Depravity 1.6
3:08 PM
On a Tuesday.
As Taylor agreed to join the Undersiders, there was some whooping and cheering. Taylor felt a touch guilty, for acting under false pretenses. Taylor also felt pleased with herself, even if it was a little irrational
"Alright," Frank said, "let's get you to the bar."
"Bar?" Taylor asked
"Our base of operations. Where we decide to do everything. We'll take you back there if that's ok."
"Sure," Taylor said.
It's just a few blocks away," Dennis said, "But we would stand out if you came with in costume."
Taylor stared at him for a moment, kicking herself in her own mind.
Of course this was the natural progression of events. Taylor thought. Joining their team would mean I would be expected to share my identity, since they already had. Until I did, they wouldn't be able to trust me with their secrets.
"Alright," Taylor said, calmly. "This costume is kinda uncomfortable under clothes. Can I get some privacy?"
"You want an alley, or…" Frank asked, trailing off.
"I'll change here, just take a minute," Taylor said, impulsively, as she glanced around. The buildings on the street were mostly one and two stories tall, with the only buildings taller than the one we were on being the one half a block away, and the one right next to them.
There weren't any windows on the building next to us with a great angle for seeing me change, Taylor thought. and I doubted anyone in the distant building could see me as more than a figure two inches tall. If someone could see me change out of costume and make out enough details to identify me, I'd be surprised.
As the four of them headed to the fire escape, Taylor pulled out the clothes she'd stuffed into the backpack. She took off the costume, revealing a black tank top and black biking shorts underneath. Taylor stepped into jeans and pulled on the sweatshirt, then rubbed her arms and shoulders to brush off the mild chill. She put her costume and the plastic lunchbox in her backpack.
Taylor felt a stab of regret at not having chosen better clothes to wear than a loose fitting sweatshirt and jeans that were too big for me. That regret quickly turned to a pang of anxiety. What would they think when they saw the real me? She thought.
The thought quickly faded away though. Frank wasn't exactly the most attractive man and they probably wouldn't judge her with any luck
As Taylor made her way down the fire escape, Dennis decided to voice a concern.
"She's shy right?"
Frank turned to face Dennis. "What're you getting at?"
"Do we really want someone shy on the team? I mean, how is she going to handle deals? Talking with other supervillains? If she's shy, can we even trust her to fight against other threats?"
"She fought Lung." Frank pointed out. "One of the scariest motherfuckers in the city. That should be enough."
"But what kind of girl can fight monsters and warlords but can't talk to four people who just saved her life?"
"Look, it's none of your business. All that matters is, she can fight and what we need on the team is. More. Muscle."
"So you know but you won't tell us!?" Mac nearly shouted.
"What?"
"Whenever you say, 'it's none of our business', that means you know something that you won't tell us! You do it all the time!"
Dennis crossed his arms "So what is it Frank? What do you know about bug that we don't?"
"She's a kid!?" Charlie shouted
Everyone looked at Charlie, then Frank said, "how do you know?"
"Look!"
The Gang looked at Taylor shuffling her feet towards them. Going slower after Charlie pointed out she was a kid.
"Jesus Christ Frank!" Dennis exclaimed. "She's a kid!? Why didn't you tell us this! These are the kinds of things you give a little heads up on."
"If I told you she was a kid," Frank explained, "then you would've said no."
"Yes! We would've said no! And do you know why?" Mac began. "Because kids shouldn't be playing hero or villain! They should be worrying about school work or family, or...sex!"
"Sex is a big one." Dennis agreed.
"We can't be responsible for a little kid Frank!"
"She's not a little kid!" Frank argued. "And we aren't responsible for her. Whatever choice she makes, is her own. And WE can't change that. We're simply making an offer."
Mac and Dennis eyed each other, then Charlie said. "I mean, I don't want her on the team either…"
"But…" Mac finished his sentence partially.
"But she isn't THAT much younger than we were when we got involved in super crime, remember?"
A look of recognition was on both of Mac and Dennis's faces. They thought deep into the past from before they were supervillains.
"Fine." Mac spoke. "I guess we could have her."
"Great." Frank said.
Taylor walked to them, a little uneasy when facing them.
"Hi," Taylor said, kicking herself for such a lame greeting. "I guess it wouldn't work if you kept calling me Bug or new girl. I'm Taylor."
Taylor didn't want to use her real name. afraid it would be another thing she would be kicking myself for five minutes from now, much like the realization that she'd have to go uncostumed. But if any of them decided to do some digging on me, she thought, or if they ran into someone I knew while in their company. Then I could be in trouble so I didn't have a choice. She hoped that by the time this whole thing was over, she could maybe pull some strings with someone like Armsmaster and avoid having them leak my real name.
Mac leaned forward in a half bow. "Well nice to meet you Taylor."
"Yeah, welcome to The Gang, I guess." Charlie stated.
Frank held his arms out like he was expecting a hug. Taylor only looked at the other members of the Gang. Dennis kept looking at Frank, Mac shrugged his shoulders, And Charlie gestures towards Frank.
Taylor sighed and hugged him, and even though it came from someone over four times her age, it felt nice. Like she'd been needing a hug from someone that wasn't her dad for a long time.
"Alright," Dennis said. "I guess all that's left to do is to bring you back to our bar.
Taylor nodded and they left.
.
When they arrived at the bar, Taylor read the sign on top of the bar that read 'Paddy's Pub' and raised an eyebrow.
"Paddy's pub?" She asked rhetorically.
"We originally lived in Philadelphia." Dennis explained "before they kicked us out with torches and pitchforks."
Taylor thought this over for a second. They were kicked out? She thought. Of an entire state?
"They...kicked you out?"
"Yes." Mac said
"Yeah it was really fucked up!" Charlie said over Mac. "I mean, we weren't even supervillains yet and they still kicked us out!"
"If you weren't supervillains yet," Taylor began. "Why did you get kicked out?"
"Let's just say that these guys weren't the most friendly even before they went supervillain," Frank explained.
"Oh," Taylor said. Aware of the danger this group possessed.
"Come on, let's get into the bar," Frank stated. As they all left to go into the bar. Taylor slowly following suit.
The Gang and Taylor entered the bar. Taylor wasn't sure what to expect from a bar run by supervillain. But The Gang knew what to expect. A run-down dirty bar with zero customers, nothing special, with dirt, mold, and other grimey things covering the whole bar. So you can expect their surprise when they see a nearly spectacular sight. With decorations, balloons, and cake galore.
"Woah, Woah." Dennis voiced. "What the hell is this?"
"This Dennis," Dee from another room spoke, "is what we call a welcoming party!"
Dee came out from the back of the bar in a fancy outfit. An outfit fitting for a show. Dee walked out of the room like she was the biggest actor in the world.
"Hey there bug!" Dee shouted.
Taylor quickly looked for customers around. No one. Good. it means no one heard her call her bug.
"Um, my name's actually Taylor…" Taylor told her.
"Oh I wish I knew that earlier. I could've gotten some decoration or a sigh that actually said Taylor! Oh well, bug is good enough! Right?"
Taylor looked at the sigh that was hanging from the ceiling. The kind you would see at a birthday party. It had 'Bug' written in black paint over a word that looked like Cody.
Truth be told, Taylor was flattered that one of their members actually took the time to make all of this. Just to welcome her. She also felt a pinch of guilt considering she was going to turn these people in eventually. But she would try to forget that for the time being.
"Um...yeah." She said, Once again kicking herself for another lame response.
"Perfect! Now, I'm really happy we got another girl on the team to take the attention away from me."
"What do you mean? Do they flirt with you?"
All of the Gang members awkwardly coughed and laughed.
Dee shook her head. "Ha! No way Taylor. Trust me. These aren't the kind of guys that would give positive attention."
I looked at the other members. "What is she talking about?"
"Dee." Frank made a 'cut it out' gesture.
"You know I can see you do that, right Frank?"
"Huh?"
"Well, it doesn't matter, cause now we got you!" Dee stayed upbeat. "now I got a little song and dance for you!"
"Nono Dee come on!" Dennis protested.
"She doesn't want special treatment!" Mac shouted.
"Just don't do it!" Frank told her.
"Too late boners." Dee said with a smirk.
Dee bought out a boombox and played an old-fashioned tune fitting for something like a cheesy theater play.
" who's the girl who controls the bugs? you. That's who. Who's that- "
"Taylor, we're sorry for this." Dennis apologized.
"Yeah, that fucking Bitch does not know when to stop with the delusion of being a actress and being a performer." Mac insulted.
Taylor was off-put by these seemingly harsh insults, but tried to stay focused "I thought you guys were supervillains?"
"Well Dee still has that delusion," Dennis answered. "Nothing can stop it."
" AAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY. The bug girllllllllllllllllll. The bug girllllllllllllllllll. Who else is gonna kick your ass today? Cue the Bottle sparkles!"
When Dee said that, she pressed a button activating the bottle sparkles at the same time. Causing a dazzling array of light which even in the daytime was amazing. The Gang was entertained. Taylor was flattered. Nothing could ruin this moment for Dee.
Except for the bar catching on fire.
Which it did.
The bar caught on fire…
"AH! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Dee screamed
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!?" Dennis yelled.
"DEANDRA'S BOTTLE SPARKLES SET THE ALCOHOL ON FIRE!" Frank explained.
"NO IT DIDN'T! NO IT DI-" Dee tried to deny the explanation.
"STOP DENYING IT YOU Charlie! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!?" Mac asked
"I GOT AN IDEA!" Charlie yelled.
Charlie ran and grabbed the sigh and threw it at the fire. Which unsurprisingly did nothing…
"That's all I got." Charlie said.
"WHAT WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO DO!" Mac asked.
"I DON'T KNOW I THOUGHT IT WOULD MAYBE...SNUFF OUT THE FIRE!"
"Snuff out the fire you-
"I DON'T KNOW! I-
"Thought it would snuff the fire?"
"THOUGHT! Yes! I legitimately-"
"You thought a paper-thin sigh that-"
"IF ALL YOU'RE GONNA DO IS INSULT ME-"
"Has no thickness would snuff out THE GODDAMN FIRE!"
"THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD DO SOMETHING YOURSELF!"
"Ok then fine! I will!"
Mac went to use his power on the fire. Covering the area in darkness.
"So wait," Taylor began, "your powers can put out fires?"
"Well no, but I figure we just hide there. Deal with it later."
"Alright," Dennis said, "Dee, you're a Bitch."
"what-I-how am I a Bitch!?" Dee asked.
"Well-" Frank was cut off.
"CAUSE YOU SET THE BAR ON FIRE YOU BITCH!" Mac screamed. "YOU COULDN'T EVEN DO A SONG AND DANCE RIGHT!"
"Oh I can do a song and dance alright?"
"Dee, you might be the worst singer and dancer I've ever seen." Charlie said, "You have like no talent."
"OH SAYS THE GUY THAT THREW A PAPER THIN SIGH DOWN TO SNUFF OUT A-"
"THAT NOTHING TO DO WITH TALENT DEE! IT WAS A GOOD IDEA IN...ON PAPER!"
"FIRE!? Whatever Charlie. I was just doing something for our new recruit!"
"Look! Dee." Dennis began. "SHE, doesn't want a song and dance. WE, don't wanna see it. AND, if we did want a song and dance. It wouldn't be from a talent-less, no brained, bird like you. Got that?"
Dee looked down in defeat. "Yeah…"
"Good, now, Taylor, what do you want to do?"
Taylor looked in disbelief.
Dennis shrugged his shoulders "what?"