During lunch I noted quite a few looks our ways and some whispered discussions. The looks seemed more cautious than anything else so I guessed more of the details leading the suspension of four girls was being gossiped about. I wondered if this would mean there would be less bullying because of the now real risk of punishment, or if the risk would make it more attractive to certain individuals.

I once again just had my lunch and drink bottle whilst Taylor had her entire backpack with her. I presumed she no longer used her locker at all. Understandable.

Once back in the music room, my drum sticks lightly tapping, Taylor started the conversation.

"You're right. I don't know why I didn't think it through and I almost still want to go ahead with it but every possible outcome that I can see just ends in conflict."

"That's kind of the whole shtick of being a hero but there must be more sensible ways to go about it."

"Okay, you're the thinker you tell me the best way."

I shrugged, "Not sure I'm that type of thinker but okay. Let's start with the type of problem you want to combat. There are certainly plenty in Brockton Bay to choose between. First, we have the villains that range from small timers like Circus all the way up to the big ones that run gangs like Kaiser and Lung."

Taylor flinched when I mentioned Lung and I recalled what I had read about Lung in the summary report that Aria had put together for me. It seems Armsmaster had taken him down on Sunday night after he was weakened by a fight with a rival gang. That there was no mention of who the other gang was unusual.

Everything that Aria gave me was built out of public or nearly public information. Aria was fantastic when it came to sorting and searching through information but as far as her computer skills went, she was still effectively just as good as me with a lot more time to spare. She couldn't just instantly break into and subvert the PRT or Protectorate systems without most likely setting off a whole lot of alerts and getting her attempt quickly shutdown. She didn't attempt that.

"You and this gang fought Lung on Sunday?" I asked more than a little shell-shocked at the news.

She winched, "I was patrolling and I heard Lung saying they were going to shoot kids. I couldn't just do nothing, so I attacked him. The kids turned out to be the Undersiders who had robbed his casino a little back. They joined the battle when I was about to lose and helped me put Lung down. They thought I was also a villain and we met up again last night and they asked me to join, well, all except Bitch."

The way she said Bitch suggested it was more of a name than an insult but I hadn't seen any Villains or Rogues with that name so that didn't help narrow it down. So far, I'd only reviewed the Parahumans known to be in Brockton Bay and the neighbouring cities.

"Wow, lots of questions about that. But first, by 'put down' what do you mean? The news had Lung 'weakened by a fight.'"

She frowned, "After me and Bitch's dogs had finished fighting - Lung was unconscious. Armsmaster talked me into letting him take the credit so I could fly under the radar."

I frowned, "It doesn't sound like that was your preferred choice."

"It was all so rushed, I didn't want Oni Lee and Bakuda coming after me for vengeance and he advised me that if he took credit that wouldn't happen."

That made no sense. Well, no, it did in a certain way. "What a bastard. Unless Lung didn't see you, or your powers aren't very distinctive and you can rebrand, they'll find out soon enough from him or through his lawyers. He didn't help you out at all. He just stole the credit."

Taylor's emotions quickly went from fear through to anger and I thought I could hear a buzzing in the air as if her anger was taking physical form.

As sounds faded away Aria spoke up 'That buzzing was from over two hundred different insects in and about this room all simultaneously flapping their wings or rubbing them together.'

"I thought he was a hero." Taylor ground out

I was going to say something about that when my power decided this was the right time to present a new sub power. Turns out its timing could be better. Once again, I was jumped right to the final destination with no chance to pause or push the vision back.

The final destination was very different this time, it wasn't a room but a series of rooms adjoining a hall and I knew instantly that this hall and the rooms were a single power, or sub power, or whatever it was called. It was nice that some came with at least a partial explanation though a name would also have helped. I needed a better naming system but Aria's searches on powers hadn't found anything that was that similar. There were mentions of grab-bag and cluster triggers which I felt was the closest but not close enough that I would call it a match.

The rooms all followed the theme of a futuristic Japanese styled temple. Walls and doors were paper panelled with red wooden frames. Doors were equipped with digital pads and motion sensors. Carved wooden pillars lined the central hall. Rich red wooden beams framed the walls and formed a lattice work roof. Illumination was provided by holographic lights that hovered above antique looking wall sconces. The furniture also was rich and had the feeling of expensive antiques even though many tables had metallic surfaces. The equipment sitting on the desks and shelves was also a mix of the antique and the futuristic. One room had books, scrolls and calligraphy tools on rich wooden shelves, the furniture upholstered with deep red leather. The next room was a chemistry lab even more futuristic than the one I saw when I gained my chemistry knowledge. There were also flashes of other rooms, one filled with metal forges, anvils, and a 3d lathe and another containing familiar hand and power wood working tools, both were in the futuristic Japanese temple room style.

As the vision faded away, I felt a small weight settle in my pocket.

I looked up to see Taylor staring at me, "What was that?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

I sighed, "Sorry, my power has a tendency to drop visions on me at inconvenient times. It can be distracting."

She relaxed a little, "You had a vision of Armsmaster and me?"

I shook my head, "No, not related to the current situation at all. My power hasn't settled down and yes, I know that's unusual. Anyhow, let's talk about what you want to do and how to get there. "

"Well, I still want to be a hero."

I nodded, "Okay, why?"

Taylor opened her mouth but the first words she was going to say didn't come out.

She stared at me long enough to start to become uncomfortable before she spoke, "Partly to help people, partly to change my life."

I considered this for a moment, "I'm not sure that being a hero is going to help you with either of those." I lifted my hand to cut off Taylor from interrupting me as she opened her mount, "Let me explain. I did some research and it seems apart from a few rare heroes like Dragon and healers like Panacea most spend almost all of their time doing public relations or fighting villains and not doing that great a job of it. You said it yourself earlier, the authorities tend to poorly guard most villains they catch and there are even villains and mercenaries that specialise in freeing parahumans. The do occasionally beat up and arrest normal criminals but you would be surprised how little a difference that makes. Most of them get off on technicalities, are rescued by their supervillain bosses or are replaced within days. The police actually have massively better success rate putting away normal criminals. Where the heroes really shine out over the police is the amount of property damage they do. Parahuman insurance premiums are incredibly high for a reason and it's not the criminals that are most at fault. Apart from a few crazies they mostly seem to be in it to make money and strut their stuff."

I paused to gather my thoughts. That was the easy part, all that information was from the data Aria had presented me. It had been pretty shocking and seemingly not that well known outside the parahuman researchers though it was all public knowledge. That no one had turned it into a big media event was actually both surprising and a little suspicious.

"As for helping your situation, unless you wanted to go public identity or go all Carrie on those girls your power is unlikely to help you. Certainly not if you go the hero route. Well… no I take it back there is one path where it may help you with the immediate issue and that's the fact that the Wards are well known to go to Arcadia. No?" Taylor was shaking her head, "Well in that case more normal methods are likely your best solution. Like reporting it to the relevant authorities. Maybe we were lucky this time but I'm sure we can come up with some ways to improve your life without getting involved in fights with Lung and the like, and before you say I'm telling you not to be a hero that's not it at all. But decide why you want to be one because there are likely better ways of achieving your goals than dressing up in tights."

"Haha." Taylor said dryly but I could see she was at least slightly amused at the last. There were a few parahumans that did indeed dress up that way but the majority were a lot more sensible with their fashion choices.

"Look, whatever you decide you want to do I'll see what I can do to help and while I'm no expert or anything you can use me as a sounding board for any ideas."

"You've given me a lot to think about. What about you? Are you planning to be a hero or a rogue?" She distinctly didn't mention the other option she was thinking of.

I shrugged, "I'm not that interested in the whole cape game. I don't have any combat powers which is rather different to almost all other parahumans and, though I guess I could build weapons or gear it'd only be at the upper levels of what's available to the military. It wouldn't compare to any tinker weapons or armor. My thinker power puts me at the upper levels of normal humans but it doesn't compare to any of even the minor thinkers out there. Currently my focus is on improving the life of my family and you."

Taylor narrowed her eyes suspiciously at me at that.

I laughed, "It's not like that. You're a nice girl and all but I'm just not interested in the dating scene. Sorry but my great love is my music." I played a few beats a bit louder than the gentle tapping I had kept at whilst we talked. "But if you want to be a hero or help people with your powers, I'll back you up."

Taylor smiled, but I noticed it was a little forced. Hell, had she been interested or was it just that rejection hurt? I was hoping it was the second. I truly wasn't interested in dating, which I guess was a little strange for my age, but even before the accident it I never deemed it important, not that anything beyond music had been.

"But hey, friends, right?" I stuck out a hand, her smile was much more real as she shook it. It might have been stupid but it felt right.

Celestial Forge Perk - Workshop - Samurai Jack - 200cp