Saturdays were no longer the reprieve they used to be, and the loss of that reprieve was one that I'd mourned as soon as I realized it. I had nothing to do and no money to do anything with. This usually resulted in me just working out more than I did during the week or sitting in my room reading until I got bored. Occasionally I'd go to Las Noches and just look at the stars. Dad either worked through the weekend now or spent his time drinking himself into a coma. Never enough that it was a problem worth addressing, but enough that he skirted that line. I was always trying to get him to open up or spend some time with me, but he was never up for it. He preferred to wallow in his alcohol fueled depression more often than not. The irony of our situations switching was not lost on me. The only thing different is that I was far more attentive than he was.

I decided to spend this Saturday out of the house. He was breaking into the hard stuff today and I had no desire to be around for that. I could only hope he didn't hurt himself before I got home. I pulled on a baggy black and pink hoodie and a ratty pair of black jeans before heading down the stairs.

"I'm going out, dad." I said as I passed the couch.

"Hold on." He said from the couch, not quite at the point of slurring his words yet. He sat up and looked at me, his glasses hanging off his face. "Where are you going?"

"Just to walk around. Might head through downtown and hit up the mall." I walked over and fixed his glasses as he fumbled with them.

"Thanks. How long are you going to be gone?"

"I don't know. Maybe till evening."

"You need any money?"

"I should be fine."

"Here." He fumbled with his wallet and pulled a bill out. "This is a twenty right?"

"Yeah."

"Take it. At least to buy some food with."

"Thanks, dad." I said, taking the bill.

"Yeah. Have fun."

"Thanks. There's some pizza left over from yesterday in the fridge if you get hungry."

"Kay."

I stepped outside and reached into my hoodie pocket for my pack of cigarettes. Flipping it open I realized I only had two left, which meant I had to make a cigarette run.

—

Contrary to popular belief, the safest part of town was near the beaches where all the Shanty towns were. None of the gangs bothered with it because there wasn't anything worthwhile in the area and there wasn't any money to be made without a great deal of investment, money or time wise. It probably helped that the college was down that way and most of the area was either gutted buildings near the beaches, shacks, and a suburb. I actually preferred going to the beach in that part of the city because I wasn't likely to run into any ABB or Merchants, the latter of which was a surprise since you'd think an area full of people living in makeshift houses and gutted run down buildings would be the prime demographic for a gang of druggies, but I guess you can't expect a gang of druggies to be smart. The store I went to was ridiculously far from my house, sure, but it was one of the only places I knew of that I could buy smokes without being carded. The other was in Lung's Territory and I didn't have the cash for any of the Japanese imports I liked.

I came to a stop in front of a run down gas station. The place was barely functional. Only two of the six pumps actually worked and the door to the place didn't lock. I was pretty sure at least one of the workers slept in what used to be a car repair garage that was always locked and the car wash on the other end of the lot probably hadn't been used in years. I pushed the creaky glass door open and nodded to the worker. He pulled a few packs of the brand I liked off the shelf and rung them up. I slid him the money, nodded, then left, lighting up the last of my previous pack.

I wasn't sure if it was something to do with my powers, but I wasn't really addicted to smoking. Not physically at least. It was more a personal compulsion than a need. I liked smoking, so I did, but I didn't get withdrawal symptoms or anything like that, which was why I only smoked about two packs a week, maybe five cigarettes a day, if that. Which was apparently on the low end. And that's if I smoked on the weekends. I didn't usually feel the stress that drove me to want to smoke when I could sit at home with a book, but boredom could push me to it too.

I started the walk back towards downtown and avoided looking at people for too long. For some reason they took it as an invitation to talk. Some of them had interesting stories, but some of them would just ramble on and on and on about some of the most mundane things I'd ever heard.

I hit a corner into an alley and used Sonido to get to a different alley in downtown. I'd learned the city well enough that I could just jump from place to place with little effort or chance of being seen, but with nearly seventy capes hanging around the city it was still a bit of a gamble. I started across the street to the mall and put out my cigarette as I entered through the store closest to me, some department store that had maybe fifteen locations across New England.

The Brockton Bay mall, much like the rest of the city, wasn't much to look at. It reflected the relative affluence of the Downtown area, but "affluence" in the Bay was basically middle class anywhere else. The ceiling was domed glass in the open areas and the building was four stories high. A few of the shops were local, but a lot of them were also high end chain places. I had twenty bucks on me, so it wasn't like I was buying anything more than food while I was here.

It was while was while I was looking for a nice white hoodie that I heard someone call to me.

"Taylor?"

I snapped my head around to find Theo and some girl standing next to him. She was shorter than me, but looked the athletic type. She had blonde hair down to her chest and I'd probably have considered her pretty if not for the sneer on her face.

"Hello, Theo." I said.

"You know this girl?" The blonde asked.

"Yeah, we met a few days ago."

"Literally ran into each other." I supplied.

She scoffed as if my mere presence were offending her. I didn't know if she had a problem with Theo interrupting their apparent date to speak with me or she was like this in general, but I didn't like her.

"Yeah, I ended up replacing her drink as an apology. We talked for a bit and that was it. I didn't expect to see her here, so I was a bit surprised." Theo said.

He was a surprisingly good liar. That's something we should be able to use in the future.

"Whatever. I'm going to go look for some pants. Come find me whenever you're done." She took off towards a different part of the store.

"Sorry about her. Tammi is… Kind of harsh."

"Eh, s'cool. I'm used to people like that." I shrugged. "Is she like that in general or was she particularly vicious because you interrupted your date to talk to me?"

"Probably a little of both. Though she's not my girlfriend. We haven't actually agreed to anything. My… father pushed us into trying it out."

"Unfortunate."

He hummed, but didn't deny it. "So what are you doing?"

"Looking for a hoodie. Mostly window shopping though. I've only got twenty bucks on me."

"Ah. So…" He looked around, "About that thing."

"Theo, first rule of being inconspicuous is not to look like you're doing something people will be curious of." I said, looking through another rack of hoodies.

"Uh, right. So, about that thing. Are we… Are we meeting up again, soon?"

"Yeah. Next Sunday, the 10th, I think, should be a good way for us to verify our plans. I'll see if Lisa and Alec can make that. Madison has already started training and we figured out some of her powers. We can meet sometime this week to help you with yours." I offer.

"That's… I might be able to swing it. I'll see. You have a phone?"

"Not a cell."

"Ah. I don't have anything to write with. Can you remember my number?"

"Yeah."

He told me his number and I nodded.

"Call me sometime Monday and I'll see what I can do."

"Alright. Blondie looks like she's getting more upset. You should get back to her."

He looked towards where Tammi was and winced. "She's definitely telling my dad about this. Later."

"Bye." I said, going back to the rack.

I kept an eye out for the two of them as I moved around the store. Tammi's attitude made me wary of her and I couldn't trust someone like her to not try anything. I wanted to be ready just in case. I left the store before them, but I still kept an eye out for her in other parts of the mall.

—

There was something about this city that just seemed to not like me. I knew Capes were impossible to escape in a city like this one, but of course I'd end up at the mall the day that not only Circus decides to show up, but the Wards are having some kind of PR event. I hadn't even seen Circus go into the store either. They just showed up, threatened the workers, and started a smash and grab. I didn't know if they were stupid or up to something, because the store they decided to rob was only about fifty feet away from the wards. But I wasn't going to spend time wondering about the decision making processes of someone who seemed to be going out of their way to get all of the wards on their tail.

Instead, I sat on a bench not even thirty feet from the jewelry store Circus had just smashed around in, legs crossed at the knee, tapping a box of cigarettes and my foot. I guess I could add agitation to the list of things that made me want to smoke. The other people near me had all panicked and run away from the chaos, but I just could not bring myself to care. If anything, I was more interested in seeing how this whole thing turned out than running, even as annoyed by the situation as I was.

I slipped a cigarette between my lips and pulled a lighter from my pocket. Before the flame made contact it was put out by a gust of wind from Glory Girl flying by. I took a deep breath and the exhale came out as more of a grumble as I re-lit the lighter and finally lit my smoke.

"Fucking Glory Girl." I sighed as I slipped my lighter back in my pocket. I huffed out a puff of smoke when I saw Gallant approaching me.

He started to say something but stopped as I looked at him.

"Are you old enough to smoke?" He asked.

"You old enough to risk your life fighting crime?" I shot back.

He was silent for a few seconds before shrugging. "I'll need you to get a bit farther away, miss. I'm sure you can see the situation nearby." He gestured to where Circus was in the store, looking like they were coming up with a plan to escape. I noticed the only Wards here besides Gallant were Aegis and Vista. Shadow Stalker, Clockblocker, and Kid Win must've been off duty today. Lucky them.

"Yeah, sure." I stood up and stretched a bit.

"Thanks." He said as I made my way to the escalator.

"Sure, whatever." I said.

I picked a spot on the second floor in clear view of the conflict. I was a bit surprised Circus hadn't come out by the time I got to the second floor, but apparently they were a patient one. As soon as the Wards made their move so did Circus, blasting through the window of the shop, kicking Gallant over. They pulled a pie out of mid air and threw it at Vista, who was apparently distracted by Gallant getting bowled over, and made a run for it, heading for the stairs. Aegis caught up quickly but got a face full of hammer and Glory Girl was slammed to the ground. I hummed in interest at the thing. It looked like one of those hammers they used at those games at fairs. It was colorful and cartoonish looking and even had streamers on one end.

Stopping to smash Aegis in the face and Glory Girl into the ground turned out to be a detriment because Vista had caught up in an instant, pie smeared across her face and visor, but enough gone to see what she was doing. She tried to stretch space to keep Circus from getting away only to find a fireball coming at her. Aegis stepped in to take the blow while Gallant followed up with a blast from his armor. Circus rolled out of the way, hitting Aegis in the chest with the hammer and kick Vista in the neck hard enough to drop her. Gallant and Glory Girl where on her, the latter following a blast from Gallant. Circus flipped over the blast, leaping off Glory Girls shoulders and onto the platform between flights of stairs. By the time Glory Girl figured out what happened Circus was already halfway up the stairs. Aegis had recovered and met Circus at the top by flying over the railing only to try to block a feint and take the hammer to the face again, sending him falling back to the first floor.

Glory Girl appeared in the direction Circus was trying to go and managed to dodge the hammer only to get a fireball to the face. She reeled back while Circus dodged another of Gallants attacks, making Gallant actually hit Glory Girl and making her drop to the floor in a daze. Circus tossed another fire ball toward the two young heroes, Gallant rolling out of the way.

By the time everyone was recovered and looking for Circus, they'd disappeared into a department store, It always bothered me how many department stores malls had, and they weren't likely to find them again.

"Well, at least it was interesting." I said to myself, walking off towards the Food court. I ended up buying a couple chicken sandwiches, some fries, and a Shake. That's the magic of the dollar menu and how far nine bucks can take you. No wonder fast foot places could stay in business if millions of people were spending a few dollars every few hours like this.

"Hey." I looked up from my food to find Theo.

"We meet again." I said. "Where's the missus?"

"Bathroom. I heard about something happening on the first floor earlier, did you see?"

"Yeah. Circus robbed a jewelry store and the wards got curb stomped. Aegis got hit with a sledgehammer twice, the second one knocking Aegis from the second floor while Glory Girl got a fireball to the face."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. They didn't look happy about that one."

"Well, thanks for the info. I'm going to get back to my table before Tammi gets back."

"Good luck with that time bomb."

He let out a quick bark of a laugh as he walked away. I saw Tammi walk towards his table a few moments later. She must have seen us talking because Theo blanched when she sat back down. Her hands were moving animatedly as she talked and Theo was doing a lot of shaking his head.

The interaction almost made me glad I wasn't into women. I wouldn't know how to handle a chick like that. Then again, I probably wouldn't be able to handle a guy like that either. Which said nothing of my actual ability to date at this point, which was virtually non existent even if I found a guy I liked, because I simply wasn't capable of the trust that came with a dating.

I finished my food and decided I had enough of the mall for the day.

—

I got home around five, just before the sun set. Dad was passed out on the couch with beer cans scattered across the table and floor and a half empty bottle of Whiskey in his hand, luckily with the cap on. I sighed and started collecting all the cans and putting them in the recycling bag. I'd have to remember to take it to the Recycling center tomorrow. There were enough cans stocked up to give a decent payout by now.

After I was done I took the bottle from his hand and gently picked up him. Dad wasn't a heavy man, I got my beanpole physique from him after all, so he wasn't difficult to carry even discounting the face that I could lift a car with ease now. After getting him in bed, in his clothes because wasn't willing to try to undress him, I went down to the kitchen to find some food. I was surprised to see he'd cooked. Or, at least, he'd tried to cook. There was a pan on the stove filled with lopsided chunks of meat and under cooked rice. I turned the burner on, deciding to finish cooking it. Dad might have been to out of it to notice it wasn't done but I wasn't.

I sat down to watch the news with my food. Nothing interesting had happened besides the thing with the Wards and Circus. Apparently there was a gang fight somewhere near the mall too. Empire and some unknown group got into a chase that involved some shooting. Seemed something important got stolen from the Empire and they were pissed.

I was half way through my food, which could have been better but I'm not going to be over critical of a drunk mans cooking, when the phone rang.

"Hello?" I asked, flopping back on the couch as I answered.

"Taylor? It's Lisa." She sounded a little freaked out.

"How'd you get my number?" I asked. The call wasn't unwelcome, but she shouldn't have been able to call me in the first place.

"Phone book."

"I never told you my last name."

"It's power bullshit, listen—."

"You should have just started with that."

"Are you always this obtuse?"

"I'm sitting at a right angle right now." I couldn't help but smirk at her groan.

"Listen, I need you to meet me in Las Noches right now. Yes you can bring your food, I need to test something with you."

"Alright."

"Good."

I hung up and went to grab my plate, walking through the portal I'd opened after grabbing it. The actual insides of the portals, the Garganta, was pretty creepy when I thought about it. It was basically a massive void. There was nothing in it. Just a vast empty space of darkness. I didn't want to know what happened if someone managed to fall into it, but I had an idea it wouldn't be pleasant if you didn't have a way to get out.

I stepped through to Las Noches to find Lisa and Alec sitting in their thrones, the former of which looking a little disturbed.

"You're here!" Lisa shot up.

"I'm here." I said, taking a spoonful of rice.

"How do I do that thing? With the table?"

"Table." I said dully, causing the room and thrones to shift. I sat down and put my plate on the table. "It took me well over a month to figure out I could change this room as I wanted. I'm not even sure you can do it immediately. Give it some time and you'll be able to do it after connecting more with the place, I think."

"You think." She sighed. "Worst part is I know you aren't lying. You genuinely don't know."

"Correct."

"Anyway, I think I figured out one of my powers."

"Freaked me right the fuck out with it, too." Alec said.

"Tell, tell." I said.

"I can tell what people want! Like, their desires. Unconscious or otherwise, I can look at someone and figure out what they want and use that to my advantage."

"How did that freak out Alec?"

"Okay, so I'm sitting on the couch, chilling, playing some games. Then she comes out her room, looks at me, then scrunches her face up and calls me gross. I'm sitting there confused, cause this is weird even for her."

"Screw you too." Lisa said.

"And she goes, 'are you just always horny?' And that weirds me out, cause I wasn't feeling it. I'm just playing my games and she comes and accuses me of being horny when sex was the farthest thing from my mind at the time."

"Sex is never far from your mind."

"Doesn't mean I'm always horny though." He shot back.

"So you want to try it on me?" I asked.

"Yes." She nodded quickly.

"I doubt there's much you can tell me about myself that I haven't figured out already."

"Let her try it." Alec's voice was a distorted warble. He was playing with his mask, wiping his hand in front of his face to make it appear and disappear.

"You can. Just saying you aren't likely to tell me anything new."

"Okay, here I go." Lisa said, staring straight into my eyes as I continued to eat my rice. "Okay. You want a better relationship with your father."

"Yes I do."

"You want friends."

"You knew that."

"I did, but it's still there. You want someone you can trust like you used to. Before… Your former best friend betrayed you."

"This is all feeling very surface level so far." I said, waving my spoon.

"Shut up. It's not my fault you seem to know yourself so well. Actually, how do you know yourself so well?"

"I've had nothing but time for introspection since I got my powers. You tend to come to realizations about yourself with enough time in your own head."

"Fair enough. You… Wow. You really, really want to hurt the people who wronged you."

"Oh man, don't even get me started. But that would involve… A lot of murder, sabotage, and torture and I'd honestly rather not have to go so far over a bunch of people I'd rather forget exist. It's not the type of person I want to be."

"You want to die." She said a bit more subdued.

"On some level, yeah. It's at least part of the reason I started smoking."

"Why don't you talk to anyone?"

"Who?"

"Fair enough." She sighed. "You can come talk to me from now on if you want." She offered.

"I'll keep that in mind." I said with slight smile. "So, oh knower of desires, is there anything else you can see in me?"

"I can see… You want to have a family and live a relatively quiet life. But you also want to help people despite how jaded you are… Or rather… It's not that you wan to be a hero, but you want to make a difference in the world and you would rather do so on the right side of the law."

"Oh, see, the last three things you said all came very difficultly to me. I figured them out, but it was after a lot of denial and stacking hatred to avoid confronting it. That means you can see pretty deep. So, if you can tell what people want, have you tried giving it to them?"

"Huh?" She looked confused for all of a second before something clicked and a look of realization crossed her face. "You think I can create illusions."

"Let me ask you a question. Before you came here, what were you feeling most? An emotion, your state of mind, whatever. What was that feeling?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Alec asked.

"I was thinking about it the other day after we met for the first time. My theme is Solitude. Before I came here I felt so incredibly alone, like no one saw me or understood me or cared. I came to the conclusion, recently, that our theme must have something to do with what we were feeling or what we want most but can't get."

"So if you're right then that would make my theme… Despair." She said lowly.

"And if that's true, what could bring someone to that point better than giving them exactly what they want only to rip it away from them at the last second? To put them right where they want to be only for it to all be fake?"

"That's… A good point."

"Yeah. Don't try it on me though. Friend or no, I might hurt you if you go too far."

"That's a scary threat from someone like you. I don't want my organs rearranged."

"CAN YOU DO THAT?!" Alec shouted almost excitedly.

"Probably." I shrugged.

"You can." Lisa corrected.

"She says I can, so I guess I can."

"That's so sick! You could like, replace someone's spleen with their kidney. Imagine the carnage that could cause!" Alec giggled.

"I don't want to." Lisa said.

"You're way to excited about that." I blanched.

"It's a cool power."

"Right…" We said.

"Anyway, I'm gonna head back home. I'm kinda tired so I'm going to bed."

"Night." Lisa said.

"Goodbye, oh lady of bodily harm." Alec bowed.

I smirked when Lisa slapped him upside the head as I left.

AN: Some of you probably saw there was a Coil plot in this chapter. I'm curious about what some of you think it might be.