Taylor had no idea how she managed to get to her room without fleeing or raising anyones suspicions.
She held herself over her desk, hyperventilating nearly as badly as if she'd been over-using her own power.
"I can't believe this, last night was meant to fix things."
"Should have just gone out and done your own thing without worrying about the rules, like a real Butcher," Fester commented. "Who cares what normal people do, we're not normal. Rather than pretend otherwise, embrace it!"
"I remember when that was the gist of the official Teeth motto," Shaper added. "Didn't realise it was you."
"It was the principle that I founded them upon," the original declared. "Those cast out by society looking for a family in which to belong. We stood for each other, and so they made us villains."
"I am not upping and joining the Teeth," Taylor protested.
"Things changed," Dodger noted. "They had embraced their label of 'villain' by the time I inherited."
"Too many Capes, the laws blocked us from 'legitimate' income," Spotter provided.
Taylor shook her head.
"No, I can still salvage this. I just… need excuses not to go through power testing."
"Or you could hide your extra powers in the testing, and use your Ward identity as a cover."
"Except I don't- didn't trust an organisation that let… them get away with everything to be truly heroic, a force for good. And if they ever had reason to suspect I was breaking their rules…"
"I have seen those I called 'hero' fall far from that ideal, but their intentions at heart remain good," Dodger answered. "If you give them a chance, few will make you regret your decision."
"But it only takes one to screw you over for life," Spotter pointed out. "Whereas the Teeth will always accept you. Even without being Butcher, the only thing we wouldn't is trying to destroy the group. I mean, there are fighting pits for fights to the death in each base. Even killing each other isn't too much."
Taylor focused on one thing from Spotters brief speech for her own sanity (such as it was).
"'We'?"
"Once Teeth, always Teeth."
Taylor sighed. "Any constructive ideas about how to avoid power testing? Ideas that would get me in trouble need not apply?"
"Well, if you're never on base…"
"I'd get in trouble. Ne-"
"Even for coursework?"
Taylor paused. "Continue."
"Extra credit. If you could get signed up for something at school that would keep you back late, they might even support you."
"That is one idea…"
"Doesn't even need to be work. Some exercise program or self defense class would also work."
"Or an archery club."
"I'd prefer her to take fencing."
"Martial arts are better."
"Sign up to a shooting range."
"Too young VII, productive ideas only."
"You're all being very supportive," Taylor commented.
"A chance to mess with the heroes that you'll go along with? Of course we are."
"But would they even go for it?"
"Taylor, when you learn enough self defense it becomes obvious to people who know how to look. Any exercise really. They should see this as perfect, you get the skills and an excuse for them. Rather than letting those who know you wonder where you're suddenly getting these muscles and instincts from."
Taylor nodded slowly. "That… makes sense. How do the other Wards cover for their training do you think?"
"No idea. So, tomorrow you are going to find any after school activities you can that involve extra credit, so the PRT can only support you, self defense-"
"Plus fencing-"
"Archery-"
"- or general fitness," Dodger continued, "and sign up for them. Bring your costume and you can even go out on patrol after."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Shouldn't you be convincing her to work with the Wards?"
"In the time taken to convince our latest host, how many lives would be lost? Better to see our new identity out there, helping, as soon as possible."
"Not to mention the PR Taskforce never lets their Capes do what needs to be done," VII interjected. "Oh sure, there are Kill Orders, but are there any so-called heroes who actually carry them out? No, they leave it to bounty hunters."
"Wait, it is possible for anyone to collect bounties on Kill Orders, so why didn't the Teeth go after them if NEPEA, that's the name right, blocked them from working. Although now I think about it, couldn't the unpowered members earn money to support the group?"
"Kill Orders aren't that common, and are only given to Capes who are dangerous. By the time we were ready, it was too late to avoid being seen as villains."
"And I would never allow Capes and normals to be separated in any way. We. Are. Family."
Taylor was surprised by the vehemence of Butchers statement.
What could have left him so form on the matter of family?
She shook her head.
"Right, we have a plan for tomorrow."
"What could possibly go wrong?"
There was the sense of a round of faces being slapped in response to VII's sarcastic question.
{}
"The school doesn't really do extra credit," Ana answered Taylors question. "I guess with memories of the Boston Games they don't want students heading home at different times, making themselves vulnerable.'
Taylor nodded slowly.
She should probably have been able to tell from the lack of details on the school website.
"What about self-defence classes? Any idea where I could go for them?"
"Not really… I mean it's better to get clear and wait for a hero."
"Not if you're a villain."
"Or the hero yourself."
"It's not just learning to keep myself safe," Taylor protested, "it's also about getting properly in shape. And learning self-defence seems more practical than just basic exercise."
Ana frowned, before shaking her head.
"Nope, no idea."
Taylor sighed. "Well, thank you anyway. Anything interesting happen over the weekend?"
It was difficult sometimes for her to remember how to be someones friend, but that didn't mean she should just give up on her social skills.
Any ideas, she asked her predecessors while nodding along to Ana's perspective of Purity perma-killing Butcher.
"I know a guy," Spotter slowly volunteered.
Really?
"Yeah, taught me everything. All of us actually."
Taylor felt a certain suspicion form. All of us?
"Yeah, my entire generation of Teeth. What was his name again, Rob..?"
I'm not going to the Teeth!
"... even saw the conclusion from my window."
Taylor felt her blood go cold.
"You saw Purity 'kill' the Butcher?"
Ana nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, one of the few times having a room facing onto the park felt worth it. The trench Purity's attack produced points right towards the apartment!"
"She came that close to being collateral and remains this excited? We need more like her in the Teeth."
"That sounds like it could have been bad," Taylor said instead. "What if she'd charged up that attack more?"
"At any moment the Nine could decided to visit, any season an Endbringer could choose this city. Worry about 'what ifs' and you'll never sleep again."
Much as Taylor hated to admit it, Ana had a point.
At any time a villain could decide you were in their way, and unless you were a Cape yourself or had an alert hero nearby, you were finished.
"Best just to enjoy what time you have. Anyway, there was something weird after Purity left."
"What kind of weird?"
"I thought I saw Aztec for a moment. But it had to be my imagination, there weren't any explosions for the Butchers teleport. Unless Aztec was already a teleporting Brute…"
"She knows! Quick, before she can tell someone you survived!"
"Are there any teleporting Brutes," Taylor asked, ignoring the call to violence. "I mean, teleporting isn't that unusual, but I don't recall hearing about any who could stand and fight rather than just hitting and running."
Ana shrugged. "Don't ask me, I'm no Cape researcher."
"Aztec is dead okay," she reassured Ana, "it was probably just a hallucination or afterimage. I mean, you only saw them for a moment, right?"
"Right! Butchers gone, and that's one less thing to worry about. Wait, I'd been staying up to do my maths homework, but the fight distracted me. Can I copy your answers before class?"
"Only if you want your grade to go down," Taylor joked. "Just tell them you were distracted by Aztecs last fight."
"They don't accept Cape fights as an excuse, not since that kid got sent to hospital trying to find one for an excuse."
In the end, Ana didn't find the time to finish her homework.
{}
"Your friend, Sophia wasn't it, hasn't been around lately," Alan began, only for Emma to respond by levelling a glare over the remainder of her dinner.
"So when it's a psycho you notice, but when it's my sister in all but blood, nothing," she growled at him.
Alan set his newspaper down on the table, giving her his full attention.
"Sophia wasn't that bad," he began, but Emma spoke over him.
"She watched as we were attacked. Just watched."
"She did save us, in the end-"
"Yes, the end. After I fought back, when you already had that scar," she motioned at his chest, causing an instinctive reaction from him of rubbing the injury. "If she wasn't a psycho she would have stepped in earlier and neither of us would have a permanent reminder of that day."
"And if she hadn't been there, we wouldn't be here today!"
"And I would never have betrayed Taylor," Emma responded in a cold tone.
She abruptly pushed herself from the table.
"I'm heading out."
"But it isn't one of your patrol nights," her father protested. "We're supposed to get time as a family."
Emma ignored him.
She paused for a moment at the door, before deciding to grab a key to let herself in when she had a chance to calm down.
{}
Lisa tried to remain calm as she walked through the high-end neighbourhood.
This was by no means the first time Coil set about recruiting someone in their civilian identity, an act that would see just about any Cape turn on him should they be convinced of his actions, but it was the first she was involved in.
At least, the first from this side.
At least she had received enough information from him about the Ward's (and just what made recruiting a Ward into the Undersiders seem like a good idea?) habits to not have to keep a constant eye on her or sneak into the house.
Even if it wasn't enough to figure the girl out completely.
Still, the details she'd received were telling.
No friends, previous connections all broken, withdrawing into herself…
It all sounded like she'd want to get involved in things anyway.
There was the sound of a door slamming, not something she'd expect around here at this time of day, and Lisa turned to see which house it was, careful not to waste her remaining minutes of power usage before she would be incapacitated by the headache.
Well, it wouldn't exactly be that bad yet, but no need to tell Coil that.
The girl that was leaving the targets house seemed to match the description she was given, but with a sister confirmed to exist (not to mention a mother who might have looked young enough for confusion), Lisa let her power off the leash for a moment to confirm.
Shadows following feet off ground a matter of millimeters each step, suppressing power from creating shadow creatures to accompany her, left side between second and fourth ribs made of shadow.
It only took a moment for her power to identify the points of interest and interpret the data she could see, and Lisa gave the girl a second look.
Knowing where to concentrate her attention, it wasn't hard to see the way her shadow lifted each step, as though it was a liquid on the ground, or the slight tenseness of muscles that, to an experienced eye, spoke of restraining powers.
The slight wafting of her clothes similarly backed up the partial shadow conclusion, which was interesting.
There was no footage yet of Shadowmancer post Second Trigger, but viewing her earlier footage had revealed no sign of partial transformation to shadow nor any ability to make 'living shadows'.
Just like a normal Trigger, Second Triggers responded to the situation that caused them.
Explaining her own ability to identify the suicidal at first glimpse.
The two changes to the power she'd identified had one thing in common.
Before the Second Trigger Shadowmancer could have been effectively depowered by surrounding her with lights to prevent her casting a shadow, while with a shadow as part of her (right leg now shadow) it was impossible to take that power from her.
And the ability to make Creatures meant she had companions that could not be taken from her.
Second Trigger due to becoming isolated?
She was still a Ward, that didn't make sense.
A change in civilian life?
Something happened to her friends, leaving her alone. The event (whatever it was) was connected to her Trigger in some way, but felt sufficiently amplified to cause a Second Trigger.
Lisa let her power activate for a second or so to check her workings.
Second Trigger after new Ward announced to team. Ward transferred before announcement to public. Blames self for loss of Ward, personal connection. Blamed self for Trigger. Change in mental state at time of Second Trigger. Still trying to work out who she really is. Change in mental state resulted in loss of friends she had at time. Previous friends already lost.
Lisa cut her power, wincing as the headache started.
Well, no more power today.
She ran through the conclusion her power had come to.
It seemed pretty similar to what she'd come up with, especially the most important point.
Lisa felt the smirk cross her face as she started to follow Shadowmancer. "Don't worry, I'll be your friend…"
And with a contact in the Wards, she might finally be able to get the heroes to deal with Coil.
{}
It had taken some surreptitious use of the school computers after finishing the IT class assignments, but Taylor had managed to get herself signed up to what was apparently the cities only after school self-defence class that didn't need parental permission but that the Butchers did approve of.
Unfortunately that was only on Wednesdays, so she had a couple of days to go until she could find out if this 'Krav Maga' was worth it.
Bastion was waiting for her as soon as she stepped into the base.
"Power testing is ready for you," he began without preamble."
"I-I thought it was down to the Ward when they went through power testing," Taylor responded, trying to suppress her panic.
Bastion frowned. "Until you go through power testing you can't have a formal Cape name assigned or costume designed, and without them you can't be announced let alone patrol. Why wouldn't you go through testing as soon as possible?"
"I… haven't had much time to practise using my powers and don't want to look foolish if I can't get them to work," Taylor tried hopefully, grabbing onto the first excuse from the peanut gallery she felt she could actually say.
"Should have just gone with performance anxiety," Amazon muttered.
"That shouldn't be a problem. Powers are usually very straightforward to their user."
"I haven't been sleeping, that might influence the results," Taylor responded, desperate to delay things without raising suspicion by flat out refusing.
"That one isn't even a lie."
"You are aware of the existence of Noctis Capes who don't need as much sleep?"
"Yes, but I was still sleeping normally after the- after my Trigger."
Bastion paused to consider.
"It is against regulations to run power testing when operating on insufficient sleep, but it is possible that it took time for a Noctis side of your powerset to come in."
"Is that known to happen?"
"Nobody really knows where powers come from, or how they work. I've run into a few heroes who haven't seemed to understand the nature of a Trigger event, so it is possible people can get powers without going through one. And if that is possible, why not powers that cone in slowly? I will recommend holding off the power testing until you get a full nights sleep or we become convinced you are now Noctis," he decided.
Taylor watched him head back into the building.
"That bought you some time, but it isn't going to last," Detonator warned.
{}
"Where is she?"
"She claims that she hasn't been sleeping, but that she isn't a Noctis Cape."
Director Armstrong mulled over Bastions statement.
"It feels like most reports on Phase mention her not sleeping."
"It isn't unknown to face flashbacks to Trigger events, or moving to disturb sleep habits."
"It is also not unknown for young Capes to be targeted by gangs."
"You don't think Phase is-"
"I shouldn't, but she doesn't seem to socialise with the other Wards much, only Roulette. And Thinkers are priority targets. I want an eye on her, watching for external influences."
Bastion considered for a moment.
"As long as it is just watching out for her, I can agree."
Armstrong nodded.
"That is all it's about, making sure our new Ward gets all the opportunity to be a hero she needs."
Omake: Teeth Origins
The man now calling himself 'Butcher' looked around the arena he'd turned into his base.
This, the people he had gathered, were a true family, unlike those responsible for raising him.
Those who caused him to Trigger.
He had taken the opportunity granted by his newfound strength and resilience to escape from those monsters.
Growing up he had always planned to become a hero should he somehow gain powers, but on that day, when he researched the newly founded Protectorate program, his dreams died.
For him to join, to be a hero, he would be made to return to his abusers, and that would not stand.
Instead he had searched, gathered those that the city had forgotten, and founded his new group.
One thing his 'father' had always tried to beat into him was the need for names to have some 'bite' to them, and in one last 'fuck you' to the old bastard he had taken that advice on board.
And so here he was, leader and father figure to the Teeth.
They would stand together, defy the world that cast them aside.
And one day he would make the powers that be see he didn't need their permission to be a hero.
AN: So, to clarify my comment about swearing last time, I am not entirely sure how much swearing you can get away with with a teen rating, and don't want to abandon it after the minimal research I did on an appropriate age rating for the story.
And here the attempts to do the right thing keep causing more problems, with Emma being drawn ever closer to the Undersiders.
From time to time I think I might be a little too sadistic about what I have planned for her journey to redemption, but then I remember all the stories where she gets away scott free and I change my mind.
One important thing to note is how close everyone in Worm comes to death each day, given the canon of Slaughterhouse 9 attacks occurring wherever without warning, Endbringers every three months (or one per season in other words), other S-class threats appearing at random and even regular villains not being overly concerned about collateral.
In canon Vista got a scar from a literal run-in with Hookwolf after all, without either looking for a fight.
And what about the risk of Heartbreaker deciding to take a walk...
So just about everyone either remains cheerfully ignorant of the threat, embraces the comfort of nihilism or remains in a constant state of terror and likely Triggers, putting them at so much more risk of Endbringers and villains.