the team was on the floor, some in skirts and shells, some in leotards, and a few in yoga shorts and sports bras. The base beat hit then Low starting from 'applebottom jeans' blasted out over the smiling team and roaring stomping dancing in place crowd. One camera was on Armsmaster dancing in place.

The dance was all of Taylor and BTs moves choreographed into a dance. Part of the dance included Amy's face palm and then peaking from the video of the merchant fight. The team did it then grinned at the pouting Amy.

When they finished and while the team was all in a hopping pile in the middle of the floor one of the support members stepped up and read a disclaimer into the sound system saying the music was all performed by the band and chorus of Arcadia High school with permission from the original artist. Not that anyone could hear, as the walls were shaking from the cheering.

Titanfall

Anneli arched a brow at the anchor as the image from the gym faded to black. The other two dance commentators just grinned and chuckled.

Across the country dance team captains and coaches nodded, put on their serious faces and got to work. A look at another teams practice like this was unprecedented. They might be able to at least compete rather than just getting humiliated. Even the damn Wards were decent. Not at the rest of team's level, except Vista, she had to be cheating somehow, but as good as their catchers. That Johnson was a male lead dancer. He was wasted on football.

The cameras had actually stayed on and got video of fifty star wars characters suddenly appearing and dancing. The producers got that little addition after the commercial break and all the dance commentators smiled as the tiny parahuman in the Jedi robes and a mask and his partner in the little gangster three piece suit, wingtips and hat ran among them. Then they gave serious commentary on the technique. Melissa doing the little match girl climbing thing with the wampa was cute as hell. She didn't do the lift after looking at the six inch claws. She did sit on its shoulder grinning though.

Titanfall

Frank Columbo watched and made some calls. That kid would need protected from Lucas Film those Disney fucks were trying to buy the franchise too. Probably kill it like they did everything. Hmm, maybe that meant Lucas needed money? The kid being able to make those projections could be handy for him.