Tutorial - 3.1
January 3, 2011, Brockton General Hospital, 10:23 AM
The rest of the ambulance ride was uneventful, dada called me once more and I confirmed that he doesn't need to come. Taylor was taken into the ER, I was asked to change into hospital-issue pyjamas (Thankfully not scrubs, I hate scrubs) and deposit my clothes into evidence bags. I complied, only keeping the other pair of spyglasses to wash thoroughly and inventory it. Thankfully my bag wasn't soiled at all so I got an excuse to keep and produce things from. Then I was asked to sit in the waiting room, oh well, patience is a virtue.
I began browsing through the Party Options, which were a detailed set of options of which all were disabled but one, 'Invite To Party' of course. In a few minutes, Danny arrived, simultaneously enraged and panicked. I spoke to him, giving him the least worrying version of the events, sadly, even with the best sugarcoating it sounded pretty nasty. Danny was building up a head of steam, ranting about how Taylor should have told him earlier, I interrupted him.
"Honestly sir, would you have told Taylor if you were having trouble with some thugs at the DWU?"
"No! But it's not the same thing! I'm her parent! I'm supposed to help with things like these!"
"The school would have done nothing without proof, their policies are pretty clear. Also, the wrong has been righted, the perpetrators are in custody, right now your anger is not finding any suitable outlets. The best option is to let it go, not direct it at your daughter, sir."
He deflated and sighed, "I know. I know. I just have no idea how to help her. I'm partially at fault for this. I have not paid enough attention..." I interrupted him again.
"Directing it at yourself is not the solution either."
He sighed again, "What is the solution?"
"I wouldn't know sir, anything I have to suggest generally works when the age gap is less than a decade, and there's no gender divide. Regardless, I believe talking to her should help?"
He nodded, "Of course, sorry, I didn't mean to... You're very mature for your age, Aveek."
"No sir, merely even tempered and from a culture which values politeness a lot." At least while speaking to your elders.
He smiled, he was going to say something when a red blur entered the room and rendered itself into Velocity. "Mr. Hebert, you can go meet your daughter now."
Danny was startled, but recovered quickly, nodded and rushed out of the waiting room towards the ER. Velocity nodded at me again, "Aveek my man, you're a regular hero! Ready for a quick M/S screening interview?" He thrust out his hand. I shook it and nodded.
He led me into a room the PRT had appropriated, a PRT officer was sitting behind a doctor's table. I was made to sit in front of him, and give a statement of the whole incident, I did. Then followed a number of unrelated questions which I realized were the M/S sanity check questions. I used the anonymity protocols to answer them as a high int baseline human. Then he pointedly shut off the recorder and took it away leaving me alone with Velocity, who sat down across the table.
"So, Aveek, we're mostly done. Now, it's not a part of the basic M/S screening, but since you and Taylor were so heavily affected by the incident, and you're the one who reported it, would you be willing to undergo a quick scan?"
Shit shit shit. I had no problems being scanned, but Taylor would, and it could look odd if she refused, I needed to nip this off in the bud. I raised my hand.
"There's no need to go to such lengths sir. I will take it as a compliment, but you do realize that one doesn't have to be a Thinker to be smart?"
He gave a sheepish grin and shrugged. I further added, "Besides, just for the peace of your mind, Panacea didn't find a corona when she scanned me to heal two bullet wounds. I can give you the recording of her admitting the same to Glory Girl or you can ask her yourself. And finally, if I were indeed a parahuman, what you were trying to could have been a very dangerous thing."
His hands blurred on his tablet. Then he gave a rueful headshake. "I told them you'd see through it in seconds. When they called your brother to ask him to be present since you're a minor, he just told us he trusts you to handle it by yourself. I initially thought it was irresponsible of him, but I realize he meant exactly what he said. Well, no harm no foul?"
I smiled genially, "as I said, I'll take it as a compliment and leave it at that. So, what happened to the three girls you took away?"
His grin turned slightly brittle, "Heh, detained for a full M/S quarantine, the works."
I tutted, "tch, I'd have liked to see their faces when they got to know why they were taken to PRT HQ."
"Mhm, it was a sight to see. Miss Hess tried to bail and had to be tased." He was both amused and disappointed.
I sighed, "she seems the type. Honestly, all of them need intense psychotherapy."
He nodded, "Speaking of Miss Hess. Hypothetically, off the record, could there have been any other reason other than a master scenario when you chose to involve the PRT in this case?" His eyes were narrow.
Well, he was giving me a clear out, "Hypothetically, there could be, most of which I wouldn't be able to confirm or deny."
"Yes, yes. That's all I wanted to know. Honestly, if it were up to me, I'd give you a thinker rating anyway. Well, it's been a pleasure meeting you. You're free to go now. Do get in touch with us when you're done with your education, the WEDGDG are always on the lookout for scary smart folks like you." He rose up and thrust his hand out again.
"Duly noted, thank you." I shook his hand and he vanished in a blur.
I ambled off towards the ER. The nurses pointed me towards the room Taylor had been moved to. I saw the same PRT officer leaving the room, oozing disgust and sympathy, he gave me a nod and left. Taylor was sitting and chatting with Danny, she squinted at me when I knocked on the open door. Oh, her glasses, I took them out of my inventorybag and gave them to her. She was still slightly unsettled, well, at least she was clean and calm.
Danny turned to me, "Young man, I have no words to thank you. I saw the videos."
"Don't mention it sir. Taylor is a friend."
Taylor interjected, "Dad, can you get me some clothes from home? And get me released? I don't want to stay the night here, they did said they have nothing else to do till the blood test results come in tomorrow and the antibiotics would work anyway. Aveek will keep me company for the while." She was a bit testy, still worried about being outed I guess.
Danny, bless his obliviousness and desire to be a good father, agreed immediately, "sure kiddo, who likes hospitals anyway? Aveek, do you need clothes too?"
"Don't bother sir, I'll manage, you go finish the paperwork. I'll be here."
He gave us a peculiar look and left.
Taylor's eyes were narrowed, "how did you find out?", her emotions were a riotous mix of wariness, gratitude, relief, worry, excitement - wow, Social Empathy was working overtime.
Well, moment of truth, my goal was to team up with her anyway, "Let me know if anyone is approaching. You'll be able to tell, right?" She grimaced, but nodded.
I closed the door, raised a finger, then manifested a softball sized sphere of mana on top of it, my projection range has reached 25cm at level 8.
Here eyes went wide, "You... you're... since when?"
"Since before you've met me." I absorbed it back.
She was quiet for a while, her wariness and worry decreased as she obviously recognised the show of trust for what it was, "Does anyone else know? About me I mean."
"I don't think so, I don't believe anyone in school noticed the insects being odd."
"You made me pass out didn't you?"
"Yes, the buzzing would have gotten noticeable if you'd gotten too agitated. I was actually worried you were going to attack them with a biblical swarm."
She sighed, "I might have, it's... it's not completely conscious, I had no idea there were SO many insects even in a hospital room."
I nodded, "So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know, I want to be a hero, maybe join the wards?" I must have let my disappointment show, her eyes widened again, "wait, are you a villain?!"
I snorted, "Of course not, I don't have a cape identity yet."
She was again wary and confused, "Then why did you make a face at me wanting to be a hero? I mean I know it's a very unheroic power, but..."
I stopped her, "There's nothing inherently heroic or villainous about any power, it's our morality that gives that distinction. I was disappointed because I want to help people, and neither the so called 'heroes' nor 'villains' actually end up helping humanity in general. So I don't have a lot of respect for the protectorate or the wards or the gangs or the villains. The rogues are actually the only ones trying to make a living contributing to society. The villains cause mass destruction, the heroes are too busy containing them and causing more destruction, which cape apart from Dragon and Panacea have affected the general populace positively, can you tell me?" Dragon had her DragonTech computers and phones for sale at least, one of the few tinkers whose products, however few, reached the common masses.
She was a bit taken aback by my rant, "I, I see. So what do you want to do? In fact, what can you do?"
"I want to help people. Not just by going out in fancy dress and fighting villains, I actually want to improve people's lives."
She looked impressed, her cynicism was pushed aside by the typical naivete and optimism of a 15 year old, one could tell. "And your power?"
I smirked, "With time, my power can do anything."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I have a power which can be grown to mimic any effect that you can think of given time."
"Uh, elaborate?"
"Not the right place or time. Consider it steadily growing reality manipulation."
Her eyes widened further as the implications sank in. "Damn. And you're a thinker too right?"
I nodded, "how did you figure?"
"I've noticed you zone out quite a few times."
I smiled sheepishly, "Also, I've recently found out that I can share some aspects of my power with others."
She was having a hard time assimilating everything, "Uh, like?"
I shrugged, "Again, a discussion for when you're more comfortable to make important decisions."
"You want me to team up with you?" INT monster, yes.
I nodded, "Essentially, but first, have you told your father?"
She looked aghast, "No! Have you?"
I raised a hand, "Taylor, when I considered whether to tell dada about my power or not, my power supplied very precise pros and cons. Do you want to know?"
She gave me a resigned glare, then nodded.
"If I told him, my relationship with him will be strengthened, I'd have an ally, and I won't have to constantly hide my activities from him. If I didn't tell him, I'd be living with regret, shame, guilt, and he'd find out anyway and be devastated that I didn't trust him." Okay, I hammed it up a bit, blame my charisma score.
She slumped and shrank into herself, "I... I know that. He's just been so distant."
I gave her a chastising look, "And you haven't?"
She sighed, "I wanted to tell him when it amounts to something."
I shook my head, "Taylor, have you read the conflict theory about powers?"
She nodded, "Powers make people want to use them for conflict, and all powers have an offensive usage?"
"Not only that, my research tells me that powers affect the decision making of the user, and always lead them to make the decision which creates the most conflict. Even if it is with your parent."
Her mouth was agape, "Shit."
I nodded, "Indeed, whether you choose to tell Danny or not is your decision, but if you choose to take stupid decisions even after knowing that your powers nudge you toward them..."
She glared at me again, "I'll tell him today."
I grinned, "attagirl! We'll discuss teaming up after that. Oh, and after you tell him, I can make him functionally immortal."
"WHAT?"
