Disclaimer: Make it a double, friendship is magic.
Filling in a couple Gaps
NOTE: Companion Piece to 'Bargain, Don't Beg,' Meh Potion #9 this takes place during the previous part.
Arcadia and Winslow were like night and day. There were no gang signs painted on the wall, no loose ceiling tiles, no bitch trio.
"Alright there, Ms. Hebert?"
Taylor jumped, her head darted around to see one of the school janitors looking at her in concern.
"Ms. Hebert? Taylor, are you alright?"
"Y-yeah," she stammered. "Sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about," the man said soothingly. "This ain't like the other place, you got people watching your back here."
"Thank you." Her eyes dropped to inspect her shoes. "Um, could I get your name?"
"Stan." She could hear the smile in his tone of voice. "Worked with your father when he was starting out for about a year or two before I got the job here."
"Did he ask you to keep an eye on me?" she asked.
"He didn't have to," Stan laughed. "Everyone knows who you are after all the excitement and no one is going to let anything happen to you again."
"Thank you," she repeated.
"Do you need some help getting to the office?"
"I wouldn't want to be a bother."
"Good, you won't be. I just happen to be going in the direction of the office so it's no trouble and to pay me back, you can listen to one of my stories about your father."
"Okay," Taylor agreed, brightening up a bit. "Are they embarrassing?"
"Not sure I remember any stories about him that he'd want you to hear," Stan agreed. "I'll have a word with everyone else, see if they can dig up more so I don't run out. How's that sound?"
"Great," Taylor said, almost sounding like her old self.
"So this must have been right about the time your dad got out of the Navy," Stan began. "On the one hand, he was the new guy so we had to mess with him, on the other he'd just gotten out of the military which entitled him to a minimum amount of respect. It was quite a conundrum."
"Because he might already know some of the ways you'd normally mess with a new guy?" Taylor guessed.
"Exactly," Stan agreed.
Taylor was giggling uncontrollably by the time Stan got her to the Administration office. Most of the trepidation she'd felt at retuning to school gone.
"Now remember," Stan said as he delivered her to the receptionist. "What do you say after your dad asks you where you heard all this?"
"Stan told me and he's got more dirt to share," Taylor replied happily.
"And if he doesn't like it, tell him I'll tell you the bad stuff." He turned to the receptionist. "Lorraine, this is Taylor Hebert. Taylor, Lorraine, she's the one who runs things here so be sure to stay on her good side."
Loraine stood up. "I don't think it's possible for this sweet young lady to get on my bad side. Hello, Taylor, I can tell that we're going to get along just fine."
Taylor got her schedule, met the vice principal who gave her his personal assurance that Arcadia would be nothing like Winslow, the principal who echoed her deputy and told her to report any problems immediately, and then Loraine insisted on escorting her to her first class. It was like a whole different world from her previous high school experience.
Her first class ended and one of the janitors just happened to be right outside the classroom and was kind enough to show her the way to her second class. Something similar happened after the next two classes. Some kids would find it stifling, Taylor found it comforting.
Taylor's first real experience with a member of the student body happened when she was getting in line to get lunch.
"I love your clothes!" an unfamiliar blonde squealed. "Are they silk?"
"Yes," Taylor said softly.
"I'm Vicky," the girl introduced herself.
"Taylor."
"Where'd you get them?" Vicky asked, trying to bring the girl out of her shell.
"I made them myself," Taylor mumbled.
"Really?" Vicky squeaked, unable to hide her excitement. "Do you do commissions? Amy, come look at this!"
"Not yet. I've been thinking about it," Taylor admitted.
"May we touch?" Vicky asked, pulling her sister closer.
"O-okay."
Victory purred in delight at the softness of the fabric. "Amy, you have to touch this."
"I'm okay," her sister stated.
"No, really," Vicky insisted. "You absolutely have to, it feels different."
"Fine," Amy sighed. The girl thrust forward a reluctant finger and instantly froze the second it brushed up against the fabric. "What is this?"
"Silk," Vicky said brightly. "Is it more pure than normal silk? Is that why it feels different? Taylor says she made it herself."
"Oh," Amy eyed the other girl for a second. "You did a good job."
"Thank you," Taylor replied. She nodded to the lunch lady who handed her a tray.
"Alright, dear?" the lady asked, eyeing Vicky and her sister.
"Yes, ma'am," Taylor replied.
"Good, you come to me if there's any trouble, alright?"
"Yes, ma'am," Taylor agreed.
The lunch lady gave her a sharp nod. "Next."
"You're sitting with Amy and me, Taylor," Vicky decided. "I want you to tell me all about your outfit."
"Alright," Taylor agreed hesitantly, part of her sure that it was a trick to get her to lower her guard. It was only a quick glance to confirm that the lunch ladies were keeping an eye on her that gave her the confidence to take a chance.
"So, is it difficult to make clothes?" Vicky asked.
"Not really," Taylor admitted. "It was at first, but not anymore."
"Good, you said you were thinking about taking commissions?"
"Yeah," Taylor agreed. "I, my dad says we can start after we settle some legal matters."
"What kind?"
"Um." Taylor shrank in on herself.
"The personal sort," Vicky continued. "None of my business at all, right?"
"Right," Taylor said softly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be pushy." She turned to her sister. "Amy, stop me when I'm getting too pushy or too personal."
"You wouldn't have much to talk about if I did," Amy snorted.
"Probably not," Vicky agreed. "Taylor, tell me if something's off limits. I'm not always good about that, okay."
"Okay," Taylor said.
"Did you just move to the area? Is that why you transferred in?"
"No, I, uh, was at Winslow before I came here. Something happened and they moved me here."
"Good. You'll fit in much better here," Vicky decided. "I can tell you'll fit in just fine, right, sis?"
"Sure," Amy agreed. "Do you mind if I touch your shirt again?"
"I guess," Taylor agreed.
"Finally got bit by the fashion but, 'eh Ames?" Vicky giggled.
"It's a fascinating material," Amy stated. "I think it'd be perfect for sutures. Do you think you'd be willing to sell some to the hospital after you start taking commissions?"
"Why couldn't they just get it from her supplier?" Vicky snorted. "For that matter, why would they be getting that from a fabric shop when they could just buy stuff from a medical supply company?"
A brief look of guilt flashed across Amy's face. "Right, sorry, I don't know what I was thinking."
"Don't worry about it," Taylor mumbled.
"Can we talk about it later?" Amy begged, "after you're taking commissions?"
"I guess."
There was another janitor waiting for her at the end of lunch and someone was waiting after the end of each class to escort her to the next until the end of school when two escorted her to her bus.
"You're Danny Hebert's girl, right?" the bus driver asked with a friendly smile when she boarded. "Why don't you sit up front behind me where the heater is the strongest."
"Thank you," Taylor said. She didn't allow herself to completely relax until she was back in her house with the door locked behind her. Arcadia was nothing like Winslow, but that was no reason to get complacent.
IIIIIIIIII
Vicky was waiting at the door when her mother returned from work that evening, something that surprised the woman as it wasn't something she'd done since she'd gotten out of elementary school.
"Good evening, Victoria. How was your day at school?" Carol prompted, wanting to get to the bottom of things.
"New girl today, transfer from Winslow," Vicky answered cheerfully. "The staff was keeping a real close eye on her for some reason."
Her mother raised an eyebrow.
"Not like that," Vicky hastened to add. "Like they were looking out for her, or guarding her, or something. They got really intent every time anyone got too close to her and she tensed up whenever anyone got to close and she jumped every time there was a loud sound. I think something bad happened to her at Winslow and that's why they moved her to a new school."
"I see." Carol had an idea of whom her daughter might be speaking of.
"I've been trying to be her friend, Ames too," Vicky stated. "I'm just worried about her."
"I trust you won't do anything too impulsive if she opens up to you, Victoria."
"No mom, I promise."
"Good. Come to me if you learn anything disturbing about your new friend and I will handle it."
"Okay, mom."
"I mean that," Carol said sharply. "The last thing we need is for you to get in trouble trying to do something on your own."
"I promise, mom, unless it's an emergency that you would think is an emergency."
"Was that all, Victoria?"
"Yes, mom, just wanted to make sure that you knew something strange was going on."
"You are showing excellent judgement here, Victoria, keep it up." Carol made a mental note to look into the matter.
IIIIIIIIII
Taylor was able to contain herself until the pizza was on the table, a slice was on her plate, and her father was taking his first bite?"
"Did you really knock out three of a man's teeth the first day you started working at the docks?"
Danny swallowed is bite. "Who told you that?"
"He said his name was Stan, he's one of the janitors at my school."
"Big Stan Shotwell?"
"Um, I don't know." She described the man who'd helped her get to the receptionist.
"That's him," Danny laughed.
"What happened?"
"Guy was driving a forklift and nearly hit me. I pulled him out of it and asked him what he thought he was doing." Danny shrugged. "He gave me the wrong answer."
"What was his answer?"
"He told me to go away, called me a college boy, and dared me to do something about it. I did."
"Did he really just tell you to go away?"
"No, honey, he used much stronger language that that. Language that I will not be using in front of you."
"Dad, I'm fifteen."
"I know, honey, but it was hard enough to get you to stop using bad language the first time. I'm not sure I have it in me to go through all that hassle again."
"First time?"
"I ever tell you what your first words were?"
"No."
"Good."
"What were they, dad?"
"You learned them from me, which is the reason I try to watch my language around you. You liked to shout them at the top of your lungs at every opportunity, which is why we stopped going to church. Your mother found the whole thing hilarious, teased me about it for years."
"I'm not a toddler anymore, dad."
"Keep telling yourself that, hun."
IIIIIIIIII
Vicky bounced over to her boyfriend's table for lunch the next day. The group was subdued compared to their normal boisterous selves.
"Where's Amy?" her boyfriend asked.
"Had an emergency thing she had to take care of," Vicky replied, dropping into her spot and giving her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. "Why the long face?"
"I'm going to be a bit short on time for a little while," Dean said. He leaned in close to whisper. "Shadow Stalker isn't coming back."
"What happened?"
"She got arrested, tried to kill someone at her school." Dean glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to hear their conversation. "Miss Militia wouldn't give us any details, we did some poking around and Chris found something."
"What'd he find?"
"He wouldn't say, told us to stop digging because we didn't want to know. All he'd say when we pushed was that it made him sick and that he hoped she'd never get out of prison. Told me to get everyone to stop digging because he really didn't want Missy to find out or worse find the pictures. He said it was that bad."
Vicky glanced across the cafeteria and found her newest friend sitting alone at the table nearest the lunch counter. "You find out the name of her victim?"
"No, and I couldn't share it with you if I did."
"Okay, thanks Dean, I'm going to have to take a raincheck on lunch." She grabbed her tray and floated across the room. "Taylor, sorry I'm late, but I wanted to meet with my boyfriend before I had lunch with you."
"You can eat lunch with him," Taylor said softly. "I'm okay."
"But then we wouldn't have a chance to get to know each other better," Vicky said, sounding scandalized by the very notion. "So tell me, where do you get your inspiration for your designs? Are they original or do you get patterns or something?"
IIIIIIIIII
Vicky glanced at the clock after school ended, two hours till she was supposed to pick up her sister from the hospital. Plenty of time to to do a bit of digging.
It didn't take long to get to Winslow and it didn't take any time at all to find someone in the area of the appropriate age wearing gang colors.
"Hi," she said brightly, grabbing a six foot skinhead by the front of his jacket and easily lifting him into the air. "You're in luck, you might have some information I want that doesn't concern your gang. Tell me and I won't have to stop being nice."
"Fuck you!"
"That wasn't very nice." She rose until his feet were fifteen inches above the ground. "I'm going to let you go after I'm done asking questions. I'll go up every time you say something rude or you refuse to answer or I think you're lying to me." She looked down. "Not a big deal if you answer now, might be fatal if you decide to keep your mouth shut."
"What do you want to know?" the skinhead asked sullenly.
"Someone tried to kill a girl a couple weeks ago at Winslow. I want to know who, I want to know how, and I want to know why."
"That's it?"
"Yup, don't even want to know a thing about your gang. Maybe tomorrow, but today I'm completely focused on the murder attempt."
He relaxed. "Put me down and I'll tell you everything."
"Try to run and you'll never run again," she said cheerfully, lowering him gently until his feet were on solid ground.
"Don't know why," the thug began. "I don't think anyone does."
"Go on," Vicky prompted. He did, he told her everything he knew about what had happened and every rumor he'd heard about it. Vicky was seething when he finished. "No one tried to get her out?"
"Not from what I've heard," the skinhead stated. "I was busy doing something for someone so I wasn't there, but I was there the next day and it was like it never happened. Area around the locker was the only clean spot in the school. Someone asked about it and the teachers said that nothing happened and that no one should talk about it."
"We're done. Don't let me catch you tomorrow." Vicky shot to a hundred feet and settled down to think. She didn't know what to do, her new friend had been the victim of something monstrous and there was nothing she could do to help.
She was still deep in thought after she'd picked up her sister from the hospital and returned to their home. Vicky's uncharacteristic silence did not go unnoticed or unremarked upon by her parents.
Carol was gripping the table so hard her knuckles were white when Vicky finished sharing what she'd been able to find out.
"You are sure of this, Victoria?"
"I didn't find another gang member to confirm it, but I don't see a reason why the one I grabbed would lie."
"I will look into the matter," Carol promised. "This situation is completely unacceptable."
"I think it's already been handled, mom," Vicky said. "Taylor said something about a lawsuit, didn't she Ames?"
"She did," Amy agreed.
Carol's lips pursed. "Amy, see if you can find a way to subtly find out if the girl needs legal assistance. Inform her that I would be willing to provide it pro bono if she does."
"Yes, mom."
"Victoria."
"Yes, mom?"
"Be careful. We don't want this girl to be hurt more than she already has been."
"I will, mom."
IIIIIIIIII
Some of Vicky's normal cheerfulness had returned by the next day and she was eager to get to lunch both because she wanted to check on her new friend and because she wanted to deliver a brief message to one of the wards.
"Horrible what happened to her, isn't it, Ames?" She said as they flew to school. "I'm surprised she didn't trigger." Amy's eyes were firmly on the toes of her shoes. Victoria silently noted her sister's reaction. "Do me a favor?"
"Maybe. What do you want?"
"Could you check to make sure Taylor doesn't have any lasting effects from what happened?" Vicky pleaded. "I mean, I know you don't do requests, but, for me?"
"Sure, Vicky," Amy sighed. "But only if she agrees."
"Of course she'll agree," Vicky laughed. "Who wouldn't want an excuse to get a check up from the greatest healer in the world and second best girl in the world?"
"Second best?"
"Your fault for being born on the same planet I was," Vicky sniffed.
IIIIIIIIII
Taylor smiled when Vicky and Amy joined her in the lunch line the next day.
"Hi," she said. "How are you today?"
"Um." Vicky glanced at her sister. "I did something you might not like yesterday after school."
Taylor seemed to shrink. "What?"
"I found a gang member near your old school and I might have threatened to take him high up in the air before I let him go if he didn't talk." Vicky smiled weakly. "He said something horrible happened to you, I'm sorry for what happened and I'm sorry I went behind your back."
Taylor let out a breath. "Oh. Yeah, that's okay."
"I didn't want you to think I was going behind your back," Vicky continued. They got their food and found a table. "Everybody got caught?"
"Everybody got caught," Taylor confirmed.
"Good." Vicky glanced across the room. "Amy agreed to give you a check up to make sure you don't have any long term problems from what happened if you want and my mom said that she'd be willing to give you free legal help if you need it."
"Vicky!" Amy hissed. "She told me to ask and she told me to be subtile about it."
"Yeah, but I figured this way was faster. Be right back." She floated up from the table and across the room to the wards table. "Hey guys!"
"Hey, Vicky," Dean replied. To his surprise, she went right past him to his teammate.
"Dennis, you see that girl over there with Amy?"
"Yeah?"
"I will break both of your legs if you do anything to her. No pranks, no jokes at her expense, I don't even want you making faces at her. Understood?"
"What?" The flat look in the girl's eyes convincing him that she was deadly serious.
"I mean it. If you or anyone else bothers her, I'll break both of your or their legs and Amy won't fix it. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Good." She smiled. "Thanks, Dennis, I knew you'd understand." She smiled at her boyfriend. "Bye, Dean."
"What was that all about?" Chris asked after Vicky had returned to the other side of the room.
"Vicky wants me to spread the word that the new girl is off limits," Dennis explained.
IIIIIIIIII
Danny felt like a fist was gripping his heart when he caught a look at his daughter's face after returning home that night. Something was wrong.
"Dad?"
"Yes, honey?"
"Did I tell you that I've been eating lunch with Glory Girl and Panacea?"
"You said you were friends with a girl name Vicky and her sister Amy," Danny replied. "Same people?"
"Yeah, dad," Taylor agreed. "Vicky apologized for checking on what happened at Winslow today, she said she grabbed a gang member and forced him to tell her what happened."
"Are you okay, honey?"
"She wanted to know if everyone got arrested and then she asked her sister to make sure I was healthy and then she said her mother was offering to help us for free if we needed it."
"That's good, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Taylor agreed. "It just hit me, I think I have friends again."
"I think you do, honey," he said, trying not to show his relief. "She's the girl that likes your clothes, right?"
"Yeah, she asked about commissions when we met." Taylor made eye contact with the floor. "I'm kinda interested in making her and her sister new costumes."
"Why don't we ask Mr. Boothe what he thinks?" Danny suggested.
"Okay," Taylor agreed.
"Doing alright, honey?"
"Just wondering what it would have been like if Vicky and Amy went to Winslow with me," Taylor said. "I don't think she'd have let anyone bully me or anyone else."
"Shame she wasn't, but at least you're going to school with them now, right?"
"Yeah," Taylor agreed.
"So I was thinking we'd try to make something for dinner rather than have take out," Danny suggested cautiously. "If you think you'd be interested."
"Sure." She smiled. "What were you thinking?"
IIIIIIIIII
The teacher looked pale when she arrived for class and immediately told Vicky that she and her sister were required in the principal's office. Oddly, none of the wards or the decoys were similarly excused which told her that it probably wasn't something parahuman related.
"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, girls." The principal was waiting for them when they got to administration and immediately waved them into her office. "Did you notice that your friend Taylor didn't come in today?"
"We usually don't meet up till lunch," Vicky replied.
"We don't share any classes," Amy added.
"Is she okay?" Vicky asked.
"Her father called in to say that she wouldn't be coming in because she had a meeting and I just wanted to be sure that neither of you thought that anything was wrong."
"Like what?"
"Without breaking any confidences, do you think Taylor is happy here?" the woman asked nervously. "No one's giving her any trouble, are they?"
The Dallon sisters shared a confused glance.
"No issues with bullies or anything, right?" the principal clarified.
"Not that I know of," Vicky stated. "I wouldn't tolerate anyone messing with one of my friends."
"She hasn't said anything," Amy agreed.
"Okay, just make sure she knows that she can come to me for anything no matter how minor she might think it is and that we have an absolutely zero tolerance policy to any sort of bullying or harassment."
"We will," Vicky agreed.
Neither sister said another word until they were in the hallway and far enough from administration to be safe from prying ears.
"What was that about?" Amy wondered.
"I don't know, but did you see how scared she was?" Vicky asked.
"Yeah, I wonder what's up."
"She flinched when she brought up Taylor's dad, you think he's some sort of mob boss or something?"
"I think Taylor mentioned that he works at the docks," Amy said dryly.
"Probably Lung then," Vicky decided.
"I've seen him when he comes to pick Taylor up sometimes. He's not Asian," Amy stated.
"Which, come to think of it, is the perfect disguise to conceal his secret identity. That cunning bastard."
IIIIIIIIII
To Vicky's delight, Taylor was back the next day and wearing an outfit that the flying brick hadn't seen before.
"Hi, Amy. Hi, Vicky," Taylor greeted her two friends after she met them in the lunch line. "I've got something for both of you?"
"A present?" Vicky asked, perking up.
"At least wait till we get to our table," Amy grumbled. The three took their trays and then their seats.
"We're at our table," Vicky said brightly.
Taylor reached into her pack and pulled out two glass jars of honey. "They're from my first batch," Taylor said. "I thought you two would enjoy having a taste."
"You made this?" Vicky asked, holding the jar up so she could see the light go through the golden goodness.
"Yup. Well, I raised the bees," Taylor stated.
Amy cautiously opened the jar and gave the liquid an experimental touch with the tip of her finger then pulled it out to gave it a cautious sniff and a cautious taste. "It's good. Thank you, Taylor."
"Yeah, thanks," Vicky said happily.
"And, um, dad said that I could maybe make you a few things but that my lawyer needs to talk with your mom first," Taylor said. "I have a business card if you want."
"Thanks, Taylor," Vicky said brightly. "Wait, I just realized your name is Taylor and you're a tailor. Sorry, I bet you've heard that joke a million times."
"First time, actually," Taylor said with the barest hint of a grin.
"Take that, Ames!" Glory girl cheered, puffing her chest out in pride.
"Take what?"
"That." Vicky stuck out her tongue at her sister before turning back to Taylor. "This top is new, isn't it? How did you get such a deep blue?"
IIIIIIIIII
Carol eyed the card she'd been given like it was a viper. How in god's name had the girl gotten Paul Boothe Sr. to represent her? Why did the man want to speak with her before he would permit his client to make her daughter a couple articles of clothing?
"You're sure she said that her father told her that I needed to speak with her attorney?"
"Yes, mom."
"And she gave you this card?"
Vicky leaned in to take a closer look. "Yup, that's the one."
"Amy, your sister isn't leaving anything out or forgetting anything?"
"No, mom," Amy replied, clearly confused by the question.
"Something wrong, mom?" Vicky asked.
"Your friend has a very experienced lawyer," Carol replied, eyes still locked on the card.
"She also makes fashionable clothes and yummy honey," Vicky added. "Right, Ames?"
"The honey is good," Amy confirmed.
Carol looked up from the card. "Honey?"
"Taylor's started keeping bees as a hobby," Vicky explained. "She gave us each a jar today at lunch."
"Oh, that was nice of her. You were both sure to thank her, weren't you?"
"We were," Amy stated.
"Good."
IIIIIIIIII
Things moved quickly after Carol decided to call the number on the card and a few days Vicky, her mother, and her sister were in Taylor's lawyer's office meeting her attorney along with Taylor.
"I'm going to have to insist on these papers being signed before we can get on with our business," Mr. Boothe, Taylor's lawyer said, handing them all a stack of papers.
"Of course," Vicky's mother said. "Wait until I've had a chance to go over these before either of you girls sign anything," her mother ordered, looking at her and her sister.
Vicky stared at her copy of the NDA for a few seconds before enough of the words on it started to make enough sense that she thought she understood the basics of what it meant. "Is this to hide that Taylor's a cape?" she asked guilelessly. Her nose scrunched up at the looks everyone was shooting her. "What? I mean, it's obvious isn't it?"
"Vicky!" Amy hissed. "You don't just say things like that out loud."
"Why not?" Vicky asked. "None of us would out a cape and he's her lawyer, he'd have to keep quiet if I'm wrong and he didn't already know."
Taylor's attorney gave her a measuring look. "I am not at liberty to discuss any particulars until after you have signed, Ms. Dallon."
"Okay," Vicky agreed. "Can I sign, mom?"
"One moment, Victoria," Carol sighed. She shot an apologetic look at the older attorney. "Sorry, she's a good girl but she can be a bit impulsive at times."
"Quite alright," Boothe Sr. Replied. "Understandable at that age."
"These all seem to be acceptable," Carol allowed. "You may sign, Victoria."
Vicky signed the papers and handed them back to Taylor's lawyer. "Here you are, Mr. Boothe."
The old man waited until everyone had signed and handed them back.
"As you surmised, Ms. Dallon, my client is indeed a parahuman." He nodded to Vicky's friend. "You may proceed, Ms. Hebert."
"Uh, I can control bugs," Taylor admitted. "It's not the best power, but-"
"It's a great power," Vicky assured her friend. "Right, Ames? It's how you make your clothes and get honey, isn't it?"
"Y-yeah," Taylor agreed.
"What kind of silk are you using?" Vicky asked brightly.
"Vicky!" Amy snapped. "Give her a chance to answer. Sorry, Taylor."
"It's okay, Amy." Taylor took a deep breath. "Black widow silk. It's the second strongest in the world. It makes me feel safer to wear it, it's like armor." The girl paused. "That's why I wanted to meet with you, I think I could make new costumes for you that would be a lot more protective than the ones you have now. Especially if Amy helped me."
"Exactly how do you want my daughter to help you?" Carol's voice was made of ice.
"I was thinking she might be able to use her power to tighten the weave and maybe to make it stronger," Taylor said, shrinking into herself.
"Mom!" Vicky chided. "Be more polite to my friend."
"Oh." Carol let out a breath. "My apologies for the tone, Taylor, I'm afraid I misunderstood what you were asking for. Amy, do you think you would be able to do that?"
"Maybe?" Amy replied, sounding unsure.
"Does the idea make you feel uncomfortable?"
"A little," Amy admitted.
"How uncomfortable?" Carol persisted.
"Just a little, I'm willing to try."
"Do so," Carol ordered. "Taylor, another thing that may be helpful is the inclusion of micro plates of ceramic for abrasion resistance."
"Oh." Taylor licked her lips. "Do you have any other suggestions?"
"Give me a few days to talk with some people and I shall get you a list of things that you and Amy can experiment with. Thank you for the offer, Taylor, I am honored that you chose to make it and that you chose to unmask to myself and my daughters." Carol turned to Mr. Boothe. "I assume that you will be wanting NDAs from the rest of New Wave?"
"I would prefer it, yes," he agreed.
Carol gave a sharp nod. "Courier them to my office and I will get them signed and returned to you. Was that all you wished to cover?"
"It was."
"Then I will not waste any more of your time." Carol rose to her feet. "It was wonderful meeting you, Taylor. Victoria, be sure to invite her to dinner some night."
"Yes, mom."
"Amy, be sure she does not forget."
"I will, mom."
"Good day, Mr. Boothe. Good day, Taylor." Carol turned and walked out of the office, her daughters in tow, not stopping until they'd reached the street.
"Amy."
"Yes, mom?"
"Good job, you behaved exactly as I would have wished."
"Thank you, mom."
"Victoria."
"Yes, mom?"
"You did not. Try to act more like your sister in any future meetings of this sort."
"Okay, mom."
"Amy."
"Yes, mom?"
"I have come to a greater understanding of some of the difficulties you face. Please continue doing your best to reign in some of your sister's more impulsive behavior."
"I will, mom."
"Good." Carol glanced at her watch. "Victoria, I believe that I will have to work late today. Take your sister to the restaurant of her choice for dinner."
"I will, mom," Vicky agreed.
Carol pulled out her wallet and handed Amy several bills after a moment of indecision. "Amy, I am going to trust you to be the responsible sister. Is this enough for dinner for both of you and a tip?"
"It is, mom."
"Good. I shall see you girls when I get home."
Vicky waited until her mother was out of earshot. "Mom said you're the responsible one."
"I heard, Vicky," Amy said, both shocked and confused.
"That makes me the cool one, like Aunt Sarah. Nerd!"
Amy snorted. "How did you know?"
"Bout Taylor?"
"Yeah."
"I thought it was obvious," Vicky stated.
"Could you explain that?"
"She's a transfer so of course I'm going to check her out, I don't want anyone suspicious anywhere near my darling sister."
"So you decide to check her out."
"I'd have done it more discreetly if not for those gorgeous clothes she always wears. I thought they were tinker tech at first, but they felt natural so I had you come over and confirm that they were for me."
"I didn't confirm anything for you, Vicky."
"I may not be able to read biological reactions, but I can read you like a book. You touched it and it was obvious you thought something was off about it, then you confirmed that it was a natural material. Easy."
"Really?"
"Yeah, you wouldn't have had an odd reaction if it was normal silk. So I knew it was natural and I knew it wasn't normal silk and I knew Taylor made her clothes so she's a parahuman or someone who has close ties to a parahuman. Then I found out what happened to her. What would you have thought?"
"Oh. Yeah," Amy agreed. "That makes sense."
"You also slipped up a couple times," Vicky continued cheerfully. "I think I managed to cover for you though."
"You knew all this time and you didn't say anything?"
"Course not, neither did you."
"Vicky?"
"Yeah, Ames?"
"What would you have done if she was someone suspicious?"
"Depends. If she was suspicious but behaved herself at school and didn't try to go after you outside school then I'd have just kept an eye on her. If she didn't behave herself in school or was a danger to you then I'd have put her in traction. Same as you'd do for me, Ames."
"Thanks, Vicky."
"Always, Ames, we're sisters."
AN: Wasn't going to do the cliché meet with Vicky and Amy scene, decided that Vicky would immediately zoom in on a new girl wearing perfectly fitting and obviously custom silk clothing. Also figured, what the hell, when have I ever let the fact that something was horribly cliché stop me from writing it?
Had intended to write an omake titled "You Shall Fight in the Shade" featuring ALL THE BEES. But alas, inspiration did not strike.
Mistake corrected by FKN
Typos by joey zoot, Icemanau, nzaman
Omake: Inspector Victoria
Inspector Victoria's keenly honed gossip network soon informed her of the presence of a new transfer and as her other network, the one at the Protectorate, hadn't informed her of the presence of a new ward she decided to keep an eye out for the new student. Better to be cautious rather than to have one's beloved sister kidnapped and sold to the CUI or some other group of malcontents.
The Master Detective spotted the new girl the moment she stepped into the cafeteria, more importantly she spotted the outfit the new girl was wearing. She added an objective to her investigation, find out where the new girl shops and become a customer herself.
"I love your clothes!" Victoria stated, introducing herself to the target. "Are they silk?"
"Yes," her target confirmed.
She introduced herself, her target reciprocated.
"Where'd you get them?" Victoria asked, trying to elicit more information.
"I made them myself," her target replied. In a flash, the investigation had gone from a routine inquiry to a matter of life death. Inspector Victoria forced herself to be calm, to stay collected, she had to be sure she made a good impression and she absolutely had to get the girl to make her an outfit.
"Really?" Brockton's finest sleuth asked casually. "Do you do commissions? Amy," she called out, summoning her assistant. "Come look at this!"
"Not yet. I've been thinking about it." The target's reply was a disappointment. It was far from the answer she was hoping for, Victoria did not lose hope. Thoughts could easily become reality.
"May we touch?" Inspector Victoria asked, hoping to get a better look at the clothes.
The girl agreed, if only every investigation went so smoothly.
There was something odd about the fabric, it felt natural, obviously some sort of silk. But it also felt subtly different from anything she'd ever felt before. The master detective's thought's raced, it was time to call in her assistant, Dr. Amy. Her analysis of the unfamiliar fabric would almost certainly provide valuable information to help with the investigation.
"Amy, you have to touch this," she commanded.
"I'm okay," her dimwitted assistant stated, completely missing the hidden subtext.
"No, really," the scourge of the underworld insisted. "You absolutely have to, it feels different."
"Fine." Her assistant agreed, picking up the subtile code in her partner's speech, one the two had developed over years of crimefighting and over thousands of investigations. Fortunately, lacking such experience, the target did not.
"What is this?" Doctor Amy conveyed untold amounts of information to her partner via her tone of voice, simple gestures, and expressions. Something that, again, went unnoticed by their target.
"Silk," the inspector stated calmly. "Is it more pure than normal silk? Is that why it feels different? Taylor says she made it herself." She watched her assistant closely to ensure that the other girl understood what she was asking.
"Oh," Dr Amy confirmed the inspector's suspicions with a word. "You did a good job." Inspector Victoria had to resist the urge to groan at her assistant's words, the other girl had all but told the target of their suspicions.
"Thank you," the target replied, giving nothing away.
"You're sitting with Amy and me, Taylor." Inspector Victoria decided to throw caution to the wind and to recklessly pursue her investigation now that the target had almost certainly been alerted to her investigation thanks to Dr. Amy's clumsiness."I want you to tell me all about your outfit," she told her target, her tone leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that her target's cooperation was a given conclusion.
"Alright," her target gave in, knowing not to start a battle she couldn't win.
"So, is it difficult to make clothes?" the bay's finest investigator asked, beginning the interrogation.
"Not really. It was at first, but not anymore."
"Good." It seemed that the target was willing to cooperate. "You said you were thinking about taking commissions?"
"Yeah. I, my dad says we can start after we settle some legal matters." Damn, it took all of Inspector Victoria's considerable will to prevent any show of her dismay.
"What kind?" The inspector asked, trying to sound casual.
"Um." It was clear from the target's body language that the question had been a bad one.
Inspector Victoria cursed inwardly at the target's reaction, she was loosing rapport. "The personal sort. None of my business at all, right?"
The target agreed, but kept her guard up. Inspector Victoria's thoughts raced to find a way out of the corner she'd painted herself into.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be pushy." The inspector gave her carefully calculated answer. "Amy, stop me when I'm getting too pushy or too personal."
"You wouldn't have much to talk about if I did," Dr. Amy snorted, apparently having missed most of the quiet battle of wits her partner was engaged in with the target.
Inspector Victoria managed to elicit a few more facts from the target before signaling for her assistant to make her move.
"Do you mind if I touch your shirt again?" Dr. Amy asked.
The target agreed.
"Finally got bit by the fashion but, 'eh Ams?" Inspector Victoria signed for her assistant to distract the target and to divert her back to a safer subject.
"It's a fascinating material," Dr. Amy said, apparently having missed her instructions. "I think it'd be perfect for sutures. Do you think you'd be willing to sell some to the hospital after you start taking commissions?"
Inspector Victoria, Brockton Bay's finest sleuth had to force herself not to reach across the table to throttle her dimwitted assistant. The girl had all but told the target that they knew that there had been parahuman involvement in the production of the fabric. The master detective's thoughts raced, she had to find a way to diffuse the situation.
"Why couldn't they just get it from her supplier?" Inspector Victoria signaled her assistant with an uncharacteristic and unladylike snort. "For that matter, why would they be getting that from a fabric shop when they could just buy stuff from a medical supply company?"
Dr. Amy blushed at the rebuke, eyes dropping in shame at the fact that she had failed her partner. "Right, sorry, I don't know what I was thinking."
Fortunately, the target was gracious enough to agree to overlook the matter for the time being. Inspector Vicky gathered up her assistant and spirited the girl off to their next class. The bay's greatest detective plotted her next move, perhaps a meeting with Gally the Snitch was in order?
Omake by FKN: You have no power here
Dude in a Suit: You're Daniel Hebert?
Danny: Yes, I am. Who's speaking?
Dude in a Suit: (ignoring Danny's question) And you're the guy who's leading the unionise drive across town?
Danny: Yes, but...
DiaS: We just want to warn you; keep your grubby, unionising hands away from us!
[DiaS slams down a leaflet in front of Danny - it's a pamphlet encouraging warehouse workers to unionise]
Danny: What? You're from Amazon?
DiaS: Even Blue Collar cannot stand up to the might of Big Daddy Bezos!
NOTE: The below is part of the continuity of Odd Ideas #189, A Black Worm
Omake: The Undersiders
The Undersiders rounded the corner and nearly ran into Brockton Bay's least powerful cape. As opponents went, they'd hit the jackpot.
Grue sighed, "just step out of the way and we won't hurt you. I'm afraid we'll have to get unpleasant if you don't."
Tattletail nearly vomited when she got a good look at the cape and her powers started screaming at how bad it would be if things progressed. "What my colleague means to say is that we are very very sorry and hope you don't take offense to his threat because he did not mean it and we're very very sorry that he said it."
"Apology accepted," Harry said calmly.
Grue turned. "What are-" a frown appeared under his helmet, Bitch was exposing her throat and her eyes were fixed on the ground. Tattletail looked like she was about to pass out. Regent just looked confused, good, he wasn't alone.
"Is there anything we can do to make amends?" Tattletail continued.
"I already accepted your apology," Harry pointed out.
"We're on our way back to our hideout after committing a crime," Tattletail explained. "What do we have to do to avoid getting arrested?"
"I'm not really the arresting type," Harry stated.
Tattletail began hyperventilating.
"But as to making amends, that depends. What crime did you commit?"
"We raided a drug house," Grue said after it became clear that his teammate couldn't answer, still mystified by the situation.
"So you performed a public service," Harry laughed. "Is that it?"
"It wasn't the first time," Tattletail said cautiously, starting to calm down, her powers no longer screaming a warning of her impending death at her.
"So you've committed several public services." Harry shrugged. "Not really the sort of thing I'm worried about."
The girl smiled. "You wouldn't happen to be hiring, would you?"
Omake: Resignation
Lisa's grin split her face as she pulled out her phone and dialed her former employer's number.
"It's me," she said flippantly. "Just calling to say that we quit and you can go fuck yourself."
There was a long pause before her former employer replied, his voice cracking. "Understood. I wish you luck in your future endeavors."
"Thank you. Now, as to the matter of our severance pay."
Omake: Family Ties
"Alec, tell him about your father," Lisa commanded. "You do and I promise that you'll never have to worry about him again."
IIIIIIIIII
Inspector Boothe, the RCMP officer charged with the apprehension of Canada's most notorious parahuman criminals frowned when someone knocked on the door as he'd given strict instructions not to be disturbed outside the most dire circumstances.
"Enter!" he growled.
"Sir." Sergeant Woods stated, an inappropriately cheerful look on her face. "I wanted to be the first to inform you that your services are no longer needed."
"What?"
"Heartbreaker is dead."
"Confirmed?" he asked hopefully.
"Confirmed, sir."
IIIIIIIIII
The Director of the PRT's ENE branch frowned when her phone rang, the caller id stating that it was the Washington office. What now?"
"Piggot," she snapped.
"We've just received a request from the RCMP, Director Piggot."
"Well?"
"They would like your assistance in locating the independent hero Mr. Black."
"Why the hell do the Canadians want us to confirm the location of Mr. Black?"
"Approximately two hours ago, the RCMP was contacted by the villain Regent who stated that Heartbreaker had been dealt with."
"So?"
"So he stated that the one who did it was Mr. Black who requested the reward be spent taking care of Heartbreaker's victims and children."
"I presume they confirmed it was him?"
"No doubt. My contact says it looks like someone forced the bastard to tear out and eat his own heart."
Emily snorted in amusement. "Good riddance. The Canadians seriously think a low level Stranger one is responsible rather than a moderately powerful master ?"
"Don't know what they think, Director Piggot. Just playing messenger."
"How much does the Chief Director want this?"
"Resources permitting."
"I'll order any sightings or encounters be reported but please pass on that I do not have the resources to make a dedicated search."
"Understood."