Wrath and Illusions!

Today started as a good day for Sophia Hess. Usually, she'd find these days boring without any action. Always this dangerous and that blah blah blah, these are the only thing she gets when she asks for patrols.

Her name literally describes her powers for god's sake. Shadow Stalker. Powers to be one with the shadow, phasing through objects, nigh-invisibility in the dark of night, perfect stealth-based powers without any Stranger effect.

Don't they realize that she's the best suited for patrolling and stealth missions? But instead of getting what she deserved, they force her to sit duck.

Damn that Piggy! Who the hell made that bitch Director of PRT of this city?

But today was different. Yesterday she received the words from Armsmaster that she's been selected for patrol this week.

Fucking finally.

Even if it was with that brat.

And another fun was waiting ln the school for her. Before the winter break she, Emms, and her lackeys had put all of the tampoons on Hebert's locker to rot before this winter break.

When this morning she saw bitch throwing up in front of her, she felt hot anger coursing through her blood. In anger, She threw Hebert, a weakling who couldn't fight for herself, into the locker full of rotting tampoons and infested bugs.

Her anger immediately vanished after she locked the Locker as she joined in the laughter with the girls. The girl kicked and screamed but nobody dare to help the bitch under her watchful eyes.

Nobody moved an inch. Cowards!

After having a laughing fit for ten minutes, she started to get bored.

"Come on girls, I'm getting tired of this banshee! Class is about to start so you better chop! chop!" One command from her as all girls lined up in the queue.

This is what she liked about the school. This was her pack as she was its leader, the leader of a pack of predators. To be fair these girls were still spineless but at least they acted like a pack of hyenas, which were technically predators, earning her approval.

"You girls go, I think I'll have more fun here." Her best friend, the only one who could stand beside her spoke. The rest of the girls were trying to protest but one glare from the redhead shut them up right away.

That's my Girl! She cheered mentally while giving Emms a proud look on her face. This is why she was the queen bee of this hellhole they called school.

"Let's give our queen time of her life, yeah? This is a special day for her so let her enjoy it in peace." She ordered as every girl huddled up and left the room immediately. After giving the redhead one last smirk she exited the room.

After finally getting out of that stenchful room, she greedily took a deep breath. That was intense. How the heck Emma is enduring that smell?

She asked herself while making a gaging face. Normally she'd have dragged Emma out of that disgustingly smelly place but today was different.

Emma was getting rid of her old weakness, just like she taught her over these past years. That Hebert girl was prey, a rabbit among a jungle full of hunters.

The least she could do was be her punching bag for her and training dummy for Emma.

Emma was Beta to her Alpha on this pack so she was quite feeling giddy about what happened just a few minutes ago.

Her good mood immediately dampened a little when Mr. G, otherwise known as Mr. Glady entered the class.

This was going to suck.

After the bell rang again in one hour, she immediately bailed out of the room, ignoring the protest of that pompous teacher. This guy was annoying, not because he was strict, oh no, this guy was too suck up and she hates those kinds of fools.

In a few steps, she spotted a familiar redhead walking out of the Locker room. With mischievous looks in her eyes, she grin and slowly crept behind her best friend.

"Hey there Emms, you done playing security?" She asked.

Redhead jumped a little before throwing the right hook aimed right at her nose, just like how she taught her. But no matter how impressive it was, it was from a normal human, and it couldn't even scratch experienced Parahuman.

With ease, she caught the fist in her palm, and once again she was impressed by the power behind the blow. Galant or Vista would've tasted the dust from this kind of punch if it was landed.

"Good, this is why I love you." She said in approval, not getting offended by the attack as she held back a smile.

"Christ! You surprised me. And just for the record, you're not my type." She replied, hiding her surprise with a pouting face.

She copied the redhead's expression as she flexes her muscles exaggerating her tone.

"I'm hurt. Don't you love a beautiful, healthy, and athletic body?" She joked as Redhead rolled her eyes in response. Both of them knew that there was nothing romantic between them but there was a connection. She was close to this girl like no other, even to her family because she was a Survivor. A powerless girl who refused to give up and was not ready to face her end without a fight.

"That is my type but not you." She replied without missing a bit, earning a slightly smiling look from Sophia. With a few more laughter and jokes, she and her best friend entered the bathroom.

"So what happened to the Bitch?" She asked, getting into business mode yet there was eagerness lingering in her words.

Emma giggled in joy as she replied, "After thirty minutes all yelling and screaming stopped then she start to cry,"

This time she couldn't hold back as they both laughed their hearts out like always. It was nice, fun, and a laugh among friends, this was what she was craving for, this was why she made Emma what she is instead of letting her cling to insects like Hebert.

After laughing for a few more minutes both of them calmed down, only to giggle a second later all over again.

Then she suddenly remembers something important detail why her mood was so high since this morning.

"Anyway, could manage my homework for me, piggy finally let me on patrol this week even if it's with a midget." She said with annoyance as Emma, a good friend she is, gave an understanding look. They both knew that this was a big day for her because she was allowed to do patrolling and things like school homework would hinder it immediately.

It's not every day she gets to patrolling instead of console duty with Clockblocker all the time.

"No problem Soph," Redhead said with a slightly dangerous smile before it disappeared in a second.

It's probably my eyes playing tricks on me. Staying up all night playing that zombie shooter game probably wasn't the best idea. She thought with a grimace as she opened the knob of tap water.

As she splash water on her face, she noticed something strange. Emma was standing behind her with a blank look on her face.

Before she could do anything, the girl's fingers were already on her temples, massaging them in a strange pattern. Her friend's fingers were glimmering red and it was touching her head. It was bad on so many levels but she couldn't react in time.

"What're you doing…..?" That's the last thing she utter before everything went Red.

Thoughts and motives became gibberish as she held her forehead. What did Emma do to her?

Emma is innocent! She would never harm her best friend! Her own voice shrieked in protest in her head.

Yeah, even her inner voice agrees with her, Emma wouldn't do anything harmful even if she could. So if Emma wasn't the problem, who was?

"Fucking hell." She groaned and finally opened her eyes. She should've kept close. Sophia went to her knees immediately seeing what was in front of her.

In front of her, lay the body of her best friend, Emma crucified on the bathroom's wall while blood was coming out like fountains. She immediately jumped and shrieked in horror.

Don't look. Turn away. Don't look. She ignored her own instinct as she devoured every detail of the scene with her eyes.

"Oh, God….Emms?" She asked weakly. Tears and snots were coming out without any control as she sobbed.

"Sooph…" Her sobbing was interrupted when a weak voice ringed inside the room in echoes.

Despite all pain and hurt, her best friend's eyes were fluttering as she wheezed heavy breaths weakly.

"E-emma, I'm calling a-ambulance right now." She said in tears as she flung herself to the redhead, looking for a way to help in any means.

"Don't, don't b-bother. It's too late Soph. Please d-don't waste y-your energy on l-lost cause." She said in a very low tone, very soft voice. Almost loving even.

"You're not a lost cause. Don't talk like that." She snarled, anger simmering from inside her soul. Not directed to her best friend, oh no. She was fucking furious toward whoever was this sicko who did this!

"He-hehe." Despite losing blood from every part of her body, the girl still managed to giggle like she always did.

She's still not giving up! Sophia thought in amazement, mixed with horror as she looked at the heavily breathing redhead.

"It's Taylor. We made her trigger." Emma confessed.

She froze as slowly pieces began to fall into place. How could she forget the same thing that happened to her?

Trigger Event.

An event is so traumatic that forces normal humans to ascend to a higher food chain. And somehow her pray became more than just normal human.

"We were just pranking her! What kind of sicko is she?" Sophia yelled out, as she started looking for any way to help her friend down from the iron chains that piercing her body.

That's big coming from you, hypocrite. She ignored her inner voice as she begin to fumble with iron chains.

"Heh, i-I lost too much blood, it's over Soph…..even Panacea won't be enough but…" Redhead's glazed eyes sharpened like hawks as Sophia toughened her shoulders in instinct.

"People in this school are in danger. Taylor snapped and she's attacking everyone. I think her power is to create clones so Taylor is in every corner of this school. You have to put her down for good. You're a goddamn hero so put down that mad bitch b-before….." Redhead trailed in the last sentence while closing her eyes.

"No! Emma. Please don't close your eyes." First time in many years, Sophia cried with genuine emotions. For the first time, she screamed in sadness instead of rage and irritations that haunted her mind since her trigger event.

"Thank you…..for making me who am I today and being a good friend….. it's been fun while it lasted." Emma said as chains were torn from the walls causing the redhead to fall into her arms.

Sophia watched numbly as her friend took her last puff of breath as her body went completely limp.

"Emma?"

There was no answer. "Emms?"

There was no breath nor a pulse.

In-room full of blood and the dead body of her best friend, Sophia just stood silently. Her face was completely emotionless yet tears were bursting out like a waterfall. Yet she stood and lay down the body of the redhead on the floor with dignified grace.

While she closed her eyes, she was in a different reality. It was so familiar as if she had already seen it yet forgotten about it for a strange reason.

In front of her eye, two beings spiraled through an airless void, past suns, stars, and moons. They rode the ebbs and flows of gravity, ate ambient radiation and light, and drew on other things.

They slipped portions of themselves in and out of reality to reshape themselves. Push further into this reality to ride the pull of one planet, shift into another to ride that slingshot momentum, or find some other source of momentum elsewhere. Ten thousand thousands of each of the two entities existed simultaneously, complemented each other, and drew each other forward. They shrugged off even the physical laws that limited the movement of light, moving faster with every instant. The only thing that slowed them was their own desire to stay close, to keep each other in sight, and match their speeds. Yet somehow this movement was graceful, fluid, beautiful even. Two impossible creatures moving in absolute harmony with the universe, leaving a trail of the essence in their wakes.

It was looking forward, but not in distance. Ten thousand pictures at once. Seeing situations where it arrived at its final destination. Earth.

"That's interesting." Her head whipped as she saw Emma, wearing some kind of Halloween costume.

"Emma?" She asked weakly, but the redhead ignored her as she raised her hand. Suddenly her vision was encircled by a red hue as her vision started to get foggy.

"Interesting, a second trigger for me? That's sweet of you but I'm not forgiving you anyway. You cost me my best friend, a second sister to me, and made me who I am, unforgiving, cold, and possibly sociopathic bitch."

"What? Are you alive? What are you talking about?" Sophia screamed in panic as her vision begin to blacken, as sleepiness grew stronger and stronger.

"You don't see it, do you? Even I couldn't see it until today, because of you, my own family is in discomfort. After being your friend for a year I looked around and I realized, everyone still loved me but nobody likes me anymore. And that was the loneliest feeling in the world. No more Taylor's sweet cheerful smiles, no more family trips, no more family times on dinner, hell I haven't been able to talk to my own sister and mother without being rude."

"I'm sorry, okay. I just wanted someone same as me, who understood me…..even if I was wrong." Sophia confessed with tears. The reason she took an interest in Emma wasn't just because she was a survivor.

There were thousands of survivors alone in this hellhole of this city.

She wanted someone who understands the world the same as her, even if it was warped. That's why she made Emma betray her best friend, a weak-willed who couldn't fight, the normalcy that doesn't belong in this world full of monsters.

She wanted Emma to view the world the same as her and sympathized with her where nobody else did.

And she succeeded.

"What's happening? Are you alive? What is this?" She screamed at the red sky, as red clouds completely covered her world. Those outlines of enormous entities remained barely as Emma begin to float among the clouds.

"Oh all answers will be revealed dear, don't worry. Even if your shard will wipe this moment from your brain, I will still give you this memory, just to laugh at you. Fuhahaha~"

The last thing she heard before waking up in the real world was a distorted version of Emma's giggle that scare the shit out of her.

With a snap, she reappeared in the bathroom, besides Emma's corpse. Shard already wiping her memory through Corona Pollentia in her brain.

The only thing she remembered was, "Taylor snapped and she's attacking everyone. Powers to create clones, in every corner of the school. Put her down for good. You're a goddamn hero so put down that mad bitch!"

"Damn you, Hebert. Damn you to hell." Shadow Stalker growled as her physical body transformed into Shadow like state. She bolted out of the room, phasing through the door as ran across the hallway while cursing Taylor Hebert's name.

After in second, her eyes locked on the target. Across her three Taylor stood with a smirk. Their body language was fearful yet, that infuriating smirk didn't vanish from their faces.

With silent screams of resentment and rage, she charged.

Her power was improved somehow, she noticed. She didn't feel that suffocating feeling she felt whenever she was in Shadow State anymore.

A smile, not from joy, but sadistic and malicious intent spread across her lips.

In a second her hand went through one of Taylor's breasts as she tried to revert to her physical form. Then she stop because she understood her new upgraded power unexpectedly.

Unlike before, she could shift between the Shadow state and Physical form instantly but the good news didn't stop. She didn't need full transformation anymore.

Without turning into her physical form, only her arm inside Hebert's turned into a solid form. With an animalistic yell, she tore the monster's heart from inside out. Two remaining Hebert made terrorized faces before bolting away.

With a growl, she ripped her hand from her enemy's corpse as she chased the remaining Taylor with predatory eyes.

What she didn't notice was that corpse of Taylor she just killed glowed red simmering light as it transformed into the body teenage bald young man with pale skin.

The dead body of the teenage bald young man with pale skin.

While floating mobile phone was silently and subtly following Sophia as she charged like an Animal.

She ran across the hallway, already killing five more Taylors along the way. Because of her new powers, it was very easy to kill someone, just phasing her hand inside someone's organ was enough to kill anyone in front of her.

With a kick, the Principal's office door opened with a bang. The corpses of the teachers were attached to the wall as Taylor smirked at her while spinning around in Principal's comfy-looking fancy seat.

Meanwhile, Principal Blackwell was laying in front of her own, work table while a knife sticking out of her mouth.

"What now, Sophia? This is your fault you know." Taylor spoke with an insane smile. Dark-skinned Hero didn't reply as she grabbed a nearby old-looking Umbrella.

Taylor only raised one eyebrow in response. Umbrella instantly turned into the dark as a shadow as she begins to turn it into a shadow state like her own body.

Taylor seemed to realize, something was wrong as she stood on her feet immediately. But it was too late.

Sophia threw the umbrella in her hand like she was throwing a javelin. As it soar through space in almost slow motion, in a few moments it was already phasing through the head of Taylor due to the effect of Sophia's power.

However, the moment it was in the middle of her brain, it transformed back to its physical state.

Taylor didn't even make any noise or anything as she collapse back into the Principal's comfy seat. Blood flourishing out of her head through her forehead. Sophia just stared at slumped dead body of the killer of her best friend before clicking her teeth in anger.

There was nobody else in the room as Sophia turned away and rush where other Taylor's laughter was coming across the hallways.

The moment Sophia left the room, the dead body of Principal Blackwell on the floor vanished slowly in red light. At the same time, Taylor's corpse in the Principal seat glowed red before turning into the corpse of Principal Blackwell, an umbrella still sticking inside her brain through her forehead.

Floating cellphone recorded everything before following Sophis again, more subtly.

As Sophia ran across the school on a rampage, several students began to shriek and run around like a headless chicken. Few braver ones took a cover and then started to record the massacre Shadow Stalker brought unexpectedly.

Some students had already called Parahuman Response Team, and some called the Police, some even begin to live stream in PHO, otherwise known as Parahuman Online.

Even social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube were streaming the very violent murdering spree that Shadow Stalker was on.

Sophia ignored screaming students as she chase down every Taylor she found and rip their hearts or brains out. What she didn't notice was each of the Taylors she killed turned into either Asian boys, wearing very suggestive attire that of ABB or boys with blonde heads or shaved heads with numerous tattoos of E88 on their bodies.

"You think you'd get away with this?" Last of the Taylor spoke with bloody lips as Sophia threw across her in front of her own class, ironically.

Sophia was ready for the killing blow but Taylor begin to giggle with a lunatic expression.

"Even if I die, I have already delivered all evidence of all bullying for years to the cops, I wonder how PRT is going to respond to one of their Heroes is abusing one powerless girl," Taylor said after finishing her giggle.

Sophia felt rage bubbling again as she readies her hands like claws, like a wolf ready to strike.

She froze as her vision turned red before returning to normal. That red light was so familiar and also so unknown. She didn't know why but she ignored it and focused on her prey, who was slowly getting on her feet leaning on the whiteboard on the wall, tainting as her bloody hands begin to dye it red.

Instead of murderous anger and hate, sadism and the urge to see Hebert in despair seem to grow on her head as she smiled, baring her teeth.

"You think you're the first one killed?" Sophia asked with a smiling face that would have made Joker proud in universes away.

"Hah! Don't be ridiculous. I've been terrorizing this school for years, beating up weakling like you or torturing anyone who opposed me, but what did the school do in response?" She asked coldly. Taylor only grimace and stood in her place like an invisible string was forcing her to stay in one place, not letting her bolt away.

"Nothing, Nada, you know why? Because I'm a goddamn hero! Even after all this, I'm going to get scot-free while you will rot in jail. PRT will put up with my words like they always have been. Nothing changed here you bitch." With a sadistic laugh, her hand phase through Taylor's chest as she gripped her heart.

This Is for you Emma. She thought in memory of her best friend as she rips her heart from the last of Taylor as she slumps and drops dead on her feet.

Sophia barked out in laughter as she remembered the last moment of Taylor's face, full of hopelessness and despair. She could practically taste it. But noooo, she had to die quickly ending her fun that fast.

Ah Well. You can't win every-

"Ahhhh!" Suddenly excruciating pain wreak havoc on her body as she went on the floor with a scream.

Several hands pressed down on her as she struggle on the floor. In a few moments of struggle, she punched, kicked, and claw at her assailants with no progress.

"Ah fuck this!" She said in anger as she shifted into her shadow state easily, as all of her attackers went to the floor piling at each other.

She quickly jumped, only to get struck by big ass Halberd on her chest. It was finally she noticed that she was in front of Armsmaster, in his blue and silver power armor. There was one second for her to process this before Hailberd sparkled on Electricity.

"Ahh! Son of a whore!" She cursed as painful shocks wrecked through her body mercilessly. She fell to the floor again as she realized her attackers were none other than PRT troops themselves.

She was ready to demand what the fuck was going on but didn't get any chances Armsmaster put something looking like a neckband around her neck like a dog.

"Shadow Stalker. You're under arrest for manslaughter, vandalism, etc, surrender peacefully otherwise we will resort to a lethal approach." Armsmaster announced in a cold tone, not even an ounce of emotion on his voice like a machine.

"The fucking What?" She yelled back as her collar gave a warning shock to her body. She trembled on her feet in anger but didn't retaliate as PRT agents closed in on her.

That's when her body moved without her permission. She was no brute, yet her uppercut lift the nearest soldier in the air his head impacted the ceiling as his head went through the other side while his body hung limply on this side.

There were no more words to be exchanged as Containment foam covered her eyes. She didn't even get a chance to scream as Electricity came back to life on her collar, shocking her to the very core.

Finally, she felt something fleeing from her mind as a small red hue covering her vision disappeared completely only to be replaced with black dots.

The last thing she saw before blacking out was smiling Emma's face among the crowd of other students, taking cover from another corner of the classroom.

-666—--

Taylor ignored the crowd hurrying people on Broadwalk as she continued her morning walk. Sun was just rising on the horizon as She looked at the stretched shadow in front of her. Her face was completely apathetic outside but inside her thoughts were anything but calm.

It was Chaotic.

After returning from School (hell) and getting away after robbing clothes from Emma (devil) she hit the bed. She slept through the whole day, her brain just went numb and didn't let her think anything.

Even to her disappointment, her father didn't even notice her daughter was nearly emotionally scarred and became Parahuman.

After sleeping through the whole day and night, her brain finally let her control again as she thought about what happened yesterday.

On the morning of five, she bolted out of the room, giving an excuse for the morning walk to her father.

She was scared of staying inside her own room because it really reminded her of Locker and what she went through. And watching from a few hundred eyes at once was not helping her brain yet all.

She apparently had powers now, a power to control bugs. How the hell she was going to fly and carry a building like Alexandria and save the day now?

Suddenly her face blushed flaming red as her vision filled with bathing men, thanks to the spider on the ceiling.

Dammit! Even her own power was not on her side. She couldn't even control it. Every bug in her near vicinity would give up its senses for her and she'd see what bugs are seeing without her consent.

Again Taylor controlled herself and the spider as she turned the spider's head to another side before continuing her walk.

Speaking of powers….Her Bullies were also Parahumans. Hell, one of them was a goddamn hero. Shadow Stalker.

Even if she didn't believe any word Emma said, she came to the same answer herself. Emma was honest when she said that only her influence wouldn't have been able to control the whole school on a whim. While it played a big role, it was mere aiding than the leverage of PRT.

Damn, it still felt bitter when something reminded her of anything that of PRT or Heroes in general.

Maybe I should murder them while I am at it.

She thought darkly, as she gasped horrified by her own thought process.

Even if the Idea was so tempting, she'd never do something like that. That was simply not her. That's not the girl Annette Hebert raised.

She also didn't raise a coward like you. Her own familiar voice said out loud as she gritted her teeth in anger. After what happened yesterday one thing she learned was that enduring even now was nothing but spinelessness. The thing she learned from this bullying spree is that problem won't go if you ignored them, they will only keep piling up until it drowns you.

The only way to solve problems was to remove them from the root. Taylor shook her head in denial immediately. Maybe getting powers were making her more aggressive? Or it was her repressed feeling that she buried in name of determination?

Taylor didn't know that but she learned one thing! Hiding behind the meek exterior wouldn't do a damn thing when one of the heroes is after her who thought of herself as a Predator.

And yesterday after being nearly killed by Emma, she obeyed her former best friend because her head was killing her and she was absolutely scared because of the horrifying realization that a bunch of Parahumans were after her and torturing her for years just for shits and giggle.

But what now? Could she go to school, and pretend as if nothing happened? No, she couldn't do it.

Even if being a villain is better than being preyed upon by a hero without any reason. Maybe Emma was right when she mentioned bullying campaigns only escalated because she didn't fight back.

Well if she wanted a fight, she'd give one, even if it cost her dream to become a hero or even her life.

She snapped out of her morbid thoughts as she didn't even realize that she reached her home already. With a sigh, she opened the door, nearly running headfirst into her father.

"Sorry about that, bit a running late today. Did the fresh air help with your headache?" He asked gently, as he prepared the shoe near the door for work. She made affirmative noise while nodding.

When she returned from the bathroom, washing her face and getting refreshed, her dad was near the door ready for today's work.

"Oh! Nearly forgot! Emma is here up, in your room. You girls go catch up I'm late, take care." With that, her dad walked out as if he didn't just shock her by that announcing so nonchalantly.

She didn't even register her father's word for a few moments before feeling cold on her chest.

She knew that just because gaining powers didn't solve her problems and certainly didn't from running from them either but she didn't expect her problem to come to her home knocking.

All of the bugs, in her range, marched into her room as Taylor walked slowly toward the room. She didn't even command anything with her powers. As if understanding her subconscious emotions it begins to act on its own.

She slowly opened her door as she enter her room, the room was buzzing with all kinds of bugs. From Bees to Wasps, cockroaches to mosquitoes, Lice to spiders, all were present and pointing their wrath threateningly toward Redhead who was laying on the bed unconcerned by all of the bugs nearing her.

"One bite from Black Widow can kill a man, you're very brave or very stupid showing up here," Taylor announced coldly as she walked over to her room, taking a seat on her study stool, facing the girl who was still not giving any fucks to ten thousand bugs surrounding her bed and the whole room.

"With one thought I could kill you with my bugs." She threatened seriously. The desire for violence grew with each ticking second without her notice. Finally, Emma raised her head, putting away the notebook she's been reading. Her usual grey eyes were tinted with eerie red light which send a chilling shiver down her spine.

"What bugs?" She asked, almost innocently.

Taylor gaped in confusion before she leaped to her footing. All of the bugs on her control fell as if their strings were cut down. All flying bugs fell like a rain of insects as her floor was covered with them.

She cautiously picked one bee from the floor, the Queen bee as she focused on her power on it. It was alive, no! all of her bugs were alive and well. It was as if they were in sleep or coma which shouldn't be possible as far as their biology was concerned.

"It's pretty interesting. I actually was this much of a nasty bitch huh?" Emma asked as if anyone needed to answer that. Suddenly, in instinct, her hand flew and caught the notebook Emma threw at her casually.

Her eyes went wide what was just she was reading, it was her notebook where she wrote all of the things she had to put up for years. It was kind of coward of her she admits.

Instead of looking to solve problems, she began to write down the problem. It was her coping mechanism if she had to point it out.

But why'd she give it back to her? Shouldn't she be scared that this could damage her social status she enjoyed this much?

"Why are you here, Emma? I thought I didn't have to see your face for a little while?" She asked confidently while groaning inside. Why did she have rude to Parahuman who already hates her?

Because showing weakness is not the answer. Her inner self answered much to her exasperated annoyance.

"Well…..we already covered that apology will not earn your forgiveness and I kinda don't want you to become an edgy teenager villain because of me." She answered somehow lamely. Emma she knew was everything but lame, thus igniting suspension in her heart immediately.

"Oh really?" She asked, no amusement in her tone. She snorted inside. She was once a hero worshiper. Becoming an edgy villain because of the trio?

"Even if I became one…. what's it to you? You have no right Emma. It's not like anything going to change right? PRT is going to listen to their precious hero and capture the creepy bug girl. If you came here to gloat, do it and be done with it." She scowled in anger. Emma however didn't do as she expected and didn't drop the mask she thought she'd put on since the Locker yesterday.

Emma didn't say anything before sighing. She raised one hand in the air as Taylor tensed. She quickly grabbed the stool and was ready to bash it on Emma's head.

In Emma's palm red ball of energy emerged as the redhead pointed at an old computer sitting in the corner of the room innocently.

Unexpectedly monitor display came to life, ignoring the fact that it wasn't even connected to anything for electricity. And instead of booting up the Windows XP, it showed a news channel which was again impossible since there wasn't any Data Cable contacted to it to run the TV channel.

She stopped gawking and focused on the monitor where the newscaster was speaking, "-Winslow was attacked by Parahuman. This was perpetrated by our own city's Cape, Shadow Stalker."

"What the fuck?!" She blurted out loud as she walked toward the monitor with the gaped mouth. She ignored her arch-nemesis for a second as she sit beside her, her entire focus on the TV monitor where Shadow Stalker was killing everyone, including the Principal of Winslow High.

"There were numerous videos uploaded on the internet, some of them were even Live Streaming, I don't know whether that's bravery or foolish act done by students of this generation. Either way, we suffered great loss as fifteen students, one teacher, and the principal of this school became casualties of this assault of this teenaged Parahuman." The News reporter announced solemnly while gesturing to the small window while +16 was written over it.

In the video, in the classroom, Sophia was holding who was whimpering while Sophia was laughing like a Sunday night comic villain.

"Hah! Don't be ridiculous, I've been terrorizing this school for years, beating up weakling like you or torturing anyone who opposed me, but what did the school do in response?"

"Why…..is she saying that to Glady?" Taylor asked, confused while focusing on the screen. She turned her head to see a very smug-faced Emma. But this time there was no malice directed at her like always. It's almost like the girl from three years ago was back she lost since her summer camp.

"Oh, she's seeing you. Everyone she attacked was Taylor Hebert in her eyes." Emma said as if that was simple as trolling weather.

"What the hell is your power? I thought it was Telekinesis or some kind of red string that let you pull and push stuff." Taylor asked in hidden amazement while showing an uninterested expression.

"Oh, nothing special…. it's just…" Taylor leaned in subconsciously for an answer only to receive, "Magic."

Taylor strengthened herself while giving a light glare, "Please don't tell me you believe in Power is magic thing like Myrddin?" She asked in an exasperated tone, forgetting she was supposed to be angry with the redhead right now.

"Nope, only my powers are magic." Taylor didn't stop staring as Emma looked uncomfortable with each second. Redhead just pointed at the monitor as both girls again watched the screen in silence.

"Nothing, Nada, you know why? Because I'm a goddamn hero! Even after all this, I'm going to get scot-free while you'll rot in jail. PRT will put up with my words like they always have been. Nothing changed here you bitch."

Taylor stared in silence before tears streamed down her eyes without her permission. Both girls don't say anything as they watch Shadow Stalker being arrested by the Armsmaster and squads of PRT.

"That could've been me, isn't it? If Sophia knew I was Parahuman." Taylor asked quietly, controlling her voice so it doesn't break.

Emma nodded as lay on the bed, spreading her limbs, gazing at the ceiling with depressing eyes.

"I didn't lie to you yesterday, Taylor. I know you won't trust me ever again but…..I don't want to be that thing Sophia made me." Taylor didn't say anything as she wiped off her tears.

The room becomes really silent when the screen turned black as if power was cut off. Taylor stares blankly at her reflection on an empty screen.

"What a mess. I can't still believe that someone called a hero could be that sick, like you…" Taylor again glared at the redhead who wasn't shying away from looking into her eyes.

"Fifteen people died because of you. What possessed you to put Sophia into hallucination. People are dead because of you! You think this will make me happy or something!" She yelled in anger.

Maybe she shouldn't have yelled like that when she was powerless like she's been for a year but tension from her triggering and bloodbath in school because one of the Ward was out for her blood made her more agitated than normal.

Again there was a flash of red light as something pulled her toward Emma. In the blink of an eye, she was on the bed laying, under Emma who was on top of her very intimately that again setting her face on fire, in anger and embarrassment.

"Everything doesn't have to be you, Taylor. Do you think she only ruined only your life? What about my other friends besides you? What about my family? She took everything that made me and turn me into something else. Do you think I let that be bygones be bygones?"

"But that doesn't mean it had to end up like that, why did innocent have to die for your revenge?" She asked with emotions, holding herself back from saying 'our revenge?'

"Pfft~ innocent? Hehe, don't make me laugh girl. All of those boys gutted by Shadow Stalker were either associated with either ABB or Empire eighty-eight."

"That is still not a good excuse to start homicide you bitch." She scolded just like in her mother's tone, not the bitch part.

"The Witch would be a suitable word I think and speaking of homicides… believe me, Taylor, that was me just being reasonable," Emma said in a voice that touched little insanity that made her shudder, ignoring the fact that her large chest for just fifteen years old girl was pressing on her stomach.

"So you have a sudden change of heart? It's really hard to believe you after what you put me through these years." Taylor changed the subject, not liking the utter lack of care in Emma's eyes when talking about homicidal.

"You haven't studied about Parahumans, have you?" Emma asked.

"Yes, I have! Who do you think I am?" Taylor replied, offended that she implied that she didn't know about heroes and superpowers.

"You know about Capes Taylor, not the Parahumans. You know what? Let's continue our conversation somewhere else and I will tell you my real reason for being here." Emma announced with a slight smile as she tapped into her glasses, causing them to disappear.

Taylor was alarmed but she couldn't do anything as sleepiness took over. In a few seconds, she was snoring like a baby.

While Emma lay next to her and pressed her forehead against Taylor's as red energy pulsed in the room. In the next moment, she joined Taylor in sleep.

—-666—-

If something doesn't match with Worm canon, it's AU.

Anyway, see you in the next update.