It once again felt to Taylor that school would be skipped over entirely in the story of her life, with nothing in particular happening (asides from Ana suggesting a proper sleepover at some point).
At least that was a major step up from Winslow.
She made a note of the new homework (nearly reaching the level she could use that as an excuse to avoid Power Testing), and listened to the lectures.
And then it was time to start the martial arts.
First step, find where the directions started.
Rather than the website provide a map (which would be of limited utility anyway with her being unfamiliar with the city) it provided directions from the central train station.
It was obvious to Taylor that this station couldn't be too close to the school, but looking up how to get there hadn't been too easy either.
In the end it had taken recalling that the Wards 'welcome pack' had a map in it and finding the school and station there (and bemoaning the way the websites directions had referenced things like 'the blue sign' rather than anything apparent on the map) before she could be confident in where she was going.
Tank had volunteered to act as navigator, explaining that they had perfect recall after being Inherited, but Taylor decided to take the map and consult it herself instead.
Which turned out to be a good idea.
"Left here."
She looked at the map, and confirmed that the left turn would send her down a road the led only away from the station.
"I mean next left."
Yes, taking the map was the right idea.
Even with the… less than perfect directions she found her way to the station with minimal problems.
From there it was time to put away the map and head into the backstreets (which, she couldn't help noticing, weren't on said map) following the directions.
It gave her a rather different look at the city to what the PRT ("PR Taskforce!") had been trying to show her.
Had any of their agents or associates (including the Protectorate in one of those categories) been down these streets at any point?
There was a shop selling 'customised pets', clearly run by a Biotinker of some kind!
And in a city with Blasto and the Teeth, the continued survival of a rogue Biotinker was nothing less than a miracle.
Taylor shook her head and continued along the directions.
Finally the Dojo (that was the right word wasn't it?) stood before her, faded sign reading 'Kevs Krav' hanging above the door.
(A brief search for the 'Rob' suggested by Spotter had found enough suspicion of criminal activity that Taylor was somewhat surprised by the lack of agents storming her room to demand to know why she was looking for the guy, and once she'd been forced to eliminate the other Dojo's the pun didn't look quite so bad.)
The door swung open with the press of her hand.
{}
Not for the first time Lisa wondered why, if the boss was going to use her to relay his orders, he didn't just make her the leader.
There was an obvious answer of course, to create a sense of division within the team so that she couldn't lead them in a revolution against him.
Never mind that this division reduced their effectiveness in the tasks he ordered.
Assuming she could even convince Grue to go along with them.
"That casino is too close to ABB territory. Even if Lung doesn't consider it under his protection he'd still feel obligated to retaliate so people wouldn't go after his businesses. And to convince the owners to accept his protection."
Lisa sighed.
"I know all that, but this isn't my idea, it's the bosses. You know, the guy helping you get custody of your sister?"
And who would be more than willing to hold the 'authenticity' of the paperwork over his head should it actually go through.
"This isn't like one of his other jobs, this has a real danger."
"Which is why we get to keep all the money from the job, plus our pay."
"Hold on," Alec interrupted, "if we keep the money, what does this mysterious boss get out of it?"
Lisa shrugged. "Maybe shutting down the casino for the competition? Maybe distracting Lung from something else? I don't know," which was pretty close to the truth, but telling them that risking their lives was an important part of his plan wasn't about to happen.
It didn't do morale any good to realise your boss considered you expendable.
"I don't like this. If we have to face Lung we're dead."
"Which is why we're getting a Cape with entirely expendable resources for the job."
And as a permanent member she added silently.
Rachel growled.
"Not you or the dogs," Lisa hastened to explain. "Someone else."
The growl changed, from 'don't endanger the pack' to 'don't endanger the packs finances'.
"With another person helping we can get away with larger shares for each of us and they'll be paid separately."
"A new ally? Why wasn't I told ahead of time?"
Because you wouldn't like it.
"I did ask to speak in private ahead of time," Lisa defended.
"Even if we're getting a new heavy hitter, I still don't think this is a good idea."
"How are the shelters going?"
"Low on food," Rachel growled, still unhappy about the addition to the 'pack'.
"Meaning you need another job to buy more. Alec?"
"Sure, why not find someone new to annoy. And the new guy I guess."
"That's three of us. Still not feeling up to it Brian?"
Their 'leader' sighed, running a hand down his face.
"It seems I have to agree if I want any semblance of authority, don't I? Fine, the casino job gets the go ahead. When?"
"Just need to check with our fifth…"
{}
The Krav Maga Dojo wasn't what Taylor had expected.
The concept of a Dojo in her head saw students either sparring or standing in ranks to copy an instructors movements.
Instead of the padded floors she'd expected, it was a normal enough wooden floor, with the students (most quite a bit older than her) standing at attention while the instructor conducted what felt like a lecture.
"What's the best kind of fight," he suddenly snapped out.
"The one that never happened," the students answered in unison.
"And what," he began asking a second question, before spotting Taylor at the door. "Our wayward student has arrived it seems. Mike, take over for now, basic exercises only. We don't want any more accidents."
The instructor stalked towards her, before stopping and looking her up and down.
"My office," he declared, turning on the spot to leas the way.
Taylor hastened to follow.
He waited until she closed the door behind her to start speaking.
"Martial arts are about discipline," he began, "and here it is even more important. A student of Krav Maga can kill. Why should I teach you if you do not even possess the discipline required to arrive on time?"
"That wasn't so much about discipline as not yet knowing where to go," Taylor explained slowly, trying to figure out the best way to put it.
"Why did you not come here ahead of time to avoid such problems?"
"I didn't have the free time to explore and school didn't let out early enough for me to get here any earlier. I mean, with not knowing the way. Now I do, I'll be able to get here on time if school doesn't overrun."
"So I should trust that each time you don't get here on time that it was someone elses fault?"
Taylor tried to suppress her anger, not helped by the growing mutterings of previous Butchers.
"If it was possible to learn on a day without school, when my ability to arrive on time wasn't at the mercy of others, I would, but right now I don't have that option."
"That wasn't an answer."
"Why would I pay to come here and then deliberately fail to show up on time! I signed up to learn, what is with this interrogation?"
He examined her for a moment.
"Discipline is important. But how can you test it?"
"I… don't follow."
"Krav Maga, like most martial arts, views violence as the last resort. Part of its teachings is to talk people down before having to fight. My way to test if someone who doesn't show up time, whether by being early or late, is to see if they will try to talk things out or become aggressive."
"That's a dirty trick."
"As I said, Krav Maga is dangerous. You did well, keeping your temper, but it is still too soon to say you are ready."
"Fine. How long until I should come back-"
"For today your lessons will be all about discipline. Should you arrive on time next week, then we shall see about teaching you to fight."
Taylor blinked.
"That… seems quite the turnaround."
"Any day you are not on time will see you focused on discipline. The world we live in is dangerous, people need to know how to defend themselves. But I refuse to create some kind of monster with my teachings."
"Right, lets get started."
{}
The lessons turned out to be mentally exhausting.
Which was definitely better than Reynards exercise.
At least the basic elements of 'this is how you talk someone down' should be useful.
Even if Capes didn't tend to listen.
The idea of martial artists talking things out was one that just hadn't occurred to her, or the previous Butchers (going by their comments).
"What a waste of time," Amazon grumbled as they left, Taylor already thinking about where they could change into her costume, "no lessons on fighting and there weren't even any cute girls."
I get proper lessons from next week, Taylor reminded.
"Assuming nothing gets in the way."
Like detention.
There was a pause.
"So you can hold causing trouble blocking you from learning to fight over our heads. Smart move."
"Or you could just skip detention, get there on time anyway."
"Stop trying to get my girl killed!"
"Aside from considering our host her daughter, VI has a point. We've never had it so good since our own turns in charge Quarrel. Don't risk it."
If you really want me to fight someone, how about helping me find somewhere to change.
"Have you considered what to do with the bag after? You still have your school stuff and this isn't such a good place to leave it behind."
Taylor… hadn't thought about that. The previous night she had hidden the bag inside a buildings roof access, where only she (and maybe, theoretically, Hess) could access it. Surely there's somewhere…
"If there is, you'd still be spotted on your way back. That sort of thing compromises your identity."
I could grab it and head back in costume again.
"Still not a good option. An apartment block, well, could be anyone there or anyone connected to them. Countless people to suspect. But this isn't a residential location. It would draw attention to people who had to be here at the time."
Is there anything else I could do with it?
"This is one reason just about any Cape gets an away from home hideaway. Somewhere they can get changed that nobody finds them visiting so much too suspicious."
Taylor considered this.
How about the station? I mean, it has lockers for rent right, which would keep my bag safe.
"It also has security cameras."
"The PR Taskforce needs a warrant to look at those. And what would they say? There's a teenage girl who's spending time around here they want to check on?"
"It's still a risk."
"But having a Cape whose area of activity centres on a station would raise the question of if they catch the train in before costuming up. Create a false lead that someone Triggered here before moving away, but still wants to help their hometown."
"And then you suggest she start wearing a trenchcoat to disguise herself on the way in or out."
Guys, I don't think I could get between the base and station each day for patrols without raising suspicions.
"Then split the timings. Say, a week active starting and ending at the station, and a week inactive. Or some similar timing, as though you had separated parents and moved between them. Create a profile for the PR Taskforce to investigate."
Taylor hesitated.
An added benefit would be getting some time during the 'inactive period' to plan her outings.
What about everything I would miss by not patrolling?
"Taylor sweety, there are always crimes happening somewhere. Even with the PR Taskforce doing everything they can, even in the Triumvirate cities, things are happening. Nobody can stop it all. Don't think about what you fail to stop, think about where you help."
"And how you won't be able to if the Taskforce catches you."
Fine. At least this will give me more time for homework.
"That's the spirit! Just let us know if there's anything you need from me."
Taylor felt her mouth twitch towards a smile.
When they weren't acting as psychopaths the Butchers were almost like friends.
{}
Dave, a professional hobo, watched the schoolgirl who stopped at the station lockers.
There was something off there, the way she dropped her bag in but kept a cushion of some kind with her, even as she fumbled the payment into the slot.
And then she headed back out of the station, rather than get on a train.
It wasn't as though the station was unused to people stopping by just to use the lockers, in fact Dave was pretty sure he'd seen half of a dead drop of some kind once, but having a schoolgirl do so was certainly something different.
Curiosity decidedly peeked he stepped carefully towards the locker, shifting an old piece of wire into his hand.
It was an old trick, bypassing the lock, and he soon had the bag in his hands.
Quickly, before someone noticed that the locker was open without a key present, he undid the top of the bag to reveal a bunch of school books.
He rummaged through the bag quickly, making sure there was nothing else, before dropping it all back in and using his trusty wire to bypass the payment to lock the locker.
Why would someone dump their school things in a station locker?
{}
Taylor had agreed to the idea of using the station locker without really thinking about it, then managed to go ahead from convincing herself that this wasn't like Winslow, that even if somebody tried repeating the attack people would notice.
She had still been barely able to manage it.
"What's the problem? The big bad 'accidental Butcher killer' is afraid of a locker?"
Taylor felt anger burn within her at Quarrels words.
You try Triggering from a couple of Wards locking you in one and see how you respond!
There was a moment of stillness.
"Quarrel, shut up."
"But I didn't-"
"Shut. Up. Don't make this any worse."
"It doesn't seem enough. You don't have problems with passing through walls, so you aren't claustrophobic."
"Not the tome bull."
The Locker wasn't empty, Taylor managed to admit.
"They put something in? No animals, they would have done a lot of damage, no sharp objects either. Something soft… a type of rubbish… they didn't."
"What is it V? What did they do to my girl?"
"Cantina. I don't want to distress her."
There wasn't anything to show Taylor which Butchers shifted to the 'middle consciousness', but they fell silent.
Giving herself a mental shrug she did her best to clean up her face before unfolding her costume, slipping into it quickly and easily
"Is it true?"
Taylor started at Detonators soft question.
What? I couldn't hear you remember.
"Did they fill the locker with… that. The contents of… those bins.
There was more than just words, Taylor could feel exactly which bins Detonator was referring to.
Yes, she managed to confirm.
"That… they were Wards?"
There was rage in Dodgers response.
"Yes, it was terrible, all Trigger events are, but that seems a bit extreme-"
"That could be counted as a weapon of mass destruction. To think any Wards would be that… that… I don't even have the words. You didn't get out immediately did you?"
It was a different feeling for Taylor, having someone getting angry for her.
"I think we are all agreed that XV should never, in any way, work with the governments 'heroes'," Fester declared.
"For them to let this happen…no wonder my friend had problems with them. Don't worry, I still want you to be a hero but I won't suggest working with the PRT. You don't need any reminders."
"People need to work themselves up to something like that," Butcher interjected. "Starting slowly until they build up to such an attack. And their lesser efforts, even stacking upon each other, weren't enough for you to Trigger." There was the sense of a laugh. "You must have a stronger will than any Cape I've heard of. If only you'd been there when I founded the Teeth…"
There was the feeling of a stunned silence.
"That is the most Butcher has ever approved of any successor," Spotter 'whispered'.
"I'm not that special, I couldn't do anything to protect myself."
"They had their school on their side, the PRT and even their powers. You were alone, and it still took a weapon of mass destruction to break. If you end up joining, you will be a legend amongst the Teeth, even without mentioning your Inheritance."
Thanks… but can you stop? I don't want to think about it.
"Okay, changing the subject. I think Blastos territory is around here somewhere…"
Omake: Butcher, the Users Guide
Butcher; a Users Guide
Topic: Advice for Capes: Butcher
In: Boards Parahumans General Global
User: Butcher_Official (Verified Cape)(Verified Butcher)(Boogeyman)
This site is for my successors, in case I can't explain things directly. After each Inheritance, kindly edit to add the previous Butcher as you learn about them (it is, after all, a bad idea to add yourself to such a thread).
First, general.
The Butchers memories should become available on Inheriting, but this has been known not to happen. The mechanism behind this is unknown, but doesn't block their voices. They are, now, able go communicate in secret from the current host.
Sometimes Butchers will use the wrong words, as though a malicious autocorrect was interfering.
Oh, and one of them likes black pudding a lot, but the others will also argue for their preferred foods.
Second, specific Butchers.
I, Butcher. Considers himself 'a father to his men', having founded the Teeth as a replacement family before NEPEA blocked their employment. Doesn't tend to speak unless about leadership of the Teeth or if he's acting in a parental manner. Brute with painblast power (please add details if you use it, this is meant to give advice to further successors after all but I have no experience with this power).
II, Spotter. Similarly quiet, considering it his fault (clearly legitimately considering) that the first (his non-related father) died. Has some knowledge of guns, and mostly just supports the first. Can see blood through opaque objects.
III, Dodger. Buddhist hero. Couldn't live with having caused a death (however unintentionally), which led to depression and death. Worked through this and gives good advice for aspiring heroes. Seems to have problems with the PRT though. Possessed danger sense which can be somewhat disorientating, explaining how Butcher reached double digits.
IV, Fester. A definite oddball, who made the Teeth a democracy (each Butcher gets a vote) and ordered all school age to attend. Willing to act as a teacher, but also to maim or to be maimed. Skilled with a sword, but definitely not into fencing. Definitely seems go consider the Teeth family. Causes injuries to 'fester'.
V, Forge. An easily offended Tinker who, apparently, passed himself off as combat Thinker. Prefers to analyse before acting, befitting a Tinker. Can be very subtle. Apparently joined the Teeth as the only place a Tinker isn't expected to work with other Tinkers.
VI, Detonator. The reason Teeth will never even think of committing rape. A former follower of Lustrum who left before things went so wrong and became Butcher by self-defence. Explosive teleportation, unlike her mostly calm attitude would suggest. Personality likely different for anyone else.
VIII, Shaper. Previously extremely low level criminal, until Inheriting by self-defence. When hosted by a villain didn't speak a full sentence, but more supportive of heroes, especially those interested in how his power works (didn't realise half the power was lost by Inheriting). Wargamer. Able to reshape materials by touch.
IX, Berserker. Much calmer than you'd expect, apparently influenced by his own power while still alive. Seems to mostly sit back and watch, enjoying life by proxy. Fan of detective stories and the noir genre. Hates reminders of Marquis. Power causes uncontrollable rage.
X, Hunter. You need to earn his trust for him to speak or explain powers. That is all he is willing to let me share.
XI, Bull. Somewhat more violent than the others, and so much closer to the Butcher you'd expect. Also fits the 'dumb Brute' stereotype quite well.
XII, Tank. Ignores things that don't fit his plans. Experienced fencer, before being disqualified from all competitions. Seems to rub a lot of people up the wrong way. Brute with pain nullification.
XIII, Amazon. Fan of soaps, set aside plenty of time for watching them (those things are addictive). Makes no secret of her attraction to the female form. Yet another Brute. Claims combat Thinker skills with weapons, but so far unconfirmed.
XIV, Quarrel. So far, personality seems to consist of rage against her killer and being an archery fan. Able to cause any projectile to hit the target.
Page: [1] of [1]
FlippinMad
Really Void? You'd make a spoof Butcher account to post something like this?
And what, did you forget about seven?
XxVoid_CowboyxX
Uh, not me. Seens a lot of wirk for a prank.
Butcher_Official (Verified Cape)(Verified Butcher)(Boogeyman)(Original Poster)
Do you see the 'verified' tags? This is no joke
And VII… nobody likes VII.
It seems I'm getting good enough at ignoring them that I forgot to mention it.
Important Butcher survival information: ignore VII at all times!
Tin_Mother (Moderator)
This… feels like it should be locked, but it could actually be useful information…
Weld (Verified Cape)
Why is there no mention of Aztec?
GlitzGlam
What is the proper collective term for the previous Butchers anyway? I need it for schoolwork.
Butcher_official (Verified Cape)(Verified Butcher)(Boogeyman)(Original Poster)
The proper collective term is 'Peanut Gallery'.
AN: I had been thinking of doing a 'flashforward new Butcher help document' at some point, and comments on the cross-post led to me getting around to doing it at last.